First National Center

[mheaton76]

I agree - $1.5 million? That's it? They could easily spend that and more just on carpet alone...

I under-whelmed.


www.unitedstatesofmichael.com

[OKCisOK4me]

Looks to me that that entrance will be on the right side of the mostly glass section:

First National is behind the building in this picture. Doesn't really do much justice to show the north face of FN. Or is that an extension of the FNB to the left of that building?

[Pete]

Yes, First National Center runs the entire length of that block and those square glass buildings are a part -- and that's where the new north entrance will be.


I think this step is mainly concerning the arcade, which really does need help. Hopefully the $1.5 million will go a long way in an area that gets a lot of public foot traffic.

[metro]

I like the new proposed north entrance, it is in much need of a facelift, but as others have said, only $1.5 million? That sure isn't very big of an announcement as they were hyping it up to be.

[OKCisOK4me]

Yes, First National Center runs the entire length of that block and those square glass buildings are a part -- and that's where the new north entrance will be.


I think this step is mainly concerning the arcade, which really does need help. Hopefully the $1.5 million will go a long way in an area that gets a lot of public foot traffic.

I always thought that FN looked like a mini Empire. That connection ruins it. I wish we could just transfer those ugly entrails out to Lubbock or something...lol.

[Pete]

Well, here's a more optimistic perspective...

They just spent over $1 million on upgrades to infrastructure before this announcement, so they are pushing $3 million now and had said right off the bat they'd spend at least $6 million. The purchase price was around $21 million I believe.

I think what they are trying to do is clean up the immediate needs and then shift to the common areas to demonstrate real change is coming.

Also, with Devon taking some space and vacancy decreasing in general, hopefully they'll start plowing some of that revenue back into the building. I'm sure up to this point the place has been a money pit.

Milbank owns lots of big, ambitious projects all over the U.S. and they definitely have the resources when they decide the time is right.

Seems they are taking it step by step and you can't really blame them given the vacancy rate in downtown. With that improving, hopefully they will see the benefit of making a bigger investment.

I also wonder if they still may be considering converting part of that space to housing.

[jbrown84]

I hope so.

[BDP]

I can understand why some may find anything less than a full scale updating of this property as a disappointment, but I just can't muster animosity or even indifference towards any plan that improves it in any real way. Even if it was the minimum required to battle entropy, I would still feel positive about it given the level of investment it has historically received relative to its role as one true large and identifying landmark the cityscape has. I do get the feeling that this is not all they feel needs to be done or even want to do with this property, but it is their next step to elevating the property's stature as a viable and visible asset to downtown Oklahoma City in a way that everyone can see.

I don't think that anyone's disappointment isn't in some way justified, but I feel pretty bullish about it as a whole and I think what they're doing at least insures it's short term viability while also extended its lifespan in such a way that we don't have to worry about anything really bad happening to the place.

[Pete]

If you read back through the previous articles since this property was acquired by Milbank, they constantly say 'We aren't going to make promises we can't deliver'. They are very sensitive to the fact that the previous two ownership groups made a lot of grandiose plans then never came through.

And I agree, BDP. At least they are keeping the place operational and moving forward. It wasn't that long ago that John Kennedy *gave* the buildings to a charity just to get rid of it. It could have easily gone dark for a long time, just like the Skirvin.

The whole place needs major renovations -- the restrooms are actually between floors now -- and I'm sure they don't want to spend tens of millions until they have a better idea of how best to position it. I bet you anything they are still toying with the idea of converting part of it to housing, as they have done with numerous other properties.

As much as I'd like to have seen a $100 million announcement, it seems they are taking a more methodical and truthfully, prudent, approach. The last thing we need is for this building to fail yet again.

I was in there last week and the entrance and lobby already look much better. The property is definitely headed in the right direction, which is the most important thing.

[JLCinOKC]

I agree with Pete. If you look at the posters that I put on here yesterday it does say "Phase I". I guess start your way at the bottom and work your way up?

