Historic 23rd Street Armory to transform into $23 million entertainment venue
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — New developments are coming to the metro, expanding our entertainment options and boosting the economy.
The historic 23rd Street Armory is set to become an entertainment venue.
The transformation of this building has been a topic of discussion for some time.
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services issued a request for proposal (RFP) relating to the property in 2018.
The RFP was originally awarded to COOP Ale Works, but after COVID-19 the project was abandoned.
Oklahoma City-based Fischer Companies later acquired COOP Ale Works in 2022, and the real estate was part of that acquisition.
Now Fischer Companies has reached a joint venture agreement with Rogers, AR, based investment firm Beaty Capital Group, Inc. to redevelop the armory through Beaty's brand TempleLive.
"I think the possibilities are pretty endless when it comes to the use of the building," said Justin Bridgewater, senior talent buyer for TempleLive.
"It's repurposed in a way that people feel that tie to the community and whether they had family members, you know, in the guard there or just something where they just love historic buildings," said Bridgewater.
The $23 million project will transform the armory into a 4,500-capacity theater, featuring a smaller 500-capacity venue designed to support local and up-and-coming artists.
"We'll book everything from, you know, comedy to Latin to pop to rock to country to hip hop," said Bridgewater.
The space will also be able to host weddings, corporate events and private parties.
"It's not just a concert venue," said Alex Jennings, SkyBridge Development.
Dining is also part of the plan.
"There will be a patio restaurant and we're hoping to continue to work with the state to open up the view of the capital," said Jennings.
There will also be a micro brewery pub.
"It will actually be a place where state employees and people that live in the area can go to," said Bridgewater.
Developers will work with the state historic preservation office to keep the history of the armory alive.
"So one of the key things is this very large open space, which is a character defining feature of the building," said Sara Werneke, tax incentives program coordinator and historic preservation architect for the Oklahoma Historical Society.
This project aims to honor the armory's past, while giving it new life as an entertainment hub.
Construction is set to begin this spring with an anticipated opening in 2026.