First Americans Museum

[Architect2010]

And in the immediate area right before a tornado.

Besides, the green portion of sky in that photo looks like smog or pollution. Thankyou...

[metro]

Geez, give it up already, it's just a computer rendering and you're freaking out about the color of the sky in a computer animation.

[warreng88]

The journey continues: American Indian museum on track for 2014 finish date
By April Wilkerson
The Journal Record
Posted: 06:14 PM Monday, April 19, 2010

OKLAHOMA CITY – As the American Indian Cultural Center & Museum continues to take shape, so does its symbolism.

Its majestic mound, 90 feet at the peak, signifying the mound-building tribal cultures around the state. Its Courtyard of the Winds that will feature 28-foot-tall flutes to take advantage of a unifying element among all tribes, the wind. The 10 columns and trusses in the Hall of the People, representing the 10 miles that Indians traveled daily during the Trail of Tears. The entire facility’s presence at the river, where tribal people have always built.

“You could come back over and over again and hear a different layer of stories,” said Shoshana Wasserman, director of marketing and public relations for the American Indian Cultural Center & Museum.

The center continues its growth in the large space where Interstates 35 and 40 meet, working toward its finish date of 2014. But this fall it will get a tourism boost when people from around the world visit Oklahoma for the Creativity World Forum. Wasserman and Gena Timberman, executive director of the Native American Cultural & Educational Authority (which is developing the museum), traveled to Germany last year with the delegation who lobbied for the forum. Timberman gave a welcome in her native Choctaw language. Sharing Oklahoma’s diversity on an international level was an honor, which is the goal of the cultural center and museum, she said.

“We have more tribes here than any other state, and to talk about that on an international stage is a very special thing,” Timberman said.

The American Indian Cultural Center & Museum will serve several functions in addition to a museum, Wasserman said. The visitor center, along with providing tourist information, is the home of OklaVision, an online network with a weekday show and 16-channel menu. She said the site also will see commercial and retail development with an arts marketplace and a 250-room hotel and conference center. The outdoor space will serve as a park and trails area.

Instead of a groundbreaking to launch the project, a cultural event was held to prepare the land, Wasserman said.

“A picture of this site in 1930 shows 57 oil wells on the site. It was an industrial area,” she said. “We’re trying to restore the land back to its pristine state. The whole project is a story of sustainability and healing.”

Timberman said the audience for the American Indian Cultural Center & Museum should be both Indian people and non-Indians who can learn the state’s rich history of tribal cultures.

“Some of the great civilizations were built on the river by Native people,” Timberman said. “So why should we stop these traditions today? This project is very representative of the fact that we are still on this journey.”

The journey continues: American Indian museum on track for 2014 finish date

[onthestrip]

Really? It wont be finished til 2014? That sounds like quite a long job. Who is in charge of this project, ODOT?

[metro]

onthestrip, I think their biggest delay is lack of funding.

[dcsooner]

Can OKC build anything in less than 10 years? geez!

[metro]

OKC's not building it, it's a private institution, Devon, is building a near supertall skyscraper in 3 years.

[Urbanized]

Can OKC build anything in less than 10 years? geez!

Not if it involves state funding. Or anticipated state funding.

[dmoor82]

OKC's not building it, it's a private institution, Devon, is building a near supertall skyscraper in 3 years.

Devon is building an 850'ft skyscraper in 3 yrs. a supertall is 1,000'ft or 300 meters! 150 ft from a supertall is not near a supertall!

[gen70]

Devon is building an 850'ft skyscraper in 3 yrs. a supertall is 1,000'ft or 300 meters! 150 ft from a supertall is not near a supertall!

If it's any taller than 850' I think it would be, out of place. (look funny, ya know what I mean?)

[bluedogok]

Not if it involves state funding. Or anticipated state funding.

...that can be cut off at anytime.

[okclee]

I am surprised the Indian center can't collect some kind of casino tax for the Cultural Center.

If they could the money would be pouring in and construction could be completed in a year or two.

[Architect2010]

Devon is building an 850'ft skyscraper in 3 yrs. a supertall is 1,000'ft or 300 meters! 150 ft from a supertall is not near a supertall!

In respect to a total minimum height of 1000', 850' is close to a supertall.

