Deco Gem (Pythian Bldg) for sale

[cynical]

Any idea if the support system is in place for such a height? I know the current Community Care college on Sheridan is that way. Half finished but the support structure is there.

There are large, short pillars that extend up through the roof. They look like they would be strong enough to support the additional weight since the building was designed for it. The economics of adding to the building is another matter.

While we're on that subject, and in the interest of promoting thread drift, I remember when the OneOK building was announced it had 60 stories, then was cut back to the present thirty back when Cities Service was building it. This would be sometime in late 1980 or early 1981, and I think the decision to downsize was made after construction began. Does anyone know if the building's structure would support the additional 30 stories per the original design?

[BKDotCom]

There are large, short pillars that extend up through the roof. They look like they would be strong enough to support the additional weight since the building was designed for it. The economics of adding to the building is another matter.

While we're on that subject, and in the interest of promoting thread drift, I remember when the OneOK building was announced it had 60 stories, then was cut back to the present thirty back when Cities Service was building it. This would be sometime in late 1980 or early 1981, and I think the decision to downsize was made after construction began. Does anyone know if the building's structure would support the additional 30 stories per the original design?

"Originally designed to be 52 stories, and then reduced to 37, the plans were modified to the present height of 17 floors after the building was sold during construction"

"ONEOK bought the Cities Service Company (later renamed Citgo) in August, 1982"    The "OneOK building" is actually the Cities Service Company building... under construction when OneOK bought them...

I do know that enough granite was ordered to complete the 37-floor version of the building.
Here's some OneOK granite on S Lewis
http://goo.gl/maps/jsab

[carltonplace]

The things you learn on this forum. Astounding.

[Weatherdemon]

How many buildings in Tulsa were capped or scrapped due to economic downturns?

I know only of the two listed here but it seems there were several to built by City Services or something that were scrapped.

[Townsend]

How many buildings in Tulsa were capped or scrapped due to economic downturns?

I know only of the two listed here but it seems there were several to built by City Services or something that were scrapped.

I'm not 100% sure where I read the article, perhaps the TW, but there were 8 over 40 story buildings cancelled in the early 80's in Tulsa.  That included one on 15th and Denver.

[TheArtist]

There was one 80 story building that was cancelled due to the 80s oil bust too.   In one rendering it showed the Cities Service building towering over the BOK tower, and then the 80 story building being far taller than even the Cities Service building.

[erfalf]

I'm not 100% sure where I read the article, perhaps the TW, but there were 8 over 40 story buildings cancelled in the early 80's in Tulsa.  That included one on 15th and Denver.

15th & Denver? That would have been out of place.

On the flip side, I believe the BOK/Williams Tower was originally planned to be several smaller buildings and was then scrapped for a single taller building. I'm guessing things like that happen pretty rarely.

[Weatherdemon]

Thanks for the replies.
Some of that sounds familiar now, including the Williams stuff. Now that it was mentioned, I recall reading that in an article about the Williams towers, parking garages, PAC assistance, and hotel.

[sgrizzle]

How many buildings in Tulsa were capped or scrapped due to economic downturns?

I know only of the two listed here but it seems there were several to built by City Services or something that were scrapped.

Community Care College (Built by Telex as the "Sheridan Road Building") was capped at 3 but designed to be a pair of 6 story buildings. Last time I was in the elevators had buttons for 6 floors. The legend goes the second building was scrapped because of zoning issues over parking/floodwater and the city gave the go-ahead to same and no-go to Telex.

Of note, there is a waterfall behind the Sheridan road building that is used to cool water for the building's A/C

[PonderInc]

The flip side of the coin is the Mid Continent tower, which was built onto the the existing building sometime in the mid 1980's.  That project earned national awards for the creative structural engineering that was required, since the original building was NOT designed to have a tower. 

[erfalf]

The flip side of the coin is the Mid Continent tower, which was built onto the the existing building sometime in the mid 1980's.  That project earned national awards for the creative structural engineering that was required, since the original building was NOT designed to have a tower. 

The two (original & addition) actually are two separate building designed to appear as one. The tower was actually built next to and hangs over the original building.