[Pete]

Here's a better picture of the whole complex; it runs from the Tower (on Robinson) all the way to Broadway. And the arcade runs the entire length at ground level. I think this is where they are planning to spend most of the money in this current phase. Also, the large parking garage in the foreground was once a part of the complex but was held back when the rest of FNC was donated. I'm sure it was the only thing generating real revenue at the time. It's still connected by a couple of skybridges.

As you can see, there is far more space in the jumble of adjacent buildings than there is in the tower. In fact, if this was all to be renovated or converted to housing, I think that would take the large majority of all the class B&C space off the downtown market. City Place is probably still class B but I don't think much else fits that category.

[Architect2010]

Can someone explain to me what the arcade level is? Is that where all the shops are at?

[Pete]

Yes. The arcade runs the entire length of the complex from Robinson to Broadway at ground level and is effectively a series of store fronts that mainly face the long hallway.

I'm not sure what's there now but there used to be a Harold's, gift shops and other tenants.

[Pete]

I thought this was interesting, especially the highlighted parts:


*******************

Profile of First National Bank Building in Oklahoma City

Source: Journal Record - Oklahoma City
Publication date: January 11, 2008
By Kelley Chambers

In looking at the Oklahoma City skyline, the First National Bank Building, now known as the First National Center, is not the tallest structure - but it is, perhaps, the most recognizable.

The 32-story First National, which bears a striking resemblance to the Empire State Building, was built in 1931 at 120 N. Robinson Ave. at a cost of $5 million.

When it was completed, the building was declared to be the fourth- largest building west of the Mississippi River.

The owner of the building was the First National Building Corp. for use by the First National Bank and Trust of Oklahoma City.

The bank's president E.P. Johnson and stockholders S.M. Gloyd, W.T. Hales, H.R. Hudson, R.A. Vose and H.M. Johnson, comprised the building's ownership and underwrote the construction.

First National was built with an Art Deco, Neoclassical style inside and out, featuring polished aluminum, granite, glass and several varieties of marble from around the world.

Rising almost 460 feet above the sidewalk, the building was topped with an aluminum aviation tower and a red beacon light above a polished aluminum notched roof line.

The bank originally occupied 89,914 square feet in the building's first four floors and the vaults in the basement. The bank leased out the upper floors to office tenants. The 32nd floor was a public observation deck.

Weary and Alford Co. of Chicago designed the building as well as other bank buildings around the country.

Manhattan Construction Co. built First National. F.H. Beaumont of Oklahoma City supervised the majority of the building's construction.

Work began in September 1930 with the demolition of several smaller buildings on the site. By January 1931, the site was clear, and construction on the tower began Feb. 1 and was completed by November.

The bank moved into the building on Dec. 14, 1931.

Some of the building's design highlights were its banking lobby on the second floor and aluminum-cast decorations.

James Kane, with Weary and Alford, designed cast-aluminum birds, foliage and nudes, which are seen on the interior and exterior of the building.

The two-story, 70,000-square-foot banking lobby features marble, murals and 16 fluted, circular Corinthian columns.

Murals depicting aspects of the state's history in the four corners of the banking lobby were painted by Chicago artist Edgar Spier Cameron.

Interior lighting fixtures were specifically designed for the building, and after they were cast, the molds were destroyed.

In September 1957, the 14-story First National Office Building was completed on the east side of the tower and in October 1972 an adjoining 14-story, L-shaped addition was added that went east to Broadway Avenue and rounded out what is now the First National Center.

The building saw its ups and downs and declining occupancy in subsequent years, and in May 1992, the Boatman's First National Bank of Oklahoma announced it would vacate the building and the banking lobby.

In 1993, the First National, the-then Skirvin Plaza hotel and the Centre Theater were featured on the first list of the most endangered properties by Preservation Oklahoma Inc.

In 2006, the First National Center sold to a California buyer for about $21 million, with plans for a major renovation of the property.

First National Bank Building, now known as First National Center, 120 N. Robinson Ave.

