Classen Circle

[W8N2SKI]

Pete, does Braum's still own the grass lot towards to rear? There are now stakes and an excavator on it.

[Pete]

Pete, does Braum's still own the grass lot towards to rear? There are now stakes and an excavator on it.

Braum's owns the house in the middle of the property.

The two vacant lots to the east are part of the redevelopment; it will be surface parking.

[ManAboutTown]

Braum's owns the house in the middle of the property.

The two vacant lots to the east are part of the redevelopment; it will be surface parking.

As much as I love Braum's, I'm so darn glad this is not going to be one. What a waste of an iconic spot THAT would have been.

[OklahomaNick]

Unless Braums is a partner in this development why are they keeping that parcel (house) in the middle?

[Dob Hooligan]

Unless Braums is a partner in this development why are they keeping that parcel (house) in the middle?

Cash flows on rent and they haven't gotten an offer they like

[catcherinthewry]

Unless Braums is a partner in this development why are they keeping that parcel (house) in the middle?

I'm pretty sure that's where Ernest lives. Know what I mean?

[Pete]

Unless Braums is a partner in this development why are they keeping that parcel (house) in the middle?

Braum's just rents that house out and has no part in the development.

They bought that house some time ago and then had everything else under contract but when they filed their demolition plants with the planning commission,
I posted about it and a big protest ensued and Braum's backed out. So now they are just left with that random house.

[Pete]

[Ginkasa]

I wish there was a way to cross safely from there over to Edna's. I love close by and would love to walk to Edna's sometime but I'm not aware of a crosswalk and the multiple lanes make me anxious.

[Pete]

[ChrisHayes]

Dream Hotels updated their website to say their OKC hotel will be opening in 2026.

[Pete]

Plans revealed for historic Donnay Building

As the massive task continues to save the Donnay Building off the old Classen Circle, the new owners have posted renderings of what will be the final product.

Long neglected and in complete disarray, the property was acquired last year. Caleb Hill and Nick Preftakes have been gently peeling back layers of bad roofing, siding, and a disjointed interior.

Originally constructed in 1948, the Donnay Building is best known for being home to The Patio restaurant and until recently, the Hi-Lo Club.

Things had become so bad that all tenants had to be cleared in order for a proper reconstruction.

The new renderings show a new restaurant in the same location as The Patio, with patios on each of two levels. The remainder of the space will be leased as retail or office.

To the north of the Donnay is the Classen Grill which is undergoing major surgery of its own. A new patio has been added out front and the entire parking lot is being rebuilt with reconstructed retaining walls.

There will be extra parking for the entire project along 50th. The small house is not part of the project; it is still owned by Braums which attempted to buy the Donnay Building and demolish it before public outcry resulted in them abandoning their plans.

The new Classen Grill is set to open in September is will be operated by Happy Plate Concepts, proprietors of Sunnyside Diner, Taqueria El Camino, and Grill on the Hill.

[bombermwc]

I'm glad to see this old girl is getting some good love. I also feel a little bad for the residents of that home. I have a feeling they are not going to enjoy being that close to what will be a hoping commercial building.

[BoulderSooner]

I'm glad to see this old girl is getting some good love. I also feel a little bad for the residents of that home. I have a feeling they are not going to enjoy being that close to what will be a hoping commercial building.

that is owned by braums and a rental so they know what they are getting into

[TheTravellers]

Wow, if it all comes through, a complete home run, touchdown, and 3-pointer...

[OkieBerto]

Not mad about it like some are on social media, but I am a little sad they went with the Chik-fil-a color scheme. Hahah! One of the best parts of this old building was all the color. I think the new updated design with a little bit of the old flare added to call back to it's past is nice. We can't always get what we want, but I am glad it is going to be back!

[Pete]

If you look at my photos you'll see about 10 different colors and types of bricks and stone, some cinder block, all types of painted brick, and a dozen different paint colors.

Unless you walk around that building you can't comprehend how bad it is, and this is after they already stripped off the worst parts.

The whole thing has to be painted and white is probably the best choice. Almost any other owner would have just bulldozed the whole thing.

That corner spot is going to be great with the new patios.

[David]

I like the signage and the up front Classen Circle branding.

[Plutonic Panda]

I wonder if the 50s club sign is a placeholder for the HiLo Club coming back?

[Pete]

I wonder if the 50s club sign is a placeholder for the HiLo Club coming back?

The owner of the HiLo told me two days ago the new owners haven't even spoken to him.

[Plutonic Panda]

The owner of the HiLo told me two days ago the new owners haven't even spoken to him.

So I assume then he is moving somewhere? That’s kind of rude and makes me not really like these developers if they don’t respect a long time institution for the OKC gay community.

[soonerguru]

Communication is a two-way street. Has the Hilo owner reached out to the developer?

[Pete]

Communication is a two-way street. Has the Hilo owner reached out to the developer?

Yes.

[SEMIweather]

Still feel that a good spot for the Hi-Lo would be directly to the west of new Sauced, though I'm not sure if Humankind Hospitality already has plans for the portions of the Sauced building that are not currently being used.

In the meantime, I believe much of the Hi-Lo's event programming has migrated over to the Blue Note (which is now owned by the owner of the Hi-Lo).

[soonerguru]

Yes.

Welll that is a shame. For those on this forum who personally know Preftakes, and I know a couple here by first name, please ask him if he's willing to entertain a new life for HiLo. It's an important part of this city's cultural and social fabric.