SHPO Presents 2012 Awards
The Oklahoma Historical Society's State Historic Preservation Office presented its 2012 Citations of Merit during an awards banquet in Tahlequah on June 7, a highlight of Go with the Flow of Preservation: Oklahoma's 24th Annual Statewide Preservation Conference. The recipients have contributed to the preservation of Oklahoma's significant archeological and historic properties through research, public programming, restoration/rehabilitation, and other activities. The recipients included:
1. Cherokee Nation and Sikes Abernathie Architects for the Cherokee National Prison Restoration Project
Constructed in 1874, the Cherokee National Prison is one representation of the tribe's judicial system. The stone building housed those convicted of crimes in the Cherokee Nation, and at the time, it was the only permanent penitentiary operated in Indian Territory. With the design services of Sikes Abernathie Architects, the Cherokee Nation recently completed restoration of the prison for use as an interpretive space with artifacts and literature from the building's period of significance on display. The Prison, along with the site and visitors center, is now a key component of the Cherokee's cultural and heritage tourism program.
2. Friends of the Thompson House
The Thompson House, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is the 1882 home of a prominent Cherokee medical doctor. It was saved from demolition through the efforts of this local nonprofit organization. They rallied the people of Tahlequah and Cherokee County for fundraising and volunteer labor that resulted in preservation of the historic house. It is now a center for community events of all kinds, as well as educational programs for school children and adults. The Friends of the Thompson House are commended for preserving this local landmark and for sharing it with the public, as was done for the conference opening reception.
3. City of Tahlequah Historic Preservation Board
Appointed by the Mayor under the City of Tahlequah's local preservation ordinance, this non-salaried board has sponsored National Register nominations for five historic houses in the community; published a tour brochure for Tahlequah historic homes; and initiated a preservation project for the 1877 Tahlequah City Cemetery, which includes mapping, documentation of the interred, and gravestone restoration. These dedicated individuals exemplify the importance of leadership and volunteer service in local preservation programs.
4. INTV PROGRAM "HISTORICAL TAHLEQUAH"
Historical Tahlequah, a bimonthly series, appeared from 2009 through 2011 on INTV, a lease accessed cable channel, owned by DeGeorge Enterprises. The program featured the architecture and history of landmark houses in Tahlequah and interviews with families living in them today. Dick DeGeorge produced the popular series and Jeremy Scott served as Director and Editor. Beth Herrington selected locations, conducted research, and narrated the series, and Drew Haley was the sound engineer. The series is credited with stimulating an increased public concern about maintenance and preservation of local properties.
5. The City of Oklahoma City for Historic Preservation EXPO: Supporting Sustainable, Livable Communities
Preservation was green before green was cool, and the City of Oklahoma City demonstrated this point in August 2011, when it presented the Historic Preservation EXPO. Joined by its Office of Sustainability, the SHPO, and others, the City developed the program, raised funding, and carried out the exposition. Dozens of vendors were on hand with products ranging from replacement windows to countertops and a wide variety of professional services. There were live demonstrations about refurbishing historic wood windows and wood floors, the economic impacts of historic preservation, and the ways historic preservation guidelines support "green" initiatives. Hundreds of people attended the exposition in person, and for the next year many more experienced it on a website for virtual trade shows.
6. Wiggin Properties LLC and Kinslow, Keith, & Todd, Inc. for the Mayo 420 Lofts Rehabilitation Project
The 10-story Mayo Building served as the home of the prominent Mayo family's businesses and many other tenants over the years. But, as tastes changed and Urban Renewal rolled through downtown Tulsa, the Mayo Building began to look tired and old compared to its shiny new neighbors. By 1994 the building had closed. Then, fourteen years later, Wiggin Properties, with design services from Kinslow, Keith, & Todd, Inc., began a two-year certified rehabilitation of the National Register-listed building. The new YMCA and the Mayo 420 Lofts, which now occupy the building, are vibrant additions to downtown Tulsa and demonstrate the economic impacts of the federal and state rehabilitation tax credits.
