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Deco Gem (Pythian Bldg) for sale

Started by PonderInc, May 30, 2012, 06:18:40 PM

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cynical

Quote from: sgrizzle on June 02, 2012, 09:48:16 AM
Any idea if the support system is in place for such a height? I know the current Community Care college on Sheridan is that way. Half finished but the support structure is there.

There are large, short pillars that extend up through the roof. They look like they would be strong enough to support the additional weight since the building was designed for it. The economics of adding to the building is another matter.

While we're on that subject, and in the interest of promoting thread drift, I remember when the OneOK building was announced it had 60 stories, then was cut back to the present thirty back when Cities Service was building it. This would be sometime in late 1980 or early 1981, and I think the decision to downsize was made after construction began. Does anyone know if the building's structure would support the additional 30 stories per the original design?
 

BKDotCom

Quote from: cynical on June 02, 2012, 06:47:49 PM
There are large, short pillars that extend up through the roof. They look like they would be strong enough to support the additional weight since the building was designed for it. The economics of adding to the building is another matter.

While we're on that subject, and in the interest of promoting thread drift, I remember when the OneOK building was announced it had 60 stories, then was cut back to the present thirty back when Cities Service was building it. This would be sometime in late 1980 or early 1981, and I think the decision to downsize was made after construction began. Does anyone know if the building's structure would support the additional 30 stories per the original design?


"Originally designed to be 52 stories, and then reduced to 37, the plans were modified to the present height of 17 floors after the building was sold during construction"

"ONEOK bought the Cities Service Company (later renamed Citgo) in August, 1982"    The "OneOK building" is actually the Cities Service Company building... under construction when OneOK bought them...

I do know that enough granite was ordered to complete the 37-floor version of the building.
Here's some OneOK granite on S Lewis
http://goo.gl/maps/jsab

carltonplace

The things you learn on this forum. Astounding.

Weatherdemon

How many buildings in Tulsa were capped or scrapped due to economic downturns?

I know only of the two listed here but it seems there were several to built by City Services or something that were scrapped.

Townsend

Quote from: Weatherdemon on June 04, 2012, 08:25:30 AM
How many buildings in Tulsa were capped or scrapped due to economic downturns?

I know only of the two listed here but it seems there were several to built by City Services or something that were scrapped.

I'm not 100% sure where I read the article, perhaps the TW, but there were 8 over 40 story buildings cancelled in the early 80's in Tulsa.  That included one on 15th and Denver.

TheArtist

There was one 80 story building that was cancelled due to the 80s oil bust too.   In one rendering it showed the Cities Service building towering over the BOK tower, and then the 80 story building being far taller than even the Cities Service building.
"When you only have two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other."-Chinese proverb. "Arts a staple. Like bread or wine or a warm coat in winter. Those who think it is a luxury have only a fragment of a mind. Mans spirit grows hungry for art in the same way h

erfalf

Quote from: Townsend on June 04, 2012, 09:02:57 AM
I'm not 100% sure where I read the article, perhaps the TW, but there were 8 over 40 story buildings cancelled in the early 80's in Tulsa.  That included one on 15th and Denver.

15th & Denver? That would have been out of place.

On the flip side, I believe the BOK/Williams Tower was originally planned to be several smaller buildings and was then scrapped for a single taller building. I'm guessing things like that happen pretty rarely.
"Trust but Verify." - The Gipper

Weatherdemon

Thanks for the replies.
Some of that sounds familiar now, including the Williams stuff. Now that it was mentioned, I recall reading that in an article about the Williams towers, parking garages, PAC assistance, and hotel.

sgrizzle

Quote from: Weatherdemon on June 04, 2012, 08:25:30 AM
How many buildings in Tulsa were capped or scrapped due to economic downturns?

I know only of the two listed here but it seems there were several to built by City Services or something that were scrapped.

Community Care College (Built by Telex as the "Sheridan Road Building") was capped at 3 but designed to be a pair of 6 story buildings. Last time I was in the elevators had buttons for 6 floors. The legend goes the second building was scrapped because of zoning issues over parking/floodwater and the city gave the go-ahead to same and no-go to Telex.

Of note, there is a waterfall behind the Sheridan road building that is used to cool water for the building's A/C

PonderInc

The flip side of the coin is the Mid Continent tower, which was built onto the the existing building sometime in the mid 1980's.  That project earned national awards for the creative structural engineering that was required, since the original building was NOT designed to have a tower. 

erfalf

Quote from: PonderInc on June 04, 2012, 01:51:28 PM
The flip side of the coin is the Mid Continent tower, which was built onto the the existing building sometime in the mid 1980's.  That project earned national awards for the creative structural engineering that was required, since the original building was NOT designed to have a tower. 

The two (original & addition) actually are two separate building designed to appear as one. The tower was actually built next to and hangs over the original building.
"Trust but Verify." - The Gipper