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Concerns about condo project lead to continuance

By: Molly M. Fleming//The Journal Record//February 21, 2019//

Concerns about condo project lead to continuance

By: Molly M. Fleming//The Journal Record//February 21, 2019//

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An artist’s conception shows the proposed condo building for 1305 Classen Dr. in Oklahoma City. (Courtesy Elliott + Associates Architects)
An artist’s conception shows the proposed condo building for 1305 Classen Dr. in Oklahoma City.
(Courtesy Elliott + Associates Architects)

OKLAHOMA CITY – Concerned about the context of design, the Downtown Design Review Committee granted a continuance to the developers behind The Elliott, an eight-story condo building proposed for 1305 Classen Dr.

The 76,975-square-foot building was designed by architect Rand Elliott for Willoughby Ridley Development, led by Grant Willoughby and John Ridley. The building will have 30 to 42 condos, ranging in size from 1,296 square feet to a 4,145-square-foot penthouse. There’s also an adjacent parking garage, though it would require a variance because of its height.

Elliott presented his design at Thursday’s meeting. The building has two sides, which he said ties to the nearby structures. The south side has a more modern look and it faces downtown. The north side features bricks, so it ties into the neighboring historic buildings such as the Villa Teresa.

During the presentation, Elliott said the skyboxes on the building are taking the place of balconies. He said the city has an average wind speed of 13.5 miles per hour.

“Balconies don’t work in Oklahoma,” he said. “(The skyboxes) are something that have not been done in Oklahoma City before.”

The Villa Teresa development group asked DDRC to deny the application. Developer Marva Ellard and her business partner Billy Woodring spoke against the project at Thursday’s meeting. They also hired attorney J. Kelly Work to give a presentation about why the building didn’t work for the site.

In a letter to the city planning staff, Ellard said the design doesn’t fit in with the area.

“The design concept is not respectful of the neighborhood context due primarily to its height/scale and the number of stories,” she said. “The lack of variation in the elevational planes does not blend well with the majority of the existing buildings which have highly varied and articulated details.”

Commissioner and architect Cory Baitz said he does not think the building’s scale fits within the context of the other buildings. He said the downtown design framework has this area marked as low-density flex. He said he was not in favor of approving the design.

Commissioner Gary Jones works in government affairs for the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors. He said in his professional work, he tries to present that there has to be a balance between a property owners’ rights and the neighbors, who are also concerned about their own properties. He was the first commissioner to suggest a continuance Thursday.

Before the commission approved a continuance, attorney David Box, who represented Willoughby and Ridley, said the commission shouldn’t expect a drastic design change when the project returns in March.