Construction Begins on $750M Devon Tower in OKC

Despite the recession, plans for the new 50-story headquarters for Devon Energy Corp. took another step toward reality Tuesday as company officials and civic leaders gathered for a formal groundbreaking ceremony.

The independent oil and natural gas producer formally took possession of the property Thursday, and work already has begun on the site of a former parking garage — a fact marked by a jackhammer next to Devon CEO Larry Nichols, rather than a shovel, at the brief ceremony.

Devon began planning in earnest for the $750 million project two years ago, and because the company is financing the project itself, its construction plans have remained on schedule despite the economic downturn, Nichols said.

Houston-based developer Hines is managing the project. Jon Pickard, a co-founder of Pickard Chilton — the project's lead architect — said the building will take about three years to construct, which would mean Devon employees likely could begin moving in by early 2013.

One of the building's primary features will be a glass-enclosed rotunda that will be 120 feet in diameter and 125 feet tall. Pickard has said the skyscraper will be illuminated and a large urban park nearby will include fountains, a green space, pavilion and reflective pool.

"So often, in an office building, people design what I call simple, dumb boxes," Pickard said. "Devon headquarters is not. ... In a normal work facility, they would bar the gate. They would lock the public out. But Larry, from day one, said we want the public to be invited in."

The building will be 850 feet tall, which would make it Oklahoma's tallest building. The state's tallest building now is the 52-story BOK Tower in Tulsa at 667 feet tall. Oklahoma City's tallest building is the 36-story Chase Tower at 500 feet.

According to the Web site Emporis.com, Devon's tower would be equal in size to buildings such as the Chase Tower in Chicago and the GE Building in New York.