Dowell Center
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The Dowell Center is a 20-story
skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...
in downtown
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
,
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
. Construction on the original 18-story tower began in 1926, and was completed in 1927. The tower's footprint was doubled and two stories added in 1964 by then owner Kerr-McGee Corporation. The Dowell Center comprises more than 205,000 ft2 (19,045 m2) and is located adjacent to Kerr Park.


History

Originally planned as a ten-story structure during Oklahoma City's early century building boom by Oklahoma City general contractor J. W. Mann. Designed as the first building to appeal to Oklahoma City's
oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) and lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturate ...
fraternity the building the 18-story Petroleum Building broke ground in 1926 and was completed in 1927. At the time it was the tallest building in Oklahoma City. Financial difficulties developed and in 1934 ownership of the building changed through a $500,000 federal court foreclosure and was later sold to R. D. Cravens and Associates in 1946. The Petroleum Building was sold again in 1952 to Kerr-McGee Oil Co. who would rename it the Republic Building in 1953 after its tenant Republic Supply Co and use it as additional space for the oil company and other Kerr-McGee interests. In 1962 Kerr-McGee began a significant expansion of the newly christened Kermac Building that would see the structure double its east/west foot print and add 2 stories. The expansion reportedly cost $4 million and took 2 years to complete.


See also

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List of tallest buildings in Oklahoma City There are more than 50 completed high-rises in Oklahoma City, most of which stand in the downtown Oklahoma City, central business district. In the city, 25 buildings stand and taller. The tallest building in Oklahoma City, and in Oklahoma ...


References

Office buildings completed in 1927 Buildings and structures in Oklahoma City Skyscraper office buildings in Oklahoma City {{OklahomaCity-stub