New Skyline?
Thanks to the wonders of photoshop, some glances at our potential new skyline are beginning to emerge. Here are a couple that have popped up the past 24 hours:
- Doug Loudenback, www.dougdawg.blogspot.com
- BG198, www.okctalk.com
I know there are a lot of photoshop and simcity geniuses out there, and even some architects and architectural interns and students who are reading this blog. So let’s have some fun with this – take your best shot at imagining the new downtown OKC skyline and email to me, and I’ll post them over the next several days.
You might never know whose eyes are reading this site, and how your imagination could influence the folks who will be making the final call of downtown’s future.
FLASHBACK: So What's Next?
Who will take over Kerr-McGee office space?
Multiple sources confirm deals are in the works
By Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer
| Friday, July 6, 2007 Edition: CITY, Section: BUSINESS, Page 1B |
ANALYSIS |
One year after Kerr-McGee Corp. was acquired by Houston-based Anadarko Petroleum, its downtown Oklahoma City campus is empty, its fate still unknown. But a deal could be announced soon that is expected to trigger the potential development of three new downtown headquarters for SandRidge Energy, Devon Energy Corp. and American Fidelity Assurance Co.
The official stance from Anadarko Petroleum is that there are no pending buyers for the now-empty, former Kerr-McGee headquarters at 123 Robert S Kerr Ave. and that the property remains for sale.
But multiple sources confirm a deal is imminent that would allow SandRidge Energy to move from its temporary digs at 1601 Northwest Expressway into the 30-story McGee Tower.
From the moment Tom Ward bought Riata Energy and moved it from Amarillo to Oklahoma City, the renamed company has made its intentions clear to grow and find a permanent home either downtown or in a suburban campus setting.
In March, the company reported employing 1,600, including more than 200 at its headquarters. A move by SandRidge to McGee Tower would be a welcome relief among downtowners who still are struggling with an office vacancy rate that hasn’t dipped below 25 percent in almost two decades.
But the stakes on this deal go beyond McGee Tower.
With the sale of Kerr-McGee last year, Devon Energy became downtown’s undisputed leading corporate resident. The company is spread out among four downtown buildings, including Mid-America Tower and Chase Tower, and rumors have persisted for the past few years that the company might build a new downtown office tower to consolidate its operations.
Human relations consultant Jim Farris said a company can benefit from having a highly visible headquarters. He recalled his days at Wachovia Financial when the company’s 30-story tower in Winston-Salem, N.C., became the tallest in that city when it opened in 1995.
“You could see that building for miles,” Farris said. “And that helped in recruiting employees, especially in a smaller town like that. It’s always nice when you drive into major cities, and you see ‘XYZ Company’ on it, and you know that’s their building.”
Office vacancy
Devon Chief Executive Officer Larry Nichols has been tight-lipped about any possible move, but when Kerr-McGee’s fate became known last year, Nichols dismissed a move to McGee Tower saying it’s too small to be considered for a new Devon headquarters.
Some who know Nichols privately say he is reluctant to build a new headquarters if it would further weaken the downtown office market.
The loss of Devon from its existing space would be noticeable.
The company employs 1,200 people spread out in three buildings: 14 floors of Mid-America Tower, 16 floors of the 34-story Chase Tower and five floors at the 14-story Corporate Tower. The company also leases two floors at First National Center that are used for files and storage.
But the market has improved in recent months, and Brett Hamm, president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., said 60 percent of downtown’s 25 percent vacancy consists of Class C space that needs to either be renovated or converted into housing or other uses.
Hamm concludes the downtown Class A and Class B office spaces are in good shape compared to the rest of the city.
A source involved in a potential Devon Tower project has told The Oklahoman that Nichols is preparing to move ahead with construction but is awaiting a resolution to McGee Tower.
“That’s crucial,” said Tim Strange, a commercial real estate agent with Sperry Van Ness, who is among those keeping a close eye on the market. “We need to fill up that building, and we need to fill up First National. You’ve got 450,000 square feet empty at Kerr-McGee, and 350,000 square feet at First National.”
Strange said even with a potential move by SandRidge into McGee Tower, a new Devon Tower would leave downtown with one block of empty space replacing another.
