Gold Dome

[Pete]

Jonathon Russell has listed this property for sale for $3 million.

He paid $1.1 million in 2015.

[Teo9969]

Jonathon Russell has listed this property for sale for $3 million.

He paid $1.1 million in 2015.

What a GREAT time to sell!!!

[shawnw]

where the drive through was torn down is still dirt, they haven't even filled it in (as of a couple weeks ago anyway)

[shawnw]

Pete, you hear anything about this?

https://twitter.com/downesphoto/stat...20328205221894

Hearing rumors that developers want to doze the Gold Dome and put up a goddamn 7-11.

[Pete]

^

That structure cannot be demolished or the outside even touched without design review approval.

A previous owner had tried to have it razed and the city pushed back and it never happened.

Lots of rumors flying around but nothing has been filed.

[onthestrip]

I typically lean in favor of keeping historic and unique structures but gold dome is one that I dont have a problem seeing go. Its an obsolete, not functional building that is sitting there doing nothing. Plus you had the previous user screw up the roof with a bad paint job. There are better and higher uses for that property that dont include the gold dome. How long has it basically sat empty, 15-ish years? Im not counting the brief user of that scandal-plagued oil company, who is the one who screwed up the paint job. I think its time to move on.

[Plutonic Panda]

I disagree. Whatever boxy cookie cutter development that is proposed can be built elsewhere. Hell the Walgreens across the street should be torn down and rebuilt to be made more dense and pushed up to the street. There are many potentials with the Gold Dome if someone wants to do it right. It just takes the right person. Sometimes the wait is worth it.

[Bill Robertson]

The paint can probably be removed without ruining the aged, weathered patina of the gold anodizing. I'm for dozing some buildings and keeping others on a case by case basis. The dome is a keeper. As Panda said, it just needs the right people with the right vision.

[dford2]

Don't want to stir up complaints, but I'd rather see it bulldozed than remain empty for years to come.

[SagerMichael]

Don't want to stir up complaints, but I'd rather see it bulldozed than remain empty for years to come.

That exact thinking is what lead to downtown being obliterated in the 1960s. The Gold Dome could be special if the right hands get ahold of it. If we want to bulldoze something there is a big empty lot with an unused building sitting at 23rd and Francis not even a quarter mile East that should go well before the gold dome is even thought of being touched.

[TheTravellers]

Don't want to stir up complaints, but I'd rather see it bulldozed than remain empty for years to come.

Why? What worth is there to an empty lot that could sit there "for years to come" (see Founders Bank)? Is OKC out of land to build on that someone needs that corner that desperately? What rationale is there where an empty lot is better than a historic non-blighted/non-condemned building?

Oh, and from what I've heard, the problem with the roof isn't just a bad paint job, it's more complicated than that (I believe it was a leak mitigation solution, but not totally sure) and will cost a lot more to fix than just a repaint would. More details might be on this thread somewhere.

[5alive]

I disagree. Whatever boxy cookie cutter development that is proposed can be built elsewhere. Hell the Walgreens across the street should be torn down and rebuilt to be made more dense and pushed up to the street. There are many potentials with the Gold Dome if someone wants to do it right. It just takes the right person. Sometimes the wait is worth it.

Totally agree!!!

[Pete]

This building has very strong personal meaning for me.

I grew up near NW 63rd and Meridian but my dad banked at Citizen's Bank, which was the original tenant.

My love for downtown and urbanism can be directly traced to riding with him to Citizen's on a Saturday and heading "into the city".

For those who have never been inside, it's even more amazing than the exterior. Left me with a huge, life-long interest in cities and architecture.

I found a high-res oblique image of the Gold Dome from around 1967, when I would have been seven years old and about the time I'd take those trips with my dad. I had it made into a huge canvas which I've had on my wall since I moved back to OKC.

It's probably my favorite structure in town, apart from First National (where I interviewed in college before the Penn Square collapse and where I chose to bank when I worked downtown in the '80s).

[Bill Robertson]

This building has very strong personal meaning for me.

I grew up near NW 63rd and Meridian but my dad banked at Citizen's Bank, which was the original tenant.

My love for downtown and urbanism can be directly traced to riding with him to Citizen's on a Saturday and heading "into the city".

For those who have never been inside, it's even more amazing than the exterior. Left me with a huge, life-long interest in cities and architecture.

I found a high-res oblique image of the Gold Dome from around 1967, when I would have been seven years old and about the time I'd take those trips with my dad. I had it made into a huge canvas which I've had on my wall since I moved back to OKC.

It's probably my favorite structure in town, apart from First National (where I interviewed in college before the Penn Square collapse and where I chose to bank when I worked downtown in the '80s).