Built: 1931

Design of tower: Weary and Alford Co. of Chicago

Cost to build: $5 million

Three buildings now encompass about 1 million square feet

Ownership: Los Angeles-based Milbank Real Estate Services Inc.

[sethsrott]

Looks to me that that entrance will be on the right side of the mostly glass section:

LOL, mostly glass???? Look closely at that picture, there is hardly a pane of glass to be found! the windows are smashed out, it looks like something that you would see in Detroit, I am glad to see that they are going to fix that up, because while I would have LOVED to see something happen to the high rise structure, I do think that in the name of urbanism it is a good thing for the city's image for the adjacent structures to get a face lift, I good start toward making OKC looking like the competitive city that it has the potential of being.

Think about it, if I was a corporate headquarter looking at Downtown OKC, if I saw that picture above every time I looked out my window, or I had the choice of looking at downtown Dallas, I would choose Dallas. So this needed to happen, and you know what, this could be phase 1 of many more projects to come... because they haven't really touched the tower itself the $5,000,000 renovation of the east building, this new north entrance is just work on the complex and not the tower... I think as they get more revenue from these adjacent buildings, that we will some some HUGE renovations of the tower.

Thoughts, I mean do you guys think that I have the wrong prospective? Just being idealistic??

[jbrown84]

Yes. The arcade runs the entire length of the complex from Robinson to Broadway at ground level and is effectively a series of store fronts that mainly face the long hallway.

I'm not sure what's there now but there used to be a Harold's, gift shops and other tenants.

It would be interesting if they remodeled it to look more like a modern shopping mall. Wider hallways, crome, glass, etc.

[Architect2010]

Yes you definitely have the wrong perspective....On that picture!

The glass isn't broke out, its just the way the windows are reflecting.

[soonerfever]

I agree with you guys that $1.5 million was kind of a let down as far as the expectations, but maybe that was are fault. Either way the building is getting over $1 million put into it. I hope that someday soon they will open up the observation deck again. That could be another source of money that could be put back into the building.

[bombermwc]

Pete's pic up there always makes me sad. We can see how poor design turned such a classic tower into crap. One ugly addition after another has turned the place into a joke. If there was ever a case for a refacade of a building, here's one. In a perfect world, we'd have someone there to tie it all back together and not make it look like Baptist Hospital (a conglomorous mess of mismatched architecture). FNC has always and will probably always stay my favorite tower, but all that other crap on it.....ugh.

[Pete]

First National Center set for renovation
by Kelley Chambers
The Journal Record March 13, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY – The owners of the First National Center in downtown Oklahoma City plan to spend $1.5 million on a first phase of interior renovations.

Since the building was purchased in May 2006 by a California investment group, Los Angeles-based Milbank Real Estate Services Inc. came on board as the asset and property manager for the downtown Oklahoma City landmark.

M. Aaron Yashouafar, CEO of Milbank, said the first phase of improvements will include an extensive remodeling of the arcade level of the building, which stretches from Robinson Avenue on the west to Broadway Avenue on the east.

The area is mostly occupied by retail space as well as some office space.
In addition to the arcade-level renovations, Yashouafar said money will be spent to build a north entrance to the building that closely matches the ornate molded aluminum on the west entrance.

The first phase will begin this weekend. Yashouafar said it will likely take only about a year.

“If everything goes well it should be under 12 months,” he said. “We like to always be better than what we’ve promised, so we’ve given 18 months as a time limit, but we’re very confident we’re going to be done way before that.”

Yashouafar said future phases, which include new elevator cabs, renovated common areas on all of the floors and exterior improvements, will likely overlap with phases in progress.

The nearly 1 million square-foot center reports occupancy at just over 40 percent.
Yashouafar said there has been interest in the building, which he expects to increase as the renovations take place.

In February Devon Energy announced plans to increase its office space in First National from one-and-one-half floors to four floors for a total of 103,000 square feet.

Milbank has already invested $1.2 million in infrastructure renovations and repairs since 2006.

