First National Center (Oklahoma City) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First National Center |
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First National Center, a prominent fixture in the downtown Oklahoma City skyline.
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Apartments Hotel |
| Architectural style | Art Deco, Neoclassical |
| Location | 120 N. Robinson Ave., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma United States |
| Coordinates | 35°28′06″N 97°30′58″W / 35.46833°N 97.51611°W |
| Opening | 1931 |
| Cost | $5,000,000 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 446 ft |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 33 |
| Floor area | 992,000 square feet (92,200 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Weary & Alford Company |
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First National Bank and Trust Company Building
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| NRHP reference No. | 100002220 |
| Added to NRHP | March 15, 2018 |
The First National Center is a very tall building, also known as a skyscraper, located in downtown Oklahoma City. It used to be called the First National Bank Building. This impressive building has a special style called Art Deco and is 446 feet (136 meters) tall at its roof. If you include its spire (a pointy top), it reaches 493 feet (150 meters) and has 33 floors!
The building was finished in 1931 by the First National Bank and Trust Company. It has a huge amount of space, about 990,000 square feet, which was originally used for offices. Today, the First National Center is the third tallest building in Oklahoma City. Only the Devon Tower and Chase Tower are taller. It's also the sixth tallest building in the entire state of Oklahoma. Many people think it looks a bit like the famous Empire State Building in New York City.
A cool fact about the First National Center is that it's connected to other buildings downtown through a series of underground tunnels and elevated walkways called the Oklahoma City Underground. For a while, the building had many empty spaces, but exciting changes have been happening to bring it back to life!
Contents
Building History: From Bank to Modern Hub
The First National Center was built for the First National Bank Corporation and its main bank, the First National Bank and Trust Company of Oklahoma City. The bank's leaders and owners worked together to fund its construction, which cost about $5 million.
Work started in September 1930, with older buildings being taken down to make space. By January 1931, the area was clear, and construction on the skyscraper began on February 1. It was built very quickly, finishing by November of the same year! The bank moved into its new home on December 14, 1931. When it was completed, this 33-story skyscraper was one of the tallest buildings west of the Mississippi River.
Over the years, the First National Center grew. In September 1957, a 14-story office building was added next to the tower. Later, in October 1977, another 14-story section was built, making the First National Center complex what it is today.
Many businesses were once in the building, including a special place called the Beacon Club at the very top.
Changes and Challenges
In the 1980s, the First National Bank Corporation faced some tough times. In 1985, another bank, First Interstate Bank, took over its operations. First Interstate ran the bank until 1991, when it was sold to Boatmen's Bancshares.
In 1992, Boatmen's decided to move out of the First National Center. The building was then sold to a buyer from California for $21 million. There were big plans to fix it up and make it look like its original 1930s glory. However, the buyer ran into financial difficulties, and the renovation work stopped for a while. The beautiful "Great Banking Hall" on the ground floor, which was once the main bank area, became a popular place for events like parties and school proms.
In 2015, some state offices that rented space in the building had to move out quickly because of problems like broken elevators and air conditioning. A judge then ordered that the building be taken care of properly, and services like air conditioning and elevators were fixed.
A New Beginning
In January 2017, the First National Center was sold again for $23 million to local developers Gary Brooks and Charlie Nicholas. They have exciting plans to bring the building back to life! Their goal is to turn parts of the old office tower into a hotel with 139 rooms, along with apartments and new office spaces.
The renovation will carefully restore many original features, including old murals, painted ceilings, stone columns, and metal designs. The basement and ground floor will have shops, restaurants, and other businesses. The famous Great Banking Hall will be fully restored and used as a public lobby and a space for special events. The new hotel inside the building is planned to be called 'The National'. This big renovation project is expected to take about three years to complete.
Building Design: Art Deco Beauty
The First National Center was built with a stunning Art Deco and Neoclassical style, both inside and out. It features shiny aluminum, strong granite, sparkling glass, and many different types of marble from all over the world.
Rising 446 feet above the street, the building has a special aluminum aviation tower at its very top. This tower originally held a huge white rotating light that could be seen from 75 miles away! After World War II, when planes started using radio navigation more, the bright white light was replaced with a smaller red warning light. The 32nd floor of the building used to be an observation deck where people could go to see amazing views of the city.
One of the most unique things about the First National Center is how it lights up at night. The upper parts of the building are lit with bright white lights. Sometimes, the lighting changes for special occasions. For example, after 9/11, the lights were red, white, and blue, which is still done on July 4th. For many years, during Christmas, a cross shape was created by lighting certain office windows. While this isn't done at the First National Center anymore because newer buildings block the view, other towers in the city have continued this tradition.
The Weary & Alford Company from Chicago designed the First National Center. They also designed other bank buildings across the country. Manhattan Construction Co. built the tower, and F.H. Beaumont from Oklahoma City oversaw most of the construction. The beautiful murals in the four corners of the main banking lobby, showing scenes from Oklahoma's history, were painted by an artist named Edgar Spier Cameron.
Because of its special design and history, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.
Who's Inside?
One of the tenants that has been in the First National Center is the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department.
Building Events
The First National Center has experienced a few minor incidents over the years:
- On June 22, 2006, a small electrical fire happened in the basement, and everyone had to leave the building for the day. There were no lasting problems from this fire.
- On November 5, 2017, a fire broke out on the 26th floor.
- On December 9, 2017, another fire occurred on the 7th floor.
These events were handled safely, and the building continues to be an important part of Oklahoma City.
