And This is Why They’re Called “Building Huggers” ….
Just got a call from a representative of the Preservation Oklahoma alliance fighting SandRidge Energy’s efforts to tear down the former KerMac, Indian Temple, YMCA and Petroleum Club Buildings on the SandRidge campus.
The group will hosting a “building hug” and giving out free “keep downtown urban” shirts to the first 200 to show up at the gathering at Robinson Avenue and Robert S. Kerr Avenue at 12:30 p.m. Monday.
This alliance also has a website on the discussion: www.keepdowntownurban.com.
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Comments
My solution: go back to the drawing board. Come up with a proposal that revitalizes the area and maintains urban density.
Steve, first off I really enjoy your blogs and for the most part the comments are somewhat on par with what I see and hear on a day to day basis. The exception would be the ongoing Sandridge debate…I’m not sure if it’s the crowd I run in but outside of your blog I don’t know of anyone that has an issue with what Sandridge is doing and personally I’m glad they’re cleaning up the buildings no one wants. If these “building huggers” really care that much about the buildings they should have come out of the woodwork a long time ago and planned their own remodeling of the area before Sandridge. If Sandridge stops their development tomorrow are any of these protestors going to step up and put up their own capital to change the area or will it just sit the way it is and collect dust which is what it’s been doing for years
What is the “Petroleum Club Building?” The Petroleum Club was in the Petroleum Building (now Dowell Center) owned by Rick Dowell, not SandRidge. Is Preservation Oklahoma objecting to SandRidge’s proposed removal of the Globe Life Building between the Dowell Center and Kerr Park at 120 Robert S. Kerr Ave. and subsequent replacement with a new, multi-purpose building? If so, why?
Kodiak,
I am so sick of this having to be repeated. There ARE people with money, with talent and expertise. There is financing available for this type of renovation. If Sandridge would come to the table in Good Faith a better outcome would be available. The city staff recommended denial because they knew this. Sandridge asked The State Historic Preservation Office for historic value based on PRESENT condition. This is a very important point. NONE of the recently renovated (Skirvin,Sieber,etc.) were eligible until renovation occured. These Buildings are eligible for the Historic Register renovated. Sandridge is not acting as a good corporate citizen they refuse to explore the possiblities.
Joe,
“Is Preservation Oklahoma objecting to SandRidge’s proposed removal of the Globe Life Building between the Dowell Center and Kerr Park at 120 Robert S. Kerr Ave. and subsequent replacement with a new, multi-purpose building?”
No. They are not opposed to this proposal. This was recommended and approved by city staff.
What people don’t realize is that Bob Blackburn is a professional preservationalist and maintains an unbiased integrity when issues like this come up, so we shouldn’t be surprised that he didn’t come to the KerMac’s rescue.
Mike is exactly right. There was a group led by prominent OKC developer/architect Anthony McDermid (who made the “blood on our hands” comment) who recently TRIED renovating the Braniff AND the KerMac into residential, but the deal fell apart when Anadarko refused to honor the offer KMG made for the bldgs.
SandRidge is demolishing a lot of buildings for a multitude of reasons, and yes, there are some buildings that they ARE demolishing because they ARE eyesores. There’s only one building that they’re demo’ing that isn’t an eyesore in my opinion, and that’s the KerMac. This bldg is in the exact same state as the Braniff, despite not being on the register, and it is being demo’d in order to improve site lines and remove density from the SandRidge campus–two things urbanists are against specifically.
A building with historic design merits is not an eyesore because it is empty. It is a blank slate with opportunity to capitalize on the glory of the past. They just don’t build ‘em like they used to, and if they would just not demo the KerMac bldg (we can concede the India Temple) I guarantee everyone that there would be no appeal, no hesitation to support, no negative comments. If SandRidge would just attempt to save the KerMac bldg and preserve the Robinson streetwall of meritorious historic buildings, this would be virtually 100% positive in my opinion.
