Dear members,
We have some important news to share with you. The OPEA Board of Directors has approved the sale of our current office buildings located at 13 NE 28th St. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105.
Why sell the building?
The current OPEA office was purchased in the early 1990s and was built in the 1950s. We are excited to move to a new modern location that is more attractive to our members and future OPEA employees! We want a space where members feel welcome and encouraged to visit.
In light of the Covid pandemic, we have re-evaluated our traditional workforce model for all staff. This includes providing flexible work arrangements, collaborative spaces, and remote work capabilities, and we want to ensure a good work/life balance. Currently, the majority of our staff works from home and we do not see that changing in the future. The current OPEA office is just over 9,000 sq. ft. and has 10 offices with 2 large meeting spaces and a 5,000 sq. ft. warehouse. The current property was once an oil company office so it was built to match the needs of an oil company in the 1950’s not a modern office space for an employee association. Owning and maintaining a large office building comes with substantial financial commitments. Utility bills, property taxes, maintenance costs, and insurance premiums add up to significant overhead expenses.
In addition, the current office space has increased in value by quite a bit. With the sale of this old office space, we will be able to upgrade to a modern office to build the future of our association. This office space has served us well for over 30 years, but it is time to upgrade!
Where are we moving to?
We have not decided on the exact location yet, but once the building is under contract to sell we will have plenty of options. We plan to stay within 3-5 miles of the Oklahoma State Capitol. We are seeking a new office that is modern, has 5-6 office spaces, a meeting space, a lobby for our members, and a kitchenette to host people and events in our office. Our members will be informed through every step of this process.
Is the association OK?
YES! We understand that the departure of long-time Executive Director Sterling Zearley and the decision to sell the building may make some question the health of our association. We are proud to tell you OPEA is doing great. The building sale was initiated long before Sterling Zearley was offered his new role at the Department of Tourism. Our board of Directors has been working on this for months.
Therefore, selling the building has become a practical choice for us. It’s important that OPEA has facilities equipped with the latest technology to support remote work, virtual meetings, and efficient communication and collaboration among our team members. We wanted to inform our members of this change and explain why it is important for the future success of OPEA. Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support.
In Solidarity,
OPEA Board of Directors
