First National opening to the public on Tuesday with opening of The National Hotel

The beacon at First National is bathed in bright colors, hailing its rebirth as a power center of opulence and splendor in the heart of Oklahoma City.

The National, a 146-room Autograph by Marriott hotel, opens Tuesday following a $287 million restoration and renovation that is the largest commercial preservation job in state history. Residents started moving into apartments on the 14th through 32nd floors.

The opening of the hotel on the remaining floors marks the first time the building has been fully occupied in more than 30 years when it lost its anchor, First National Bank, during the depth of the 1980s oil bust.

The hotel joins 12 other historic hotels operated by Tulsa-based Coury Hospitality, including the Colcord and the Ambassador hotels in Oklahoma City. Jason Gifford, who previously ran The Last Hotel, another historic property in St. Louis, passed on several opportunities to advance in his career to await a chance to apply for to be the opening general manager at The National.

More: Dilapidated to decadent: Get a first look into the new apartments at First National Center

“We’re ahead of pace for what Marriott considers a successful hotel opening,” Gifford said. “That’s nice to have in the back pocket. Marriott considers a successful opening at 10 times the number of guest rooms. We have 146 guest rooms, so at opening they want to see 1,460 rooms on the books. We’re already ahead of that.”

More openings are set through summer that include the relocation of the First National barbershop with the original chairs and fixtures on the first floor; Golden Acorn, a chocolatier and coffee shop, Stock and Bond steakhouse; The Library of Distilled Spirits, which will offer over 1,500 unique expressions of distilled spirits and will be located in the former basement vaults; and retailer Lucchese Boots.

The hotel rooms are designed to reflect the Native American and art deco design influences found both outside and inside the tower. The furnishings, including headboards, light fixtures, pillows and other decor, all reflect the vibe of what First National was like in the 1930s while also set up with modern amenities.

Located on the third floor, the hotel includes a 900-square-foot Presidential Suite boasting a large dining table, high ceilings, and multiple connecting rooms with a door that opens up to a view of the Great Banking Hall.

First time guests are expected to be amazed upon entry into the Great Banking Hall, which consists of 14 marble and stone columns leading up to an ornate ceiling and glass skylight.

Four large murals look across the hall from each of its corners. Painted by Edgar Spier Cameron, of Chicago, each scene depicts tales of the city’s Native American and frontier history.

Both the skylight over the two-story Great Banking Hall and the beacon atop the tower are equipped with an array of multi-colored LED lights, with the lighting in the hall able to be programmed to change along to whatever music is being played.

Photo gallery: First National bars, cafe and retail take shape

The original banking counters, 42 teller's gates, are now the backdrop for Tellers, one of two restaurants opening along with the hotel on Tuesday. The restaurant will offer interpretations of regional Italian cuisine, wood oven-baked Neapolitan pizzas, and locally sourced vegetables and steaks cooked over a wood-burning grill.

The Great Hall, also opening Tuesday, is designed to evoke the feel of Europe’s majestic all-day bars. The bar, in the heart of the Great Banking Hall, will feature espressos paired with fresh baked pastries, craft European cocktails such as Italian Aperitivos and Spanish Gintonicos complemented by antipasti and Neapolitan pizzas from Tellers.

While visiting the restaurants, guests can request opera glasses — the designated unique mark of The National and a part of the Autograph Collection branding — to zoom in and view less obvious architectural details of the hall.

Hotel guests also will have exclusive access to the third floor, where gun turret openings lining the east, north and south sides of the former banking hall, now provide a unique view of the hotel lobby.

“This bank was built in 1931 when Bonnie and Clyde, Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson were all robbing banks throughout the Midwest and in Oklahoma City as well,” Gifford said. “If someone was trying to rob the bank, and this bank was never robbed, these doors would open and they would provide the gunmen space to focus on the banking floor.”

As a result, Gifford said, the bank was never robbed.

“You would have needed 20 to 30 people to pull it off,” Gifford said.

More: The storied history that led to revival of First National.

It’s those kinds of stories Gifford is training each employee to ensure they can share them with guests during the entirety of their stay. He is also hoping to collect new stories from guests.

“This building was very special to the city,” Gifford said. “And the stories people tell is what I’m interested in hearing. And hearing those stories, including some of them into tours, brings the building to life.”

Steve Lackmeyer started at The Oklahoman in 1990. He is an award-winning reporter, columnist and author who covers downtown Oklahoma City, urban development and economics for The Oklahoman. Contact him at [email protected]. Please support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Public to see renovated First National with hotel opening on Tuesday