[warreng88]

Really? It wont be finished til 2014? That sounds like quite a long job. Who is in charge of this project, ODOT?

Since they are adding a 250 room hotel, retail space, office space, etc, my guess would be that those things would make the finish date go until 2014. I wouldn't be suprised if the grounds and the museum were finished by mid next year.

[Dustin]

Since they are adding a 250 room hotel, retail space, office space, etc

Hmm? I thought its was just going to be a museum..

[warreng88]

Hmm? I thought its was just going to be a museum..

Read the article I posted on #128.

"The American Indian Cultural Center & Museum will serve several functions in addition to a museum, Wasserman said. The visitor center, along with providing tourist information, is the home of OklaVision, an online network with a weekday show and 16-channel menu. She said the site also will see commercial and retail development with an arts marketplace and a 250-room hotel and conference center. The outdoor space will serve as a park and trails area."

Again, I don't know why there is such a delay, but adding those things I would guess would add time as well.

[ourulz2000]

Read the article I posted on #128.

"The American Indian Cultural Center & Museum will serve several functions in addition to a museum, Wasserman said. The visitor center, along with providing tourist information, is the home of OklaVision, an online network with a weekday show and 16-channel menu. She said the site also will see commercial and retail development with an arts marketplace and a 250-room hotel and conference center. The outdoor space will serve as a park and trails area."

Again, I don't know why there is such a delay, but adding those things I would guess would add time as well.

I wonder how many stories that hotel would be...a couple?

[okclee]

I think that, The Hampton Inn in Bricktown is 9 stories and has close to 200 rooms.

[dmoor82]

In respect to a total minimum height of 1000', 850' is close to a supertall.

Really? 150'ft! I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong,just seems like a big diff!

[rcjunkie]

Really? 150'ft! I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong,just seems like a big diff!

Some argue just to argue!!

[Golfer]

Personally, I am confident that this Center will come into place and will be one of Okc's crowning jewels. Yes, federal funding is presently an issue, but I'm confident that will be solved. If one drives by the area, it is evident that much "physical" progress has been and is being made.

Doug, you are right about it being a crowning jewel because a survey done in years past showed that most foreigners visiting the United States were fascinated with wanted to see stuff related to the American Indian culture.

[ljbab728]

I think that, The Hampton Inn in Bricktown is 9 stories and has close to 200 rooms.

I think a midrise building would be approriate but who knows until we see the plans. The Biltmore has 500 rooms and is two floors.

[Larry OKC]

I think a midrise building would be approriate but who knows until we see the plans. The Biltmore has 500 rooms and is two floors.

Which "Biltmore" are you talking about? Sounds like you are talking about the one down on I-40 and Meridian. The torn down Biltmore that was downtown was most definitely more than 2 stories tall...according to Doug's site: Doug Dawgz Blog: Tall Buildings (image #7) it was 26 stories tall and had over 600 rooms (destroyed in 1977)

Doug Dawgz Blog: Oklahoma Skyscraper City Circa 1931 at the "Faith" article near the bottom of the page, says it had 620 rooms.

[ljbab728]

Which "Biltmore" are you talking about? Sounds like you are talking about the one down on I-40 and Meridian. The torn down Biltmore that was downtown was most definitely more than 2 stories tall...according to Doug's site: Doug Dawgz Blog: Tall Buildings (image #7) it was 26 stories tall and had over 600 rooms (destroyed in 1977)

Doug Dawgz Blog: Oklahoma Skyscraper City Circa 1931 at the "Faith" article near the bottom of the page, says it had 620 rooms.

Lol, I would think you would know which one I'm referring to. I'm very familiar with the downtown Biltmore and certainly know that is was more than 2 floors. I had been in the downtown Biltmore before it was destroyed. It sure looked like more than 2 floors to me.

[Larry OKC]

Wasn't really sure since ya'll were talking about Bricktown area hotels and then you threw in the Biltmore and the 2 story thing and the current Biltmore isn't anywhere near the area that was being discussed.

On edit did I misread why you threw in the current Biltmore, just as an example of a midrise (2 stories/500 rooms compared to the original Biltmore that had 10 times the stories but only 120 more rooms?