Purina Downtown

[fromdust]

I searched here but couldn't find anything. What's going on with the old plant in downtown okc? Drove by today and looks like it's being gutted.

[Pete]

I searched here but couldn't find anything. What's going on with the old plant in downtown okc? Drove by today and looks like it's being gutted.

I saw a demolition permit but I thought it was just for one of the buildings, not the entire plant.

I'll go by with my drone and see what I can see.

[Martin]

i'm trying to place this... is this the plant at sw 21st and robinson?

[warreng88]

i'm trying to place this... is this the plant at sw 21st and robinson?

I believe they are talking about the one downtown at 4th and western. Just north of beer city music hall.

[Martin]

I believe they are talking about the one downtown at 4th and western. Just north of beer city music hall.

riiiight... i forgot that was even there.

[fromdust]

I saw a demolition permit but I thought it was just for one of the buildings, not the entire plant.

I'll go by with my drone and see what I can see.

Oh I see. One building coming down....interesting

[fromdust]

I believe they are talking about the one downtown at 4th and western. Just north of beer city music hall.

Yup, that's the one!

[Tyson]

Crazy, I was just thinking yesterday about how I wouldn't mind if that got torn down... excited to hear updates on this!

[Pete]

The demo permit was for the big 2-story warehouse closest to Western (foreground of the first image).

However, I didn't realize this entire property was sold to the Corsair group (huge local land speculators) so you have to believe they will demolish the entire plant and then put the land up for sale. Purina is completely out of there.

It's 5 acres in an area where downtown is spreading west.

If the plant comes down, with the jail moving out that would remove two big eyesores in that area west of downtown.

Just to the south is the great complex with Flycatcher, Fair Weather Friend and Beer City. Just to the east a couple of blocks is the new housing complex starting at 4th & Shartel and the newly opened Muse (and Glamour).

[HOT ROD]

forgot all about this, last time I was in the city I thought it was a concrete plant. ...

OKC sure has a number of these dog food factories. ..

[ChrisHayes]

Words can't express how much I would love to see that eye sore be tore down. 5 acres is way too big of a plot of land, along with it's neighboring buildings to not be put to better use.

[Tyson]

Yippee! West Downtown will gain some potential to grow! I'd love to see the skyline expand to the west.

[HFAA Alum]

Yippee! West Downtown will gain some potential to grow! I'd love to see the skyline expand to the west.

Apparently the skyline is expanding due north and west. If you want to include the OKANA development, south also. The only direction it seems to remain stagnant in is Eastward, and that's mainly due to the ProCoop site. I can't wait to see what this place will look like in ten years.

[rcjunkie]

I hope/pray they keep going further West, even though it's for personal reasons!!

[Pete]

I hope/pray they keep going further West, even though it's for personal reasons!!

That area has tremendous potential, but it's going to take time.

[unfundedrick]

Is the abandoned rail line next to it privately owned and available to be developed also?

[Pete]

Is the abandoned rail line next to it privately owned and available to be developed also?

It's owned by the railroad.

And Purina was using it up until recently, although they were the end of the line.

[stlokc]

Apparently the skyline is expanding due north and west. If you want to include the OKANA development, south also. The only direction it seems to remain stagnant in is Eastward, and that's mainly due to the ProCoop site. I can't wait to see what this place will look like in ten years.

Interesting that you write that. I feel like "eastward" has been the most successful and most dense expansion of downtown in any of the four directions. Bricktown, Deep Deuce, the Innovation District. (Followed very closely by Midtown development to the north). I suppose if you are only considering "skyline" as something visible from far away, I might concede the point, although I fail to see why the announcement of this plant being bought guarantees any "skyline growth." Besides it is quite far removed from the other buildings. Nevertheless I don't wish to be a wet blanket. I welcome all development in the core.

[Oski]

I'd keep the whole thing and turn the property into something like the Magnolia Market at the Silos in Waco, Texas.

[dankrutka]

I was going to say that I always really liked the industrial vibe that the plant brought to the Fair Weather Friends and the other developments. It added some character. I'm not saying they should keep it just for that, but I never thought it was an eyesore from there.

[Pete]

I was going to say that I always really liked the industrial vibe that the plant brought to the Fair Weather Friends and the other developments. It added some character. I'm not saying they should keep it just for that, but I never thought it was an eyesore from there.

All true but it was a dog food plant that smelled and had a loud grinder working late into the evenings.

When I lived in SoSA I could hear and smell this place far too often.


The demolition permit was only for the warehouse on the east side of the silos. Perhaps the plan is to keep the silos and let the next buyer figure out if they can repurpose them in some way. At the very least, keeping them as landmarks and lighting them up would be great marketing for whatever is built on the remainder of the property.

[soonerguru]

^^^ I don't know if it has any historical relevance, but it is not an attractive element on the skyline, something of note from when I lived in the Regency.

[Pete]

^^^ I don't know if it has any historical relevance, but it is not an attractive element on the skyline, something of note from when I lived in the Regency.

I have always thought it added a really cool industrial vibe, just hated the dog food part of it.

That area west of Western could be very cool and the project with Beer City is a great start. Same with the Dead People's Stuff complex on Linwood.

Would much prefer to see all these buildings repurposed.

[TheTravellers]

Can we get some spare parts from there sent to BCMH so they can raise the stage so people more than 5 feet back (or shorter than 6'6") can see the drummers?

[therhett17]

So why did it close in the first place?