7. Samuel Sadler Arts Academy, Muskogee Public Schools
This past year, Sadler Arts Academy focused on preserving and honoring the legacy of its namesake, Samuel L. Sadler, a much loved principal at Manual Training High School in the 1920s through the 1940s. Before desegregation of the public schools, Muskogee had two high schools, and Manual Training High School served African-American students. About 10 years ago Manual Training was converted to a K-8 magnet school, Sadler Arts Academy. This year the school chose its theme to be Building a Legacy and completed an in-depth study about education for African Americans in Muskogee from the district's beginning in 1898. The school is pursuing designation of the building through the Muskogee Historic Preservation Commission. The City's Street Department erected special signage to identify the historic school.
8. Oklahoma Humanities Council for Oklahoma Humanities Magazine
The Oklahoma Humanities Council recognizes historic preservation as a valuable part of the humanities and an important link to the legacy of our state. Oklahoma Humanities Magazine has featured articles that convey the value of historic preservation to its readers, including "Historic Preservation: Finding the Human Experience in 'Place'" by Katie McLaughlin Friddle and "Oklahoma City Heritage" by Larry Johnson. With a print circulation of more than 10,000, Oklahoma Humanities Magazine reaches all 77 Oklahoma counties. Content is also freely accessible to people around the world via the OHC website.
9. 914 North Broadway Association, TAP Architecture, and HSE Architects for Greenlease Moore Cadillac Rehabilitation
Greenlease Moore Cadillac Company's buildings at 914 and 920 North Broadway Avenue, Oklahoma City, were constructed in 1924 and 1920, respectively in the Commercial style. They have been rehabilitated by the 914 North Broadway Association. Although the buildings visually and functionally serve as one, the 920 North Broadway portion of the building is especially significant as one of the designs of noted architect Solomon Layton. TAP Architecture provided the initial design for the rehabilitation work to provide a new home for BMI Systems. The project construction was phased over five years, and HSE Architects designed the build-out of the interior lease spaces. The Cadillac Company is fully occupied. The rehabilitation received National Park Service certification in 2011, resulting in yet another example of how the rehabilitation tax credits are contributing to the redevelopment of Automobile Alley.
10. SJS Hospitality and GH2 Architects LLC for Courtyard by Marriot Downtown - Atlas Building Rehabilitation Project
The Atlas Life Insurance Company's flagship building had been mostly empty for years. Recognizing that downtown Tulsa was on the brink of a renaissance, developer Jeff Hartman of SJS Hospitality had his sights set on this historic building on Boston Avenue. The certified rehabilitation became the first international brand adaptive reuse hotel in downtown Tulsa and is an example of the impact of the rehabilitation tax credits on the local economy. SJS Hospitality worked closely with Marriott and local GH2 Architects to ensure the historic fabric of the building, including its iconic neon sign, was preserved. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and registered with Historic Hotels of America. Also, Marriott International recognized this Courtyard as their 2011 Best Adaptive Reuse project.
11. Southern Prairie Library System, Western Trail Historical Society, Museum of the Western Prairie, Main Street Altus, Shortgrass Arts and Humanities Council, and the Oklahoma Humanities Council for "A Tapestry Tour of Five Historic Sites in Southwest Oklahoma"
The Tapestry Tour focused on five National Register properties in Southwest Oklahoma: the Jackson County Courthouse, the Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railroad Passenger Depot, the Cross S Ranch House, the Olustee Park and Library, and the Perryman Ranch. The project had three major components: a bus tour, a video production, and a brochure. Written evaluations of the project indicated that participants of both the bus tour and the armchair tour came away with a deeper understanding of the pioneer experience and new perspectives that built pride in the community's history.
12. Frank (Hal) Clark for the Clark Auto Ranch Facade Project
Hal Clark worked closely with Main Street Guymon's Design Committee to renovate the facade of Clark Auto Ranch. The project work included removal of the aluminum facing and awning and replacement with a canvas awning. The building was constructed in the 1920s and has served as the location for numerous businesses, including an airplane and farm implement dealership and an appliance store. The Nash family operated a John Deere dealership in the building in 1931 and then an auto dealership in 1935. A nephew of the Nash family, Hal continues the successful family business in downtown Guymon and is playing an important role in its revitalization.
