So...Changes to be made...

So....The existing footprint of the building where The Center will occupy is 25,866 TSF (including Core Requirements covering Exit Stairs, Elevator, and Corridors), split equally between two levels with potentially usable rooftop space: 12,933 SF per Level. If The Center takes up occupancy on the roof, the existing square footage available is 38,799.

o   12,933 x 2= 25,866 TSF

o   12,933 x 3= 38,799 TSF

Currently, The Center requires 34,044 TSF based on preliminary research for desired focus functions.

o   2 Levels Occupied: 34,044 – 25,866= 8,168 SF OVER available square footage of existing building.

o   Deduction of square footage from focus functions is required

o   3 Levels Occupied: 38,799 – 34,044= 4,755 SF REMAINING square footage available within existing building

I am going to have to rethink a few things over Winter Break. Sacrifices may be made to the Fitness Center and Cafeteria. A Juice Bar may be redundant with a fully equipped Drink Station available on the First Level.

Considered Floor Assignments:

Level 1: Cafeteria, Bookstore

Level 2: Fitness Center, Library

Level 3: Roof Top Special Events Space

The Center

The Center will be located at 2126 North Broadway Avenue, OKC, OK 73103.

The primary functions will be a Fitness Center, Public Cafeteria, and a Library/Bookstore combination.

Quantitative Details:
Fitness Center- 5,644 SF/ 169 OL
Cafeteria-11,770 SF/ 816 OL
Library-10,220 SF/ 245 OL

Now that I have ballpark figures for space allocations, I can now further develop my ideation for The Center.

The overall goal of The Center is to operate as a public space where the Automobile Alley community (anyone willing to commute) can experience these particular amenities in one location. Currently, the only fitness type services are in the form of stand-alone  yoga/pilates only studios and the OKC Y.M.C.A. Restaurants are plentiful but not with the cafeteria style type of dining experience. Restaurants within a 30 mile radius of The Center are either super form and expensive or super casual (Broadway 10 or Iguanas Mexican Grill).

The Center will be a place of leisure that can become a part of the daily routines of the people of the community. The functions provide jobs, child care/programs benefiting youths and adults, as well as promotes healthy and active lifestyles.

Mission Statement

I am calling this facility "The Center"...

The Mission of The Center:

To offer a welcoming and community oriented atmosphere providing services offered by a public auditorium and gymnasium, a library and bookstore, as well as a cafeteria-style eatery. The gymnasium will afford users the benefits of living an active and healthy lifestyle by providing a space to perform physical activities valuable to their well-being. This space will also be available to reserve for special occasions at the request of users. The library and bookstore aims to provide a safe place for users to convene as well as the ability to borrow or buy tools needed to accomplish their scholastic or administrative needs. The cafeteria-style eatery will operate in conjunction with local food trucks to provide a variety of healthy and traditional foods to patrons as well as to the public. Local and organically grown produce will supply the cafeteria and food truck proprietors with fresh goods conveniently located on The Center’s rooftop garden.

I think this pretty much sums up what I want this this place and project to represent.

Concepts and a Mission

Concepts for Capstone feel like they have more weight...They need to stand out from the concepts that I came up with during the past three years. 

Some ideas...just throwing them out there...

A Living Community

Converge/Convene/Connect

Connectivity

"The Center"

The Mission Statement

Aims to provide space for public use to facilitate community, activity, and productivity. 

...

Gymnasium, Restaurant, Bookstore

Location! Location! Location!

The prime location will be an adaptive reuse of the existing building shell currently owned and operated by O'Steen Meats Specialities!

I have decided to go ahead and proclaim this as my site for my Capstone. Currently in the process of getting building drawings, I will know the actual and precise square footage of the building as soon as I get the drawings.

I plan to visit the site to get photos of the exterior and surrounding environment soon; possibly this Sunday, 8/29, before I head in to work. It kind of goes in my favor that this building is so close to work AND that it belongs to the family! *I hope there is no conflict of interest issues?!* This being said, I pledge to do all of the leg work and NOT assume and rely on things being given to me just because. *Not that I expect this type of treatment from any members of the O'Steen Meats Specialities team!*

My plan is to develop a mixed-use building offering services in Recreation, Restaurant, and Retail. More precisely, a community action and service center, a cafeteria and food truck stop, and a library and bookstore. I want to put focus on an innovative, sustainable, and inclusive design that will in turn, give back to the community and facility users. Oklahoma City is quickly becoming well-known for its diverse and eclectic community with trendy shops and stand-alone restaurants conveniently located throughout Automobile Alley, Midtown, The Plaza District, and Downtown OKC. I envision the addition of a public community center that offers a variety of services more than that offered through the existing local Y. M. C. A. My vision feels less scholastic or expected and more casual with a air of leisure. For example, let's say you are looking for a space to have small yoga session with your friends that also offers a distraction for some of your friend's younger kids? This facility will have indoor as well as outdoor rooftop space big enough for you and your yogis, while their kids can lounge in the library and read books or do school work. When yoga is done and you've completed your last vinyasa and after stopping to pick up the kids, and buy the new yoga book you've been meaning to buy online but happening upon it in this bookstore, you and your now larger group find yourselves hungry! You all could grab a bite to eat in the hip cafeteria offering a buffet of healthy and delicious foods. If there's nothing there that will appease your palette, check out the line of local food trucks parked just outside! Basically, I want to design the next great local downtown destination. A theory that I have developed since I started working downtown: if it's convenient and within walking distance with great service, it will be successful.

I think this could be something. ^,^

Ideas for the prime location...

This has got to be good. This has got to keep me amped all. year. long. I need to find an existing building in an area that I can gain access to fairly easy. I must be able to obtain drawings and blueprints of the building, gain access to the building itself, and be conduct site visits that entail taking photos and drawings.

Some places that I have given thought to are, and the first one is quite obvious, O'Steen Meats Specialties, the Allied Arts building, and the historic Buick Building, all located along North Broadway Avenue in downtown Oklahoma City.

• O'Steen Meat Specialties | 2126 North Broadway Avenue, OKC, OK 73103 | 80,000 Square Feet | 4 Story

• Allied Arts | 1015 North Broadway Avenue, OKC, OK 73102 | 40,000 Square Feet | 3 Story

• Buick Building | 1101 North Broadway Avenue, OKC, OK 73102 | 60,000 Square Feet | 4 Story