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State preservation staff outline proposed downtown National Register district; nomination to proceed through local and federal review
Summary
Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office staff presented a proposed National Register historic district in downtown Oklahoma City, describing boundaries tied to a federal tax‑credit project; staff said federal properties within the boundary will require review by the federal preservation officer and the nomination will go next to the Historic Preservation Commission and city council.
Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Linda Ozan told the Downtown Design Commission on Nov. 20 that staff initiated a nomination to create a National Register historic district in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City as part of a federal tax‑credit project.
Ozan said the proposed boundaries capture surviving historic buildings between Automobile Alley to the north and the City Hall/memorial complex to the west, and that the southern edge excludes areas with less historic fabric. "The boundaries were selected based on existing conditions," she said, and staff will make last‑minute updates to include a recently placed statue.
Ozan noted the nomination process is multi‑step: the district will go to the Historic Preservation Commission for a formal recommendation (scheduled Dec. 3), then to city council, followed by state review and the National Park Service. She also said federal properties within the proposed boundary trigger review by the federal preservation officer.
Commissioners asked about the age threshold for contributing resources; Ozan said the general guideline is 50 years or older but that exceptions exist and individual properties are evaluated on their merits. A commissioner inquired whether tunnels and bridges are included; Ozan confirmed subterranean tunnels and inter‑building bridges were included in the nomination.
Staff reported low in‑person turnout for the informational meeting (one audience member) but said the meeting, public notice in the Journal Record, agenda posting and direct emails to property owners satisfy the public‑meeting requirement for the nomination process.
The Historic Preservation Commission will take a formal recommendation on Dec. 3, after which the nomination proceeds to city council and state review before the National Park Service makes the final listing decision.