13. Garrison Companies and Sikes Abernathie Architects for the Manhattan Building Rehabilitation Project
Forty-two critically needed housing units recently became available in downtown Muskogee as a result of the Phoenix Manhattan Building's rehabilitation that qualified for federal and state rehabilitation tax credits. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the 45,000 square foot building is 8 stories tall and, when constructed in 1911 for the Phoenix Clothing Company, became one of the State of Oklahoma's first skyscrapers. The building benefited from both the design influence of Chicago architect Louis Sullivan and from use of state-of-the-art technology, a reinforced concrete building frame. The building also served as home to Manhattan Construction Company, one of its builders and one of the largest privately-held construction companies in the world today. The Garrison Companies, with Sikes Abernathie Architects, have demonstrated how historic buildings can be adapted for new uses and meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
14. Rita Jo Geer for The Orleans Rehabilitation
Affectionately referred to as "The Orleans" by Paseo neighbors for many years, this building also caused head shaking, eye rolling, and great sighs of disgust. While the ornate wrought iron trim made for architectural interest, the social interactions of the residents caused much neighborhood angst. Drugs, domestic disputes, prostitution, and gunshots. In the 1980s and 1990s, during the times that "plywood curtains" didn't cover all the doors and windows, The Orleans was a destination for police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks. But, Rita Jo Geer, a single mom, saw past the rutted yard, the peeling paint, and the storied social history. She saw an ornate corner of the historic Paseo Neighborhood, a district listed in the National Register of Historic Places that could become her single-family home. She set about repairing the wooden windows, painting the wooden siding, highlighting the wrought-iron trim, and installing a new shingle roof as well as re-claiming the front yard for planting not parking. Efforts like hers are responsible for the neighborhoods transformation and recent national attention.
15. The Romo Company and Corner Greer & Associates, Inc. for the Rawlins Furniture Company Building Rehabilitation Project
The historic facade of the Rawlins Furniture Building had been obscured through time and was identified as a noncontributing resource in the National Register nomination for the Downtown Ardmore Historic District. The building sat vacant until the Romo Family decided to move their Mexican restaurant from across Main Street into the old furniture building. The Romo Company, with design services from Corner Greer & Associates, Inc., completed an extensive rehabilitation of the building, and its grand two story high interior volume was adapted for the new use. Casaromo is now a favorite place for diners in Ardmore, and the building is now classified as a contributing resource to the historic district.
16. Washita County Commissioners and GH2 Architects LLC for the Washita County Courthouse Dome Restoration Project
Constructed in 1911, the Washita County Courthouse was designed by Architects Layton, Smith, and Hawk. The Courthouse stands prominently in the New Cordell Courthouse Square and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Washita County Commissioners provided exemplary preservation leadership for the successful restoration of the courthouse dome. GH2 Architects, LLC provided investigation, architectural design and oversight for the project. The work included a careful removal of the original dome and wood structure and structural repair of masonry bearing walls. The new sheet copper dome and clock faces were shop fabricated to precisely match the original dome's appearance and configuration. Local construction professionals added to the project's success. Monte Goucher, Circuit Engineering of Clinton was the construction manager, and Nurnberg Roofing of Corn served as the installation contractor for the project.
17. Three Rivers Museum of Muskogee, Inc. for the Thomas-Foreman Home Rehabilitation Project
The historic Thomas-Foreman home is located in Muskogee and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its association with noted Oklahoma historians, Grant Foreman and Carolyn Thomas-Foreman. The Three Rivers Museum of Muskogee observed the deteriorating condition of the house and realized that extensive repairs to the exterior wood trim and siding and the guttering system were needed. The organization believed that, if appropriate improvements were made to the house, it could become an important heritage tourism asset for the community. They formed a committee and began planning an operational structure for the property and a fundraising campaign for the rehabilitation work. Receiving a substantial donation, the rehabilitation work was completed in 2011, and the house was again opened to visitors.
18. Mid-Town Renaissance and Krittenbrink Architecture for the Hadden Hall Hotel Rehabilitation Project
The Hadden Hall Hotel is located at 215 NW Tenth Street, Oklahoma City, and is a contributing resource to the Automobile Alley Historic District. Designed in the Classical Revival Style, the three story building was constructed in 1911. Over 100 years later, thanks to Mid-Town Renaissance and the design services of Krittenbrink Architecture, the building continues in productive use for the community. It now serves the Midtown Oklahoma City neighborhood residents as market rate apartments. Painstaking preservation of the front entrance porch, brick masonry walls, and interior hallway and stairwell spaces was crucial to the project's success and approval as a certified rehabilitation.
