A project of the Oklahoma City / County Historical Society

Tall Buildings

Edited 4/16/2008 to add the Midwest Building

tallbuildingss-9835578

Jump to Tall Buildings Not Done
Jump To Tall Buildings Which Might Be Done

With last week’s announcement by Devon Energy Company, one might start thinking about Oklahoma City skyscrapers, “tall buildings” (Doug Dawg did, anyway). How will the new building match up, and, in fact, how tall are other buildings in Oklahoma City, and where are they located? What once-fine buildings no longer exist? In this project, I’ve drawn much of the data from Emporis.com … High Rise Buildings and Low Rise Buildings. But, not all … a few of the buildings shown below are not in the Emporis database (e.g., the Plaza Court Hotel in Midtown on Shartel).

statecapitol02m-2912170 Another which is not in the Emporis list, probably because it lacks 8 “working” floors, is the Oklahoma State Capitol, shown here.

Is there more to come, soon? Steve Lackmeyer whets our collective appetite again today in Downtown investment trend not at an end. Among other things, he says,

This is turning out to be quite a month for downtown Oklahoma City.

March is just halfway through, yet the ramifications of announcements this month outweigh the entire expanse of the city’s original MAPS projects.
* * *
So let’s take a deep breath. Have we seen the last big announcement for downtown? Don’t count on it.

He is such a tease!

Back in the days of the Pei Plan … the Urban Renewal masterplan for turning downtown Oklahoma City around in the early 1960s … plenty of general and specific proposals were made … some happened but many did not. Click here to jump to, “Tall Buildings That Might Have Been.”

For this review, I arbitrarily set the threshold at 8 floors for “tall buildings” … even though that excluded several vintage as well as many new buildings by that choice. Even then, I did “fudge” by including the Aberdeen Apartments … it has 7 ground level floors but a full basement, so I gave it a 7.5 and included it just because I wanted to! Otherwise, the vintage and still standing Pioneer Building, at 7 stories and when built in 1908 said to be Oklahoma City’s first high-rise, the 7 floor 1922 Osler Building in Midtown, and several others, were excluded.

My “personal favorite” that didn’t make the 8 floor threshold requirement is this one, Signature Place, at MacArthur & Northwest Expressway … though I’d like it better if it didn’t have “rent me” banners hanging out front uglifying the architecture. signatureplacem-1708023

Using 8 floors as the cutoff, here’s what I’ve come up with … for buildings which once existed, do now, and as have been announced or are in progress as this is written. When this post is finally done, it will also include buildings which were proposed but never happened, and for that I’ll draw heavily on Steve Lackmeyer & Jack Money’s masterpiece, OKC: 2nd Time Around.

In the table below, click the link or the miniature image for a look at the building and, sometimes, additional information about it.

