Downtown Okmulgee is about to take on 75 students living in a renovated post office.
Construction crews are going through their punch lists and about to complete the restoration project.
Oklahoma State University’s Institute of Technology (OSUIT) is taking the 100-year-old building and getting it ready for student lofts.
“This building needed us. It needed our help. It was in pretty sad repair, but here you get an example on the second floor of what the original boarding house corridor would’ve looked like—this is one of the original 1919 doors. It’s now fixed in place,” said OSUIT President Dr. Bill Path.
To qualify, students must be 21 and older.
Path said it will cost students around $540 to live in the new lofts each month.
“It’s not too far to be of isolation for students it will be populated entirely by students and not in the bubble. It’s kind of a Goldilocks facility. Not too near, not too far away, but just right for the needs of most students,” said Path.
Path hopes the university’s development will keep Okmulgee rising.
“OSUIT has done a lot of the heavy lifting for an investor at this point in time. I don’t know where else you can really choose to start a new business with a guaranteed young adult population year-round,” said Path.
OSUIT will hold a centennial celebration in November and hopes to have students living downtown by January.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Apple and Android and Kindle devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