19. John Bumgarner
John Bumgarner is Fort Sill's former Environmental Support Branch Chief. While in the position he made significant contributions to the agency's efforts to meet its responsibilities under the National Historic Preservation Act and other environmental laws. As part of a dedicated team, he was directly involved in numerous consultation efforts under Section 106 of the NHPA and worked effectively with a variety of persons from within and outside of Fort Sill to address preservation issues. For example, John developed and administered contracts for an extensive archeological survey of the Installation and two separate historic/architectural surveys of the Post. Although he transferred to another division at Fort Sill in October 2011, he continues to assist in the preservation of the Post's and therefore Oklahoma's, significant historic resources as an advocate and communicator.
20. Jim and Ann Grocholski for Preservation of Their Home at 418 North Academy, Guymon
Records show that the land at 418 North Academy in Guymon was first purchased in 1905 and that the house there was built in 1910. Jim and Ann Grocholski purchased it in June 2006 and began their efforts to rehabilitate the house. The roof was replaced, the exterior was repainted, and the fencing was repaired. The landscaping came next with tremendous work devoted to the lawn and flower beds. Ten lilac bushes, popular with Panhandle Pioneers, were planted. Window boxes and shutters were added. The porch and railings were rebuilt in 2007. They also preserved the integrity of the interior, refinishing the hardwood floors, painting, redoing kitchen counter tops and flooring. Jim and Ann say that they love their piece of Oklahoma history.
21. Mid-Town Renaissance for the Plaza Court Shopping Center Rehabilitation Project
Plaza Court is located at 1100 North Classen Drive, Oklahoma City, and was constructed in 1927 as the city's first "in town" shopping center. It consists of two stories of retail and office space and its own rooftop garage for an interior area totaling 38,500 square feet. Mid-Town Renaissance's $4 million investment provided a new generation of Plaza Court businesses, including Irma's Burger Shack and James E. McNelly's Public House, with modern accommodations while maintaining the building's historic character. This certified rehabilitation is another example of how the federal and state rehabilitation tax credits are contributing to community redevelopment in Oklahoma City.
22. Miami Tribe of Oklahoma for the Drake House Preservation Project
The "Drake House" is owned by the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and is located in the Tribal jurisdiction area in Ottawa County. Listed in the Miami Tribal Register of Historic Places, the house was built circa 1885 by Miami allotee Jane Drake (siipiihkwa - River Woman) and her husband Milton following the removal of the Miami from Kansas to Indian Territory in the late 1870s. The "T-shaped" house originally had approximately 3,600 square feet of living space for the 15-member Drake family, but the north wing was destroyed in 1929, likely by a tornado. Although the house was sold out of tribal member ownership in the early 1900s, it returned to tribal member ownership through marriage. In 1994, Dustin Olds, a descendent of this family, and Julie Langford Olds, also a tribal member, began restoration of the house. After extensive work, it was sold to the Miami tribe with ten acres for completion of the restoration as a tribal historic property. Restoration continues on the house, which is used as lodging for visiting Tribal members and other guests.
23. Whittier Elementary School, Muskogee Public Schools for Its Centennial Celebration
November 11, 2011, marked the centennial of Muskogee's Whittier Elementary School. Named for Abolitionist poet John Greenleaf Whittier, one of Whittier's relatives was present at the school's dedication in 1911, adding to the importance of both the school and Muskogee's prestige at the time. Whittier principal Ed Wallace and teachers planned for over a year for the celebration. They placed signs around the parameters of the school identifying it as historically significant to the community. They opened the school year with an old-fashioned ice cream social for alumni and current students. They completed a Whittier 100 project in which students performed hours of community service and sponsored the 100 Pennies Campaign with proceeds benefiting the Whittier Birthplace Museum in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Students also studied Whittier's works. This creative program will serve as a model for others to teach students about connecting the past to the present.
24. Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and The Small Group Architects for the Peoria Indian School Restoration Project
The Peoria tribe was removed from southeastern Kansas to present-day northeastern Oklahoma. The Peoria Indian School, located east of Miami, was constructed in 1872 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 along with the Peoria Indian Cemetery. These are the only two documented historic resources associated with the Peoria remaining in the United States. The school is a one-story, frame building on a sandstone foundation. An addition to it was constructed in 1977. The school served the Peoria children until 1893. Over the decades the building was sold out of tribal ownership and was used as a public school and a church. The tribe again owns the building and has undertaken a four-phase restoration through a 2005 Tribal Preservation Program Grant from the National Park Service. The tribe retained The Small Architects of Edmond to provide professional services for the project, including development of a historic structures report, a critical element of such a restoration project.
25. Kerry Kelly for the Kelly House Rehabilitation Project
Identified as "House #1" for Oklahoma City's 1963 Spring Parade of Homes, the Kelly House is located in The Greens neighborhood and owned by Kerry Kelly. As she planned to rehabilitate her 'Prairie School' inspired family home, she first had to acquire 29 replacement exterior doors and 6 windows. Other design issues included retaining the naturally-stained wood interior trim while installing the doors, finding a painter to repaint hundreds of custom wood fins, a carpenter to repair deteriorated razor thin eaves, and someone to actually custom mill the exterior doors that had interior door thicknesses. Wewoka Window Works milled the doors. BDO Construction installed them as well as repaired rotted frames as needed and repaired rotted eaves. Mark Johnson Painting painted the exterior and interior, and TR's Commercial, Residential Repair & Restoration Services addressed other maintenance issues. The project took a year to plan and coordinate with the final month's work being on-site construction.
26. The University of Oklahoma and Bockus Payne Associates Architects for the Gould Hall Rehabilitation Project
Two simple, dreaded words changed the course (literally) for countless students at the University of Oklahoma. Those words were the building name, Gould Hall, a 1951 structure located on the east side of the South Oval. No one seemed to like it. Originally designed for the School of Geology, Gould Hall ironically became the home for the College of Architecture. In 2008, faculty, staff, and students relocated off campus to a former strip mall while Gould Hall underwent a three-year, $33 million rehabilitation. Monumental archways welcome all to Gould Hall and link South Oval with Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. On the interior, a new two-story, vaulted Bushkuhl Gallery overlooks Van Vleet Oval. A large gathering space offers couches, chairs, and tables for students. Throughout the building are interactive classrooms, open studios, and a "super studio." The designs of these spaces are receiving acclaim in The Oklahoman, the Sooner Magazine, Architect magazine, and Campus Technology magazine, and other universities are inquiring about these unique learning spaces.
27. Will Rogers High School - Tulsa Public Schools, Fritz Baily, P.C., and Trigon Construction
Will Rogers High School is an art deco masterpiece built in 1939 and listed in the National Register in 2007. The building features terra cotta panels that illustrate the life of Will Rogers in pictorial relief, tall terra cotta towers with stepped brick pilasters, and large classroom windows. Due to benign neglect and shrinking budgets, the building was showing its age. Deterioration of ornamental terra cotta threatened the integrity of the towers, and steel windows were difficult to repair. But, careful planning resulted in an excellent preservation project. Terra cotta repairs included new coatings that match original color, texture, and surface sheen, while single-paned steel-framed windows were replaced with insulated aluminum units carefully detailed for energy efficiency while still matching all the visual characteristics of the original windows. Tulsa Public Schools, their design professionals, Fritz Bailey Architects, and Trigon Construction are commended for ensuring the historic building will serve public education in Tulsa for generations to come.
28. Earl Bourne for the 2229 North Gatewood Rehabilitation Project
Constructed in 1946 as a two-story brick Minimal Traditional Style building, the duplex at 2229-2231 North Gatewood, is a contributing resource within Oklahoma City's Gatewood West Historic District, located just south of the Oklahoma City University campus. Mr. Bourne purchased the property with the intention of renting the units to OCU students and faculty, but this was feasible only after a thorough revitalization of the two story building from the inside out. New electrical service, heating ventilating and air-conditioning equipment, and many new interior architectural finishes were required to return the building to a livable state. Mr. Bourne's project is a certified rehabilitation, and it demonstrates how the federal and state tax credits program can help revitalize historic residential neighborhoods as well as major commercial buildings.
