Alley's End (4th & EK Gaylord)

[adaniel]

I'm not trying to say a building isn't a good building if it isn't tall, just that OKC never seems to get any nice tall buildings. Nashville just had a new 40 something story proposed on top of everything else they have going. Even the Devon Tower was scaled back. It never seems to fail. Sorry, if OKC can't support a 40 story tower in the CBD, then this city isn't as hot as some are making it out to be.

Anyways, I didn't mean to sidetrack this thread. Hopefully something nice will be built there, even if it isn't tall, I'm betting it.

FYI Devon Tower is the tallest building of any metro under 2 million. To assume that it is our standard for every development is highly unrealistic.

I am very familiar with development in Nashville as it is a city that I am strongly considering relocating to. The development you are probably referencing (the 505) would not be anywhere close to as tall as Devon.

The point of urban development should never be to throw up as many glass phalluses as possible.

[bchris02]

FYI Devon Tower is the tallest building of any metro under 2 million. To assume that it is our standard for every development is highly unrealistic.

I am very familiar with development in Nashville as it is a city that I am strongly considering relocating to. The development you are probably referencing (the 505) would not be anywhere close to as tall as Devon.

The point of urban development should never be to throw up as many glass phalluses as possible.

Personally I think the Devon Tower would have been better as two more moderately sized skyscrapers. It wouldn't have thrown the skyline so out of balance. It's so much taller than everything else that until a new second tallest is built its going to look a little out of place. It would have been even worse if it would have been built to its original height.

When it comes to high-rise residential, I think the lifestyle that it would bring to downtown is just as important as having another fixture in the skyline. As I've said, a residential high-rise at 4th and EKG would have so much potential when it comes to amazing views from the upper floors, no matter what side you are on. It would offer something currently not available anywhere else in Oklahoma City. I would be a home run. I don't think it needs to be 40 stories though (though I would have no complaints if it was). 20-25 would be good and anything above that would be icing on the cake.

[Laramie]

The Devon Tower originally was suppose to be 925 feet high; its present high is 844 (-4 floors). OKC tallest (Devon) is taller than a lot of major cities' tallest building like:

Boston, Denver, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Oakland, Phoenix, San Diego & Tampa to name a few.

[dankrutka]

First, so bchris02 will quit saying it, there is high rise residential in OKC. Maybe he wants to make a more nuanced complaint, but to say there's not high rise residential repeatedly is incorrect.

[HOT ROD]

True! there is high rise residential in OKC, but there is no MODERN High Rise Residential in downtown. That is what we're talking about.

And to those who commented that OKC has land, true - but we don't use it. Instead, we tear down old buildings and turn them into parks, or build parking garages. I'm not being pessimistic but providing a little bit of prospective that 1) this is in the Central Business District (no height restrictions)!!!!! 2) the CBD does not have a lot of available land 3) therefore, if it is to be residential at this location; it SHOULD be high-rise and we might as well shoot for a 40-floor tower with a parking podium and ground floor retail. A 40-storey tower would be about the same height as Sandridge/Kerr McGee and would NOT stick out since it would be only a block away from the next building of similar height and would be in the compact CBD core of OKC. ...

I think we can shoot for mid-rises in Auto-Alley (where along Broadway a block to the north there is MUCH land available) and in Film Row; the CBD and new-CBD Expansion needs to be high rise and let the mid- and low-rises go elsewhere WHERE THE LAND EXISTS.

[UnFrSaKn]

2 developers have mixed-use plan for property at NW 4, E.K. Gaylord | News OK

[HOT ROD]

that last line from Cathy is what I think OKC needs to change; instead of requiring just a mid-rise

I think in the CBD, higher use should require high-rise development over 12-floors WITH STRUCTURED PARKING (OR NONE AT ALL). ie no surface parking lots. ....

[PhiAlpha]

First, so bchris02 will quit saying it, there is high rise residential in OKC. Maybe he wants to make a more nuanced complaint, but to say there's not high rise residential repeatedly is incorrect.

