Ford Center upgrades to include glass curtain wall

[hoodlum]

the great thing this image illustrates is that the BOk Center is architecture and the Ford center is just a building. Not all buildings are architecture.

[dsjeffries]

quote:Originally posted by hoodlum

the great thing this image illustrates is that the BOk Center is architecture and the Ford center is just a building. Not all buildings are architecture.

+1

[USRufnex]

Let's just say "form follows function."  The Ford Center was built at a fraction of the price the Pelli arena cost... it was built to attract concerts and sporting events (Big XII Tourney ring a bell?)... and a chance at landing an NHL or NBA team...

OKC's getting an NBA team.
Mission accomplished.

[USRufnex]

Come for the NBA, stay for the Promise Keepers... [}:)]

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by twizzler

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

Let's just say "form follows function."  The Ford Center was built at a fraction of the price the Pelli arena cost... it was built to attract concerts and sporting events (Big XII Tourney ring a bell?)... and a chance at landing an NHL or NBA team...

OKC's getting an NBA team.
Mission accomplished.

Exactly.

Also, when the BOK Center is completed, and you take a wider angle shot of the building, what will you see? An aging federal building, an empty lot, a few non-descript structures, a jail off in the distance and no one milling around except during the occasional concert or sporting event.

When the Ford Center renovation is completed, and you look at it from a wider angle, you will see that the new facade fits in nicely with its surroundings - surroundings which accommodate people even when the Ford Center is empty.

Tulsa = the guy who lives in a cheap rent house but drives a new Cadillac Escalade.

At least be fair and give us the same amount of time, to let 2025 and the Arena show effects, that Maps and the Ford center had.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by twizzler

quote: At least be fair and give us the same amount of time, to let 2025 and the Arena show effects, that Maps and the Ford center had.

I think I am being fair. Bricktown, the ballpark, the canal, and other venues existed before the Ford Center even broke ground. I think the Bricktown area would still be a success even without the Ford Center.

The BOK Center is being built in reverse fashion ("build it and they will come"); in an area where there is currently nothing as far as food/entertainment/lodging/residential/etc.; and where that placement makes it very hard to incorporate such a mix of things.

Tulsa definitely needed a new arena. But the ego of a certain segment of Tulsa allowed for serious long-term mistakes to be made in the cost and placement of the facility.  

I don't think Vision 2025 will have the impact or be a catalyst for DT that some think it will.

But if you leave it to alot of the Baby Boomers in this town (not all, so don't complain about me sterotyping) this city would NEVER do anything progressive like the arena, and we'd still be trying to attract people in a 40 year old, crumbling facility.  Keep in mind we tried to get some kind of arena package passed twice before in the 10 years preceding and never did.

Let's face it; we are never going to be OKC in anything we do.  I say 'good'.  We don't need to be.  Let's see what the BOK Center does on it's own merits when it opens, rather than speculate what could have been had we done things like OKC.

[cannon_fodder]

I read Hoss comments thinking it was Inteller (because of the avatar) and went "my god, I agree with that comment."  Then I double checked the poster.  [}:)]

[Doug Loudenback]

Why the animus to Oklahoma City from some of you Tulsa guys?  Such as

quote:How very original. It's sorta sad, really.
***
Looks crappy compared to ours
***
Um... Wow, that is original.. If by original, you mean unoriginal or cookie-cutter.
***
[T]he great thing this image illustrates is that the BOk Center is architecture and the Ford center is just a building. Not all buildings are architecture.

I'm an Oklahoma City guy, and I wish the best for Tulsa. Aren't we all Oklahomans? Aren't we all from the 2 principal cities in the state by which non-Oklahoman's will identify and define "Oklahoma" the most? I just don't get the reason for the attitude.

[Kenosha]

just callin' it like I see it.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

Let's just say "form follows function."  The Ford Center was built at a fraction of the price the Pelli arena cost... it was built to attract concerts and sporting events (Big XII Tourney ring a bell?)... and a chance at landing an NHL or NBA team...

OKC's getting an NBA team.
Mission accomplished.