29. Bass Reeves Legacy Trail Walking Tour
Tour participants followed in the footsteps of a legend on the Bass Reeves Legacy Tour in Muskogee. The walking tour began at Three Rivers Museum, and costumed interpreters told the story of one of the most significant lawmen in Indian Territory History. Bass Reeves was a slave in Texas who escaped at the outset of the Civil War and fled into Indian Territory. For the duration of the war, he lived in the Territory, learning the land and the languages of the native tribes. After the war, he settled in Van Buren, Arkansas, and was recruited by "hanging judge" Isaac Parker as a U.S. Marshal for the federal court at Fort Smith. He also served the Paris, Texas, court before settling in Muskogee to serve the federal court there. Reeves lived the remainder of his life in Muskogee, serving also as a police officer, walking a beat at age 70. The tour literally followed his footsteps in the historic downtown area of Muskogee.
30. George Kaiser Family Foundation and Sikes Abernathie Architects for the Robinson Packer Lofts Project
The Robinson Packer Building, located in Tulsa's Brady District, was constructed in 1920 by the Robinson Packer Company, an Oklahoma oilfield supply company. The company utilized the building as office space and for storage. The Regal Hotel occupied the upper levels of the 3 story building. When the George Kaiser Family Foundation acquired the building, it was in poor condition yet still maintained most of its original character. Sikes Abernathie Architects designed the rehabilitation which preserved that character. The exterior appears unchanged, but the interior underwent significant rehabilitation. One of the key elements in the finished project is the open light well that celebrates the historic stairwell that once connected the lobby with the historic Regal Hotel. The building is now home to the "Teach for America" teachers. The ground level remains as retail space for several Tulsa businesses.
31. North-West Corner, LLC and HSE Architects for the 1910 Building Rehabilitation Project
Located within the Perry Courthouse Square Historic District, listed in the National Register, the building at 323 Seventh Street was constructed in 1910 in the Commercial Style. Two stories in height and almost 5,000 square feet in area, the building suffered a devastating fire which raised doubts about its preservation. However, in 2009, Northwest Corner LLC, with the services of HSE Architects, began a rehabilitation of this important building. The project is a certified rehabilitation under the federal and state tax credits program. Today the 1910 Building, as it is known, again serves retail shoppers and visitors to the Courthouse Square District. Next year's statewide preservation conference participants can see the project first-hand as Perry will be our host for Oklahoma's 25th Annual Statewide Preservation Conference.
32. Paul and Rosemary Lewis for the Lewis House Rehabilitation Project
For 16 years, Paul and Rosemary were busy raising their 3 sons and 1 daughter in their house located in Oklahoma City's Shepherd Neighborhood. However, they often talked about removing the metal siding that covered part of the original exterior wood siding. Over the years, they had replaced six very deteriorated wooden windows with new, custom-milled windows. Exposing the wood siding was the next step. Then, in the summer of 2010, a hail storm damaged the roof, the metal siding, and the gutters. The Lewis' saw this as an opportunity to restore their house to its 1938 design. As the neighborhood is protected under the City of Oklahoma City's historic preservation ordinance, the Lewis' followed the district design guidelines. They selected an appropriate roof shingle color, removed the metal siding, and repaired and painted the original wood siding. The Shepherd Neighborhood is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
33. Positively Paseo! for Neighborhood Redevelopment Efforts
The decades of hard work by Positively Paseo! staff and volunteer board members have led to the transformation of Oklahoma City's Paseo Neighborhood, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and national attention for their accomplishments. Located about two miles north of downtown, the neighborhood was once a thriving artists' colony of 1920s Spanish Revival architecture and bungalows. But, the rise of gang warfare, prostitution, drugs, and deteriorating buildings made it an unsafe place to live by the 1970s. The leadership, creativity, and personal investment of those determined to reclaim the neighborhood have obviously paid off. A testament to their progress, Forbes recently named the Paseo one of "America's most transformed neighborhoods," and the American Planning Association included the neighborhood in its list of 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2010. "The brightly colored architecture, vibrant street life in the Spanish Village, and thriving art scene help create a strong sense of place," according to APA's CEO. "While the APA designation is not specifically directed at historic neighborhoods, it's clear that historic neighborhoods naturally possess many of the desirable qualities that make for a wonderful place to live."
