Well here's the long awaited Tulsa development news thread.

1. Crazy Fish Films, a Christian-based studio, announced plans for a $500,000,000 production facility, the East Village Studio Project. The facility will be located squarely between OSU-Tulsa and University of Tulsa, on Downtown's east side, and is working in conjuction with the OSU-Tulsa cinematography school.

2. http://www.uticaplace.com/

Construction on the Tower and Garage to begin next month, Penthouses available Fall 2006.

Construction on the Courtyard Villas to begin Summer 2006, Available in Spring 2007.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/Simwiz/up.jpg

More info (http://urbanok.9.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=10)

3. A new residential concept has arrived in Tulsa — luxury Loft Apartments situated in a mixed-use high rise rich in historic and architectural prestige. The Philtower, with its tradition as host to landmark business enterprises and flagship retail shopping, has been re-imagined as a site of high-end residential living. Nowhere else in Tulsa do style, history, and convenience converge with such distinction.

Currently accepting applications for occupancy beginning September 2005, The Philtower will offer its residents a range of deluxe amenities, unparalleled views of downtown, and watchful attention to security concerns.



For more info call River City Development @ 918.584.0331.


http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/renderings/kitchen_12a.jpg
Kitchen interiors.

http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/renderings/patio_12_west.jpg
Patios on West Side of 12th Floor.

http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/views/north_view.jpg
http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/views/boston_main_mall.jpg
http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/views/southwest_view.jpg
Truly a view from the top.

http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/lobby/lobby_looking_west.jpg
http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/lobby/lobby_staircase.jpg
http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/lobby/lobby_clock.jpg
http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/lobby/lobby_ceiling_lamp.jpg
http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/lobby/lobby_without_doorman.jpg
http://www.philtower.com/images/gallery/lobby/lobby_door_to_5th.jpg
The Lobby.

http://www.philtower.com/

More info (http://urbanok.9.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=9)

4. OETA wants $1.9 million from the state to move into TCC's campus. OETA's current offices are in a former pizzeria at North Sheridan Avenue. They say that their offices would be built adjacent to the Tulsa Community College.

That lobby is gorgeous!

Finally a Tulsa thread!...

Oklahoma is seeing reaction to it's initiatives to bring the film industry to the state.

The renderings of the Philtower units look really trendy and cool, especially the awesome garden-patio. It does have a really amazing lobby! Very castle-y.

Utica Place is also very fantastic. I love the sort of themed architecture like this Italian-village style, it's really fun.

I guess it's the statewide OETA offices and not just the Tulsa station? OETA is starting to do a lot more local programming than it has in the past.

They are also becoming digital with our tax dollars.

And actually other states are doing the same thing with the film industry; taking well developed ques from cities like Austin and Atlanta, that do have a well developed film industry.

Oklahoma is moving at a faster-than-avg rate, but it isn't amazing. Let me emphasize that other states DO exist.

No, I really think that Oklahoma is doing a tremendous job at playing a bit of catch-up to a lot of places in the country, esp Texas. Texas has done a lot in the way of overshadowing OK inthe past decades and has moved ahead in the oil industry.
But now OK is moving away from its days of reliance on oil, and is seeing a lot of great new expansion in economy.

niceeee?

Good point, eweezerinc: People whine and moan when Tulsa loses an oil corporation to Houston, but when IBM announces they are hiring 1,000 highly paid downtown jobs, no one bats an eye.

Visited the Tulsa Fairgrounds this weekend. Every time I go there is a new barn or arena. This time they were clearing more old barns to make room for something new. The facility is starting to look really nice. I hear that as far as big, week-long events are concerned, the facility is booked until 2015. It looks really nice. I don't have pictures. :(

Good point, eweezerinc: People whine and moan when Tulsa loses an oil corporation to Houston, but when IBM announces they are hiring 1,000 highly paid downtown jobs, no one bats an eye.
Very true.