Oklahoma City Buildings 8 Stories or More
Summary Incl
Is &
Gone		 Those
Gone		 Those
Developing		 As
Will
Be
  Downtown 55 16 2 41
  Midtown 3 1 0 2
  Northwest 27 0 0 27
  Northeast 8 0 3 11
  Southeast 0 0 0 0
  Southwest 2 0 0 2
1 devontower_mini-9503670Devon Tower
Floors: 54
Date: 2012
Where: Downtown
Status: Developing		 2 chasemini-2343212Chase Tower
Floors: 36
Date: 1971
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
3 1stnationalmini-70942921st National
Floors: 33
Date: 1931
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 4 cityplacemini-3625578City Place
Floors: 33
Date: 1931
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
5 oklahomatowermini-1743368Oklahoma Tower
Floors: 31
Date: 1982
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 6 sandridgemini-8526339Sandridge Tower (Kerr-McGee)
Floors: 30
Date: 1973
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
7 biltmoremini-5632054Biltmore Hotel
Floors: 26
Date: 1932
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed		 8 regencymini-8703496Regency Tower
Floors: 24
Date: 1966
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
9 leadershipnorthmini-4432615Leadership Square North
Floors: 22
Date: 1984
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 10 valliancetowermini-1699699Valliance Tower
Floors: 22
Date: 1984
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
11 classenbuildingmini-1297547The Classen
Floors: 21
Date: 1967
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 12 foundersplazamini-3196511360 at Founders Plaza
Floors: 20
Date: 1963
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
13 midamericamini-4758930Mid-America Tower
Floors: 19
Date: 1980
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 14 dowellcentermini-7298995Dowell Center
Floors: 18
Date: 1927
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
15 goldstarlibrarymini-1215067Gold Star Library – OCU
Floors: 18
Date: 1954
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 16 unionplazamini-6636831Union Plaza
Floors: 18
Date: 1982
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
17 parkharveymini-1374257Park Harvey Apartments
Floors: 17
Date: 1956
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 18 50pennplacemini-731492050 Penn Place
Floors: 16
Date: 1973
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
19 swbellmini-7857169AT&T (SW Bell)
Floors: 16
Date: 1928
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 20 bokmini-4394233BOK Plaza (Fidelity)
Floors: 16
Date: 1972
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
21 leadershipsouthmini-4882484Leadership Square South
Floors: 16
Date: 1984
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 22 globelifemini-4715718Globe Life
Floors: 15
Date: 1957
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
23 lakeviewtowersmini-7374005Lakeview Towers
Floors: 15
Date: ???
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 24 okcmarriottmini-3713625OKC Marriott
Floors: 15
Date: 1985
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
25 marriottrenaissancemini-6421688Marriott Renaissance Hotel
Floors: 15
Date: 2000
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 26 sheratonmini-4838385Sheraton Oklahoma Hotel
Floors: 15
Date: 1976
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
27 swbellannexmini-2433814AT&T Annex (Southwetsern Bell)
Floors: 15
Date: ???
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 28 101parkmini-6023835101 Park Avenue (Skirvin Tower)
Floors: 14
Date: 1932
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
29 1stnationaladditionmini-97168901st National Additions
Floors: 14
Date: 1957 &
1972
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 30 colcordmini-2269818Colcord Hotel
Floors: 14
Date: 1910
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
31 corporatetowermini-5193645Corporate Tower
Floors: 14
Date: 1980
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 32 okcountyjailmini-1840505Oklahoma County Jail
Floors: 14
Date: 1991
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
33 opubcomini-5179426Oklahoman Building
Floors: 14
Date: 1991
Where: Northeast
Status: Existing		 34 autohotelmini-1-7137798Auto Hotel
Floors: 13
Date: ???
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed
35 oilcentermini-5565970Oil Center East
Floors: 13
Date: 1973
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 36 oilcentermini-5565970Oil Center West
Floors: 13
Date: 1978
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
37 skirvinatnightmini-2193874Skirvin Hilton Hotel
Floors: 13
Date: 1910
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 38 100parkmini-9940661100 Park Avenue (Medical Arts)
Floors: 12
Date: 1923
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
39 childrensphysiciansmini-3818657Children’s Physicians Building
Floors: 12
Date: 2009
Where: Northeast
Status: Developing		 40 herskowitzmini-9938469Herskowitz Building
Floors: 12
Date: 1910
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed
41 mariemcguireplazamini-9889675Marie McGuire Plaza
Floors: 12
Date: 1972
Where: Northeast
Status: Existing		 42 ogemini-7187292OG&E
Floors: 12
Date: 1928
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
43 deptartmentofhealthmini-3610913OK Health Department
Floors: 12
Date: ???
Where: Northeast
Status: Existing		 44 robinsonrenaissancemini-7920951Robinson Renaissance (Perrine)
Floors: 12
Date: 1927
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
45 stanthonyhospitalmini-7781608St. Anthony Hospital
Floors: 12
Date: 1899
Where: Midtown
Status: Existing		 46 tiffanyapartmentsmini-8416161Tiffany House Apartments
Floors: 12
Date: ???
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
47 citycentermini-8468929City Center Building
Floors: 11
Date: 1921
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 48 oklahomacountycourthousemini-9114160County Courthouse
Floors: 11
Date: 1937
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
49 baptist01mini-9996369Integris Baptist Hospital
Floors: 11
Date: ???
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 50 integrissouthwestmini-3650149Integris Southwest Hospital
