Old North is new again
Historic renovation of UCO building pays tribute to past
EDMOND — Old North is new again, following a lengthy renovation that retained the venerable structure’s original charm.
The jewel of the University of Central Oklahoma campus was shuttered in 2001 due to safety concerns after more than a century of continuous use. The four-story building reopened this semester with classrooms, offices and meeting spaces that offer glimpses of its past.
Original stone was left exposed in places. Reclaimed lumber was made into furniture and used as decoration. Replica tin ceiling tiles were installed overhead.
A historical classroom and territorial library on the second floor pay homage to the original Old North — the first building dedicated to higher education erected in Oklahoma.
The historical remodel preserved as much as could be saved, but the building had to be gutted.
The original facade was left intact, and an entirely new steel structure was built inside to support it, said Andy Fancher, project engineer with CMS Willowbrook.
“We built a building inside this building and then attached it to walls,” Fancher said.
“It’s challenging, but very rewarding,” he said. “It’s really a once-in-alifetime remodel.”
Everyone who worked on the renovation had the sense that it was more than just another job, UCO President Don Betz said.
“Old North is an important part of Central’s history, and we are thrilled to open its doors once again,” said Betz, whose office is on the third floor. “It has a great sentimental and symbolic value to generations of Oklahomans.”
Open house
UCO will host a public open house for Old North from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday with docents on each floor to answer questions.
Touring the building with a knowledgeable guide is an exercise in territorial history.
David Stapleton, UCO’s director of architectural and engineering services, will tell you the building should have fallen down long ago because of the less-than-ideal materials and questionable construction methods used.
It has been deemed unsafe for occupancy four times since it opened in 1893 and was marked for demolition in 1911. By the time it was closed 15 years ago, Old North had undergone multiple additions and renovations and had served five generations.
“It was used up. It was tired,” Stapleton said.
The original, square, two-story building had a basement, assembly hall, classrooms and the office of the first president of the Territorial Normal School of Oklahoma. Students first attended classes in the building in January 1893 while construction continued on the wings and tower.
Betz points out the significant role education played in the formation of the area.
One of the first things people did when they arrived in 1890 was establish the school and build Old North. It stood as a 114-foot sandstone “cathedral on the Plains” with nothing else around it, he said.
The university has a historic responsibility to this region, Betz said.
The school evolved from a territorial teachers college into Oklahoma’s largest metropolitan university, but its mission has remained the same — “to transform the lives of our students,” he said.
“For 127 years, we’ve been in the dream-fulfilling business,” Betz said.
“As Central begins it 127th year as an institution of higher education, the opening of Old North symbolizes our efforts to remain a steadfast and vital part of the growth, development and success of our state.”