Oklahoma's only holdback throughout the years has been the fact that it boomed from oil, and then had no diversity in industry and saw itself not able to pick up the slack when oil companies left.
This mindset is changing and I think will lead to Tulsa citizens become more diverse in thinking about the potential of areas which have become a bit forgotten. When things boomed in the 70's, there was a lot of haphazard and poor planning in the city.

These new developments are steps in the right direction for preserving how the projects and surrounding areas will be in 20 years.
Future planning was something overlooked in the past I think.

Well I dunno about that. I suppose it’s all relative, isn’t it?

Tulsa’s economic planning has been fantastic. It just sucked that when things turned around there was a tech bust.

BOK Arena/Convention Center -- Cesar Pelli
http://www.vision2025.info/includes/pages/eventcenterprojections/photo.gif

It's designed by Cesar Pelli, I hear site clearing at least has begun. It's a beautiful building and it should bring a lot of new business to Tulsa. This is one of the Vision 2025 tax initiative projects.

:okay: Great design!^^

Wow! That convention center is just stunning!

BOK Arena/Convention Center -- Cesar Pelli
http://www.vision2025.info/includes/buttonlinks/welcome_photo.jpg

It's designed by Cesar Pelli, I hear site clearing at least has begun. It's a beautiful building and it should bring a lot of new business to Tulsa. This is one of the Vision 2025 tax initiative projects.

Yea the site is already cleared it takes up four blocks that used to be surface lots and abandoned buildings.

Very true.

Oklahoma's only holdback throughout the years has been the fact that it boomed from oil, and then had no diversity in industry and saw itself not able to pick up the slack when oil companies left.
This mindset is changing and I think will lead to Tulsa citizens become more diverse in thinking about the potential of areas which have become a bit forgotten. When things boomed in the 70's, there was a lot of haphazard and poor planning in the city.

These new developments are steps in the right direction for preserving how the projects and surrounding areas will be in 20 years.
Future planning was something overlooked in the past I think.


Tulsa is doing good with diversifying the economy.
I moved here because my company relocated our corporate office and 1600 jobs from Ft. Lauderdale to Tulsa. Only less than 200 have moved here from Florida the rest are Oklahomans :) Tulsa/Tulsa metro that is.

Tulsa is doing good with diversifying the economy.
I moved here because my company relocated our corporate office and 1600 jobs from Ft. Lauderdale to Tulsa. Only less than 200 have moved here from Florida the rest are Oklahomans :) Tulsa/Tulsa metro that is.
An obvious sign that things are going well for Tulsa. :okay:
Great to hear that the BOK will take up crap lots too! :D

There is a webcam of the project underway. A live stream. So if your really obsessed...!!! LOL

Over 12K news jobs in Tulsa over last 2 years.

Tell me Tulsa's economy is not booming...

Hey guys the crane is now up for Utica Place. Saw it on the midtown skyline from I-44 as I was driving back in to Tulsa today from OKC.

I drove over there and it looks like they are constructing the underground parking (if thats what it is)

^^
Utica Place is gonna be awsome. I honestly can't wait to see how it turns out!

I don’t think that the project is all that big… if it was another University Club, I would be very impressed, but it’s not. It’s just news.

Hooray a Tulsa thread! How'd I miss this before? :?

I was looking at a map of OKlahoma the other day and was wondering what was going on here.

I'm flying to Tulsa Saturday morning for a Christmas party and flying out the following morning. I'll see if I can't get some pictures during my night's stay.

Well, hope y'all enjoyed the city while you were there.

And now... sprouting out of a cornfield near you... it's Bixby! A major convention center is going to be built in Bixby, along with a lot of restaurant and hotel development.

And what's more is that the area around 121st and Memorial, which where 30,000 people live from within a 3-mile radius, is expected to have 50,000 by 2009.

Bixby is Oklahoma's 2nd fastest growing city, behind Jenks, another Tulsa suburb across the Arkansas River.

The third fastest growing city is also a Tulsa suburb. Owasso has about 25,000 people, and is on the other side of the airport from downtown Tulsa. My guess is that they'll reclaim their title of fastest growing from last year when the AA maintenance center is finished at TIA, employing thousands, and pumping tax dollars into that area.