34. Group M Investment, Inc. for the Campbell Hotel Rehabilitation Project
The Campbell Hotel is a significant rehabilitation project along historic Route 66 in Tulsa. Constructed in 1927 as the Casa Loma Hotel, it was later known as the Max Campbell building. Located not far from the University of Tulsa at 2636 E. 11th Street, this Spanish Colonial Revival style building was mostly vacant for many years. At one point, a fast food restaurant considered demolishing it to make way for a drive-thru. But, Group M Investment realized what an asset it could be once again. Their careful rehabilitation project included restoration of the original windows and rehabilitation of the facade, including awnings and the blade sign above the entrance. This is one more example of how the federal and state rehabilitation tax credits are contributing to community redevelopment statewide and to keeping Historic Route 66 a major heritage tourism destination.
35. MetroPlains Development LLC, Sapulpa Main Street, and Sikes Abernathie Architects for the Wells Building Rehabilitation Project
Built in 1917, the five-story building now commonly known as the Wells Building stands adjacent to the Creek County Court House and is the largest building in downtown Sapulpa. Through time, changes to the building occurred, including the 1960s addition of a metal screen that completely obscured the historic facade. When the Sapulpa Downtown Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, the Wells Building was identified as a noncontributing resource due to this alteration. A few years later, Sapulpa Main Street recognized the potential of this underutilized property and Partnered with Metro Plains Development to qualify the project for HOME funds from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. As the rehabilitation tax credits were important to the financial feasibility of the project, it was necessary to complete a certified rehabilitation. Sikes Abernathie Architects designed the rehabilitation work, and the major challenge they faced was careful removal of the metal facade screen to confirm that the building could be reclassified as a contributing resource to the district. Today, the Wells Building is a vibrant part of downtown Sapulpa with retail space on the first floor and four floors of affordable rate housing for seniors, as well as a landmark for travelers on Historic Route 66 which passes through Sapulpa's commercial district.
36. Jack Longacre and Mike Kertok, Architect for the Bristow Body Shop Rehabilitation Project
Continuing along Historic Route 66, we find Jack Longacre's Bristow Body Shop. Originally known as the Firestone Service Station, the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 for its association with the "Mother Road." Designed in the Art Deco style, the building was constructed in 1930, just four years after the designation of U. S. Highway 66, to fuel and service the rapidly growing numbers of vehicles crossing the country. When Jack Longacre needed a new location for his body shop, he settled on the old Firestone Station. He applied for and received a matching grant from the National Park Service's Historic Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and utilized the federal and state rehabilitation tax credits. Mike Kertok provided architectural services to ensure the rehabilitation would meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards. The project's success was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on November 21st.
37. City of Oklahoma City and Mehlburger Brawley Inc. for the Lake Overholser Bridge Rehabilitation Project
The Historic Route 66 Bridge at Lake Overholser spans the North Canadian River at the northeast corner of the lake. The bridge was built circa 1924 by General Construction Company and is a six span (748') structure consisting of 80' Parker Pony Trusses and four 144' Modified Parker Through Trusses. The bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. In February 2009, an inspection of the structure recommended that it be closed. Responding to the strong local support for repair of the bridge so it could continue in use for vehicular traffic, the City of Oklahoma City decided to rehabilitate the bridge and retained Mehlburger Brawley Inc. to design the project. The work consisted primarily of reconstructing the floor beams, stringers and concrete deck of the trusses and rehabilitating the traffic rails. The bridge was reopened during a special ceremony on October 1, 2011, with Mayor Mick Cornett and many other dignitaries on hand to share stories about the importance of Route 66 and the Lake Overholser Bridge. About 200 people were present, and they walked across the bridge as part of the celebration.
38. Co-Sponsors of Oklahoma's 23rd Annual Statewide Preservation Conference
Wide Open for Preservation: Oklahoma's 23rd Annual Statewide Preservation Conference was held June 8-10, 2011, in Guymon. The State Historic Preservation Office could not continue this program without the support of many partners, and the cosponsors of the 2011 event are commended for their hospitality and hard work. They handled preconference arrangements for hotels, meeting facilities, tours, and receptions and made sure everything was in place and working for presentations. The Oklahoma Main Street Center and Preservation Oklahoma, Inc. join the SHPO in extending their appreciation to the Oklahoma Sustainability Network; Main Street Guymon; City of Guymon Convention and Tourism; Guymon Chamber of Commerce; Pioneer Showcase; and Guymon Chapter, No Man's Land Historical Society.
