Anyone know the status of this project? On the skyline snapshot, it says construction was to start spring of 2006. I see nothing happening there.

ask urbanpioneer on this website, he's the one building it.

http://mysite.verizon.net/res17zef/belltower.jpg

Thu May 17, 2007

By Bryan Dean
Staff Writer

Workers erected a 50-foot bell tower today on the shore of the Oklahoma River near downtown.

The Kerr-McGee Bell Tower is part of the state’s centennial celebration and stands just west of Interstate 35. The tower will chime every hour and play seasonal music.

The tower is considered a link between several other visible projects on the river, including the Chesapeake Boathouse and the American Indian Cultural Center.

The tower fits with the Chesapeake Boathouse’s nautical theme and is designed to look like a ship’s mast, project manager Jeff Bezdek said.

Most of the $80,000 cost of the tower was paid by Kerr-McGee, officials said.

Yeah I had talked to Jeff last week about it and he mentioned it was ready to go. Glad to see it finally going in. Too bad Kerr McGee was sold and the river fountains similar to the Bellagio's might not be done now unless another private developer comes up with the money.

To bad that Kerr McGee can't take all of their profits from the sale and put just a fraction of that toward the "fountain" project. I am sure that Kerr McGee could scrape up enough loose change to finance a little fountain project.

As I drove north across the river today, I say this tower from the bridge. I can't remember the last time I was so dissappointed in something. I was expecting it to look much larger. You have to look real hard to find it from the highway. If I hadn't been looking for it, I never would have seen it. Very underwhelming.

To bad that Kerr McGee can't take all of their profits from the sale and put just a fraction of that toward the "fountain" project. I am sure that Kerr McGee could scrape up enough loose change to finance a little fountain project.

If Luke Corbett were any corporate citizen, he'd keep his word, and he'd complete the project with his own money if need be.

As I drove north across the river today, I say this tower from the bridge. I can't remember the last time I was so dissappointed in something. I was expecting it to look much larger. You have to look real hard to find it from the highway. If I hadn't been looking for it, I never would have seen it. Very underwhelming.

Ding Ding Ding. Again, developers claim to be making something that will rival the archway in St. Louis and the Statue of Liberty. First it was the Beacon of Hope. Then the KerrMcGee Bell tower. What jokes both of those projects are.

I don't remember developers claiming the bell tower would rival anything, especially the St. Louis Arch or the Statue of Libery. I know the person personally who designed and installed this, our own OKCTalk member urbanpioneer.

If Luke Corbett were any corporate citizen, he'd keep his word, and he'd complete the project with his own money if need be.

I agree with you, he's probably worth well over $100 million. More than he can spend in his lifetime. Donating $1 million to get the fountains done and for upkeep of Kerr Park would be nothing to him, let alone another $2 million or so to get those Kerr McGee housing units going that Triangle Development was going to do.

Yeah, I don't recall this being promised as a rival to anything either, so perhaps if it's disappointing it's based more on our assumptions of what it would be?

And in Rand Elliot's defense, the Beacon of Hope looks way better now that they took the green filter off.

$80K doesn't go very far.

I'm sure it will be a nice addition to the riverfront rather than some sort of landmark.

And in Rand Elliot's defense, the Beacon of Hope looks way better now that they took the green filter off.

It's okay, but it's no archway or space needle. LOL!

Finally got to see the now famous Bell Tower. I must say that I wasn't impressed. I like the design and the idea, but the size of the tower is entirely to small.

Finally got to see the now famous Bell Tower. I must say that I wasn't impressed. I like the design and the idea, but the size of the tower is entirely to small.

I just saw it myself driving south on I-35 ... the money could have been better spent on trees, I'm thinking. Sorry to say that, but, was THIS project intended to make some kind of a statement? Maybe it did. Robert S. Kerr and Dean A. McGee may be rolling over in their graves.

I saw it too the other day. Looked like it could have been in downtown Boise City, OKlahoma. (No offense if you are from there) Come on OKC, think big!! Come on T. Boone and Gaylords, think BIG about an icon for OKC on the river.

I think that they wasted a prime spot on the river too.