Lt. Gov. Jari Askins broke ground on the project Wednesday by punching through the lobby floor with a jackhammer, surrounded by representatives from Milbank.
Askins, who worked in the building for the First National Bank after college, said she commended Milbank for its investment and confidence in the building and its restoration.

Beck Design, with offices in the First National Center, is the architect for the renovations. Milbank is the general contractor but will also employ subcontractors in the renovations.

“This is a very long-term process, multi-phase design,” Yashouafar said. “As we go from one phase to another you’ll see continual improvements to different aspects of the building.”

[jbrown84]

LOL, mostly glass???? Look closely at that picture, there is hardly a pane of glass to be found!

I live across the street, and I guarantee you there are no broken out windows. That appears to be some kind of shade or covering inside the windows. It does look bad though.

[jbrown84]

Lt. Gov. Jari Askins broke ground on the project Wednesday by punching through the lobby floor with a jackhammer,

Ack! I hope this was not the great floor in the historic west lobby.

[Pete]

Owners pursue more renovation of First National
By Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer

Repeating promises that they “deliver what they promise,” owners of First National Center announced a second phase of renovations Wednesday that will include an overhaul of the landmark’s retail arcade and a new north entrance.

Los Angeles-based Milbank Estate bought the tower and adjoining buildings in May 2006 for $21 million. At the time, the company promised to end years of neglect and restore the 77-year-old landmark to its former prominence.

The company recently completed $1.2 million of improvements that included a new fire alarm and life safety system, domestic house water pump, fire sprinklers, gutting of 10 floors in the east complex, duct, roof and electrical repairs and sidewalk sealing.

M. Aaron Yashouafar, chief executive of Milbank, said the company is preparing to start another $1.5 million in upgrades that will include a floor-to ceiling renovation of the complex’s arcade level, and creation of a new concierge stand with introduction of concierge services for all tenants.

He said additional funds will be spent on a new north entrance facing Park Avenue. Under Milbank’s ownership, occupancy has improved from a low that plunged to less than 30 percent under former owners to 40 percent. Yashouafar said talks are underway with several potential large tenants.

“We’re in the process of making outstanding partnerships with the Oklahoma City community,” Yashouafar said. “Milbank is committed to Oklahoma City and our tenants ... As always, our mission is to deliver what we promise. We are now ready to deliver on the next phase of renovation of First National Center.”

Once done, the improvements will result in the removal of false drop-tile ceilings and removal of a marble floor that Yashouafar said is not original to the tower with replacement in keeping with the original construction.

Yashouafar said the new north entrance is also designed to better match the entryway to the original tower. Work is expected to last 12 to 18 months.

The start of construction was marked by Lt. Gov. Jari Askins taking a turn on a jackhammer tearing up the flooring in front of the tower’s Great Banking Hall. With a crowd of tenants and media on hand to witness her work, Askins recalled how she once worked at First National Bank after college — and long before the bank’s demise.

“I worked in this building and had the opportunity to see a lot of the different hallways and hidden corners,” Askins said. “I appreciate the grandeur and historical significance that it has to Oklahoma City.”

Askins praised Yashouafar for continuing the firm’s investment in Oklahoma City. Yashouafar said he shares Oklahoma City’s enthusiasm for the future.

He said future renovations will include new elevator cabs, renovated common areas and improvements to the building’s exterior.

“I have a great vision for what this is going to be when we finish,” Yashouafar said. “I am so excited that we are going to be able to share this building once again in its very best condition.”

[metro]

I love the rendering of the new North entrance however, I wish the new remodel would still have some sort of canopy. They're nice to have in the rain and inclement weather. I think a slab of granit extending out 6 feet or so over the new doorway wouldn't hurt the new look, and offer some shelter.

[jbrown84]

Lt. Gov. Jari Askins taking a turn on a jackhammer tearing up the flooring in front of the tower’s Great Banking Hall.

AHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh


As in right inside the west entrance??