“Height is fleeting. Beauty is not.”

Nichols:

Started with number of employees, then came up with 1.9 million square feet to house them.

400,000 square feet for the “podium.” And then 1.5 million square feet for the tower.

My laptop is about to lose battery power now. I just want to make note that Jack Money and I have been working together on this coverage. We’ve been tag-teaming on downtown coverage in one way or another for a dozen years.

Architect Rand Elliott Mayoral aide David Holt just commented the tower will the 21st highest building in the United States. 

Larry Nichols: We didn’t just wnat to build a big corporate highrise that was highly secured and wasn’t embracing the city.

Nichols would like to see people visiting the National Memorial walking along Harvey to walk through the atrium on their way to the Myriad Gardens.

Nichols hopes the money this project will generate (I assume TIF) will be used to improve the Myriad Gardens and “the entire neighborhood.”

Veteran Urban Renewal commissioner Stanton Young:

I’ve always felt that every great city in the world had a great heart, a great center. I think what we’re seeing today will in the future be considered the heart, the strength, of our city.

It’s the most thoughtful design we’ve seen.

Curtains just pulled from models. Crowd applause. Oohs and ahs. People are pretty happy right now.

Pickard: “We are endeavoring to build a beacon.”

Facts:

925 feet tall

54 floors

1.9 million square feet of space

“it’s one of the most substantive projects Mr. Hines and Pickard and Chilton have ever been involved in.”

Pickard says they’re trying to create a building that speaks to the culture of Devon. Pointed out Devon is committed to the community, and design needs to serve entire community.

Pickard said his team looked at existing buildings, traffic patterns, plans for Core to Shore.

“There is an important north south axis. It connects from downtown Oklahoma City to the river.”

Pickard said the building is designed to accentuate that axis.

The developer flew in from London to make this presentation

“Over the last 50 years our firm has had the privledge of designing signature office buildings throughout the land.”

Such projects, he says, can enrich a the lives and cultural fabric of a community.

“Devon has assembled a world class team to assemble this project.”

“Pickard Chilton Architecture has redefined and enhanced skylines throughout the world.”

Comments:

“Having employees scaqttered in five different buildings is not th emost efficient way to run a company.”

 ”Oklahoma City, as we all know, has experienced remarkable growth.”

“We want to create a building that adds to that momentum.”

“Oklahoma City has come a long way to changing its image, and we hope this building will continue to do just that.”

Nichols points out that a new skyscraper in downtown Charlotte several years ago was key to changing that city’s national image. Nichols wants the tower to be a place employees will show off when they first move into their new offices.