Long-delayed hotel project in OKC's Deep Deuce district on track with new flag, design.

The Oklahoman

by Steve Lackmeyer

Hotelier Atul Patel plans to build a $30 million Tempo by Hilton in the Deep Deuce neighborhood in Oklahoma City.

The hotel will feature a rooftop balcony, a ground floor cafe, and aims to be a community gathering space.

Patel's previous hotel proposals for the site were either relocated or put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction is expected to start in 2026.

Hotelier Atul Patel is rebooting a long-delayed development in Deep Deuce with plans to build a $30 million Tempo by Hilton that he hopes will act as a community gathering space for nearby residents. 

Unlike the two previous hotels proposed for the property, the 140-room Tempo by Hilton will be a full-service hotel with a rooftop balcony looking out toward Bricktown and the downtown skyline and a ground floor cafe intended to serve both guests and nearby residents. 

“We asked Hilton, who are the best people to do this?” Patel said. “And we learned that Type Six only do AC Marriotts and (Hilton) Canopies and Curios. They don’t really mess with the lower-class hotels. I want to do it right. If it costs a little more for me, it’s OK because this is the one deal for me.” 

Patel, who owns 11 hotels throughout the Oklahoma City metro, first purchased the southwest corner of Russell Perry Avenue and NE 1 in 2012. His original plan was to build a six- to eight-story Marriott Springhill Suites with between 120 and 145 rooms. 

That hotel, featuring a multi-colored stucco facade, went over badly with residents across the street at The Hill. The Springhill Suites was built in Bricktown instead as Patel decided he needed to find a flag that would allow him to customize the design to better match the neighborhood.  

Patel said he anticipates an opening in 2026 

One design challenge for the Hilton Tempo was to address a five-foot slope to the property. Patel said the architects responded with a partially submerged outdoor cafe facing the corner of NE 1 and Russell Perry Avenue. 

“If you go to any hotel, whether it’s the Renaissance, the Springhill Suites, the Hilton – they are all hotels first,” Patel said. If you go to the AC (in Bricktown), there aren’t any neighbors there. All the residents on The Hill, we have the pizza place, the Wedge, but what else do they have?” 

He said he is in talks to operate a Bluestone Lane cafe, a chain popular on the east and west coasts. 

Patel said he is trying to design a hotel that won’t be looked at for loud parties, but instead as a quieter space where residents can visit for coffee and a bagel at the cafe or come over after work.

“I want something where they can sit on the patio,” Patel said. “I want people to be able to walk over from their house, grab a cup of coffee and just sit back and relax.” 

About Type Six

Centered on service, uncompromised in design, Type Six Design & Development is an innovative, full-service architecture firm with proven expertise in retail, multi-family, office, and hospitality industries. Providing a comprehensive approach to any scale of project, the diverse team led by James Lusty and Hayes Hinkle, delivers a client-driven experience focused on exceeding customer expectations. Based in the Arlington Texas Entertainment District since 2015, the cornerstone of Type Six is simple: going to the next level to provide next-level results.

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