You’re driving into downtown, maybe coming up I-40 or heading south from Edmond, and there it is. A massive, shimmering glass shard that looks like it was plucked out of Dubai and dropped right into the middle of the Great Plains. People call it the Devon Tower, though the official name on the tax documents is the Devon Energy Center.
It's tall. Really tall.
At 844 feet, it doesn’t just lean over the Oklahoma City skyline; it basically is the skyline. Before this thing went up in 2012, the tallest building in town was the BancFirst Tower (the old Liberty/Chase tower), which stands at a relatively modest 500 feet. Devon didn't just break the record; it shattered it by over 300 feet. Honestly, it’s still a bit of a shock to the system if you haven't been downtown in a decade.
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Why the Devon Tower Oklahoma City changed everything
Oklahoma City used to have a "flat" reputation. Not just the geography, but the energy. Then came the MAPS projects, the Thunder, and eventually, this $750 million behemoth. It was a massive gamble by Devon Energy to consolidate their workforce into one spot. They ended up creating a 1.8 million-square-foot vertical city that acts as a north anchor for the "Core to Shore" redevelopment.
The architecture isn't just a big box. It was designed by Pickard Chilton, and they gave it this three-sided, chamfered shape. Why three sides? Because the company didn't want to "turn its back" on any part of the city. You've got one face looking toward the historic Colcord Hotel, one toward the Myriad Gardens, and one toward the rest of the business district.
The glass isn't just for show
If you look closely at the "spines" of the building—those sharp vertical edges—they're packed with LEDs. We're talking about 47,756 channels of RGBW LEDs just in the crown lanterns. At night, the tower becomes a weather vane or a holiday beacon, glowing blue for Thunder wins or green for St. Paddy's.
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Inside, they went heavy on the luxury materials. They imported about 4,500 square meters of Calacatta Caldia marble from Italy. It’s that white marble with the gray and gold veins you see in the six-story rotunda. It makes the lobby feel less like a corporate office and more like a high-end museum or a space station.
Getting inside: Can you actually go up?
This is where people get confused. Since it’s a private corporate headquarters, you can't just wander onto the 30th floor to see where the accountants sit. Security is tight. However, the building was designed with a "civic" mindset, meaning the ground floor and the very top are open to us regular folks.
- The Rotunda: You can walk into the six-story glass rotunda. It’s huge. It has a public cafe and plenty of sunlight. It’s a great spot to hide from the Oklahoma wind for twenty minutes.
- The Myriad Gardens connection: The tower sits right next to the Myriad Botanical Gardens. The "Great Lawn" basically acts as the tower's front yard.
- Vast: This is the big one. If you want the view, you have to go to the 49th or 50th floor.
Dining at the top of the world (or at least the state)
Vast is the restaurant that occupies the 49th floor. It is currently Oklahoma’s only AAA Four Diamond restaurant. Most people think you need a tuxedo to eat there, but the dress code is actually "casual but refined." Basically, don't show up in a gym tank top or a backwards baseball cap, and you're fine.
The views are genuinely wild. On a clear day, you can see the University of Oklahoma's stadium in Norman, which is about 20 miles away. The menu changes, but it’s mostly "New American"—think local beef, duck, and seasonal vegetables. Pro tip: If you don't want to drop $100 on dinner, go for the lunch buffet. It’s one of the best "hidden" deals in the city for the quality of food and the scenery.
Architectural quirks and the "Lantern"
The very top of the Devon Tower Oklahoma City features three triangular "lanterns." These aren't offices. They are 75-foot-tall glass structures that house the building's mechanical equipment and lighting systems. They act as a crown.
Building something this big in "Tornado Alley" presents some unique engineering headaches. The tower has a massive concrete core to handle wind loads. During construction, they were pouring a new floor roughly every eight days. It was a logistical nightmare that required two massive cranes and a specialized workforce.
- Height: 844 feet (257 meters).
- Floors: 50 above ground (plus two basements).
- Cost: Approximately $750 million to $1 billion depending on who’s counting.
- Sustainability: It’s LEED Gold certified. They use high-performance glass to keep the building from turning into an oven during those 105-degree August days.
What people miss about the location
The tower sits on land that used to be part of a "brownfield" site. Before it was a gleaming skyscraper, it was contaminated soil and old underground tanks. The project actually involved a massive environmental cleanup, removing over 61,000 gallons of contaminated water. It’s a literal "trash to treasure" story for the city's urban planning.
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It also changed the wind patterns downtown. If you walk along Sheridan Avenue on a blustery day, you’ll feel the "downwash" effect where the wind hits the glass face and gets pushed straight down to the sidewalk. It's powerful.
Practical steps for your visit
If you’re planning to check out the Devon Tower Oklahoma City, don’t just wing it.
- Parking is the main hurdle. The Devon Garage is at 101 N Harvey Ave, but it can be a trek. If you're going to Vast for dinner, use the valet at 333 W Sheridan Ave. It’s worth the few extra bucks to avoid hunting for a spot in a crowded garage.
- Check the weather. If it’s foggy, don't bother going up to the 49th floor. You’ll be sitting in a literal cloud and won't see anything but grey mist. Wait for a clear sunset.
- Visit the Gardens too. Since you're already there, walk across the street to the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. The contrast between the high-tech glass tower and the lush jungle inside the conservatory is one of the coolest "urban vibes" in the South.
- Photography. The best place to photograph the tower isn't from the base—it's too big to fit in the frame. Head over to the Scissortail Park bridge or the top of a parking garage near Bricktown for the best "hero" shots of the building against the sky.
The tower stands as a symbol of the "New Oklahoma City." It’s bold, maybe a little flashy, but it’s undeniably impressive. Whether you're there for a fancy steak at Vast or just to marvel at 50 stories of glass from the sidewalk, it’s the one landmark you can't miss.
Plan your visit for a weekday afternoon if you want to see the rotunda at its liveliest without the dinner crowds. If you're looking for the best photo ops, aim for the "golden hour" just before sunset when the west-facing glass starts to glow like it's on fire.