Floors: 11
Date: 1969
Where: Southwest
Status: Existing
51 kingkadehotelmini-8425809Kingkade Hotel
Floors: 11
Date: 1912
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed		 52 onenorthhudsonmini-1893531One North Hudson
Floors: 11
Date: 1930
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
53 physicianssurgeonsmini-4893010Physicians & Surgeons
Floors: 12
Date: ???
Where: Northeast
Status: Existing		 54 vahospitalmini-8400938VA Medical Center
Floors: 11
Date: 1931
Where: Northeast
Status: Existing
55 ywcamini-7257335YWCA
Floors: 11
Date: 1931
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 56 braniffmini-8129019324 Building (Braniff)
Floors: 10
Date: 1923
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
57 5100nbrooklinemini-59378265100 N. Brookline
Floors: 10
Date: 1974
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 58 plazacourthotelmini-2161685Plaza Court Hotel
Floors: 10
Date: 1960
Where: Midtown
Status: Destroyed
59 campbellmini-3593066Campbell Building
Floors: 10
Date: 1910
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed		 60 classencentermini-8854410Classen Center East
Floors: 10
Date: 1965
Where: Northhwest
Status: Existing
61 commerceexchangemini-8062372Commerce Exchange
Floors: 10
Date: 1920s
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed		 62 countryinnmini-3582107Country Inn & Suites
Floors: 10
Date: 2001?
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
63 courtplazamini-7592005Court Plaza (Cotton Exchange)
Floors: 10
Date: 1923
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 64 everetttowermini-8352685Everett Tower
Floors: 10
Date: 1973
Where: Northeast
Status: Existing
65 halesmini-2959277Hales Building (State National)
Floors: 10
Date: 1910
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed		 66 hertzfinancialcentermini-1035859Caliber Center (Hertz)
Floors: 10
Date: 1973
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
67 hightowermini-3831200Hightower
Floors: 10
Date: 1929
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 68 holidayinnmini-8786295Character First (Holiday Inn)
Floors: 10
Date: 1964
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
69 landmarktowers2mini-6842504Landmark Towers Center
Floors: 10
Date: 1970
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 70 landmarktowersmini-1313040Landmark Towers East
Floors: 10
Date: 1965
Where: Northhwest
Status: Existing
71 landmarktowersmini-1313040Landmark Towers West
Floors: 10
Date: 1972
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 72 lee_huckinsmini-7099201Lee Huckins Hotel
Floors: 10
Date: 1910
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed
73 mainplacemini-9362699Main Place (Harbour Longmire)
Floors: 10
Date: 1923
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 74 mercyhospitalmini-9964126Mercy Health Center
Floors: 10
Date: 1974
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
75 midwest1970_chapmanmini-7003252Midwest Building
Floors: 10
Date: 1930
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed
Credit Jeff Chapman		 76 deqmini-4824793OK DEQ (SW Bell)
Floors: 10
Date: 1957
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
77 oksavingsloanmini-8735476OK Savings & Loan
Floors: 10
Date: 1928
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 78 robertshotelmini-7817724Roberts Hotel
Floors: 10
Date: 1927
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed
79 irsmini-9852184Robinson Plaza (IRS)
Floors: 10
Date: 1992
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing		 80 collegeofmedicinemini-3539365Biomedical Sciences Building
Floors: 9
Date: ???
Where: Northeast
Status: Existing
81 classencentermini-8854410Classen Center North
Floors: 9
Date: 1969
Where: Northhwest
Status: Existing		 82 crowneplazahotelmini-9802812Crowne Plaza Hotel
Floors: 9
Date: 1970
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
83 hamptoninnmini-3674787Hampton Inn
Floors: 9
Date: 2008
Where: Downtown
Status: Developing		 84 baptist02mini-4097434Integris Baptist Building B
Floors: 9
Date: ???
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
85 murrahbuildingmini-9773834Murrah Federal Building
Floors: 9
Date: 1977
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed		 86 bankruptcymini-7394130US Bankruptcy Court (Post Office)
Floors: 9
Date: 1932
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
87 waterfordmarriottmini-8134756Waterford Marriott Hotel
Floors: 9
Date: 1984
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 88 americannationalmini-7036891American National Bank
Floors: 8
Date: 1909
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed
89 cancerresearchcentermini-6629450Cancer Research Center
Floors: 9
Date: 2010
Where: Northeast
Status: Developing		 90 courtyardmarriottmini-5311887Courtyard Marriott Hotel
Floors: 8
Date: 2004
Where: Downtown
Status: Existing
91 halliburtonsmini-1618662Halliburton’s
Floors: 8
Date: 1920
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed		 92 insurancebuildingmini-9576061Insurance Building
Floors: 8
Date: 1910
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed
93 baptist04mini-1896504Integris Baptist Building C
Floors: 8
Date: ???
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing		 94 baptist03mini-2234685Integris Baptist Building D
Floors: 8
Date: ???
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
95 kingkadehotelmini-8425809Lawrence Hotel
Floors: 8
Date: 1912
Where: Downtown
Status: Destroyed		 96 omrftowermini-4810727OK Medical Research Tower
Floors: 8
Date: 2010?
Where: Northeast
Status: Developing
97 onebenhamplacemini-7072017One Behnam Place
Floors: 8
Date: 1983
Where: Northeast
Status: Existing		 98 presbyterianmini-7104309Presbyterian Tower
Floors: 8
Date: 1974
Where: Northeast
Status: Existing
99 westerntowermini-6808720Western Tower
Floors: 8
Date: ???
Where: Southwest
Status: Existing		 100 aberdeenmini-1859393Aberdeen Apartments
Floors: 7-8
Date: 1927
Where: Northwest
Status: Existing
101 whatsnextmini-3546494What’s Next?
Floors: ???
Date: ???
Where: ???
Status: Coming Soon


