BSW Closes Down

[Gaspar]

Wow!  

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectID=32&articleID=20080828_32_E1_Ctnhii713346

[Conan71]

Restaurants and retail have another hard year or two ahead of them or at least until oil prices stabilize some.  I'm betting some of the RD's tennants are starting to get a little antsy about building new units in Tulsa.

[sgrizzle]

I believe their main client was Wal-Mart who stopped adding supercenters (the same reason they didn't put one downtown)

[citizen72]

All the architects I know in town and the area are very busy.  My belief is that if you are good managers of your projects, word of mouth references will keep you busy and prosperous. Professionalism in your treatment of your competition is another biggy. Remember there are always two sides to a story.

Here's to big old crocodile tears to those that finally run their course.

[citizen72]

A far as Walmart is concerned this might be worth noting. There is an architectural firm in Northwest Arkansas that is still feasting heavily on work from Walmart. I believe there is another in Tulsa that is in a similar position.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Restaurants and retail have another hard year or two ahead of them or at least until oil prices stabilize some.  I'm betting some of the RD's tennants are starting to get a little antsy about building new units in Tulsa.

If BSW had been a Connected Crony of the local construction company cartel (Manhattan/Flint), then they'd still be busy working on sole-sourced Goobermint projects.

Like the BOK Arena.

And the new downtown Driller Stadium.

Sparks and Associates got an education about Pay-to-Play with the local Construction Cartel and its connected cronies back in 2003, when Vision 2025 was being funded to the tune of $1 million to promote its passage.

Sparks paid in $25K, and didn't get back a nickles worth of work for his firm.

Boy, was he ever P.O.'d.

And, he said so, publically.

Wonder if he's been blackballed by the local ruling power Oligarchy?

[citizen72]

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Restaurants and retail have another hard year or two ahead of them or at least until oil prices stabilize some.  I'm betting some of the RD's tennants are starting to get a little antsy about building new units in Tulsa.

If BSW had been a Connected Crony of the local construction company cartel (Manhattan/Flint), then they'd still be busy working on sole-sourced Goobermint projects.

Like the BOK Arena.

And the new downtown Driller Stadium.

Sparks and Associates got an education about Pay-to-Play with the local Construction Cartel and its connected cronies back in 2003, when Vision 2025 was being funded to the tune of $1 million to promote its passage.

Sparks paid in $25K, and didn't get back a nickles worth of work for his firm.

Boy, was he ever P.O.'d.

And, he said so, publically.

Wonder if he's been blackballed by the local ruling power Oligarchy?

Of course we must not leave Flintco off that list.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by citizen72

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Restaurants and retail have another hard year or two ahead of them or at least until oil prices stabilize some.  I'm betting some of the RD's tennants are starting to get a little antsy about building new units in Tulsa.

If BSW had been a Connected Crony of the local construction company cartel (Manhattan/Flint), then they'd still be busy working on sole-sourced Goobermint projects.

Like the BOK Arena.

And the new downtown Driller Stadium.

Sparks and Associates got an education about Pay-to-Play with the local Construction Cartel and its connected cronies back in 2003, when Vision 2025 was being funded to the tune of $1 million to promote its passage.

Sparks paid in $25K, and didn't get back a nickles worth of work for his firm.

Boy, was he ever P.O.'d.

And, he said so, publically.

Wonder if he's been blackballed by the local ruling power Oligarchy?

Of course we must not leave Flintco off that list.

Of course, they are included by name in the local connected construction cartel.

Plus, they seem to get the Indian Casino work.

Wonder if they helped fund that State Question legalizing Indian table gaming and Class III slot machines back when it passed?

BIG casino building boom since then.

I noticed that Flintco is listed as the Construction Co. on the Indian Casino at 81st and Riverside Parkway.

Flint also seems to get a great deal of the local School Districts school construction projects.  

They built the Union School District Arena, called the UMAC.  Cost overruns galore, of course.

And, the two major state universities and OSU-Tulsa have been on a building boom being flush as they are with taxpayer money.

Wonder if Flinto is really the hidden player supporting the militant OEA teachers union constant agitation for SMALLER CLASS SIZE??

It's the OEA Mantra:  

SMALLER CLASS SIZE = BETTER EDUCATION.

Well, really Smaller Class Size means = MORE SCHOOL ROOMS and MORE SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

And, more teachers and principals and UNION MEMBERS.

And, Flint just LOVES to build school buildings.

It's FOR THE CHILDREN, you know.......

[]

[Gaspar]

Our architecture and engineering departments are very busy.  We will most likely hire some of the good BSW folks.  They had a lot of production drafters though, we need folks with actual design experience.

[citizen72]

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Restaurants and retail have another hard year or two ahead of them or at least until oil prices stabilize some.  I'm betting some of the RD's tennants are starting to get a little antsy about building new units in Tulsa.

If BSW had been a Connected Crony of the local construction company cartel (Manhattan/Flint), then they'd still be busy working on sole-sourced Goobermint projects.

Like the BOK Arena.

And the new downtown Driller Stadium.

Sparks and Associates got an education about Pay-to-Play with the local Construction Cartel and its connected cronies back in 2003, when Vision 2025 was being funded to the tune of $1 million to promote its passage.

Sparks paid in $25K, and didn't get back a nickles worth of work for his firm.

Boy, was he ever P.O.'d.

And, he said so, publically.

Wonder if he's been blackballed by the local ruling power Oligarchy?

Gary Sparks is an exceptional human being.

[FOTD]

The canary in the coal mine.....look out below.

[Gaspar]

Gary is a great guy!

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by Gaspar

Gary is a great guy!

I've never met him.  

In the radio interview he gave concerning "Pay to Play", he talked about the Quid Pro Quo required by the Vision 2025 organizers:

If you wanted to share in the construction contracts, how much the FARE would cost to "Pay to Play".

Actually, isn't that kind of like:  ILLEGAL?

Promise of a government financial benefit in exchange for a campaign contribution?

Hmmmmmh?

Didn't the FEDS put some bond underwriters in Federal Prison who "Paid to Play" to corrupt Philadelphia politicians in order to receive $100,000,000's in city bond underwriting business?  It involved former Mayor Street's political crew, and his financial bagman Ronnie White......

Hmmmmmh?

[Steve]

I used to work for Tulsa's now defunct State Federal Savings and Loan from 1979 to 1992.  State Federal built its new home office at the southwest corner of 5th & Main street, designed by BSW architects as I recall.  We moved from our old location at 610 S. Main next door to the Chamber of Commerce to the grand new headquarters in 1981, right on Bartlett Square/Main Mall by the great (now destroyed) Main Mall plaza/fountain.  BSW was the architect, the firm of VanFossen & Brase was the interior design firm.  I remember so vividly moving into that new building, we were all so proud at the time.

The building is now Arvest.  I couldn't have a lower opinion of that firm.

[ARGUS]

hello! Flintco gets the casino work because it is an indian firm.
Gary Sparks is a nice guy (I know).
ALL ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS NEED (and contractors wish)THEY HAD EMPLOYEES WHO HAD ACTUAL DESIGN EXPERIENCE.
Some architects think a carpenters arm is 5' long.
wow.