Will the Hotel Marion be Lost to History?
The Hotel Marion shown (left) in this 1950s photo, courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society.
I’m not a building engineer. I don’t play one on television. And no, I didn’t sleep at a Holiday Inn last night. The Hotel Marion at NW 10 and Broadway is one gorgeous building – and also a heart-breaker. The building’s owners, Bob Howard, Mickey Clagg and Chris Fleming, have shown themselves to be good stewards of the properties assembled under former MidTown Renaissance lead Greg Banta. But without any attached parking, and purchased for more than it was probably worth, this building won’t be easy for anyone to tackle.
Time, I fear, may be running short.
We’re all familiar with what the front facade looks like:
The Hotel Marion at NW 10 and Broadway - boarded up for more than a quarter century.
But how often do we look at the alley facade of the property?
If we look really close, we might not like what we see:
See a jig-saw line going down the corner of an old building may not be a good omen of what's to come.... Preservationists take note - this is one of the city's oldest structures.
I’m not presuming the owners to be negligent or in way targeting this building for demolition. But if preservationists are looking for a way to rebound from SandRidge, some creative ideas might be needed to prevent Mother Nature from taking the Marion down. City leaders -could Murrah funds be available for this building? National Historic Trust – are there any grants that can be found?
Readers, should we even care whether the Marion is around for another decade?
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Comments
This is my favorite building in the city and I have tried very hard to find some good history and photos of it but surprisingly, I have found little documentation on it. Can you give us a couple paragraphs on the buildings history?
Casey, I’ve never really spent the time to fully research this property. It’s best described as a “Queen Ann” style design, and was built in 1904.
Here is what I wrote in 2006:
Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Edition: CITY, Section: BUSINESS, Page 4B
Recent coverage of Greg Banta’s acquisition spree in MidTown sparked some memories by readers about one of his newest additions — the 98-year-old Hotel Marion at 110 NW 10, Oklahoma City.
J. Malcolm Haney’s grandmother, Bess L. Haney, operated the hotel from 1946 to 1971.
Malcolm correctly recalls the hotel’s east facade for years had a sign that boasted it was “The Nicest Small Hotel You’ll Find.”
“This place has a very special place in our family’s past,” Haney said.
“Our safe haven was staying at the Marion with Bessie in room 110, which had two single beds … Many of Bessie’s rooms were occupied by permanent residents, including three terrific small apartments in the basement. It was the last place many army recruits stayed before they shipped off to boot camp because the U.S. Army recruiting center was across the street.”
Haney’s cousin Bob Villareal recalled the hotel’s telephone booth had a ventilation fan that turned on upon entry.
“You could put your finger in the fan without injury,” Villareal said.
Villareal still remembers the hotel’s corner room, home to an old radio and his grandmother’s parakeet.
Photographs from Bess Haney’s lifetime were displayed throughout the hotel.
“I’ll never forget the smells in that old place,” Villareal said. “There was a certain aura about the hotel that’s hard to put in words, but it always felt peaceful and happy. Of course, it was never the same without Bessie. She was the heart of the Marion.”
Instead of building a new structure, I would love to see the chamber take one of these buildings and rehab it for their new headquarters. I kinda thought the building on the NW side of 10th and broadway would be another good site for the chamber.
Steve, For sure, in some ways it’s an attractive building. But, I think it’s too far gone to save.
I suggest a developer erect a modern building with the same classic exterior. Maybe use some of the same bricks.
I think the City should be obligated to pay for several (3)story parking buildings throughout Midtown and Auto Alley. I think they are neccessary for infill to occur.
But the city has a offensive track record when it comes to these situations. If it’s not the river or Bricktown or inside the BID they don’t care.
But I can’t think of a reason why Mickey Clagg and Bob Howard would not proceed with the renovation. They have the money and there is no excuse for them to not renovate The Marion. The tax credits are provided to fill the financial Gap. You can’t look at The Marion as a stand alone investment. It is a major contributing asset to the fabric of Auto Alley and Midtown. You can’t tell me some of those buildings Steve Mason renovated looked good investment wise individually on paper. But collectively they have been a Smash Hit. As Jeff Speck would say this would be a BIG missing front tooth.
To be clear – the Howard/Clagg group have no intention of tearing down the Hotel Marion. That having been said, Mother Nature may have some different ideas. That’s why I’m bringing this up …
Steve, isn’t the greatest source for historical photos in this City your employer, the OPUBCO photo archives?
I’d say it’s one of the top archives. Better photos of the Marion, however, are in the custody of OHS and I’ll post those later today.
I really like Jeff’s idea of restoring an existing historic structure for the new chamber HQ. This building, or perhaps the India Temple building would be perfect. Then maybe Sandridge wouldn’t tear it down. 
With enough money (and in this case it can be found) anything can be restored. Maybe it’s just me but I think history should be shown off. Why can’t it be a museum? St. Anthony Hospital has a small museum in it. There are so many places that could be made into small museum sites and if they work on it they could connect them through tours making something unique.
I have to agree. The answer to that last question is a definite and resounding yes. Such a beautiful piece of history should not be left to go to waste.
I’m new to Oklahoma (4 yrs ago) and the first time I drove past The Hotel Marion (swear to God!) the building called out to me. I felt an affinity to it. Felt sorry for it. I’ve never had a structure do that to me before. I later mentioned it to my sister (who moved to Oklahoma a few years before I did) and she said the exact same thing! She and I live very separate lives, but we both “knew” the same old boarded-up building – and both felt a sort of kinship with it. I figure its haunted – perhaps by a friendly spirit wanting it to get some TLC. I want to go inside.
I have always enjoyed and found my self smiling when passing by the Marion, ever since I moved back to OKC in 1990. My grandmother had mentioned that grand dad and her had stayed there several times in the 30′s. I’m hopeful that good things are in store for the old lady (meaning the Marion), and would be honored and and absolutely thrilled for it’s eventual renovation and reopening celebration in the near future. Please put me on your list of guests. BC PENNINGTON
It would be such a shame not to save this beautiful antique of a building!