Here's the biggest news for Downtown Tulsa right now...

Dec. 17, 2005 (Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News delivered by Newstex) --
Dec. 17--Two California investors who purchased five buildings in downtown Tulsa earlier this year have added or are in the process of adding 10 more to their portfolio.

Maurice Kanbar and Henry Kaufman paid $61.5 million for 1.4 million square feet of space within the 10 buildings in recent months, said Ray Feldman, a Tulsa lawyer who represents the two men.

Last summer, they acquired 293,000 square feet of downtown space for $9.4 million.

The combined purchases total $70.9 million and bump the men's stake in downtown Tulsa to nearly 1.7 million square feet -- more than 20 percent of the total 8.1 million square feet of building space downtown, said Paul Williams of CB Richard Ellis (NYSE:CBG) Oklahoma.

The new acquisitions include the 41-story, 624,000-square-foot First Place Tower at 15 E. Fifth St. and the 32-story, 287,000-square-foot Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) Center at 15 W. Sixth St., Feldman said.

They are also under contract to purchase the 14-story, 118,000-square-foot Petroleum Club Building at 601 S. Boulder Ave.

Jim Norton, president of Downtown Tulsa Unlimited, said Kanbar and Kaufman plan to spend an undisclosed amount of money to renovate the buildings in an effort to bring round-the-clock commerce and entertainment to the area.

"It's a very positive sign that we have outside investors coming in and buying all these buildings," Norton said. "It's a good opportunity to have someone with an outside perspective come in and develop a comprehensive strategy for moving forward."

Norton said Kanbar and Kaufman are hoping to purchase even more downtown buildings.

Tulsa Metro Chamber President Jay Clemens said the purchases are part of a trend toward out-of-state investment in Tulsa.

"There continues to be a significant interest in real estate investment in our community," he said in a statement. "This investment and the quantity in properties is a very strong signal that investors recognize the potential of Vision 2025 projects and is really spurring interest.

"This is a great example of people wanting to see Tulsa move forward."

Tax stamps for First Place Tower indicate a sale price of more than $38 million. Tulsa County has assessed the market value of First Place at just $8.14 million.

Tulsa County records show that Kanbar and Kaufman paid about $14.4 million for the Bank of America Center, though the property has a market value of $9.2 million.

The McBirney and Cordell buildings at 417 and 419 S. Main St., respectively, each with three stories and 6,000 square feet, as well as the Enterprise Building, 522 S. Boston Ave, which has nine stories and 130,000 square feet, were jointly purchased for about $1 million.

The six-story, 80,000-square-foot Avanti Building at 810 S. Cincinnati Ave. was sold to the Californians for $2.4 million, said Doug Bauer of Bauer & Associates, the firm that handled the transaction.

One Main Plaza and Two Main Plaza, each three-story, 32,000-square-foot buildings at 610 and 616 S. Main St., respectively, sold for a combined $1.7 million.

201 Building, 201 W. Fifth St., a six-story, 74,300-square foot structure, sold for $4 million, revenue stamps show.

Feldman said all of these buildings were purchased by Kanbar and Kaufman, though the deeds for each building list several ownership entities.

Last summer, the two men spent an estimated $9.4 million to purchase the Adams Building, 403 S. Cheyenne Ave.; the Oil Capital Building, 507 S. Main St.; the Pythian Building, 423 S. Boulder Ave.; the Secure Agent Building, 111 W. Fifth St.; and Two West Sixth Street, which also has been known as the Public Service of Oklahoma Building and the Transok Building.

These five purchases were all made under the name Kanbar Spirits Inc.

Feldman said his clients have developed an attachment to Tulsa that goes beyond property deeds.

"They're of the opinion that Tulsa is a lovely city," he said. "Henry has said he's fallen in love with it."

Much of Kaufman's inspiration for downtown Tulsa comes from New York's SoHo area, which went from being largely shuttered and decrepit to a thriving arts district, Feldman said.

Kaufman believes "the energy came from the move-in of artists, galleries, entertainers and people who followed the opportunities to go to places of interest," Feldman said.

