The Old Is New Again
Scott Holsey with The Holsey Company, a prolific developer with projects across the metro, had a vision and design in mind for the nine new single-family homes he’s building at NW 6th & 7th Streets and Oklahoma Ave., but wanted a strong partner to help the design come to life.
“I had an idea for this pocket community near Automobile Alley and wanted the homes to have the ‘look’ of the area. I wanted to partner with a firm that allowed me to maintain a strong hand in the design, but utilized their expertise,” Holsey says.
Ashford Thomson with Thomson + Thomson said his family’s design firm was up for the challenge. “We took Scott’s plans and dad jumped on the drafting table — he still does everything by hand, which is one thing that sets our firm apart,” he says.
From that partnership came Robert Square, named after Holsey’s father. “I shared what I wanted and the philosophy of how each one would look. With this project, it was important that each of the houses was on paper, and I love that Cam does it by hand,” Holsey says. “Thomson + Thomson was the right fit — they have that old world vibe, and understood how to translate the eclectic look I was going for.”
When it comes to urban infill, Ashford said that while it wasn’t necessarily on their radar, it’s exactly what’s been happening with several of the projects they’ve been asked to design, such as Robert Square — but it started with their own office building. “We always had a dream of an Art Deco-inspired building in Oklahoma City, so we built this jewel box of a studio at NW 39th and Western,” he says.
Art Deco is identified by its linear form and soft curves that help in accentuating a structure’s facade. According to Thomson: “I say it’s influenced by the early 1900s’ glamorous and luxurious lifestyles, and possesses a mix of movements and -isms that continues to inspire us in the modern age.”
Holsey Projects at a Glance
The projects just keep coming for The Holsey Company and key collaborators like Thomson + Thomson. We’ve assembled a handful of Holsey’s current and upcoming urban infill projects so you can watch them come to life in real time.
Robert Square will be nine standalone luxury homes total, executed in phases. The first three homes are already framed and will be ready for move-in this year.
The Nine on NW 8th St. is a row of nine luxury townhomes, located at NW 8th St. and Francis Ave. in Oklahoma City’s SoSA neighborhood.
Holsey is creating a pocket community between Automobile Alley and the OU Medical Center, at NE 14th St. and Walnut Ave.
Coming soon: The Elm Apartments located at NE 13th St. and Walnut Ave. This exciting project will consist of 22 luxury rental units between Automobile Alley and the medical corridor.