in deference to its unique history
and contribution to the “urban
character” of OKC, but to also
apply for landmark zoning from
the OKC Historic Preservation and
Landmark Commission, and apply
for listing on the National Register
of Historic Places.
In August 2001, the Bank One
president offered different
alternatives to demolition of the
building, including constructing
a smaller building on a portion of
the property to serve as the Bank
One location next door to the gold
dome building. The president left
a sixty-day window for prospective
buyers interested in saving the
building to come forward, but did
not state what would happen if no
one offered to buy the building.
The State Historic Preservation
Office declared the building eligible
for landmark status, although
usually reser ved for buildings at
least 50 years old.
A Bethany company, Blue Stuff,
seemed to be the only viable hope
for preservation of the Gold Dome.
Blue Stuff planned to move into
the building, having outgrown
its own location. The company’s
spokesman did not feel the Gold
Dome would be as costly to repair
as Bank One claimed.
Efforts to save the Gold Dome
included picketing and marches,
but in September 2001, a couple
extended the efforts by writing
a song. Also, an Oklahoma
b a s e d c o m p a n y, S o n i c D r i v e - I n
restaurants, offered up a billboard,
located across the street from the
Gold Dome, to the Citizens for
the Golden Dome group. On the
billboard was written “Stop the
demolition of our historic landmark,”
as well as the phone numbers for
Bank One and Walgreens.
By December 2001, after several
reprieves by the bank president,
the time allotted by Bank One for
buyers wanting to preserve the
Gold Dome to come forward was
up. However, the Bank One officials
agreed once again to extend the
postponement of demolition until
J a n u a r y. B a n k O n e s t a t e d t h e y
were open to other alternatives,
but would have to go forward
with plans to sell the building to
Walgreens if a buyer did not come
forward. Bank One even offered
to help save the actual dome and
have it transplanted to another site.
As of April 2011, Gold Dome owner
Irene Lam had not maintained
payment on the loans secured by
the Oklahoma City council through
United States Department of
Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) for the building. On April 12,
2011 the Oklahoma City council
voted to take over responsibility to
pay back the loan to HUD.
Irene Lam fell behind on her
property tax obligations, failing to
fulfill nearly fifty thousand dollars
in property tax obligations to the
City of Oklahoma City and only
repaying interest upon the federal
loan. Bank 7 in Oklahoma City
foreclosed on the property and The
Gold Dome was put up for auction
on September 13, 2012.
David Box, a local OKC developer,
purchased the Gold Dome at the
public auction for $800,000. He
claimed in September 2012 to
have no plans to tear it down,
but reversed this stance in March
2013, applying for a demolition
permit for the historic structure
which the city has refused to issue.
In June 2013, Edmond environmental
engineering firm TEEMCO announced
plans to renovate the Gold Dome
and move its 65-person operation
into the building.
Source:
Gold Dome. (2014, June 3). Wikipedia.
Retrieved June 24, 2014, from http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Dome
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