Part of the desire to invest in downtown Tulsa came from the voter passage of the Vision 2025 sales tax package, he said.

Feldman said Kanbar and Kaufman plan to make a financial investment in every building in their portfolio.

Kaufman has met with members of DTU, as well as other downtown building owners, real estate experts and city civic organizations to gather suggestions for possible uses for the buildings that would fit in with an overall downtown revival, Feldman said.

"His idea is to create a synergy between art, housing and retail as well as office space," Williams said.

He said Kaufman feels art should be a major component of downtown and is considering the establishment of an art museum on the ground floor of one of the buildings.

The plans for the downtown buildings have raised the hopes of many in the local real estate industry, Williams said.

"If this all comes off, this would be a major revitalization of downtown," he said.

Kanbar is reportedly in love with Tulsa, and has been interested in increasing his monopoly in downtown Tulsa. So watch this thread!!

FYI, Kanbar's holdings, I don't know if it was mentioned in the article, account to about 20% of the entire space in downtown Tulsa.

The California buyers have bought more downtown Tulsa buildings. They now own 28% of all downtown Tulsa space. I really can't wait to see what happens with these buildings. I'm hoping residential and retail for some of it.

First Place Tower, 15 E 5th St, 41 floors, 516 ft, 624,000 sq ft, 1973
Bank Of America Center, 15 W 6th St, 32 floors, 417 ft, 287,000 sq ft, 1967
Petroleum Club Building, 601 S Boulder, 14 floors, 196 ft, 118,000 sq ft, 1963
Amoco South, 519 S. Boston, 14 floors, 424,000 sq ft, 1965
Philcade, 501 S. Boston Ave, 14 floors, 167 ft, 424,000 sq ft, 1931
Adams Building, 403 S. Cheyenne Ave, 13 floors, 195 ft, 52,000 sq ft, 1928
Atlas Life Building, 415 S. Boston, 12 floors, 93,500 sq ft, 1922
The Secure Agent Building, 111 W. Fifth St, 10 floors, 165 ft, 98,000 sq ft, 1928
Enterprise Building, 610 S Boston, 9 floors, 132,000 sq ft
Two West Sixth Street Building, 8 floors, 66,000 sq ft, 1929
The Oil Capital Building, 507 S. Main St, 7 Floors, 38,000 sq ft, 1920
201 Building, 201 W 5th, 6 floors, 73,000 sq ft
Avanti Building, 810 S Cincinnati, 6 floors, 80,000 sq ft
The Pythian Building, 423 S. Boulder Ave, 3 floors, 40,000 sq ft
McBirney Building, 417 S Main, 3 floors, 6,000 sq ft
Cordell Building, 419 S Main, 3 floors, 6,000 sq ft
One Main Plaza, 610 S Main, 3 floors, 32,000 sq ft
Two Main Plaza, 616, S Main, 3 floors, 32,000 sq ft
------

Tulsa has been ranked as the 14th fittest city in the nation by Men's Health.
-------

I-44 is undergoing widening through Tulsa.

Oh has that started yet? I was through just about two weekends ago. I hadn't thought they were going to start the over haul of I 44 from about Skelly Drive to Yale or Harvard. Let's just call it "east of Sheridan."

Actually OKC is the nation's 17th fattest city... and Tulsa is the nation's 14th fittest City... so... I wonder if... that means anything? LOL

bad double post, sorry

I think the study was based on things like # of fast food places (which would be distorted due to OKC's huge land area), presence of trails and parks etc etc not necessarily real health data.

Tulsa does seem to fit the description of a healthy city though. Don't know why, I just get that vibe. Lots of trees and a river make the land seem healthy, so the people seem healthier too...?

And I'm not sure about the I44 but I know I heard their plan of action to start with the east side of the project and move west.

I hope they plan on taking out the old Camelot Hotel, which in it's hay day was great, but sits vacant as one of Tulsa's worst eyesores today. Of course someone could but it and we could have a mini-Skirvin-type thing, but I don't know if that applies to buildings outside of a downtown. I say just tear it down and build a new freeway over it!

