Here is a far better picture of the old India Temple Building, which is covered with a fake concrete tilt-up facade and may be in jeopardy of being torn down. To learn more about this building, go to www.dougdawg.blogspot.com or read about it here.
SandRidge Energy
Archived Posts from this Category
Left: The India Temple Building is shown as it appeared in the first half of the 1900s. Right: A concrete facade was placed over the original exterior as part of a renovation about 40 years ago that made the building part of the Kerr-McGee headquarters. - PHOTO PROVIDED BY OKLAHOMA COUNTY ASSESSOR LEONARD SULLIVAN
For those of you not familiar with the India Temple Building, here is a history of the property, along with developments that have transpired the past couple years:
History lost
Restorer seeks images, plans of site before Urban RenewalBy Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer
| Friday, March 10, 2006 Edition: CITY, Section: BUSINESS, Page 6B |
Photos and plans from a renovation more than 30 years ago are being sought to determine whether a historic downtown building assumed to have been lost forever to Urban Renewal can be brought back as part of an upcoming loft development. To passers-by, the seven-story office building at the corner of Broadway and Robert S. Kerr Ave., long a part of the Kerr-McGee headquarters, looks like just another example of 1960s architecture. But architect Anthony McDermid confirms the concrete facade hides what was once the India Temple, built in 1902.The building’s history includes a four-year stint as a temporary home of the Legislature. McDermid said the concrete facade likely was added when the block was developed into the current Kerr-McGee headquarters.
If the building facade is restored, the property would complete a string of historic buildings visible from Broadway, including the Pioneer Telephone Building, which is home to AT&T, and the Skirvin Hotel, which is undergoing a facade restoration as part of conversion to a Hilton.
“As a developer, it poses challenges,” said McDermid, who is leading the renovation with partners Bert Belanger and Pat Garrett. “But for the city … if there is something that can be salvaged underneath the concrete exterior, something worthwhile under there, it would be wonderful.”
McDermid said the interior of the building is beyond restoration.
“It’s been so extensively changed on the inside, it doesn’t even qualify for the historic register,” McDermid said.
Dave Lopez, president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., said the exterior renovation could qualify for tax credits and financing through the tax increment financing district.
“Clearly, as we’re discovering from the renovation of the Skirvin, authenticity and affection seems to come with older architecture,” Lopez said. “It gives our downtown a sense of permanency and character you just can’t replicate. Not only would it be an asset if they can restore it to its grandeur, but it would give people a chance to engage with our history.”
Details of Braniff’s historic facade finally toldBy Steve Lackmeyer
| Tuesday, August 15, 2006 Edition: CITY, Section: BUSINESS, Page 4B |
I wanted to share Bob Maidt’s story at a triumphant moment. Maidt and his son Bob Maidt Jr. were veterans in the plastering business, and I was first introduced to Bob Maidt Jr. when he helped me understand the pros and cons in the use of EIFS stucco in new construction.In March, I wrote a story about a building on the Kerr-McGee campus that was to be part of a condominium development. At first glance, the building at Broadway and Robert S. Kerr Avenue in Oklahoma City is hardly spectacular. But developer and architect Anthony McDermid was aware that the concrete facade covered up a historic facade that dated back to 1902. The building, far from a forgettable Urban Renewal addition to downtown, is a true gem — and its restoration would give back a bit of history in an area that lost much of its past in the 1960s and 1970s.
But McDermid had no information on how the fake facade was added or whether the original India Temple facade was still intact. Before and after photos were printed with my story, and Bob Maidt Jr. immediately recognized the project as one completed by his ailing father. Maidt Jr. later e-mailed saying he approached his father, who was bed ridden, and memories started to flow.
The elder Maidt, 82, had been released from the hospital a couple of weeks earlier, with doctors telling the family they could do no more to relieve the man’s failing health.
“He did most of the Kerr-McGee work, so I figured it was his job,” Maidt Jr. said. “I went over in the afternoon, after work, and he seemed pretty excited. It perked him right up — put a gleam in his eyes. He said, ‘Oh yeah, I remember doing that.’”
Maidt Sr. not only recalled the job, but also told his son where to find the job files and photos of the new facade’s installation. The original building, he said, wasn’t seriously damaged during the 1960s-era renovation.
For Maidt Jr., the conversation was a chance to relive the days when the pair worked together, running the family business. Their plastering business had been started a century earlier by Maidt Jr.’s grandfather’s uncle, Albert Maidt (who also was one of the founders of Twin Hills Golf and Country Club). The family business had passed from one generation to another until it closed in 1997.
The visit about the Kerr-McGee campus building would be their last. That night, Maidt Sr. died. Ironically, the story that sparked the Maidts’ visit had been written a couple weeks earlier — intended to run at a later date. Had the story been delayed one more day, the information needed to restore the India Temple building to its original facade might have disappeared forever.
I’d hoped to tell the Maidts’ story once McDermid and his partners started on the property’s renovation. Now that renovation, and the future of two other old buildings on the former Kerr-McGee campus, appear to be another unfulfilled downtown dream. A deal between McDermid’s Corporate Redevelopment Group and Kerr-McGee fell apart last week.
