WPX Downtown HQ

[AdamsHall]

I don't think they are above ground yet. I took these Saturday.

[/center]

I drove by this morning, and they are definitely above ground on the South East corner of the building.

[SXSW]

From Flintco's social media with Davenport Lofts in the background.

[shavethewhales]

From last Friday. Really getting off the ground now.

[shavethewhales]

Still plugging away. Not a jump in height yet, but it wraps around the block, so there's been a lot of progress. The basement on this thing is so huge, and they are still finishing the substructure on the west side.

[SXSW]

Some recent pics of the concrete pumping operation

[D-TownTulsan]

The scale of this thing is really impressive.

[shavethewhales]

The floor heights are pretty tall, so this is starting to dominate the area already. Looks like they'll jump another floor soon.

[SXSW]

WPX rising with a beautiful John Hope Reconciliation Park in the foreground

[Urban Enthusiast]

^ That's a pretty spectacular picture!  I wonder if there has been any movement on who will occupy this building once complete? 

[DowntownDan]

I think it's been discussed before, but why is John Hope Franklin Park fenced off? Are they really that concerned about vandalism? It just doesn't feel like a city park, it feels like a private museum that only a select few get to actually enjoy. I would hope some philanthropists could create an endowment to fund vandalism repairs in real time if it happens, and to install cameras to shame those who would vandalize such a special place.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

I think it's been discussed before, but why is John Hope Franklin Park fenced off? Are they really that concerned about vandalism? It just doesn't feel like a city park, it feels like a private museum that only a select few get to actually enjoy. I would hope some philanthropists could create an endowment to fund vandalism repairs in real time if it happens, and to install cameras to shame those who would vandalize such a special place.

Probably so it doesn't turn into a homeless camp like this park in Salem OR

https://kval.com/news/local/salem-camping-ban-backfires-as-oregon-capital-city-struggles-with-homeless-crisis



Or this one in Portland

https://katu.com/news/homeless-crisis-the-best-we-can-do/neighbors-of-laurelhurst-park-press-for-action-on-homeless-camp

[DowntownDan]

Couldn't that be said of any city park, including downtown? Why hasn't Guthrie Green, or Chapman Green, or Centennial Park turned into "homeless camps" like Portland, etc.? That logic could be used to ever open new parks in downtown, and I would fight to the death for more parks as opposed to less.

[SXSW]

I think it's been discussed before, but why is John Hope Franklin Park fenced off? Are they really that concerned about vandalism? It just doesn't feel like a city park, it feels like a private museum that only a select few get to actually enjoy. I would hope some philanthropists could create an endowment to fund vandalism repairs in real time if it happens, and to install cameras to shame those who would vandalize such a special place.

It has a fence around it but several entrance points off Elgin and Detroit

Complete side note, is there anything planned for the vacant brick building across from WPX and next to the Gypsy on Detroit?  It's an awesome building, fairly large too.  Maybe one of the largest empty buildings left in this part of downtown.  I've always thought it would be a good spot for future OSU expansion into the Arts District.

I'd love to see Living Arts and artists lofts expand onto the parking lot to the north next to JHF Park.  Now that Flintco has moved into the building next to it (where Elgin Park is located) they will likely keep that parking lot behind the building.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Couldn't that be said of any city park, including downtown? Why hasn't Guthrie Green, or Chapman Green, or Centennial Park turned into "homeless camps" like Portland, etc.? That logic could be used to ever open new parks in downtown, and I would fight to the death for more parks as opposed to less.

Probably because the COT & TPD enforces no camping laws for the parks unlike cities along the west coast that quit enforcing those laws a few years ago.

https://kval.com/news/local/camping-is-illegal-in-eugene-people-camp-in-eugene-whats-next

You have state and Federal courts that are ruling that laws against panhandling are a violation of the homeless persons 1st Amendment rights.

A federal appellate court struck down Springfield, Ill.'s ban on panhandling, in light of a landmark First Amendment case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in June, Reed v. Town of Gilbert. The decision by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals demonstrates how Reed is a momentous decision that strengthened protections for free speech across the board.

Springfield banned panhandling in its "downtown historic district," which, as the 7th Circuit noted, involved "less than 2% of the City's area but contain[ed] its principal shopping, entertainment, and governmental areas, including the Statehouse and many state-government buildings."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2015/09/01/federal-court-ban-on-panhandling-violates-homeless-peoples-constitutional-rights/?sh=80b7a5a12e75

And you can't arrest a homeless person for being homeless.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/cities-arrest-homeless-problems-71511969

[tulsabug]

Probably because the COT & TPD enforces no camping laws for the parks unlike cities along the west coast that quit enforcing those laws a few years ago.

https://kval.com/news/local/camping-is-illegal-in-eugene-people-camp-in-eugene-whats-next

You have state and Federal courts that are ruling that laws against panhandling are a violation of the homeless persons 1st Amendment rights.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2015/09/01/federal-court-ban-on-panhandling-violates-homeless-peoples-constitutional-rights/?sh=80b7a5a12e75

And you can't arrest a homeless person for being homeless.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/cities-arrest-homeless-problems-71511969

It's ironic there are laws which attempt to prevent homeless people from sleeping somewhere and trying to eat and punish them by putting them in jail so they can sleep and eat there instead and we pay for it. Why doesn't the city just hire them to do various manual labor like picking up trash and such and give them a small paycheck and a place to stay and food. It seemed to work well during the old WPA programs.