The Oklahoma City metropolitan area contains an eclectic mix of eye-catching creations. We rounded up 13 of the most breathtaking architectural feats, 11 classic and two up-and-coming blockbuster developments. Their usages range from bank to library to private home, and the stories behind the structures are captivating and sometimes controversial. To see where we are now and guess where we are going through the viewfinder of our history is truly inspiring.
Civic Center Music Hall
Address: 201 N Walker | Built: 1937 | Designer: J.O. Parr | Builder: W. S. Bellows Construction
The first performance at the Municipal Auditorium, which later was renamed the Civic Center Music Hall, was Rhapsodic Rhythms on Oct. 4, 1937. It was the first of many, including the group KISS on their 1976 Alive! Tour. Thirty years after opening, the building underwent its first renovation which included reducing the main auditorium from 6,200 seats to 3,200 and a new name. The second major renovation created the Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre, known as the theatre within a theatre. One often told story is that during the KISS performance the opening act didn’t make it. Local band Mountain Smoke filled in with a singer who would become one of Oklahoma’s favorites, Vince Gill. The Civic Center Music Hall building blends neoclassical and Art Deco elements as seen by the implied columns on the front of the building and through its sleek lines and strong geometric elements. The interior embraces Art Deco with the main lobby and Meinders Hall of Mirrors reflecting the original 1937 design with custom terrazzo flooring and geometric details throughout both spaces. The most recent renovation blends the 2001 renovation with the building’s historical roots, and it does so with beautiful results.
Colcord Hotel
Address: 15 N Broadway Ave. | Built: 1910 | Builder: Charles Colcord | Architect: William A. Wells
The 14-story Colcord boutique hotel building is considered Oklahoma City’s first skyscraper, and home of the first elevators. Opened initially as an office tower by oilman and city police chief Charles Colcord, it was the first steel-enforced building in the state. He had seen the fires and devastation of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and he wanted a strong, safe building. The cost was $750,000. In 2006, the downtown office tower was transformed into a luxury hotel with many of the original eye-catching details left intact. The nickel and bronze letterbox and elevator doors still shine like new. The marble columns and walls in the main lobby and the original marble staircases continue to impress, as does the ornamental plaster ceiling. Two of the four meeting and event spaces offer beautiful views of the Myriad Botanical Gardens. Decorative terra cotta ornamentation adorns the first, second and 12th floors of the building’s exterior that showcases a Chicago School architectural style. Fittingly, Mrs. Colcord’s signature in glowing neon graces the top of the historic building.
Edmon Low Library
Address: Oklahoma State University Campus | Built: 1953 | Builder: Manhattan Construction Co. | Architect: Sorey, Hill and Sorey and Philip A. Wilber and Associates
The Edmon Low Library is the centerpiece and heart of the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater, but it also embodies the intellectual and cultural aspects of the school. It’s a feeling that comes across immediately upon entering the library and seeing the grounds. Low, head librarian from 1940 to 1967, was instrumental in the design. He also pioneered the open stack system which allowed visitors to retrieve the books they wanted without the help of staff. Browsing was encouraged. The library has six floors with a total of 5.38 acres of floor space and welcomes more than 1 million visitors yearly. It houses three galleries, with a fourth opening this fall. Outside is the iconic black granite fountain weighing three tons. Two-story marble columns and a grand staircase greet visitors at the South Lobby, and the North Garden is part of the campus’ native planting corridor. The bell tower features a digital system that chimes the hour and class changes. As expected, it often plays the Alma Mater and Fight Song, along with carols and other tunes.
First National Center
Address: 120 N. Robinson Ave. | Year Built: 1931 | Architect: Weary & Alford Company | Builder: Manhattan Construction Company
Built during the height of The Great Depression, The First National art deco-style building stands at 406 feet tall with 33 floors (and to 446 feet at its spire) as a symbol of our city’s past and present resilience. The structure’s original square footage in the 1930’s began at 451K. However, additions in 1957 and 1972 brought the square footage to 998K of office space. In 2017, local developers began renovations to set the property on a new path, housing 146 hotel rooms, 193 apartments, and a variety of newly beloved restaurants and retail spaces. This restoration project reduced square footage back down to 497,371 and – as of 2022 – the ‘57 and ‘72 additions to the building were repurposed into a parking garage. Unbeknownst to most locals, the premises connect to adjacent structures within the downtown area via the Oklahoma City Underground series of tunnels and elevated walkways. Neoclassical style inside and out, featuring polished aluminum, granite, glass and several varieties of marble from around the world makes this historical building breathtaking, and murals depicting Oklahoma’s history in the four corners of the banking lobby, painted by Chicago artist Edgar Spier Cameron, remind us of our rich heritage.
