Downtown building closed
BY RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Oklahoma's November 2011 earthquake likely caused the structural damage that resulted Wednesday in the closing of a downtown building.
Work crews erected barricades and scaffolding around the Excalibur Building, 324 S. Main St., after an engineering report received Christmas Eve recommended the building be evacuated. The report cited damage to supporting columns as well as exterior cracks.
John Bair, president of World Publishing, said masonry and cement from the building's exterior fell to the sidewalk in late August this year, prompting a thorough engineering inspection. Bair said the barriers were put up as a safety measure and that the building is still being evaluated.
The building, owned by World Publishing, has been vacant for some time except for an Arby's restaurant on the first floor. The restaurant has closed and is not expected to reopen.