“The chamber (of commerce) says large prospects are out there,” Strange said. “They’ve shown us the numbers, and I agree they are out there. But the challenge has been for us to provide large blocks of continuous space.”
American Fidelity
A more immediate prospect may be the final key.
Nichols, whose commitment to downtown includes serving as chairman of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and as an Urban Renewal commissioner, and who is involved in numerous civic sponsorships, may be further reassured about maintaining a stable office market by the prospect of American Fidelity Assurance Co. being the third domino to fall in this scenario.
American Fidelity employs 1,500, including 1,000 at its Oklahoma City headquarters at NW 20 and Classen Boulevard. The company previously acknowledged an interest in buying McGee Tower. Or it could consider moving into Devon’s current space, or build a downtown headquarters, as well.
Strange points out a Devon Tower, once announced, would take at least two years to come to fruition. A scenario that brings both SandRidge and American Fidelity to downtown, with Devon building a new tower, has Strange wondering whether such momentum could attract other companies downtown to take up any remaining space.
“That will have people talking,” Strange said. “But in the overall scheme, if they do it, if Devon builds a new tower, are we better off? I don’t know. But if SandRidge comes in, yes, absolutely, we’re better off.”
City hall
Add one more element into this entire scenario: city hall in recent months has been very aggressive in promoting downtown office space, agreeing to parking subsidies to convince two companies to move into downtown office space. Its most recent deal resulted in Simons Petroleum moving its 150-employees from suburban offices to space last occupied by the NBA Hornets at downtown’s Oklahoma Tower.
Pending lawsuit
So what’s the hold-up on all these deals?
Part of the former Kerr-McGee downtown campus is clouded by a lawsuit that has waged this past year between Anadarko Petroleum and partners in the failed Braniff Towers development. The project, which Kerr-McGee announced two years ago, called for renovation of three empty buildings on the campus, including the former headquarters of Braniff Airlines, into housing.
The trial was to begin in April but was pushed back to Sept. 11 following the case’s reassignment to a new judge.
The lawsuit, filed last July by Corporate Redevelopment Group LLC, seeks $8 million in damages alleging Kerr-McGee and Anadarko violated terms of the development deal.
Those watching the case closely include Hamm, who previously urged both sides to settle the case quickly to avoid adding about 500,000 square feet to downtown’s vacancy rate.
“I am very disappointed as it’s important to resolve this case in the most expeditious manner as possible,” Hamm said. “I am hopeful that interested buyers are not dissuaded by this delay in the process and that we are able to ensure progress regarding a permanent tenant for the Kerr-McGee building.”
Steve Lackmeyer: 475-3230, SLackmeyer@Oklahoman.com
POSTSCRIPT: Sandridge Petroleum now owns the old Kerr-McGee campus, is renovating the tower and is moving in. The lawsuit was settled. Devon Energy announced today the company plans to build a new corporate headquarters across the street from the Myriad Gardens. And when I last spoke to Bill Cameron, CEO of American Fidelity, he was surveying architectural students’ ideas and plans for Core to Shore.
Yes, It's Really Happening…
Forgive me for not posting the past couple days. But if you scan the headlines at www.newsok.com, you’ll notice what’s kept me so busy.
Today was one of those moments where I realize I’m truly priviledged to write the first draft of history. Devon Energy is moving forward with plans to build a skyscraper in downtown Oklahoma City – “iconic” – as CEO Larry Nichols describes it, and one that will top the city’s current tallest buildings.
Don’t get too hung up on the 37 stories. The height will almost certainly go even higher as design work commences, and don’t be too surprised if it tops 40 stories.
Interesting sidenote: today I also had to write about the next phase of improvements at First National Center – a story that likely would have made front page if not for my reporting on Devon Tower.
This obviously goes without saying, but Mayor Mick Cornett, who has been out evangelizing the masses about how Oklahoma City is on the verge of becoming a major league city, is a very, very happy mayor today.
So… any questions?
Our Pride Shows? The Hertlnd yle
Does this sign make the best impression?
Photos courtesy of Pete Brzycki, administrator at www.okctalk.com.