As the two sides go to court, hundreds of new residential units are being added to downtown, leaving the prospect of the planned Braniff Towers a question of will, timing and demand.
Meanwhile, if someone does decide to bring the old India Temple building back to life, Maidt Jr. is waiting to share more details about his father’s last discussion about what’s under the concrete facade.
Uncertain future faces Kerr-McGee buildingsBy Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer
| Sunday, December 23, 2007 Edition: CITY, Section: BUSINESS, Page 6C |
Three older buildings on the former Kerr-McGee campus face an uncertain future as the block becomes home to its new owner, SandRidge Energy. The buildings could end up being torn down. Tom Ward, chief executive officer of SandRidge, also says he is keeping an open mind on whether the properties can be redeveloped and promises to meet with civic leaders and preservationists before making any final decision.But Ward is clear on one matter: he’s not interested in seeing half of the downtown block looking dark and abandoned as it has the past 20 years.
The buildings consist of the following:
111 Robert S. Kerr Ave. is a seven-story, 38,736-square-foot building built in 1902. The property was a temporary home to the Legislature for four years. The fake concrete siding hides its original India Temple facade.
135 Robert S. Kerr Ave. is an 11-story, 155,911-square-foot building built in 1921 that was once Kerr-McGee’s headquarters.
324 N Robinson Ave. is a 10-story, 75,584-square-foot building built in 1923 that was once home to Braniff Airlines.
Anthony McDermid, who tried to convert the buildings into upscale condominiums, insists at least two of the properties still can be brought back to life.
“They can be saved,” McDermid said. “There is no question that the two buildings on Robinson are structurally sound and eminently restorable … there are creative ways to address the issues.”
The former India Temple building poses the most challenges, but it also has the potential of uncovering an elaborate 1902 facade, the likes of which hasn’t graced downtown Oklahoma City since hundreds of buildings were destroyed by Urban Renewal in the 1970s.
Before his death last year, Bob Maidt, the man who installed the fake concrete facades at the former India Temple in the 1960s, reported the original facade is intact. He left records about the job with his son, Bob Maidt Jr.
“It’s more complicated,” McDermid says of the India Temple building. “It has been subjected to a lot of renovations over the years and structural changes. There were floors added into it. It’s a more challenging building that retains very little of the original building configuration.”
Another set of developers who looked at the buildings in the early 1990s are less optimistic that any of them can be saved.
Mark Ruffin recalls how he, Nicholas Preftakes and Jim Parrack looked at the odds of renovating the buildings and walked away.
“The bones weren’t really that conducive,” Ruffin said. “They had low clearance heights, they had significant asbestos issues. From a functional standpoint, they just weren’t that conducive.”
265
Save or Destroy?
In Tuesday’s Main Street, I discuss downtown buildings that may soon be history. So ….
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.
If you didn’t catch the story yesterday in The Oklahoman, I wrote about a restaurant preparing to open in the Gold Dome. Dr. Irene Lam, who saved the landmark from almost certain destruction a few years ago, can soon boast more than 93 percent occupancy.
Not everyone thought she would succeed.
I still recall then councilman Guy Liebmann (now a state representative) expressing serious doubts about Lam’s chances and questioning whether the city should provide some grants and loans designed for restoring historic properties. I never sensed that Liebmann was opposed to Lam’s efforts - he just didn’t believe she would ever succeed at getting the odd shaped building (once the proud home of Citizens Bank) filled.
For those who don’t recall the events that led to this transformation, it began with an effort by BancOne (now Chase Bank) to move to smaller quarters across the street. Walgreens, meanwhile, was eager to buy the Gold Dome, raze it, and build a new store across the street from an existing CVS drug store.
The historic preservationists - to be blunt - went nuts. They organized, they held pickets at the corner of NW 23 and Classen, and they didn’t spare BancOne or Walgreens their wrath. They also sought out alternate buyers - one of whom ended up being Dr. Lam.
Walgreens and BancOne agreed to look at alternatives that allowed both companies to build new locations at the gateway to the Asian District and allow the Gold Dome to survive for future generations.
Dr. Lam, meanwhile, has stayed true to promises of making the Gold Dome a community center - and will be hosting the Lunar New Year festival on Saturday.
Preservationists since have had hits and misses. They succeeded in convincing the city to rebuild the Walnut Avenue bridge in Bricktown and also celebrated the renovation of once dilapidated Skirvin Hilton Hotel.
More old structures may face demolition in the near future. Developers of the Triangle have indicated they may seek to raze the Finley Building at NE 2 and Walnut. And Tom Ward indicated in an interview a few weeks ago that while he is keeping an open mind on the future of the former Braniff Building and former India Temple Building (one of downtown’s oldest - built in 1902) on the new SandRidge Energy campus, he also couldn’t rule out that they might be torn down.
Do these structures merrit pickets similar to those that surrounded the Gold Dome?
