The Grand Old Post Office at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Connecting Students to Local Community
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT) takes pride in its students. Through partnerships with industry experts and world-class teaching facilities, OSUIT has a nearly 100% career placement rate.
OSUIT purchased two connecting buildings in historic downtown Okmulgee, Oklahoma to serve as student housing options for graduate students. The downtown location of the housing improves the campus community while also supporting the "Okmulgee Rising" movement. The buildings were formerly a post office and the Barksdale Bell Block Building. KSQ Design and Sikes Abernathie Architects (SAA) transformed them into loft-style apartments and flats.
KSQ and SAA’s design features high ceilings on the main floor and 11 loft-style living spaces with two bedrooms upstairs and a bathroom, kitchen, and living room downstairs. Lightwells cut into the building to provide natural light for the units and individual bedrooms. The renovation also includes an outdoor patio area, a lobby with nooks, a community kitchen, and laundry. The apartments have an on-site manager with their own living and office space.
The building houses up to 76 students and is fit with new mechanical and electrical systems. A state-of-the-art elevator sits in the lobby of the ground floor and the building will have two ADA-accessible flats.
In repurposing the Grand Old Post Office, OSUIT has not only breathed new life into a historic landmark but has also fostered a sense of unity and shared purpose between two distinct communities. This revitalization serves as a testament to purpose-driven design bridging the past and present, ultimately enriching the fabric of society for generations to come.
Read more about KSQ Design’s work with Oklahoma State University:
Client: Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Location: Okmulgee, Oklahoma
Size: 35,000 SF | 76 Beds
Completion Date: September 2017
Project Type: Historic Renovation and Addition
OSUIT opens renovated Grand Old Post Office for student housing
