Baytown Sun Article

In the paper again. Quality reporting from the Baytown Sun - as usual! :)

Oneok building to be first in MB built to new code

Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 12:00 am

By ALBERT VILLEGAS photographer@baytownsun.com

MONT BELVIEU – The Highway 146 corridor, which runs through Mont Belvieu’s business and industrial districts, is one step closer to adopting a new look with a building that could change the look of the area in the future.

The proposed edifice – still in the planning stages – is the Oneok Hydrocarbon Southwest, LLC Administration Building, which if all goes as planned, will be located along Highway 146 near Maranatha Church, just north of FM 1942.

The building and what changes it can bring to the area’s future look went before the Mont Belvieu City Council Monday as a discussion item and appeared to have full support from city council members.

Although the wording on the meeting agenda was the building’s facade, Mont Belvieu City Planner Bill Cobabe said he feels it’s going to bring significant changes to this part of the city.

“There are a couple of things that this is doing,” he said. “First, it is raising the level of design quality on 146 so it’s pushing that up,” Cobabe said. “We haven’t seen that level of quality here (and) that is a direct benefit of having redone a zoning ordinance several years ago and pushing those architectural standards where they are now.”

The positive remarks made by city council members Monday were preceded by those from the Planning & Zoning Commission, which unanimously voted on the facade requirements.

Artwork of the building was presented by Kenneth R. Black, with PageSoutherlandPage, which also has another project along the city’s FM 1942 corridor.

“There’s so much excitement to this design and we have the opportunity to bring something innovative to 146,” Black said. “We’re bringing a level of quality to refineries and to industrial areas that we haven’t seen in the past. The challenge is how do we create something with eclectic uses and still have that industrial feel.”

Plans are to have a 13,500 square-foot building for a company that currently employs about 60 people, Black said.

The interior will have a lot of natural lighting from windows, curtain walls and sky lighting, Black said.

The exterior at this stage is 27 percent brick, 28 percent glass and 45 percent metal paneling. The back will have 20 percent brick, 7 percent glass and 73 percent metal paneling.

If the city council approves the final phase, Black said it would take another two-and-a-half months for design specs to be completed and bids to go out.

It would take a year and a half to complete the building.