Williams buying Access Midstream

[swake]

Williams is buying out Access Midstream, which is based in Oklahoma City and was spun off from Chesapeake Energy when they were crashing. Williams will be merging the company with its own midstream subsidiary and it will be based in Tulsa.

So BOk is rumored to be looking into a building a new building downtown, could this by why? Is Williams going to be needing more space soon as employees relocate?

[BKDotCom]

So BOk is rumored to be looking into a building a new building downtown, could this by why? Is Williams going to be needing more space soon as employees relocate?

Is this the origination of the rumor?
George Kaiser thinks Tulsa needs to recapture the tallest bldging in the region title?
If there were a new tower DT where would it go?

BOK owns the city block of surface parking across from the BOK center
also whole blocks @ 1st & Boulder & 3rd & Cincinnati

[swake]

Is this the origination of the rumor?
George Kaiser thinks Tulsa needs to recapture the tallest bldging in the region title?
If there were a new tower DT where would it go?

BOK owns the city block of surface parking across from the BOK center
also whole blocks @ 1st & Boulder & 3rd & Cincinnati

No, its been on here a couple of times. I think Townsend first posted it on another thread and I thought of the 1st and boulder lot where the old autobank was but he said south downtown. I had discounted it, but, the real estate guy that owns OKtalk backed it up.  Apparently BOk is looking at being part of a new tower in OKC and wants to own a new tower in Tulsa.

[carltonplace]

No, its been on here a couple of times. I think Townsend first posted it on another thread and I thought of the 1st and boulder lot where the old autobank was but he said south downtown. I had discounted it, but, the real estate guy that owns OKtalk backed it up.  Apparently BOk is looking at being part of a new tower in OKC and wants to own a new tower in Tulsa.

First and Boulder would be seem to be a perfect space for a new tower. It would add to the skyline and keep the scrapers all in the CBD.

[DTowner]

An expansion of Williams' pressence in dowtown is great news.  It is doubly great news if it also leads to a new BOK bulding.  I would prefer to see several 30-40 story buildings built rather than an attempt to out do the Devon tower.  In addition to avoiding the risk of hubris that such a vanity project can bring to a company, I'd rather see the skyline expand than just see one building towering over the rest.

[DowntownDan]

An expansion of Williams' pressence in dowtown is great news.  It is doubly great news if it also leads to a new BOK bulding.  I would prefer to see several 30-40 story buildings built rather than an attempt to out do the Devon tower.  In addition to avoiding the risk of hubris that such a vanity project can bring to a company, I'd rather see the skyline expand than just see one building towering over the rest.

You mean your not a fan of downtown OKC giving everyone around it the middle finger?

[SXSW]

An expansion of Williams' pressence in dowtown is great news.  It is doubly great news if it also leads to a new BOK bulding.  I would prefer to see several 30-40 story buildings built rather than an attempt to out do the Devon tower.  In addition to avoiding the risk of hubris that such a vanity project can bring to a company, I'd rather see the skyline expand than just see one building towering over the rest.

I'd almost rather see 3-4 mid rises, either in the parking lot district south of 7th or the south end of the East Village along 6th, than one single new tower.  If you've been to Pittsburgh I'd like to see a version of what PNC Bank has done with their downtown in multiple large buildings with mixed use around a public square.

[Townsend]

multiple large buildings with mixed use around a public square.

That'd work for me too...not that I have any say in the matter.  It'd be preferable to me though.

[heironymouspasparagus]

An expansion of Williams' pressence in dowtown is great news.  It is doubly great news if it also leads to a new BOK bulding.  I would prefer to see several 30-40 story buildings built rather than an attempt to out do the Devon tower.  In addition to avoiding the risk of hubris that such a vanity project can bring to a company, I'd rather see the skyline expand than just see one building towering over the rest.

And wouldn't it be nice if there were some actual thought put into the design process??  We have a wonderful skyline and then that big stick thing.  If there are going to be new high rises, they should be required - yes, I know it is a dirty word, but tough! - to at least pay homage to the era when the rest of downtown was built.  Surely there must be an architect out there with at least a little bit of imagination left....on how to make today's new construction blend/merge/complement/be-compatible-with the old!  Move forward with an eye to the past. 

And don't even get me started again on the big gold plated phallus-like thing in south Tulsa!

But then I see all the new McMansions around south Tulsa and realize that architecture today is solely based on the garage door as THE major architectural element of design!  (Perhaps Home Creations has too much influence in this area...??)

[DTowner]

And wouldn't it be nice if there were some actual thought put into the design process??  We have a wonderful skyline and then that big stick thing.  If there are going to be new high rises, they should be required - yes, I know it is a dirty word, but tough! - to at least pay homage to the era when the rest of downtown was built.  Surely there must be an architect out there with at least a little bit of imagination left....on how to make today's new construction blend/merge/complement/be-compatible-with the old!  Move forward with an eye to the past. 

Indeed.  It goes without saying that I hope any new building(s) would have some architectural character and interest.

[sgrizzle]

Some cities give tax incentives if new construction uses a fancy architect.

I don't agree however that they should pay homage to an era (much of our downtown growth was in the 1970's)

[swake]

I like a mix of old and new, different eras.

I don't like souless, artless crap like the Cimarex Building.

[carltonplace]

I like a mix of old and new, different eras.

I don't like souless, artless crap like the Cimarex Building.

+1, it makes one long for the towerview apt building.

The only thing to like is that it is no longer a parking lot.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Some cities give tax incentives if new construction uses a fancy architect.

I don't agree however that they should pay homage to an era (much of our downtown growth was in the 1970's)

Pretty much my point exactly - "That 70's Show" sucks.  As evidenced/exemplified/personified by the Williams building.

[swake]

Pretty much my point exactly - "That 70's Show" sucks.  As evidenced/exemplified/personified by the Williams building.

I disagree entirely. The BOK Tower and the two Williams Buildings (I assume that's what you are talking about) are all great buildings for the style they represent. They just aren't quite old enough to be nostalgic yet. In 10-15 years they will be considered iconic, especially the BOK Tower with it's ties to the World Trade Center.

This is how it works. Everyone likes new shiny buildings (unless it's cheap crap like Cimarex) and don't like the aging buildings that the new ones are replacing. The previous generation of buildings look old and out of date next to new ones. But, once a building hits about 50 years old they start to become "classic". It's why buildings that are 30-40 years old and functionally obsolete are always in so danger of being torn down, they are old and out of date but not yet old enough to be classic and worthy of saving.

We need to learn to appreciate good buildings from any era.