BancFirst Tower

[OKVision4U]

You are so "spot on". This location could be an incredible anchor for retail / dining for its lower levels.

The Cotter Tower could be that location but it would have to have a "new identity" to offer for the new / large anchor tenants. A band-aide will not get it this time. A complete re-do is what is needed now. I like the idea of adding a new "top" for it w/ a fresh look coupled w/ a new windows and a several large upscale retail for the lower levels. The Colcord has it new look sitting beside the new Devon Tower. The Cotter Tower could be the new look w/ the Skirvin too.

It does need to Re-Invent itself to be put in the front again of the OKC relevance in real estate. The good news for the Cotter Ranch Tower is that Devon spend a Billion down the street and thus, helped secure the Cotter Ranch Tower's future PROVIDING, they act accordingly. ....or, they will continue to be old news.

There is nothing Historic about this building, it is just a tower that needs to stay current, or get left behind.

A new top, new skin, new lighting, new street experience and this tower can be the Hottest Real Estate Property in OKC. ...or not.

[bombermwc]

If that's true, then I'm all for some renovation. It wasn't long ago that the space was full and things were all ok there....my what a few years and a big ass building down the street can do LOL.

Here's the problem I have with things like this. Infrastructure is the #1 key to keeping a tenant. The build-out is decided by the tenant so if you don't like the way a suite looks, fine...rip it out....comes out of your pocket anyway (at least partially). But if the guts of the building suck, then get off your landlord butt and do something about it. Make sure your HVAC works well and doesn't leak all over or is so loud you can't hear yourself. Keep those light fixtures working and don't take 2 weeks to replace things like ballasts. If you can't provide the electrical needed, then fork it over and get it added. And if your common areas still look like they did when the building was built, (and you aren't a historic structure), then you need to get cracking on doing something about it. Even historic structures need help keeping things working. Far too often landlords drag their feet in the name of saving a buck, only to piss the tenants off, bring the building into disrepair, and ultimately cause the venture to fail. I would hope that someone like Cotter would realize that if these things are really happening, it would be in his best interest to put some money into the place. If he thinks he's just going to sell it off, he's going to have a loss if the building is in the state you describe. Lower occupancy is a real killer to purchase price. Hey, the ROI may be long, but I personally wish we had more people committed to that long term ROI so they would hang around. I despise short term landlords just looking to turn properties over for a buck. They do nothing but a disservice to their tenants and the area.

[Pete]

One thing that would go a very long way towards modernizing and providing more space would be to expand the base as close to the street as possible, especially on the south, west and north sides where there is nothing but expansive plaza nothingness.

Could make the whole thing a 2-story glass structure:

[shawnw]

That would be awesome

[OKVision4U]

A 2-story glass structure in the lower levels would be really a great idea! The property has so much potential w/ so many things that could be done to make it The HOT place. ...

....they may just continue to bleed it dry though.

[bombermwc]

Totally agree....push out the ground floor to be a useable space. If you want a fancy looking stone floored entry, fine. But DO something with the rest of the space. It's the most expensive real estate in OKC and it's just sitting there catching rain water and bird poop.

I really with Cotter wouldn't have been so stupid about the Underground plans too. That glass structure would have been step 1 to modernizing SOMETHING about the place. You can tastefully blend the modern style with international (since its so freaking bland), but I still would caution against just re-capping (which doesn't actually do anything but kill the style) and gutting the lobby structural elements. Lets not destroy what makes the place International (would hate to kick ourselves for it later). But that's not to say that you can't do something with a glass structure. I'm thinking a metal frame (think something like this at the Lourve, but not as a pyramid). Exposed mechanical so you keep natural light coming in from the ceiling. Say, attach it at the top of the lobby structure and extend that height out to the edge. You can either get a multi-level structure out of it, or something like a retail space for "open air-ish" dining or shopping. Imagine the smells that could fill an open space like that from a coffee shop or eatery.

Just a small example and I'm sure we could all come up with great examples of something to do that would be immeasurably better that the bricks.

[bchris02]

I think the building looks much, much better with the corners lit. Maybe with the Chase logo likely coming down, they can light the entire building and not just the corners. I know I've seen old pictures of it with the entire top lit up.

[HOT ROD]

personally, I like the neon ring and just that alone (no or a much smaller corp logo on the left please). I think the incandescent lights are a bit old fashioned.

To me, the full neon ring at the top has a bit of flair to an otherwise boring/ugly box.

[HangryHippo]

personally, I like the neon ring and just that alone (no or a much smaller corp logo on the left please). I think the incandescent lights are a bit old fashioned.

To me, the full neon ring at the top has a bit of flair to an otherwise boring/ugly box.

I would really like to see the neon taken down the corners of the building.

[Anonymous.]

Well that didn't last long, all the lights they replaced up top have failed again already.

Also this weekend they had the interior lights on inside a large portion of the floors and you could see how many unoccupied floors there are. The building looked like a movie set for an abandoned office tower.

[bchris02]

Well that didn't last long, all the lights they replaced up top have failed again already.

Also this weekend they had the interior lights on inside a large portion of the floors and you could see how many unoccupied floors there are. The building looked like a movie set for an abandoned office tower.

The lights have been out on the east side for a couple of weeks now. It looks ridiculous. If they aren't going to have all corners lit they should just not light them at all. As for friday, personally I really liked the building lit up the way it was. Usually it is way too dark.

[Mr. Cotter]

The lights have been out on the east side for a couple of weeks now. It looks ridiculous. If they aren't going to have all corners lit they should just not light them at all. As for friday, personally I really liked the building lit up the way it was. Usually it is way too dark.

