What first was built to represent the heritage of the Masonic Order became known for business journalism and, ultimately, survival in the face of tragedy. Originally constructed in 1923 as the India Temple Shrine, it later housed the offices and press of The Journal Record newspaper. The building made headlines of its own, suffering tremendous damage in the Murrah federal building bombing of April 19, 1995. Since then, it has been restored as the new National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism. The Oklahoma City Industrial and Cultural Facilities Trust designed the $5.8 million, 30,000-square-foot building rehabilitation. Because the structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the exterior design and repair work were coordinated closely with the State Historic Preservation Office. The renovation included gutting the interior down to the structural frame and redesigning the interior cores, stairs and public lobbies so the space could be utilized as a tenant office building in the future. Facing the Oklahoma City National Memorial, the “damaged” appearance of its south side has been retained, with new, dark-tinted glass windows.

Project 180 streetscape renovations installed a series of destination markers throughout downtown Oklahoma City. The destination markers depict an aerial map with a small silver pin that denotes “you are here.” The outer ring of each destination marker highlights a local historic or pop culture event specific to the city. Historical significance: The Shrine Auditorium inside the Masonic Temple was once a venue for grand stage plays and operas before changing its name to the Home State Theater after World War II. There were actually a few small theaters inside as well including Harding Hall on the fifth floor, which hosted political speakers, church services, and even showed news reels during the war. This marker reads: Constructed in 1923 as the Masonic Shrine Temple and Theatre, this building hosted the state premier of the movie “Oklahoma!” and was later home to the Journal Record Company. Heavily damaged in the 1995 Murrah Bombing, it now serves as the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.