Seminole City Hall will soon vacate the historic building on Main Street and move into a bank building on Broadway.

The Seminole City Council this week entered into an agreement to purchase the downtown BancFirst location for $150,000. Ownership will transfer after the completion of the bank’s new building, which will be constructed on Milt Phillips just north of Braum’s.

Mayor Cory Crabtree said the council evaluated the costs of bringing the current city hall into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), and the $150,000 price tag on the bank building was the more affordable option.

“The plan is to make that location our city hall. Our 1930s city hall simply isn’t accessible for disabled citizens. This will give everyone equal access without having to spend millions,” Crabtree said.

According to Ward One City Councilor Dana Miller, the new city hall will feature several amenities, including a drive-thru payment center.

“Having a drive through to pay water bills along with other things will be a new level of service for our citizens,” Miller said.

City Manager Steve Saxon was quick to point out that building came at a huge bargain for the city.

“We are obviously getting a great deal,” Saxon stated. 'We are grateful to Bancfirst for working through the contract process and we couldn’t be more excited about the opportunities this will give us to better serve our people.”

Saxon added that the Main Street building will not remain empty.

“We have already had significant interest from potential employers who would occupy the current city hall,” Saxon said.

Municipal Building history Around 1927, Seminole city planners erected a two-story building for a city hall, fire station, police station, and jail on Fourth Street between Oak and Broadway. It was quickly apparent due to the population increase that the facilities were inadequate. The school district had completed a newer, larger high school (its second building in 10 years) and the “old” high school building located at Main and Evans became available to the city government in 1930.

Between 1930 and 1934, the building and former basketball arena housed offices and a civic center. Many groups held events there until Dec. 29, 1934, when a gas leak in the auditorium caused the building to explode, causing three fatalities and several injuries. After the office area was repaired and the need for newer offices was identified, the city council contemplated a bond issue to pay for a new civic center and offices.

In 1935, the Seminole City Council selected the architectural firm of Winkler

the Public Works Administration (PWA). When the grant was approved on Sept. 26, 1935, the PWA had changed the formula where the city had to provide 55% of the cost and the federal government provided 45% in grant monies.

Since the winter of 1936 was harsh, groundbreaking did not occur until that March and a grand opening was held on Thanksgiving Day 1936.