March 15 Deadline Apptoaches for Request for Proposals to Redevelop 23rd Street Armory

March 15 Deadline Approaches for Request for Proposals to Redevelop 23rd Street Armory

OKLAHOMA CITY — In September of 2017, the Office of Management and Enterprise Services announced that the state is seeking proposals for the purchase or lease and redevelopment of the 23rd Street Armory located within the State Capitol Complex at 200 N.E. 23rd St., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The deadline for submitting proposals is close of business on March 15, 2018. Interested parties are invited to submit proposals to purchase or lease the 23rd Street Armory building, consisting of 72,667 square feet more or less, and its surrounding ancillary buildings. Due to the location and unique history of the property, it is being offered to the private sector through the Request for Proposals process to allow the state to consider community benefits including economic, historical and cultural, as well as job creation, as part of the evaluation process. 

In September of 1935, armory construction was approved as a nationwide Works Progress Administration (WPA) project and the construction of the 23rd Street Armory was part of that project. Architect Bryan F. Nolen, an Oklahoma Army National Guard Major, designed the building, which was promoted at the time of construction as being the only armory in the state erected entirely from revenue generated by oil wells located on the Oklahoma State Capitol grounds.

The exterior of the building is art deco and was constructed of recycled penitentiary bricks. The interior has concrete floors, steel joists and fire resistant construction. The armory consists of offices, classrooms, drill floor and several garages. As there is limited parking at the 23rd Street Armory, interested parties may include in their proposal selected adjacent land and ancillary structures located to the east, south and west.

The armory played a central role in the support of the National Guard’s volunteer military program. In addition, it was also open to the community for civic gatherings, exhibitions and sporting events such as roller derby, wrestling matches and square dancing. The building’s use as an armory ceased in 2010 when the property was transferred to OMES after closure by the Oklahoma National Guard. Since that time, it has been used as a storage facility for many state agencies.

A public opening of the proposals will be held at 10:00 a.m. on March 21, 2018, in the Will Rogers Building at 2401 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

For additional information, contact OMES Real Estate and Leasing Services at [email protected] omes.ok.gov or 405-521-3819. 

Media Contact

Shelley Zumwalt
Director of Public Affairs
405-535-5198 | [email protected]