Since when has correcting BChris ever stopped him from repeating the same incorrect statements to push his narrative?

[bchris02]

There was nothing incorrect about my statements. You can't compare the Regency or Park Harvey with what could potentially be built at 4th and EKG. Not just modern living but the kind of views you will get from that location.

[Architect2010]

I'm not being pessimistic but providing a little bit of prospective that 1) this is in the Central Business District (no height restrictions)!!!!! 2) the CBD does not have a lot of available land 3) therefore, if it is to be residential at this location; it SHOULD be high-rise and we might as well shoot for a 40-floor tower with a parking podium and ground floor retail.

You're not being pessimistic. You're being optimistically unrealistic... Who is "we"? Surely you are not financing a 40 story tower, are you? It is not as simple as you make it and standards, once again, have nothing to do with it.

The time will come, but you cannot simply dictate towers SHOULD be built because of your own personal expectation. That's what SimCity is for.

[mugofbeer]

When was the last time a 40-60 story building was started or built in the Dallas area?

[Mississippi Blues]

Museum Tower (Arts District: 42-stories) broke ground in 2010 and was completed in early 2013.

[KayneMo]

FWIW and just doing some quick research, I found that Oklahoma City has among the highest residences of cities in similar size (which surprised me) at City Place (the top seven floors), beaten by Milwaukee and tied with Hartford in height, and higher than Jacksonville, Virginia Beach, Nashville, Salt Lake City, Louisville, New Orleans, Memphis, Indianapolis, Raleigh, and Providence (listed in order by height). However, in terms of mostly or fully residential buildings, OKC ranks behind Indianapolis and ahead of Raleigh with Regency Tower at 288'. When the conversion of First National is complete, it would then tie with Milwaukee by height.

[Plutonic Panda]

FYI Devon Tower is the tallest building of any metro under 2 million. To assume that it is our standard for every development is highly unrealistic.

I am very familiar with development in Nashville as it is a city that I am strongly considering relocating to. The development you are probably referencing (the 505) would not be anywhere close to as tall as Devon.

The point of urban development should never be to throw up as many glass phalluses as possible.

I never said the Devon Tower should be our standard. A 40 story residential would be significantly shorter than the Devon Tower.

[bige4ou]

I drove by this lot yesterday and noticed a sign for pre-leasing. Signed mentioned residential, office, and commercial. I drive by often and haven't noticed it before.

[AP]

I'm pretty sure that sign has been there for a year or so?

Edit: Longer. I found the pic when it was first brought to our attention. Nov 1st, 2014.

http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.ph...340#post839340

[Anonymous.]

Yes, it has been there for a long time.

[Architect2010]

The RFP responses for this were due Friday, July 8th.

Pete, what is the expected wait time until we are able to see the proposal(s)? Do we know how many groups expressed interest in proposals for the site, or was Land Run the sole contender?

[chestercheetah]

17-story residential tower... http://www.oklahoman.com/login?refer...o_redirect=yes

[dankrutka]

Wow! Nice. Hopefully, it comes to fruition. If the ground level/retail is done well, this space could really help bridge the gap between Deep Deuce and Automobile Alley.

[Mississippi Blues]

I can't read the article yet, but I'm happy to see that. Hopefully something comes of it.

[Pete]

I'll get the full plans later this morning and post.

Great news!

I suspect they are still trying to get a grocery store and/or a drug store as well.

[Anonymous.]

The biggest development news since BOK Plaza and 21C, yet basically zero discussion on it on OKC's largest development community.

Shows just how little of us have subscriptions to the Oklahoman.

[Pete]

Article just says 17-story apartments with parking structure and some bigger box retail space, which had been predicted for some time.

The real interesting part will be the plans and images which I should have in a bit.

[_Cramer_]

You can read most of the article from this picture tweeted this morning. Especially if you're like me and don't have a subscription.

https://twitter.com/KevinMotto/statu...19827211853824