Oral A. Selkridge's Biography

Photo courtesy of Oral Selkridge

Born in Antigua, Oral A. Selkridge moved to a poverty-stricken section of the Bronx with his parents and siblings, when he was just eight years old. The second oldest of five siblings, he became a caregiver for his family beginning at age 14, when his youngest brother, Stephen, was diagnosed with brain cancer. For over 40 years, he cared for his single mother, two brothers and two sisters. (Stephen, who became disabled since childhood, passed away in 2015. Oral’s older brother, Oliver, died in Oral’s arms in 2020, and his mother passed away in 2005.)

Despite life’s early hurdles, Oral holds a bachelor's degree from The City College of New York's School of Architecture and a Master of Science in Construction Management from New York University's School of Engineering. He is a registered architect in the State of New York and a LEED Accredited Professional. He is also a former Olympian who competed for Antigua in the men's 400 meters hurdles at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, becoming a CCNY Track & Field Hall of Fame inductee.

In addition to his own athletic accomplishments, he helped his sister, Barbara, get through college in Texas and train and compete with him for Antigua in the 1988 Summer Olympics (the women’s 400 meters hurdles, 4 x 400 meters relay and 400-meter dash) and for the 1990 U.S. National Olympic Junior Team. Barbara is the current record holder for the Antiguan 400 meters hurdles.

Oral has worked for several nationally recognized architectural and engineering firms specializing in the design and construction of institutional projects where he was responsible for all aspects of project management and design. His involvement included initial programming, schematic design, construction documentation, construction contract administration and construction close-out on a variety of projects ranging from minor infrastructure repairs to extensive modernization and the construction of new facilities.

Oral is currently a Deputy Program Director for the New York City Department of Design and Construction and the founder of Selkridge Architecture, PLLC. Always feeling a sincere drive to improve his community, he became a member of Community Board 11 in 2008 and has been the Land Use Co-chair since 2014. A father of three adult children who were all born in Community Board 11, Oral and his wife purchased their home here in 2003.