They were taking aerial photos of the building Friday night, and asked everyone to leave their office lights on. They are usually turned off by custodians if the tenants leave them on at night.

[ChowRunner]

Ackerman Mcqueen was making a promotional video of downtown OKC this weekend and asked for most lights to be left on.

[Anonymous.]

Yea the corner lamps went back out a week or so after I updated this thread saying they finally fixed them. Really disappointing.

I agree, it was neat that the interior lights were all on like that - but it was creepy how empty it was.

[warreng88]

That explains a lot. I was at the Skirvin for an event and noticed a lot of lights were still on.

[soondoc]

Any chance some investor or current owner might jump at the chance to restore this building. I for one think it could be pretty cool and wouldn't require a complete re-do. It may needs lots of work but would be much cheaper than a new building. Surely someone could come up with some cool ideas and make this place pop. I think some type of rooftop and re-think the lighting situation. The building looks dead, therefore gives the public the assumption that it is and that only lowers the value of the place.

If I owned the place, I'd put some money into, update it and do some cool lighting and give it a more vibrant presentation, leave some freaking lights on at night so it looks like it isn't on life support. I'd then either rent it for more money or sell it for more than what they'd ever get out of it right now. It's really a depressing building to look at actually.

[bchris02]

Any chance some investor or current owner might jump at the chance to restore this building. I for one think it could be pretty cool and wouldn't require a complete re-do. It may needs lots of work but would be much cheaper than a new building. Surely someone could come up with some cool ideas and make this place pop. I think some type of rooftop and re-think the lighting situation. The building looks dead, therefore gives the public the assumption that it is and that only lowers the value of the place.

If I owned the place, I'd put some money into, update it and do some cool lighting and give it a more vibrant presentation, leave some freaking lights on at night so it looks like it isn't on life support. I'd then either rent it for more money or sell it for more than what they'd ever get out of it right now. It's really a depressing building to look at actually.

A few weeks ago they left many of the lights on because they were filming and wanted the skyline to appear more vibrant. It was unbelievable what kind of difference it made. I agree it wouldn't take much at all to make the building really pop. From what I've heard Pete say though the current owners just don't care and aren't interested in being part of OKC's downtown renaissance.

[soondoc]

BChris, that would be a good start for sure. What the owner or the people of OKC don't realize is that if this building continues this path it is headed for major trouble. Not only will it kill the property value, but it could end up vacant. If that happens, the neglect of building could be so bad that it end up being demolished. This was the tallest building in OKC for many years and still the second tallest in the city. Would be sad to see it go and I could see it happening if things don't change.

As the owner, I wish the city could force him to update things or force a sell perhaps. It could be deemed a health risk or some type of neglect of city code or something. I just can't imagine him letting it get to the point where he loses more money because of declining property value. Do some things to bring it to life and it is a win-win for all involved. Who is the owner and what can be done? Is he willing to sell and BChris, do you want to go in with me and buy the place and restore it and make lots of money? I have about 500 dollars currently I could add and we could find some other investors and make this happen!

[gopokes88]

BChris, that would be a good start for sure. What the owner or the people of OKC don't realize is that if this building continues this path it is headed for major trouble. Not only will it kill the property value, but it could end up vacant. If that happens, the neglect of building could be so bad that it end up being demolished. This was the tallest building in OKC for many years and still the second tallest in the city. Would be sad to see it go and I could see it happening if things don't change.

As the owner, I wish the city could force him to update things or force a sell perhaps. It could be deemed a health risk or some type of neglect of city code or something. I just can't imagine him letting it get to the point where he loses more money because of declining property value. Do some things to bring it to life and it is a win-win for all involved. Who is the owner and what can be done? Is he willing to sell and BChris, do you want to go in with me and buy the place and restore it and make lots of money? I have about 500 dollars currently I could add and we could find some other investors and make this happen!

The city can't do anything, but the free market can and will. FNC is going to get a renovation, the Clayco's towers, and a few others we don't know about yet will pick off a lot tenants. That provides competition and competition makes you grow stronger or thins out the herd.

[UnFrSaKn]

Hoping Continental moves in and takes ownership somehow.

[Plutonic Panda]

Hoping Continental moves in and takes ownership somehow.

I would rather Continental build a new 40+ story building and someone else renovate this tower and turn it into spec a office space.

[soondoc]

I like some of these ideas. I would hate for it to get to the point where it ends up abandoned. What can be done it about this legally? Also, stupid question but how to you like someone's comments on here? I see people do it all the time but don't know where to click on to do so.

[catch22]

You cannot "Like" comments in a "Wiki" article. If a topic is just a regular forum thread, you can, but a lot of threads are in the Wiki format and not the Forum Thread format.

[soondoc]

Who is the owner of the Cotter Tower? Just imagine someone coming in and making this place a hip place to be. They could expand the base for shopping and retail, add some roof type stuff and give it a cool factor. Why is their not much interest in this. In its current state, I'd think it could be bought for a bargain. Anyone with any design or photo shop skills, could you come up with a new and improved look for this building just to give us some stuff to dream of? I think that would be cool stuff and the more ideas the better. Heck, maybe someone who reads these boards will pass it on and someone with money might run with it.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Who is the owner of the Cotter Tower? Just imagine someone coming in and making this place a hip place to be. They could expand the base for shopping and retail, add some roof type stuff and give it a cool factor. Why is their not much interest in this. In its current state, I'd think it could be bought for a bargain. Anyone with any design or photo shop skills, could you come up with a new and improved look for this building just to give us some stuff to dream of? I think that would be cool stuff and the more ideas the better. Heck, maybe someone who reads these boards will pass it on and someone with money might run with it.

Cotter Ranch Properties of San Antonio I believe.