Our Sister Cities series continues with a focus on what could become the nation’s tallest skyscraper, planned for Oklahoma City. Dubbed the Boardwalk at Bricktown, this four-tower development would replace a surface parking lot at approximately 20 E Reno Avenue on the southern edge of the Bricktown neighborhood.
Site context map of Boardwalk at Bricktown by AO Architects
Years in the making, the proposal is led by California-based Matteson Capital, headed by Scot Matteson. Earlier this year, TheRealDeal published a story casting doubt on Matteson’s background and history with projects of this scale. The structure’s design is being handled by AO Architects, also based in California.
PREVIOUS site plan of Boardwalk at Bricktown via Thinkbox Construction
Renderings of the project show other involved parties, including Legends Capital Management, which does not appear to be officially registered and has a limited LinkedIn presence with only one employee. Another entity, Thinkbox Technology Group, is an IT consultant based in Irvine. It is worth noting that there is also a Thinkbox Construction based in Oklahoma City, which shows an earlier iteration of the plans on its site.
PREVIOUS rendering of Boardwalk at Bricktown via Thinkbox Construction
Earlier this summer the development team unveiled their latest plans. Located next to the city’s Amtrak station and arena, the property will be built in two phases. Once completed, the project will span nearly five million square feet and include over 1,900 residential units, over 600 hotel rooms, and 110,000 square feet of retail space.
Rendering of Boardwalk at Bricktown by AO Architects
The majority of the retail space will be within a three-story podium, which will also feature parking for over 1,000 vehicles. Much of the podium will be wrapped in large LED screens. The developer has indicated that most of the space has already been allocated. With renderings suggesting a Yard House Restaurant and Putt Shack may be included.
Rendering of Boardwalk at Bricktown by AO Architects
The first phase will be the podium and three shorter towers, these will contain part of the project’s residential units as well as a 480-room Dream Hotel, also owned by Hyatt. Phase two will be Legends Tower, a 126-story tall tower reaching 1,907 feet into the sky as a nod to the year Oklahoma became a state. This would be twice as tall as the city’s current tallest tower.
Rendering of Boardwalk at Bricktown by AO Architects
The tower will include 86 levels of residential units, 12 floors of penthouses, a 16-floor Hyatt hotel, 10 floors of Hyatt residences and pool, and a two-story observation deck and restaurant. The glass-clad tower will be topped by an illuminated crown and a massive spire/antenna. The project will also include affordable housing units.
Rendering of Boardwalk at Bricktown by AO Architects
With an estimated overall cost of around $1.5 billion, the developer has stated that financing has been secured. Earlier this summer, the city also approved the removal of any height restrictions for the parcel of land. Matteson Capital has indicated that a groundbreaking could occur later this year.
As previously noted, details about the project have varied by news source, and information about the developer remains limited.
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Does the $1.5 billion price tag seem too small for this project? I think the new Bears stadium was estimated to cost around $5 billion
I get labor is probably cheaper, also less corruption, but yeah it seems small for that tall of a building. Maybe without the tower it would be $1.5B
Also, it all seems a bit much for such a town. Hey it the city approves it, build it.
I’m not an expert in pricing, but I believe the Bears stadium includes a lot of infrastructure costs not relevant to this project. The stadium, in effect, is a much bigger project than just a building.
Tornado country. Interesting!
Las Vegas in Oklahoma City, $1.5B could be used better for their downtown I think. Interesting concept, maybe another place.
I agree. While I like the supertall, the design looks like a casino. I like that Bricktown rendering with all of the public space.
Laughably garish. Could see this in Miami or Vegas…but Oklahoma City??
Building America’s tallest building in the heart of tornado alley sounds like a perfect idea with no flaws whatsoever.
You’re right there are no flaws with this, the closets tornado to downtown OKC in its history was 6miles away, Chicago has had just as close of tornadoes to their downtown if not closer, if Chicago can build a top 3 tallest in the country than OKC can do the same. Especially when you look at the engineering of this tower, a tornado would not be able to knock it down
I absolutely love this project!
The artificial 1776 foot “barrier” height needs to be broken! I live in Maine and Florida and can’t wait to see this!!!!!
I will be the first visitor!😁😁🇺🇸🇺🇸😁😁😁
Oklahoma City is the 20th largest city in the country and will be the next great.
We’re jealous here in Chicago
I can’t imagine Anyone wanting to move to Oklahoma City, in a state run by right-wing lunatics. And horrible weather, including lots of tornadoes.
You couldn’t pay me enough to live or even visit any red state.
You got that right!
Then you unfortunately will miss half of what this great country has to offer. Who are you to judge when you haven’t even stepped foot there? How would you know how it is? Do you realize how huge this country is, and the variety of states that are red, or that go from blue to red and back throughout history? I’m sick of everyone being in so much contempt for other Americans when it’s those who are in power and running endless wars that we should be focusing our anger towards…
Spot on!
You realize that OKC is, and has been one of the fastest growing cities in the country for a while now right? How it no one wanting to move there when it was 1 of only 14 city to grow 100k from 2010-2020 and a few years ago was the 6th fastest growing city.
Also Oklahoma City was ranked in the top 5 or best ran cities in the country and 16th best place to live in the country, even if you don’t like what the rest of the state is doing, OKC is objectively doing great.
Also you realize the most moved to state and 2nd most populous state in the country has the same weather as Oklahoma right?
As someone from San Diego, I have had some of the most fun in my life in Oklahoma City, and the happiest year of my life was the 1 year that I lived in OKC.
Stop judging a book by its cover, people like you that hate on it but end up having to go to OKC for a business trip or just as a stay, end up saying it was pretty good and usually change their views on it
The people in OC and the rest of the nation can’t imagine wanting to live NYC. The world does NOT revolve NYC,get over yourself
Oklahoma is now a libertarian’s paradise. People can carry a firearm without a permit and the state has some of the most relaxed marijuana laws in America. Oklahoma has more marijuana grows than California, which is ten times more in population. Not surprisingly, the cannabis industry is booming. Some marijuana millionaires might have already cashed out and are willing to buy pricy luxury condos in a truly trophy building. For some, the ability to run around with a gun on the hip while enjoying cannabis wherever and whenever is priceless.
OK !!!
Chicago might beat this height the Skyscraper was invented in Chicago the loop needs 2,000 plus foot tower Chicago is Gotham True or not true
Nema phase 2 must go up it can happen and if it gets built they will come ray 🗼🏗🌇🏫
Must*
You could see SO much nothing from the top!
Meanwhile Chicago can’t get more than one 500 ft tower up at once.
I really hope we get a boom within the next 5 years, development has been dreadful since the pandemic.
Investments into taller Chicago buildings are getting close to stagnant and we don’t have a city government smart enough to help. Sad to see NYC, LA, Miami, Austin and even Oklahoma City overtake us in architecture. These other cities are building.