The long awaited renovation of the Gold Star Memorial Building is slated for completion in December.
The building, constructed in 1953, was built in memory of the Methodists who died in World War II, according to an article alumna Amanda Alfanos wrote for The Oklahoman.
The 286-foot tall Gold Star building is home to the law library and law faculty offices.
The building needed masonry work known as tuck pointing and sealing to reverse deterioration sustained during the years, as well as new windows to increase energy efficiency.
Renovations began in Spring 2013, and remain on track with scheduled completion guidelines from 18 months up to two years.
There have been no accidents during construction and everything has gone smoothly, said Leslie Berger, director of public relations.
“The project is important to the campus community because it will keep the building structurally sound for decades to come,” Berger said.
Jason Kelly, mass communications senior, said he recognizes the significance the building has for students.
“Restoring the Gold Star building is an excellent way to promote and celebrate a piece of our culture at OCU,” Kelly said.
The building is topped with a gold star, weighing in at 200 pounds. It can been seen up to 10 miles away.
“Since it’s the tallest building on campus, it’s a beacon for our university,” Kelly said. “It behooves us to take care of the building and preserve our heritage.”
The building originally was meant to house the school of religion, though the school never was housed there. Arts and sciences was the first college to move into the building.
The iconic building has served many purposes and undergone changes since it was built.
The first three floors of the Gold Star building were completed in 1953, but the fourth through 13th floors never were finished. The fourth floor initially was to become a chapel space and the upper floors were to become faculty offices, according to Alfanos’s article.
In 1956, the school of law began conducting classes in the building. The school completely moved in 1979, requiring a $1.2 million renovation.
The school moved 15 years later from the building to Sarkeys Law Center, requiring an additional $1 million to remodel the Gold Star building into the university’s law library.
With the law school moving in December to downtown Oklahoma City, the building will be repurposed yet again into academic space.
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