I have very distinct memories of both buildings also. Mom & dad banked at Citizens and I remember going with dad to get loans on all our toys. Boat, camper, cabin at Eufaula, etc. I banked there also for some time.
First National Tower I have terrifying memories of. I worked for a company that worked on some of the antennas on the top cat-walk. I had to assist the expert on these a couple of times. He would just go up there and walk around. There were no rails, safety lines or anything. He made relentless fun of me because I would go out the hatch, slither around on my belly and never, EVER, look over the edge.

[khook]

Let’s not forget that the gold dome is an iconic piece of architecture along Route 66. Which also brings up a point of I don’t think we do enough to recognize the importance of Route 66 through Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City had several routes that are recognized as being Route 66. What other city can.

[Pete]

Let’s not forget that the gold dome is an iconic piece of architecture along Route 66. Which also brings up a point of I don’t think we do enough to recognize the importance of Route 66 through Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City had several routes that are recognized as being Route 66. What other city can.

Yes, which was why losing the Mutt's building -- just a few blocks to the west -- was such an incredible bummer.

[Dob Hooligan]

My memory is kinda fuzzy, but I recall that the mounting areas for the hexagonal shaped tubing feature that is all over the dome were damaged from the media blasting that was done in preparation for one of the recent paint jobs. Like a series of metal fatigue type cracks around the tubing mounts, and the blasting has thinned the metal and changed it's "hardness".

[TheTravellers]

My memory is kinda fuzzy, but I recall that the mounting areas for the hexagonal shaped tubing feature that is all over the dome were damaged from the media blasting that was done in preparation for one of the recent paint jobs. Like a series of metal fatigue type cracks around the tubing mounts, and the blasting has thinned the metal and changed it's "hardness".

That might be what Lackmeyer was talking about back in 7/19, I don't have the energy to look for Lackmeyer's old chats, not sure if they even exist...

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.p...3509&p=1084529

[ABryant]

Was there an elevator couch, or a Cray computer?

[MikeLucky]

If I had the money/resources I'd like to turn it into a boutique hotel/B&B type business. Small outdoor plunge pool with courtyard type area with fire pit and lounging spots.

This is walking distance to the Plaza District, 23rd street, Asian District and the Paseo. It would be easy to market and have a heavy social media presence and could really be a nice destination lodging option in a very advantageous location.

I would much rather see it survive than get razed.

[rte66man]

While most everyone wants to see it preserved (as do I), the problem is no one can make the finances work. It would appear that fixing the roof will be VERY expensive plus you have to come up with a business model where you can make enough to pay off the reroofing cost plus extensive interior work. I doubt any lodging option would come anywhere near break even. Not sure what would.

[GoGators]

The Gold Dome represents the last golden age of OKC architecture. A time in this city where people were fearless in their designs. The buildings constructed over this time period reflect the wild optimism people had of what the future of OKC could be. The Gold dome was just the fifth geodesic dome constructed in the world.

The Gold Dome setting empty for another 15 years is more valuable to the city than tearing it down and replacing it with more generic nonsense.

[TheTravellers]

The Gold Dome represents the last golden age of OKC architecture. A time in this city where people were fearless in their designs. The buildings constructed over this time period reflect the wild optimism people had of what the future of OKC could be. The Gold dome was just fifth geodesic dome constructed in the world.

The Gold Dome setting empty for another 15 years is more valuable to the city than tearing it down and replacing it with more generic nonsense.

[Plutonic Panda]

The Gold Dome represents the last golden age of OKC architecture. A time in this city where people were fearless in their designs. The buildings constructed over this time period reflect the wild optimism people had of what the future of OKC could be. The Gold dome was just fifth geodesic dome constructed in the world.

The Gold Dome setting empty for another 15 years is more valuable to the city than tearing it down and replacing it with more generic nonsense.

+10000

[Rover]

The Gold Dome represents the last golden age of OKC architecture. A time in this city where people were fearless in their designs. The buildings constructed over this time period reflect the wild optimism people had of what the future of OKC could be. The Gold dome was just fifth geodesic dome constructed in the world.

The Gold Dome setting empty for another 15 years is more valuable to the city than tearing it down and replacing it with more generic nonsense.

So, start petitioning the city to buy it and invest in its maintenance and ownership cost. You can't expect a private investor to lose money on it unless it is purely a philanthropic venture. If it is, then find a needed cultural or social issue it can address and we can raise money to do it. Or, have the city/state find some money for incentives and underwrite it for a private venture.

Bottom line is that it looks like it will require some sort of public activism to keep this building alive.