Kanbar and Kaufman have bought 3 more buildings, bringing their total to about 2.25 million sq ft of space in downtown Tulsa, or 32%. They don't quit.

In other news, a metro Tulsa man has been elected president of the National Home Builders Association at the convention this year in Orlando, FL.

Businesses along I-44 are begining to close down already and moving to other areas of the city in prep for the widening.
It hasn't started yet.
The arena has some activity with some concrete poured for the basement check the vision2025 cam.

That is if Coburn doesn't mess this up. Not that his stance isn't RIGHT ON. He should just wait.

Sprouting out of a cornfield near you... Bixby!!

Bixby - More explosive growth is announced for Bixby. That growth includes a convention center, hotel and more shops. People there say what helps Bixby will benefit all communities in South Tulsa. NewsChannel 8's Bill Mitchell has more on Bixby's boom.

The convention center will go on the north side of Bixby on Memorial near 105th Street where the old Jack Wills store used to be. This week, they are only talking about two things in Bixby -- the development coming to town and the Bixby Spartans' Class 5A championship game on Friday.

Bixby residents are confident the Spartans will win their first state title. But, the city is already winning on the economic development front. The winds of change are sweeping through town again. This time the change is here. In the planning is an 80 to 100 room hotel, a convention center with seating for up to four thousand and upscale shopping.

"The convention center will be a multi-purpose building," says Developer Tim Remy. "And, that building will consist of events from concerts, to trade shows to basketball games."

"There's a lot of city south of 71st street," adds Mickey Thompson. "So, this is the first real venue for meetings, conventions, trade shows."

It should all be ready in 2007. That's about the same time that Tulsa's convention center opens. With all the growth going around the Tulsa metro area, the question is, is there enough business out there for everyone to survive?

"We all cooperate on many ventures," says Bixby banker Scott Mabrey. "The four to fix is a good example. Those improvements are important to all of us. There is room for everybody absolutely."

Mabrey says Bixby is trying to send a message that they're here to grow and they are very business friendly. An attitude like that will insure they continue down the road of economic success.

Tim Remy's company will build, own and operate the 17-million dollar convention center. The total 50-million dollar investment will include 50 stores within walking distance of the convention center and hotel.

The project will get developers a tax rebate over the next ten years. The amount is not to exceed 5-point-5 million dollars.

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1205/285915.html

-----

http://www.bixby.com/121Memorial.htm

I was looking at this, and amazed at how it claimed that by 2009, nearly 50,000 people will live within 3 miles of 121st and Memorial. Now I call that growth.

Oh, and go Spartan!!! I just had to say that.

This sounds like a "town center" type format, which entails new urbanism, which is the new way for suburbs to go in the 21st century. New urbanism is easily adaptable in the instance that a developer wants to come along and build urban lofts or condos adjoined, and you have almost like a mini-downtown area.

As for the hotels, it would be nice if the article provided more info, and if Bixby had a half-way decent website, but for outsiders like me, no such luck!

FYI, Bixby is the 2nd fastest growing OK city.

----

Expo Square progress webcam (http://www.vision2025.info/camera.php?camera=expocamera)

In November construction started on a new heating/colling plant, which will be done in Janueary. There are several other projects under construction. Demolition of the old barns, and construction of the new "super" Barn D and site work for this particular new facility is in progress.

Planned projects include:
New livestock barn
Replace Expo Center roof
Enlarge and update the present North Arena
Add portable seating in the Livestock Arena
Enclose area under the Grandstand, creating a facility for events
Replace the aging Central Plant system
Renovation of Expo Center restrooms
Parking enhancement

http://www.vision2025.info/includes/categories/exposquare/projects/exposquaremasterplan/bigimage1.jpg
Expo Square master plan.

http://www.vision2025.info/includes/categories/exposquare/projects/barnd/bigimage1.jpg
Barn D construction progress.

http://www.vision2025.info/includes/categories/exposquare/projects/barne/main_image.jpg
Barn E construction progress.

http://www.vision2025.info/includes/categories/exposquare/projects/centralplant/main_image.jpg
Central Plant construction progress.