Tall Buildings Not Done. In their book, OKC: 2nd Time Around, Steve Lackmeyer & Jack Money laid out in magnificent form and content the downtown time zone of the mid-1950s through 2007 … how we got from there to here. I say again that if you don’t already own a copy of this excellent book, you’re missing out, big-time!

Fueled by 1959 authorizing legislation at the state level, Oklahoma City established its Urban Renewal Authority in 1962. Internationally well regarded urban planner I.M. Pei came on board and what is commonly known as the “Pei Plan” came to exist. Its sweeping plan involved the destruction of about 2/5 of downtown Oklahoma City, largely on and south of Main, from east to west, and replacing the destroyed buildings with something that dreams are made of!

Thanks is given to Steve Lackmeyer for permission to post the following images … all are contained in OKC: 2nd Time Around … click on any image for a larger view.

The 1st image below appears at page 14 of OKC: 2nd Time. If you look closely, you’ll see an irregular “gray line” running from the lower right to the upper left and that buildings below that line are a bit darker than those above it. In the 2nd version, below, I’ve doctored it a bit to highlight the “line” and add names of some of the “tall buildings” that either (1) were marked for destruction and were destroyed, or (2) in the case of the Perrine (Robinson Renaissance) was marked but was spared, or (3) in the case of the Biltmore was not marked for destruction but was.

