(PROJECT) One Place Tower

[Weatherdemon]

I will say the building looks nicer in person than it did in the final renderings.

[ZYX]

I rarely post on here anymore, just kind of been pushed to the back of my mind I guess, but I felt the need to chime in in this topic.

So far, it seems as though what was planned for this development is not even close to what we have or what we are going to get. We have one decent looking office building and another really ugly one that would probably be better off torn down. That's really how ugly I think it is. What happened to the exciting mixed use block that would draw all kinds of activity to the district? Why did they put so little thought (and money) into the design for the office building? Why does it seem as though this is just another case of over promising and under delivering by a developer?

Now, I know that the project is (hopefully) not finished, and that there will be a residential as well as hotel component to it. Speaking of which, does anyone have any info on those? But given how the first half of the development has turned out I am not optimistic about the second half. The developers need to put real thought into the rest of this project, if it is still happening, and make it something special. Otherwise it will turn out to be a massive failure on a prime piece of property with huge potential.

Anyone else have thoughts?

[sgrizzle]

Otherwise it will turn out to be a massive failure on a prime piece of property with huge potential.

Anyone else have thoughts?

100% occupancy (or almost) is never a failure for a developer.

My guess is they wanted to use the autobank as the site to run construction from, which seems to be now used for BOK Center parking only. The developers asked to delay start of the other towers so they could continue to use that space for construction trailers and such. Ground floor retail/restaurant hasn't been announced, but they are talking with destination places. I'm all for local business but they don't need to just put in a 4th topeca and a local boutique that sells quirky hats. As for design, that is the design the tenants wanted so that is what they got.

[JCnOwasso]

Here is a rendering from the TW...hopefully they'll releases some better ones once the design is finalized. 

This looks fairly close to the end product, unless you are speaking of the early initial concepts where they are showing you puppy dogs and icecream cones.  I am not sure what else you want them to do.  They have contained parking and street level retail.  I do think that Northwest's building is far more appealing to the eye, but I wouldn't say something needs to be torn down because I think it should have been guilded in awesomeness.  100% occupancy, more jobs downtown, more people to frequent eating, drinking and shopping establishments.  More people to consider downtown residence...

Yep, tear the crap out of that monstrosity.... Heck, this building alone may force the rapture because god feels sorry for us.

[Conan71]

The other day I was driving south on the IDL and was trying to figure out, "Hey, what's that new building on the skyline?"

Not quite used to it being there yet, but a welcome addition.

[rdj]

100% occupancy, more jobs downtown, more people to frequent eating, drinking and shopping establishments.  More people to consider downtown residence...

The only issue I'll have with this premise is it that 100% occupancy came somewhat at the expense of First Place Tower now being nearly empty.  Personally, the saddest part is the exodus of JPMorgan Chase Bank from First Place Tower, the original building and the subsequent added tower were built by their predecessor bank, First National Bank of Tulsa.  I hate to see that link gone.

Other than Northwestern Mutual, which I believe only has two floors of "their" building, I'm not sure that this development has brought any new permanent jobs to downtown.  The largest tenant was already downtown.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Oil Capital]

The only issue I'll have with this premise is it that 100% occupancy came somewhat at the expense of First Place Tower now being nearly empty.  Personally, the saddest part is the exodus of JPMorgan Chase Bank from First Place Tower, the original building and the subsequent added tower were built by their predecessor bank, First National Bank of Tulsa.  I hate to see that link gone.

Other than Northwestern Mutual, which I believe only has two floors of "their" building, I'm not sure that this development has brought any new permanent jobs to downtown.  The largest tenant was already downtown.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

You are absolutely correct.

And what is this talk of 100% occupancy?  Has the rest of the office space in the Northwest Mutual building been leased?  Has any of the retail space been leased?

[cannon_fodder]

The tower has been fully lease by Cimarex.  Initially they were going to occupy a large portion of the building, but they ended up leasing the entire thing but-for some ground floor space.

I do not think the Northwest Mutual building is 100% leased.  The retail still has gravel/dirt floors inside the building.  Which seems really odd.

In regards to the entire project - the fact that they requested a delay for phase 3 (Northwest being phase 1, tower phase 2) and after it was granted laid down a new asphalt parking lot gives me pause.  You receive a 6 month - 1 year extension and you repave the lot?  What happened to the hotel?  The courtyard walk-through area that was going to draw in foot traffic?

::birds chirping::

[davideinstein]

The only issue I'll have with this premise is it that 100% occupancy came somewhat at the expense of First Place Tower now being nearly empty.  Personally, the saddest part is the exodus of JPMorgan Chase Bank from First Place Tower, the original building and the subsequent added tower were built by their predecessor bank, First National Bank of Tulsa.  I hate to see that link gone.

Other than Northwestern Mutual, which I believe only has two floors of "their" building, I'm not sure that this development has brought any new permanent jobs to downtown.  The largest tenant was already downtown.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

We need to wait and see if First Place Tower can bring it tenant to hold judgment. If it is empty a year from now, we simply got an ugly building for no gain.

[sgrizzle]

There are more than two tenants. And need for growth was another issue. The mass exodus from the other building was not the fault of this one.

[Oil Capital]

Has Cimarex still not moved in?  (Their website still shows their First Place Tower address.)

If not, does anyone know what the holdup is?

[rdj]

They are moved in.  It was a staged move.

[Oil Capital]

They are moved in.  It was a staged move.

Good to hear.  I guess someone needs to tell their website manager.  ;-)

[JCnOwasso]

There are other occupants of the Northwest building, I am not sure of the company but their mark is on the Southwest corner of the building.  As for time frames and why something haven't happened.  I know very little about construction processes and time frames, however the construction began around Oct 2011 and the building was probably turned over for beneficial occupancy around Dec 2012.  13 month construction period and you have two buildings complete.  Northwest mutual moved its offices from South to Downtown, again additional jobs downtown. 

In a year from now, an empty First place tower proves nothing other than the management company is crappy at bringing new tenants.  As for the retail/eating in the base floor of One Place, I am guess that the upper floors were to be completed before working on the bottom floor.  As they complete that, you will see tenants.  Now, for the blacktop parking lot next to Northwestern.  You still have construction going on the north side of the buiding which makes the travel to and from the lot north of the building difficult.

Why automatically jump to negativity when things don't happen at the pace you so desire or if they don't comply with your predetermined criteria.  After starting a business with the better half, I now understand that things don't necessarily happen the way I want them to, they do happen for what is best for the situation.

[BKDotCom]

It seems like one of the NWMutual ground floor retail spots would be a great spot for a TGI-Fridays / Chotchkie's / Louies / Gatti's pizza  type place... or even an Arby's   (Arby's box office is across the street)

Sports bar seems like an obvious fit... but that may be too obvious