http://www.vision2025.info/includes/categories/exposquare/projects/centralparkhall/main_image.jpg
Central Park Hall construction rendering.

http://www.vision2025.info/includes/categories/exposquare/projects/expocenterroofreplacement/main_image.jpg
Expo Center roof replacement (in progress, $2M price tag).

http://www.vision2025.info/includes/categories/exposquare/projects/livestockarena/bigimage1.jpg
Livestock Arena construction progress.

http://www.vision2025.info/includes/categories/exposquare/projects/pavilionmodification/bigimage2.jpg
http://www.vision2025.info/includes/categories/exposquare/projects/pavilionmodification/main_image.jpg
Pavillion modification. Design work is under way.


-----


http://www.kotv.com/main/home/stories.asp?...page=1&id=96746 (http://www.kotv.com/main/home/stories.asp?whichpage=1&id=96746)

Tulsa Engineering Firm Renovates Downtown Building

http://www.kotv.com/pages/catimages/wallacebuilding.jpg

While some areas of downtown Tulsa are being torn down, an old Tulsa warehouse at 200 East Brady is being saved and refurbished. Wallace Engineering believes it's important to preserve the old structures.

In fact, as News on 6 reporter Steve Berg explains, they're making this one into their company's headquarters. What happens when you turn a bunch of civil engineers loose on their own 1927 warehouse?

Wallace Engineering's Brad Thurman says something interesting. "For us, it was fun, because as engineers, it gives us the ability to come in and do something a little bit different." Different can mean transforming one entire wall into modern steel and glass. But as Thurman takes us on a tour, different can also mean keeping some of the old glass. "They've been re-glazed with double-pane glass, so they've got a good insulation value, but they're all still operable, they'll all still have hardware on them so we can block them open."

And beveled glass would probably fool anybody into thinking it's new. "It really cleaned up beautifully."

The building mixes two different architectural styles although Thurman says they were popular at the same time, while we were doing this in America, they were doing this over in Europe. "It was kind of fun marrying the modern look of the west face with the old part of the building."

Old and new, character and convenience. Thurman says these old buildings can be the best of both worlds. And in many cases he says, it can be cost-effective. After all, this is what they do. "It was a good chance to showcase our wares on our own building."

And they want to showcase what can be done with all the old buildings in the Brady District, which they believe can continue its comeback. "We're hoping that it will show people that it can be done down here."

You might not have heard of Wallace, but they have done many projects in Tulsa and around the country including St. John and St. Francis hospitals, the Quik Trip headquarters, and the Oklahoma History Center among others.


----


Tulsa's plan to eliminate substandard housing might hit a snag this week at the Tulsa city council. A resolution of support for the plan is up for a vote - but it's not a sure thing.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says everyday in Tulsa, there are thousands of families living in homes politely called substandard - but realistically called pitiful. And every so often, a family like this gets a chance to move up in and into decent housing.

Habitat for Humanity broke ground Monday on a house for the Jamison family. Habitat homeowner Rhonda Jamison: "And I just want to thank everybody for helping us support this dream."

Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller challenged Tulsa to eliminate substandard housing. It's now a long term goal of the mayor's office, but the city council has yet to endorse it - partly out of concern that eliminating the worst houses will leave some people without a house at all.

Tulsa Mayor Bill LaFortune: "and we're not just talking about eliminating, we're talking about providing standard housing, safe and affordable housing, so whatever is eliminated would be replaced by safe housing."

Substandard homes are all over Tulsa, but a study of the problem showed the greatest concentration of them in north and northwest Tulsa. There are 8,200 homes in the city that experts consider unlivable and beyond repair. The effort to get rid of substandard houses doesn't just target the run down but still occupied homes like this one - it's also the boarded up and abandoned homes. The goal is to build livable viable neighborhoods instead. Gary Casteel with Habitat for Humanity: "And I think a simple decent affordable home is the least that we try to attain for everybody."

The construction of Habitat houses is only part of the equation and other charity groups are on board with the plan to eliminate substandard housing. They are all waiting for a unified city government effort to lead the way.

