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OKLAHOMA CITY — Archbishop Paul Coakley and Shrine Executive Director Leif Arvidson announced Tuesday the dedication date for the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. The shrine will be dedicated during a public Mass on Friday, Nov. 4. The dedication will be the centerpiece of a week-long celebration.

History comes to life yet again in Oklahoma City with the highly anticipated debut of the region’s restored crown jewel, The National, Autograph Collection, at the First National Center. The building originally opened in 1931 as an iconic bank and landmark monument, and stands proudly at 32-stories high to this day. Following an extensive restoration and one of the biggest renovations in the state’s history, the former bank office tower has been transformed into a hotel with 146 guestrooms alongside opulent new apartment homes, restaurants, bars and retail offerings

A fascinating new shrine is under construction in Oklahoma City (Archdiocese of Oklahoma City). It has been designed by our good friends at Franck & Lohsen Architects in Washington, D.C. with ADG as the associate architect, based in Oklahoma City. The Spanish Mission style shrine will be dedicated to the memory of the martyred missioner priest, Blessed Stanley Rother (1935-1981), who will be entombed in the church for the public veneration of the faithful. Meanwhile, his case for sainthood continues and his heart is entombed at his parish in Guatemala.

History comes to life yet again in Oklahoma City with the highly anticipated Spring 2022 debut of the region’s restored crown jewel, The National, Autograph Collection, at the First National Center. The building originally opened in 1931 as an iconic bank and landmark monument, and stands proudly at 32-stories high to this day. Following an extensive restoration and one of the biggest renovations in the state's history, the former bank office tower has been transformed into a hotel with 146 guest rooms alongside opulent new apartment homes, restaurants, bars, and retail offerings.

Inasmuch Foundation has committed $2.5 million to the second phase of a capital campaign to renovate the Crystal Bridge Conservatory at Myriad Botanical Gardens. This phase features a complete renovation of the interior conservatory spaces to enhance visitor engagement with a more diverse plant collection, interactive educational exhibits, improved ADA accessibility, and a museum-quality gift shop.

This $181-million, 500,000-sq-ft convention center is the largest public building project in Oklahoma City’s history and the centerpiece of the MAPS 3 capital improvements program.

In addition to meeting spaces and exhibit halls, the building includes kitchen facilities, office space, loading docks, recycling areas and a titanium/LED public art experience called Virtual Sky.

The much-anticipated Senior Wellness Center is moving forward in city hall as staff submits construction contracts up for council approval. Part of several projects to be paid for with the Norman Forward Sales Tax Fund, the center will provide fitness, recreation and health services to those age 50 and older.

ADG as Pacesetter for United Way of Central Oklahoma

ADG employees kicked off their annual United Way campaign on October 4 and raised money throughout the month. The campaign is entirely employee driven and highlights various partner agencies and their impact on the central Oklahoma community.

The Oklahoma City Council approved plans Tuesday for the city's nearly $1 billion MAPS improvement program that was originally scheduled to begin last month.

After a delay to hash out details and adjust the project's timeline to speed up construction of the program's four youth centers, the council passed the measure with seven votes. Ward 3 Councilwoman Barbara Young and Ward 5 Councilman David Greenwell were not present during the vote.

he Implementation Plan includes the guiding documents for the program scope, project, scheduling and budget, according to an announcement from City of Oklahoma City officials. The plan was developed by MAPS 4 program consultant ADG. It’s based on the 2019 MAPS 4 resolution, Finance Department sales tax projections, information from city staff and project advocates/operators, publicly available plans and data, as well as previous MAPS experience, according to city officials.

A plan meant to guide Oklahoma City's nearly $1 billion improvement project is moving forward as the MAPS 4 Citizens Advisory Board signed off on the revised agenda after a month-long delay to address timeframe concerns.

Since the board's last meeting in early August, consultants and board members met several times to alter the timeline of the project to move up completion dates of four planned youth centers while trying to limit the impact the move may have on other projects.

"The great thing about this accelerated youth center schedule that we've shown, we would not be required to move any of the other projects back," said ADG director of program management Jason Cotton.

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Construction is continuing on a shrine for a beloved Oklahoma priest who was killed in Guatemala.

Blessed Stanley Rother is well-known in the Catholic community for his mission work in Guatemala.

Rother served in Guatemala during the country’s civil war, which was a dangerous time to be a leader of a church. In 1981, he was murdered for his faith.

OKLAHOMA CITY – City Care will host its fourth annual signature event, The Odyssey Project, on Thursday, August 12. The evening will include food, drinks, art, music and meaningful conversation benefiting City Care’s work to end cycles of social injustice and extreme poverty in the community. The event will take place from 6 – 8 p.m.

For the first time in its 30-plus year history, the Crystal Bridge Conservatory in Myriad Botanical Gardens will undergo a complete renovation of its interior spaces.

The last day for the public to enter the Crystal Bridge is Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then it will close to the public until late 2022.

A plant sale for those plants that will not be transferred to the renovated space will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 29. Garden members will have early access from 9 to 10 a.m. To join, go to myriadgardens.org.

Among the many upgrades designed to enhance visitor experience are new path layouts, educational exhibits, improved ADA accessibility and a new gift shop.

The OU Board of Regents passed agenda items Friday approving a freshman housing master plan to replace the nearly 60-year-old towers and authorizing the transition of all fundraising efforts to the OU Foundation, a private nonprofit entity.

President Joseph Harroz said university administration is “endeavoring on a multi-year plan” to replace Walker, Couch and Adams Towers, which were built in the mid-1960s, with new structures.

According to the agenda, the item authorizes the university administration to negotiate the terms of an agreement and a fee, starting with the highest-ranking firm. Five architecture firms — ADG Inc./Mackey Mitchell Architects; KSQ Architects, P.C./Rand Elliott Architects; Bockus Payne Architects/Ayers Saint Gross; Frankfurt-Short Bruza Associates, P.C./KWK Architects and MA+ Architecture/TreanorHL — are being considered for involvement in the plan, and ADG Inc./Mackey Mitchell Architects has the highest ranking from the board.

Construction is set to start this winter on a $3 million pedestrian bridge that will create a safe passage at Northwest Expressway and Wilshire Boulevard for users of the Oklahoma City Trails.

Belle Isle Library renovation begins.

The $5.5 million renovation of the Belle Isle Library, opened in 1963, is expected to be completed by early 2022.

Visitors entering the Oklahoma State Capitol will have a grandiose experience as they go into the people’s building, where a $193 million renovation project is more than 75% completed.

The $60 million exterior renovation finished in April.

With 18 months still to go, Project Manager Trait Thompson and his team are on the short stretch to the finish. It would take five legislative sessions to get the restoration done and there are two more sessions to go.