Credit OKC: 2nd Time and OCURA

okc2ndtime_downtown_ocuras-5864772

okc2ndtime_downtown_ocura2s-1564635


The “destruction” phase of the Pei Plan was “successfully” accomplished. The general vision of what would be replacing them is somewhat reflected in the following image which appears at page 10 of OKC: 2nd Time Around:

Credit Okc2nd Time, Greater Okc Chamber of Commerce (COC)
From Left:James T. Yielding, 1st Executive Director of OCURA, I.M. Pei,
and Ralph L. Bolen, Chairman of the OCURA Board of Commissioners

The City of Tomorrow

okc2ndtime_pei_cocs-9042878


Of course, the Oil Bust, the Penn Square Bank failure and the resulting bank closing domino effect in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and beyond, marked the death knell of the grand design. The Galleria Shopping area became a parking lot … but much of it will now become the Devon Tower. To be sure, several new buildings did spring to life before bad times hit, e.g., Myriad Gardens & Convention Center, Corporate Tower, Oklahoma Tower, Kerr-McGee Tower (Sandridge today), Sheraton Hotel, Mid-America Tower, Leadership Square, Liberty Tower (Chase today), and so much good did come of it, even thought not as much as expected.

OKC: 2nd Time Around contains several eye-candy images of some of the things which were planned but never saw the light of day, shown below.

High Rise Apartments
Credit OKC: 2nd Time and OCURA

okc2ndtime_pei_ocuras-3043783

Galleria Shopping Mall North of “Tivoli” (renamed Myriad) Gardens
Credit OKC: 2nd Time and OCURA

okc2ndtime_pei_ocura_3s-8913728

14 Floor Expansion of Skirvin Tower (101 Park Avenue)
Credit OKC: 2nd Time and Greater OKC Chamber of Commerce

okc2ndtime_skirvintower_cocs-5266396


Ron Burks became one of the owners of the Skirvin in 1979, along with Bill Jennings, John Kilpatrick, Jr., Bob Lammerts, Jerry Richardson, Dub Ross, and Joe Dann Trigg. See Bob Blackburn’s article, A Tradition of Elegance. According to Steve and Jacks’ book, and if I interpret it correctly, Burk was principally responsible for opening up the Skirvin lobby (to make it 2 open stories instead of 1), the purchase of a new chandeliers from Europe, and other stuff. At one time, he also owned the downtown Holiday Inn. See pp. 72-73 of Steve and Jacks’ book. But Burks wanted more …

Ron Burks’ Office Tower By The Skirvin
Credit OKC: 2nd Time and Howard & Porch

okc2ndtime_nearskirvin_howardand-1-5151466

Ron Burks’ Hilton Hotel By Myriad Gardens
Credit OKC: 2nd Time and Howard & Porch

okc2ndtime_myriadhilton_howardan-1-6596416


Tall Buildings That Might Yet Be. A few others have been identified as possibly being “in the works” … when a construction contract is signed, I’ll move any of them to the “current” table … but, till then, I consider them as possibilities and uncertain.

Overholser Green. Of the things shown here, this one appears to be the most likely. This Midtown project which calls for development of the block bounded by NW 13th, NW 12th, Walker and Dewey, has, in fact, been approved by OCURA.

overholsergreen-4104063

This December 6, 2007, article by Steve Lackmeyer says that the project includes,

109 condominiums built in a series of four-to-eight-story buildings above an approximately 220-space garage.

The developer is Wiggin Properties, which owns the 101 Park Ave. building and is converting the Mayo office building in downtown Tulsa into housing.

Although Wiggin Properties has said that construction will start by July 2008 and will include an 8 story hotel, I guess that my “Missouri-Show-Me” side is showing on this one. For lively discussion about this project, see this thread at OkMet.org and this one at OkcTalk.com.

Cotton Exchange. This proposed project would include a 12 story element and will require the approval of the Bricktown Design Committee (and land acquisition), would be located next to the Bricktown Ballpark on Reno.

cottonexchangedrawing1-5346217

cottonexchangedrawing2-7569123


While this may happen, it is by no means a “done deal.” See this thread at OkcTalk.com and this one at OkMet.org for more.

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