Old City Hall

[Conan71]

Isn't the Federal Building still home to Federal courts?

I thought they moved the courts to the Fed'l building @ 2nd & Cheyenne or Boulder when that building was renovated +/- 10 years ago.

[cannon_fodder]

Isn't the Federal Building still home to Federal courts?

Yes it is.  It is the home to the Northern District of Oklahoma (non-bankruptcy) which has 7 judges and a support staff of ~35 people in addition to deputies in charge of security and as marshals in the Courtroom.   If I remember correctly there are 3 main courtrooms on 4 and 2 courtrooms on 3 (never really stop to count them, just go to my room).  Then you have judges offices (which generally have a front office, a clerk's office, and the judges office), a jury room for each court room, a conference room, a jury room, a small library, and the Clerk's office. 

Also in that building is the Department of Justice.  Never been in their offices.  But it takes up about half of the third floor.

By and large, the building is as drab on the inside as it is on the outside.  With the exception of some recently remodeled offices and the ceremonial courtroom.

[Conan71]

Yes it is.  It is the home to the Northern District of Oklahoma (non-bankruptcy) which has 7 judges and a support staff of ~35 people in addition to deputies in charge of security and as marshals in the Courtroom.   If I remember correctly there are 3 main courtrooms on 4 and 2 courtrooms on 3 (never really stop to count them, just go to my room).  Then you have judges offices (which generally have a front office, a clerk's office, and the judges office), a jury room for each court room, a conference room, a jury room, a small library, and the Clerk's office. 

Also in that building is the Department of Justice.  Never been in their offices.  But it takes up about half of the third floor.

By and large, the building is as drab on the inside as it is on the outside.  With the exception of some recently remodeled offices and the ceremonial courtroom.

Any idea what they do in the other Federal building I was talking about?

[SXSW]

+1 SXSW.

The old city hall will be torn, it's just a matter of time.  While it could have been utilized at one point, the "deferred maintenance" (read: neglect) as well as the deteriorated facade (read: it's ugly) has pretty well doomed it.  The Civic Center area was an interesting idea that was half-donkey executed and then abandoned long before now.  If the buildings matched and the area was maintained it could be an architectural asset, a space saver, and a public space.  As it stands it's a decaying eye soar.

The library tries very hard, but it is being dragged down by the area it is in.  Parking is intimidating for many people.  It is a homeless refuge many days.  And of course there is no green space or anything else nearby really.  A downtown library is essential IMHO, keep this one or move it.  Either way is fine with me as a library is an asset to any area it is in.

The Federal Building is on the list of ones to be replaced.  It is largely abandoned now due to the new postal facility on the outskirts of town.  I trust no one will argue that this building is worth saving as a fine example of Nouveau fortress or some such crap.  It's ugly, inefficient, and under utilized.  The best we can hope for is for federal funding to come through and the city to make a land swap, OR, if we could get the Feds to utilize a dying building instead.  Now that the post office there is just a regular post office there is no reason they need a sprawling facility like that.

The area could have been cool as it was laid out.  It could be again.  But currently it's an eye soar.   No one's moving into the old city hall.

Hell, for that matter, no one has even moved into the vacant land across from the BOK Center.

I wonder what the timetable is for getting a replacement federal building?  Austin is getting a new one thanks to the federal stimulus:

[cannon_fodder]

Any idea what they do in the other Federal building I was talking about?

The cool old one across from the black former Williams buildings downtown (2nd and Cheyenne was your guess) . . .

That is the Bankruptcy building for the Northern District of Oklahoma.  It was mostly redone 5-6 years ago and is very nice inside.  All digital courtrooms, ceilings restored.  Very nice structure.  I think that is all there is in that structure (a couple courtrooms, clerks office, judges chambers.  downstairs there are rooms for creditors meetings, etc.) - but I'm not sure.  The hallways are huge and the rooms are a maze . . . that's all I remember.
- - -

SXSW:

The timetable for getting a new Federal Building has been repeatedly pushed back.  It is currently on track for whenever our Congressional leaders are in power again.