Hilton Skirvin Hotel

[Patrick]

Yeah, target opening date is for the Big 12 tourny.

[Pete]

They must have just recently changed their opening date, because about a month or two ago their website said 'December 2006'.

But it now says March 2007, which is obviously more realistic.


Just glad it's being done right!

[John]

As long as its open a few weeks before the tourney rolls into town. We don't want sawdust on the floor greeting our visitors from out of town...

It used to say the opening was in the 4th Qtr 2006.

[Patrick]

Wow,it looks like they still have a looooong way to go before their target opening date in December.

Yeah, they do have a long way to go. The inside of the hotel has been completely gutted, saving historic elements of course. The GM of the Skirvin Hilton told me that at the present time it looks like a bomb went off inside the hotel. Kim Searls noted that he weas not from OKC and that maybe he shouldn't be using those phrases. lol! I think she's right.

[Spookytourchick]

Cant wait!!!!!!

[okgladmom]

Wow, thanks for the pics of the Skirvin! I just stumbled upon this website today and have spent most of the day reading about my beloved OKC. I moved to Houston 3 years ago and my news usually comes from the tv websites, which means I don't learn alot. Anyway, thanks again...I worked in downtown in the 80's.

[Luke]

Welcome aboard!

[Pete]

Welcome okgladmom!

Like you, I worked in downtown OKC in the 80's and have many fond memories of the Skirvin.

Hope you'll continue to read and post!

[Luke]

Excellent pics! Thanks for posting them!

[Doug Loudenback]

Thanks! Here's a couple that I didn't use in my blog post:

More moulding:


North side from top of Santa Fe parking ... wonder what the "?" at the left means? Ghosts behind that door? :tweeted:

[The Old Downtown Guy]

Thanks for the photos Doug.

What a pleasure it is to watch this downtown gem being returned to its original appearance. I pass by two or three times each week and the incremental transformation is much like watching a monumental painting in progress. The cast stone elements now being replaced are the fine details that further set an elegant building like this apart. What a grand sight. Oklahoma City is definitely getting this one right. Your tax dollars at work and doing a damn fine job.

[Doug Loudenback]

Yeah, this one seems to be being done right!

Here's a pic I didn't use (too small) from Okc's website and the text describing it:

Long-concealed art deco motifs were uncovered during interior cleanup. The tiles are in good enough condition to be restored.

It sure would be great to have a tour ... Patrick?

[Pete]

Thanks Doug!

The new owners have a great reputation for careful and quality restoration of historic buildings. This summer, I was in the Pfister in Milwaukee (one of theirs) and it's gorgeous.

OKC is so very lucky to have *finally* found the right developers for this project. I know the end product is going to be absolutely stunning.

I can't wait for it to re-open!!!

[traxx]

It makes you wonder what they were thinking when they covered up all that stonework in the first place.

[keving]

It makes you wonder what they were thinking when they covered up all that stonework in the first place.

They were probably thinking they should keep their image fresh and not out of date. You either have to look fresh or have a look of some older era, such as the 1910's like the Skirvin.

Hotels update their image all the time. Sometimes it is small changes like different carpet, paint and wallpaper like they did at the Hyatt in Wichita. Sometimes it is bit more extreme.

[Doug Loudenback]

It's also possible that when the facade was put in place that those who did that (not sure, but I'm guessing it may have been the Kilpatrick group that acquired the property in the early '80s) considered the cost of restoring all that molding and took the easier way out. Again, I'm just speculating and have no knowledge about this. But, it's pretty evident that the restoration is no easy, nor inexpensive, task to accomplish.

[Pete]

As I recall, they added that new facade in the late 60's or early 70's and it was an attempt to make the place look more updated without going through the trouble or expense to do things right.

Also, I'm sure some of the stonework needed repairs and that was before the big restoration movement which resulted in lots of companies doing custom castings and installations.

I think it was just a quick, cheap fix. The hotel was allowed to really go downhill in lots of other ways as well. I remember going to functions there in the 70's and 80's and thinking the place was really starting to get shabby.

But I also remember how awesome the lobby was (despite being worn around the edges) and how their ballroom was really quite grand.

That's why I'm so excited about this project... There is nothing in OKC quite like it I'm very confident things will be done with the highest possible quality and attention to detail.

[traxx]

As I recall, they added that new facade in the late 60's or early 70's and it was an attempt to make the place look more updated without going through the trouble or expense to do things right.

Also, I'm sure some of the stonework needed repairs and that was before the big restoration movement which resulted in lots of companies doing custom castings and installations.

I think it was just a quick, cheap fix. The hotel was allowed to really go downhill in lots of other ways as well. I remember going to functions there in the 70's and 80's and thinking the place was really starting to get shabby.

But I also remember how awesome the lobby was (despite being worn around the edges) and how their ballroom was really quite grand.

That's why I'm so excited about this project... There is nothing in OKC quite like it I'm very confident things will be done with the highest possible quality and attention to detail.

Yeah, you're probably right about it needing repair and just going for the cheap and quick fix. Because, if they saw what they did as an update or an improvement over the beautiful stonework, architecture and history they must've been blind.

I looked at their websit and it looks like it's going to be niiiiiice. Finally, somebody doing something right here. It'd be nice if we could get other developers around here to take the time and effort to do things right instead of just putting up disposable buildings (lower bricktown, I'm looking at you).

I also hope that when the time comes to develop the Oklahoma River area that it will be done right with care, but I'm so afraid that we'll get more lower b-town. That would be a HUGE opportunity blown.

[Pete]

The Marcus Group will definitely do this right.

Here's a picture from the Pfister in Milwaukee:

[metro]

Thanks for posting Doug. I've been meaning to upload more recent pics and haven't had time. As you can notice by driving by and/or your pics above, new windows are starting to go in.

[Doug Loudenback]

Here are a few construction update pics I took this morning. Notice the lights through the windows in the 2nd pic.

[Pete]

As always, thanks Doug!

That place is really starting to look sharp. What a treasure it will once again be for OKC.

[HOT ROD]

The Hilton Skirvin Hotel is official, as it is now listed on the Hilton website.

Hilton Hotels in Oklahoma

Here is the direct Hotel link: Hilton Skirvin Hotel

[Midtowner]

I got some good shots of what is being done inside the other day. You can see through the windows on the second floor that they are really paying attention to detail in there. I really like this development group -- this public money has been well spent!

[brianinok]

The Hilton website says it is scheduled to open in January 2007. The skirvinhilton.com website says it will open in February 2007. I had head it was going to be March 2007. I wonder which one is accurate?