The Ford Center wouldn't get an NBA team without the upgrades so you're logic is flawed. OKC didn't get an NBA team with a $89M arena, they got it with a $191M arena.

[Renaissance]

The anti-OKC sentiment probably comes from folks who a) haven't spent extended time there, and b) perceive the same thing coming at Tulsa from the opposite end of the turnpike.  It is what it is--rivalry and jealous.  We can only downplay it as much as possible.

I always thought the Ford Center was pretty cool looking from the highway.  It's a big, clean, modern arena.  Then, this past weekend, I was in Tulsa for Easter weekend.  Did a loop around the IDL, and was stunned by the scale and design of the BOK center.  I hadn't seen it in person until Sunday.  It's really striking and will reflect well on the city.  I can't overstate how cool it looks to a first timer.  (Now, about those roads . . . I had no idea how bad they had gotten.  Seriously.  That bond issue needs to happen yesterday.)

But on topic--I'm looking forward to seeing NBA games in OKC.  I'm rather shocked by the amount of money the city is shelling out to get them, as I'll probably be shocked by the amount of money my tickets will cost.  But cheers to the Ford Center for attracting a pro team.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by Floyd

The anti-OKC sentiment probably comes from folks who a) haven't spent extended time there, and b) perceive the same thing coming at Tulsa from the opposite end of the turnpike.  It is what it is--rivalry and jealous.  We can only downplay it as much as possible.

I always thought the Ford Center was pretty cool looking from the highway.  It's a big, clean, modern arena.  Then, this past weekend, I was in Tulsa for Easter weekend.  Did a loop around the IDL, and was stunned by the scale and design of the BOK center.  I hadn't seen it in person until Sunday.  It's really striking and will reflect well on the city.  I can't overstate how cool it looks to a first timer.  (Now, about those roads . . . I had no idea how bad they had gotten.  Seriously.  That bond issue needs to happen yesterday.)

But on topic--I'm looking forward to seeing NBA games in OKC.  I'm rather shocked by the amount of money the city is shelling out to get them, as I'll probably be shocked by the amount of money my tickets will cost.  But cheers to the Ford Center for attracting a pro team.

The IDL is an absolutely an embarrassment and unsafe and a Tulsa bond issue won't fix it. It's the state's responsibility to fix as a federal highway and they have no plans at this time to fix any of it. The lowest rated major highway long span bridge in the state is the I-244 bridge over the river connecting to the IDL, some of the bridges over the IDL on the south side are so bad that firetrucks are not allowed to use them.

But I do hear the Crosstown is going to look great. The Crosstown is a such a black hole in the state highway budget that projects across the state are being deferred for years to fund it.

Don't discount the state's funding disparity for it's two major cities as a reason for anger towards the state from Tulsa. Check out Bates' newest blog entry on the how the state (us) is helping to fund the Sonics. And did anyone miss the possibility of rail service between Oklahoma City and Kansas City being talked about? And don't forget the state still has not accepted the outright gift of the OSU Medical Center from Ardent so that Tulsa has a real public hospital and so that the OSU medical school has a teaching hospital.

[Breadburner]

Attracting an NBA franchise is a stretch...If it would not have been for a natural disaster this would not be happening.....

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by hoodlum

the great thing this image illustrates is that the BOk Center is architecture and the Ford center is just a building. Not all buildings are architecture.

Very true.  And I hope the Ford Center gets a NBA franchise.  That will mean just more unique concert opportunities and events for our BOK center in Tulsa, because of more open dates.  OKC and Tulsa can live in harmony, to a degree.

[dsjeffries]

quote:Originally posted by Breadburner

Attracting an NBA franchise is a stretch...If it would not have been for a natural disaster this would not be happening.....

You know, that's a valid point.  Until cities are given an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities, regardless of whether it was a natural disaster, places like Oklahoma City and Tulsa really have no opportunities to prove their worth.  It's all based on MSA populations, and it shouldn't be.

Had it not been for Hurricane Katrina's displacement of the Hornets, Oklahoma City probably wouldn't be in any kind of consideration for an NBA franchise.