Over at www.okctalk.com, the discussion this weekend is about the old Santa Fe Train Depot at Broadway and E.K. Gaylord. Owner Jim Brewer is apparently nearing the end of a three-year-long renovation. Pete Brzycki took a grand tour of downtown with his camera this past week while searching out a place for a reunion. As he notes, Oklahoma City may not be making the best impression on visitors coming through the old depot to ride the Heartland Flyer to and from Fort Worth.
Note that this very simple upkeep is being neglected as city voters have agreed to spend more than $100 million to turn Ford Center into a world-class statement that says that Oklahoma City is a major league city.
- Steve
Let's Pretend….
It’s empty and available. Got any ideas?
An interesting parlour game discussion is underway at www.tulsanow.org that asks the following:
Many times, we talk about certain locally-owned businesses going in (or worse, leaving) downtown, the creative re- and mixed-use of buildings, and high-quality urban design. We always want these local, creative-types to open places for us, but we don’t really go out and do it ourselves…So I’d like to challenge each of us on here to create an idea for a business of our own that incorporate all of these elements. I think it could be fun…If you could open up any kind of business in downtown, what would you open and why? …Or, if you don’t want to open one, what would you like to see downtown?
I’ve taken the questions that followed and changed them so they might relate to downtown Oklahoma City. So tell me:
-Your location/intersection (or current building) within downtown
-How you would re-use a current building or construct to match
-How many floors is the building?
-Who will occupy the upper floors?
-What would the inside look like? (Bricktown? MidTown? Flat Iron? Western Avenue? Paseo?)
-Would you incorporate green building materials?
-What type of business is it? Restaurant/Retail/Entertainment, etc.
-What segment you cater to?
-How would you draw people in from the suburbs who don’t patronize downtown establishments?
And to take this discussion one step further, what would you do with the following properties along Sheridan Avenue just west of the Myriad Gardens and Stage Center? 
The Future?
The vote is over, and now the prognasticating has begun. The sports guys at our shop are obviously quite giddy over the prospect of having the NBA to cover here in Oklahoma City. You can listen to their discussion of when the SuperSonics might arrive by listening to today’s podcast.
Back in Seattle, the talk has yet to budge much from vows that the city will fight the team’s relocation until the bitter end. The sports guys at www.newsok.com argue this all about money and speculate the team could arrive at Ford Center later this year.
Regardless, it’s interesting to glance at what the new downtown boulevard will look like once it is completed in 2014. The above image shows the Ford Center as we know it today. Now we know it will look a bit more spectacular, and don’t be surprised if it also looks different from the sketches that were floated during the campaign.
Keep in mind, the buildings you see in the distance in the sketch above do not exist – yet. Will a jazzed up arena and new boulevard really generate the sort of development envisioned above?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Answer?
Purely Sinful is apparently history, if one is to take notice of the removed sign and empty storefront along Sheridan Avenue. The bar, along with the neighboring Spyce, which is still in business, drew large late night crowds on summer evenings. Critics claimed the bars attracted a bad element to the entertainment district and may have contributed the gang violence two years ago. The bar owners dismissed that criticism and provided me with a tour of their operations that showed no signs of trouble inside their establishments. They also welcomed a police crackdown outside the clubs, as shown in this photo I took at the time.
It’s interesting to note the pattern of property owners taking the following approach to juvenile crime and loitering:
QUEENS (CBS) ― Teenagers who hang out inside one apartment building in Jamaica, Queens are getting an earful these days.
A new security device called “The Mosquito” has been installed in the lobby of a building on 170th St. where there have been chronic problems with noisy teens.
The wall-mounted device emits a high-frequency screech that can only be heard by people aged 13 to 25. Most older people cannot hear it.
“It sounds like when you put a microphone close to the TV,” said Jerry Brown, one of the younger residents, who admits the noise bothers him “a little bit.”
Another teen added, “it’s annoying.”
But one young adult said, “it doesn’t bother me.”
The building superintendent said the mosquito has kept the lobby free of loitering teenagers, so far.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Of course, by doing this, one must wonder if it could dent the social lives of the self described “young, amazing and strikingly attractive” Lost Ogles, who have discovered this fascinating vintage campaign commercial for an Oklahoma City bond issue from some 40 some odd years ago.