Susan E. Brackett Dance Center
Address: 6800 N. Classen Blvd. | Year Built: 2015, purchased by OKC Ballet in 2017 | Builder: Smith & Pickel originally and renovated by Gumerson Blake Design Build | Architect: Wade Scaramucci, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris
Originally designed as a wine cellar, ground first broke on the site with the construction of a large basement to house a collection by OKC business mogul Aubrey McClendon. However, McClendon came to the architect and construction team in 2014 with the decision to shift the project and build a state-of-the-art fitness center. Beginning with just a basement full of rainwater, there was much work to be done—but the team gradually turned the structure into a replica of a familiar shape that became popular in WWI, the quonset hut. “The goal was to create something out of simple materials with a design free of columns in order to get the most use out of the space,” said architect Wade Scaramucci. Little did he know, the building would later be repurposed again as our Oklahoma City Ballet dance studio after a purchase made in 2017, funded by the ballet’s Turning Pointe Campaign. Now named the Susan E. Brackett Dance center, through many twists and turns, this space has become a cornerstone for Oklahoma City Ballet, symbolizing growth and excellence in dance. It continues to support the community, nurture talent and provide a space where dancers of all ages and skill levels can thrive.
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Address: 415 Couch Drive | Year Built: 2002 | Builder: Flintco Construction | Architect: Allen Brown Architects
An economic downturn in the 1980s led to the merger of two existing museums and later the new Oklahoma City Museum of Art at the location of the old Centre Theater. A bit of history was preserved, including the box office, drinking fountains, and some banister and interior work to fold the legacy of the theater into the museum, which opened in 2002 and now attracts more than 125,000 visitors each year. At every corner, in every gallery and theater, the museum offers something of interest, something eye-catching, something to be remembered. The permanent collections include the Dale Chihuly colorful glass collection, one of the world’s largest public collections of Chihuly glass. Other permanent installations are photographer Brett Weston’s landscapes, abstracts and cityscapes, and art by renowned abstract painter Paul Reed. The museum, located in the Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center, has more than 3,000 works from 19th and 20th-century American artists, including a gallery of American art from the 1950s and ‘60s. Traveling exhibits are often showcased, and films ranging from classics and documentaries to international and independent are shown in the 230-seat Samuel Roberts Noble Theater.
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
Address: 620 N Harvey Ave | Built: 2000 | Builder: Several contractors managed by Oklahoma City National Memorial Trust | Architect: Hans and Torrey Butzer, Sven Berg
On this sacred ground, we can find common ground. A construction of difficult, heavy, and mixed emotions, this monument gives Oklahomans – and visitors from around the world – a space to remember the tragedy our city faced and to celebrate the resilience found in our community after the Oklahoma City Bombing took place in April of 1995. Designers Hans and Torrey Butzer with Sven Berg created the Oklahoma City National Memorial following an international design competition that included 624 entries from all 50 states and 23 countries. The outdoor Memorial was built to be symbolic while the Museum tells the story of the event. Parts of the original building’s east and south walls still remain, while The Field of Empty Chairs is arranged in a row of nine, representing victims located on each floor and honoring them where they were. Five additional chairs in the field represent those killed outside the building when the explosion occurred. Notably, The structure’s famous Gates of Time frame 9:02 AM, known as the moment of destruction. The 9:01 Gate symbolizes our nation’s last moment of innocence, while the 9:03 Gate represents when the healing began and where hope was sparked for the future.
