April 19, 2010

One of the younger cities in the Midwest, Oklahoma City, was developed literally overnight. In 1928, oil was discovered in Oklahoma City. The increased oil revenues changed the once subtle city into a thriving, large metropolis.

William Balser Skirvin was one of those fortunate to prosper in the oil and land development in Texas. In 1906, Skirvin and his family moved to Oklahoma City to begin their new lives. Oklahoma City was experiencing a rapid expansion during the early 1900's and Skirvin took the opportunity to invest further in new lands and oil. The possibility of a new luxurious hotel struck Skirvin as a valuable investment in the city.

The Skirvin Hotel opened in 1911 and easily became one of Oklahoma City’s finest attractions. The magnificent ten'story building with its red brick laid in Flemish bond pattern separates itself from nearby buildings. The hotel encompassed 250,600 square feet and the property covered 1.45 acres. The hotel would become the jewel of the city that attracted many celebrities, politicians, and the wealthy. It entertained such guests as former President Harry Truman, Actor John Wayne, the international “Hostess with the Mostess” Perle Mesta, along with a number of other celebrities and socialites. The hotel graced the city skyline with its grandeur for the next 70 years before closing in the late 1980’s.

The death of William Skirvin in 1944 was the onset of the hotel’s downfall. For years until the hotel’s closing in 1988, the Skirvin was bought and sold countless times by numerous investors. The decline of the oil industry and the waning downtown area ultimately led to the closure of the hotel.

The years of abandonment caused the Skirvin Hotel to go through a rough deterioration. The lack of maintenance caused much of the asbestos to crumble and be exposed throughout the hotel. The paint that was used throughout the hotel also contained lead. Each of the rooms in the hotel contained mercury thermostats as well. The lead paint and asbestos had to be removed before the renovation process was allowed to begin to eliminate the pathways for exposures and health threats to workers and public. The air quality in the hotel was poor, containing carcinogens, biological vectors, and toxic substances.

The Skirvin’s second chance came after two decades of remaining dormant. On September 28, 1999, the Skirvin Solutions Committee (SSC) was created by then Mayor Kirk Humphreys to address the remediation and renovation of the Skirvin Hotel. The project was continued and completed during the tenure of Mayor Mick Cornett.

Oklahoma City with its many public-private partnerships was able to raise money and interest needed to restore the hotel. Affected residents, downtown workers, and local organizations were consulted throughout the decision-making process including those related to the environmental cleanup that would be necessary to reopen the building. Various federal, state, and private institutions were included in the process as well. The newly renovated and renamed Skirvin Hilton Hotel reopened for business in 2007, bringing back its prestige to the city and re-energizing the downtown area.

A combination of Tax Increment Financing, an Economic Development Initiative grant, the Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan fund, tax credits, and private equity were used to finance the project. The total cost for asbestos abatement was roughly $1,600,000, and additional environmental costs for the project cleanup were about $719,000. The total project cost an estimated $56,413,586. The private sector contributed nearly 60 percent of that cost, or about $36.4 million and public funding resources provided the remaining $20 million.

The renovation of the hotel generated over 400 construction jobs. After completion, 255 new positions would be created to run the hotel. The renovation of the historic hotel would bring renewed energy to the city and serve as a catalyst for other redevelopment efforts. Since reopening, a downtown canal has been built, derelict sites cleaned up, arenas and ball parks were constructed which support the Bricktown Entertainment District and enable it to thrive.

The greatest challenge posed to Oklahoma City was overcoming the initial funding gap for the project. The Skirvin Solutions Committee created by the city determined that revitalization of the hotel would not be possible without significant public assistance. Another key was Cornett’s continued commitment and understanding of the importance to revitalizing the hotel as an essential part of the downtown area’s success. This project was an important milestone in redeveloping the downtown area resulting in increased economic prosperity for the city; projected sales and tax revenues over the next 15 years soared to $15.5 million for local and $9.1 million for state.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors will be holding an evening event at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel during the Conference of Mayors 78th Annual Meeting in Oklahoma City.