Citizen building serves as quiet backdrop to OKC memorial museum

Sitting 168 feet high, the Citizen building on North Robinson Street in Downtown Oklahoma City was intentionally designed to remember the 168 lives lost 30 years ago in the Oklahoma City bombing.  

Associate Architect Eric Schmid said it was also designed to be the perfect backdrop to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Schmid added, “We couldn't put a building here without at least contributing and addressing what has happened in this location historically, in the past.”

While the outside of the building is dark, Schmid said the inside is filled with life, opportunity and growth.

Sharing in this experience is Nathan Friels, who is the Operations Director for The Verge OKC, an occupant in the building. Although Friels was not born when the bombing happened, he, like many others, has heard several stories.  

“One of my best friends growing up, even like, his mom's office there, and I think was ... running late to the office that morning,” said Friels.  

He said sometimes, when looking out of the window across at the museum, he builds his own connection.  

“Working here, like, you start to kind of build your own story of why it's impactful,” added Friels.  

Within the walls are pieces dedicated to the sacred place across the street. 

Pieces like wording in one of the slates on the first floor, which has a reference to a scripture in Ephesians.  

One of the first businesses inside Citizen was The Verge, a hub for entrepreneurial connections.  

Executive Director Kristin Garcia said there was a moment they had to figure out how they fit into the story.  

“It's just so special because we tell people, this community room that we're sitting in right now really represents what we're trying to do, where we look at the history of where we've been,” said Garcia.  

The building was just finished in the fall of 2024, and tenants moved in in January of this year.

Schmid added that it was a collaborative effort, including input from museum president Kari Watkins.