One building is the sticking point for me, and it makes all the difference in touting SandRidge as a great downtown corporate citizen and vehemently opposing their project and disparaging it every chance I get. As it is, their demo proposal of this one building makes ALL the difference.
Mike, your lines have been repeated before, but I still do not know who are these people who are supposing to be stepping up to renovate and save these buildings from SandRidge (not Preservation Oklahoma, I believe they are only trying to save the buildings from being demolished). Can you tell us who they are? My understanding is that it has been a decade or so since there has been genuine interest in renovating these buildings. I think I would be more likely to support these buildings staying if there was a true proposal on the table to renovate them now. Is there? If so, who is it?
Joe, when you said, “The Petroleum Club was in the Petroleum Building (now Dowell Center) owned by Rick Dowell, not SandRidge,” you are mistaken. The actual name of the building when it was 1st constructed WAS the Petroleum Club Building, named for its principal tenant, the Petroleum Club. See this article. The Petroleum Club moved to the Liberty Tower when that tower opened in 1970, and it has never been in the building owned by Mr. Dowell.
Doug, thank you for the clarification. I was told the Petroleum Club was previously located in the Petroleum Building (Dowell Center), but I should have known better than to run with someone’s fuzzy memory w/o cross-checking your blog archives! Love your site; keep up the outstanding work!
Mike, both Steve’s blog entry above and the textual reproduction of Preservation Oklahoma’s appeal posted on Doug’s blog site indicate Preservation Oklahoma is challenging SandRidge’s proposed plan to demo and replace the Petroleum Club/Globe Life/120 Robert S. Kerr Building. Anyone know why?
Regarding the query, “Why hasn’t there been interest in renovating these buildings before?” As Nick Roberts pointed out, Anthony McDermid, et al, were trying before they became casualties of the Kerr McGee/Anadarko real estate wars. Other buildings have never come on the market in our lifetimes. They were always under the ownership of Kerr McGee. Every good citizen effort to persuade Kerr McGee to list them on the National Register was thwarted because the company wanted the flexibility to modify/destroy at will. We at Preservation Oklahoma absolutely believe that, with some restoration, the older buildings can be listed. Only the owner can list and, obviously, SandRidge isn’t interested.
For those of you wanting to help save these buildings, go to http://www.keepdowntownurban.com
You can also “friend” us using the facebook link on the top right corner of the webpage.
Mike, when you said, “No. They are not opposed to this proposal. This was recommended and approved by city staff,” I assume you are saying that the Staff Report gave its OK to demolition of the Petroleum Club/Globe Life Building, and that is correct. However, Preservation Oklahoma DOES object to this building’s demolition. Part of its Letter of Appeal reads,
“List of addresses proposed for demolition to which we object:
300 N. Robinson (a.k.a. 135 Robert S. Kerr), designated 2A on project proponents’ map SD-103
-Historically known as the Oklahoma Savings and Loan Building, built 1928.
135 Robert S. Kerr, designated 2B on same map
-Historically known as the YMCA building, built in 1918.
125 Robert S. Kerr (a.k.a. 131 Robert S. Kerr), designated 2C on same map, with label reading 135 RS Kerr
-Historically known as the Capital Savings and Loan building, built 1924.
107 Robert S. Kerr (a.k.a. 111 Robert S. Kerr), designated 3 on same map
-Historically known as India Temple building, built 1902.
120 Robert S. Kerr, not shown on map.
-Historically known as the Petroleum Club building, built 1957.”
Nick, why are you backing off the India Temple Building? Just trying to compromise?
My buddy and I got into the debate yesterday and I think he has me convinced about the KerMac too.
I got an email about this, this morning. I am still conflicted, it is a very permanent solution, but at the same time, nothing is happening there.
“Building Huggers” is kind of an unfortunate name I think. It gives off a hippie conotation and you know how well hippies are liked around OK.