Oklahoma Contemporary
Address: 11 NW 11th St. | Year built: 2020 | Builder: Smith & Pickel Construction | Architect: Rand Elliott Architects
As you drive down Broadway Avenue through Oklahoma City’s historic Automobile Alley District, you can’t help but to notice the striking 54,000 square foot Oklahoma Contemporary building. The sleek, silver, modern exterior was purposefully shaped and intricately crafted out of aluminum folds, standing out in a rich contrast against historic architecture lining the rest of the Avenue. Architect Rand Elliott crafted this design, inspired by the rich array of colors one may experience when gazing upon our Oklahoma sky. The structure was created to hold light, transforming its reflection throughout the day and among our changing seasons. Sometimes it towers as a deep blue or navy – depending on the time of day – other times it glows with yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds during Oklahoma sunrises and sunsets. The architect’s dream of this project titled “Folding Light” was to extend the message: “This is a place where people can be inspired and a place where they can be creative”, which is perfect for the building’s purpose as a world-class facility for art exhibitions, performances, and education. This building honors our state’s natural beauty and reflects it right back to us – hoping to inspire a little creativity in us all.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Address: 3214 N Lake Ave | Year Built: 1923 | Builder: Reinhart & Donovan | Architect: Monnot & Reid Architects of Oklahoma City, Updated by Evergreene Architectural Arts
It’s difficult to believe this breathtaking Romanesque structure developed from such humble beginnings. Originally established as a parish church in 1919, the mission operated out of a small wooden building constructed by 12 dedicated volunteers of the congregation. Eventually it was elevated to the Cathedral we know and love today with its first brick laid in 1923. However, in 2015, a major renovation project became necessary to restore the Cathedral to its original glory. This project included the creation of a mural that represents the history of the Oklahoma City Diocese and its community. One side of the mural showcases Oklahoma City landmarks like the survivor tree from the Oklahoma City bombing and the Vietnamese Martyr (depicting characteristics of the Cathedral’s diverse congregation, which expanded in the 1970’s as many Vietnamese families sought comfort from religious persecution in their native country by migrating to America). The project also saw the collaboration with Rambusch Decorating Company, who designed new lighting and furnishings and restored the high altar from a decommissioned church. Thanks to the unwavering support of its devoted parish family, the Cathedral continues to thrive, standing as a testament to the faith, community, and diversity of Oklahoma City.
Overholser Mansion
Address: 405 NW 15th Street | Year Built: 1903 | Builder: W.S. Matthews | Architect: W.S. Matthews
Four years before statehood, the Overholser Mansion on the outskirts of the heart of Oklahoma City was taking shape and becoming a topic of interest for all who saw it. The brick and stone house with a nod to Victorian architecture is massive with three stories and 20 rooms. It is believed to be Oklahoma City’s first mansion and was just as impressive inside as out, as visitors witnessed during a much-anticipated opening gala in 1904 hosted by owners Henry Overholser, referred to as the Father of Oklahoma City, and his wife Anna. After the event, The Daily Oklahoman newspaper described the house as a sermon on beauty. “The taste with which it has been decorated and is being furnished is flawless and shows a praiseworthy mastery of the subject …” Much of the original furnishings are still in place with lavish fixtures, stained glass and ornate canvas painted walls. The mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is owned by the Oklahoma Historical Society and is managed by Preservation Oklahoma Inc. The mansion is temporarily closed.
Skirvin Hotel
Address: One Park Avenue, Oklahoma City | Year built: 1911 | Builder: William Skirvin | Architect: Solomon Andrew Layton
Named after founder William Basler “Bill” Skirvin, the Art Deco architecturally styled Skirvin Hilton Hotel is the city’s oldest hotel with three wings, 14 stories, 225 guest rooms, 18,500 square feet of flexible event space, three ballrooms and several event rooms. It has experienced ups and downs, visits from entertainers and presidents, ownership changes, oil busts and bank closures which forced the hotel to shutter its doors for 19 years. It reopened in 2007 as the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, refreshed but with many historic features intact, including the lobby’s wood paneled column carved gargoyles of the hotel’s architect and the state’s first governor Alfalfa Bill Murray, the painted plaster ceilings in the top floor ballrooms. Its historic character is evident in the 29 hand-carved Bacchus busts accented with gold leaf, the arched wooden entry ways in the lobby and the decorative lobby elevator doors. Current renovation plans will embrace the historic and art deco details with a nod to a more grandiose space as would have been seen through the eyes and style of Skirvin’s daughter Perle Mesta, known as the hostess with the mostess.
Up and Coming
OAK OKC
High-end mixed-use spaces are the norm in major metros—and Oklahoma City is about to get one of its first. Opening this fall, OAK will include 135,000 square feet of retail, a 132-key boutique Lively Hotel and 320 upscale apartments. Retail tenants so far include Arhaus, Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar, Mesero, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, RH and Capital Grille. Future phases of the project include an additional 85,000 square feet of retail. OAK includes an investment of $2 million in property art, and two cloud-inspired sculpture installations will be on display in Heartwood Park, its 7,000-square-foot communal green space, which is planning to host more than 100 community events in its first year.
OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark
Opening just in time for the scorching summer heat of 2025 is one of the most anticipated projects in OKC’s history. The OKANA Resort is shaping up to be one of the metro’s first luxury resorts in the heart of the city. The offerings will include a 404-room, 11-story hotel with a 12,000-square-foot family entertainment center, 39,000 square feet of conference center, a spa, a golf simulator and 36,000 square feet of retail outlets and dining options—and the indoor waterpark and outdoor lagoon are poised to become a regional travel destination. The $400 million resort along the Oklahoma River is being built by the Chickasaw Nation, along with Oklahoma City, to accompany the stunning First Americans Museum.
