When Moths Fly into the Flames...

[patric]

I love the quote in the Whirled today from John Scott, director of the PAC:

quote: "Many of the attractive buildings downtown have lights on the exterior and of course the BOK Center will certainly have some attractive lighting on the exterior, so we felt that we needed to get in line with the rest of the downtown buildings."
The decision was a marketing move to make the building stand out more.

"Stand out more" by "getting in line"?
Sounds like were working hard to be mediocre.

quote:On any given night, 20- 25 lights pointing upward against the lines of the building's textured shell illuminate the PAC, adding "a warmer and more welcoming" feel to the dark monolithic structure, he said.

People dont get a "warmer, more welcoming feel" from cold blue lights.  Metal Halide is blue.  That's the sales department talking.

quote: The $75,000 project was paid out of the PAC's regular operating budget. The lights are energy-efficient metal halide lamps.

Not so efficient when you compare metal halide's Lumens-per-Watt numbers to other sources, or consider MH's shorter operating life (which results in more expensive maintenance).
Damn, we sure know how to spend money.

quote:Since the Jan. 8 lighting ceremony, Scott said the PAC has received nothing but positive comments from the public and clients using the facilities on the results.

Change that to "...PAC has listened to nothing but positive comments..."  but isnt talking about who is going to pay the electric bill.

[FOTD]

I think the PAC looks awesome all lit up.
The cost seemed inexpensive in light of the quality reflected.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

I think the PAC looks awesome all lit up.
The cost seemed inexpensive in light of the quality reflected.

I think so too FOTD.  They don't have to use the lights every night of the year, just during events.

One downtown Tulsa building I would love to see the exterior lights restored is the old PSO headquarters at 6th & Main.  That building was built and designed to showcase exterior lighting, with a multitude of exterior lights that have been dark for years.  Historic accounts say the building was lit with white lights during the off-seasons, and lit with colored lights during holidays.  I think this is a building currently owned by that Kanbar group.  Restoring the exterior lighting would really show off the great art-deco architecture.

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

I think the PAC looks awesome all lit up.
The cost seemed inexpensive in light of the quality reflected.

I think so too FOTD.  They don't have to use the lights every night of the year, just during events.

One downtown Tulsa building I would love to see the exterior lights restored is the old PSO headquarters at 6th & Main.  That building was built and designed to showcase exterior lighting, with a multitude of exterior lights that have been dark for years.  Historic accounts say the building was lit with white lights during the off-seasons, and lit with colored lights during holidays.  I think this is a building currently owned by that Kanbar group.  Restoring the exterior lighting would really show off the great art-deco architecture.

I think it should be turned into a public middle school. PSO needs to be in a warehouse to show they know how to manage their costs. Same thing for the Tulsa Club becoming a high school. They could have a swim team. Maybe handball. Magnet schools at that. Best teachers in the state. And only those living in and around downtown qualify to send their kids there. Residents would flock to the area. Retail would follow. To hell with the drill heads. Create a residential area in the east end to support the new schools. Make the Hartford building an elementary magnet school.

[EricP]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD
I think it should be turned into a public middle school. PSO needs to be in a warehouse to show they know how to manage their costs. Same thing for the Tulsa Club becoming a high school. They could have a swim team. Maybe handball. Magnet schools at that. Best teachers in the state. And only those living in and around downtown qualify to send their kids there. Residents would flock to the area. Retail would follow. To hell with the drill heads. Create a residential area in the east end to support the new schools. Make the Hartford building an elementary magnet school.

[:O]

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

quote:Originally posted by Steve

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

I think the PAC looks awesome all lit up.
The cost seemed inexpensive in light of the quality reflected.

I think so too FOTD.  They don't have to use the lights every night of the year, just during events.

One downtown Tulsa building I would love to see the exterior lights restored is the old PSO headquarters at 6th & Main.  That building was built and designed to showcase exterior lighting, with a multitude of exterior lights that have been dark for years.  Historic accounts say the building was lit with white lights during the off-seasons, and lit with colored lights during holidays.  I think this is a building currently owned by that Kanbar group.  Restoring the exterior lighting would really show off the great art-deco architecture.

I think it should be turned into a public middle school. PSO needs to be in a warehouse to show they know how to manage their costs. Same thing for the Tulsa Club becoming a high school. They could have a swim team. Maybe handball. Magnet schools at that. Best teachers in the state. And only those living in and around downtown qualify to send their kids there. Residents would flock to the area. Retail would follow. To hell with the drill heads. Create a residential area in the east end to support the new schools. Make the Hartford building an elementary magnet school.

You can kick every PSO employee out of 6th and Main.. all none of them. You're talking about two different buildings. He is correct about Kanbar owning the 6th&Main building.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

I think the PAC looks awesome all lit up.
The cost seemed inexpensive in light of the quality reflected.

It's sort of the equivalent of watering your lawn by turning on a faucet and hoping enought water runs across the yard to do some good (on it's way to the storm drain).  

Lighting buildings isnt he problem, it's doing it sloppily (and sending the message that our fiscal responsibilities are just as haphazard) that is the problem.

This administration's 2007 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan found that the cost of municipal outdoor lighting doubled between 2003 and 2006 (mostly due to the "acorn" streetlight fad) and yet we still continue to install wasteful lighting unchecked.

We may not yet have a meaningful ordinance to address this, but I would have at least hoped we  had enough people with vision to see that were only creating problems for the next generation.