The mayor doesn't have to get city council approval to work on the goal, but would need it to beef up code enforcement and put in place other strategies that would help reach the goal. The council might vote on it this Thursday.

http://www.kotv.com/main/home/stories.asp?...page=2&id=97148

You aren't rich enough for Tulsa. Get out!!!

----

Lofty ambitions: Developers are taking downtown Tulsa living to new heights as building conversions regain momentum
by John Dobberstein
The Journal Record
11/18/2005


TULSA - Tulsa appears to be cashing in on the popularity of loft apartments, symbols of urban living that have spread here from larger cities.
Renovating old industrial space into chic dwellings can be prohibitively expensive, but with the help of tax credits and grants, developers in Tulsa are bringing affordable lofts into the marketplace. And there are more projects on the drawing board.

"It's a national trend. It started in larger markets and now it's starting to become popular in secondary markets like Tulsa and Oklahoma City," said Darren Currin, vice president and research director at OKC Property Research LLC in Bethany.

He said the lofts are drawing mostly wealthy professionals looking for a second residence near work, as well as some young, single professionals.

"Lots of times, large blocks of vacant space are too antiquated for today's office tenants," said Currin. "Conversion is a great way to fill up the building. But it does take a lot of money, though. That's the down side. The real key is how many can both cities support?"

Some of the high-profile projects in Tulsa involve the Philtower and Tribune buildings, two city landmarks saved from the wrecking ball.

The Tribune Lofts, 20 E. Archer Ave., was one of the first loft projects completed in Oklahoma. The developers, American Residential Group of Tulsa, received $4 million from the city's third-penny sales tax to help absorb the risk of a housing project with no proven market.

The Tribune Lofts, which opened in the late 1990s, include 35 units in the city's Brady Arts District. ARG is working on a second phase for the Tribune Lofts with 45 newly constructed units. ARG hopes to snare some of the $9 million set aside for residential development through the Vision 2025 countywide revitalization effort.

Steve Ganzkow, a partner in ARG, said he doesn't see just one type of person staying in the lofts. They are empty-nesters, couples with no children, or wealthy business people who want a second home. He hasn't seen many families with children.

"They're older and more affluent than I thought they would ever be. I'm just amazed at the variety, and where they've come from," Ganzkow said. "We think there is a tremendous interest in loft living, or urban lifestyles. The issue is how can you bring a product to the marketplace on a cost-effective basis? The demand is definitely there."

Some momentum in marketing urban dwellings dwindled between 2001 and 2003, he said, when thousands of high-paying jobs in the Tulsa metro area were lost. Some of the workers given the pink-slip were from big cities like Dallas, Houston or Chicago and were prime candidates for lofts.

"We're just starting to get the momentum back in the last six months," Ganzkow said.

Another problem, he said, is the lack of retail in downtown Tulsa, including grocery stores.

"So what we really need is continuation of more residential, so that we will spur more entertainment, restaurants and nice places to come hang out," Ganzkow said. "They want streetscape, they want to look at nice things, they want weekend functions. We need to create neighborhoods for them."

A $3.2 million loft conversion at the Philtower Building, 427 S. Boston Ave., includes 26 units and was also helped along with a $1 million distribution from the city's third-penny tax. Floors 12 through 20 of the 24-story tower are being converted into lofts, some with panoramic views of the city.

Seventy percent of the apartments are leased already. The Philtower's management company, River City Development, was able to save money by doing much of the construction work internally, with subcontracting for electrical and plumbing.

"We had a half-empty building, and we thought we could make some good use of it," said Richard Winton, River City's project manager. "We thought we would have to be totally finished before it filled up, but it looks like we will have them all leased while we're still building."

There are more efforts under way in Tulsa to build lofts. One set of buildings referred to on the Web site tulsalofts.com is the May Room Lofts, which are "constantly under development" and looking for a developer to bring the right blend of commercial and residential. "Formerly buildings of ill repute, the buildings are fabulous spaces …. It is tough to find buildings with a better footprint for live-work," the Web site reads.

Even Houston-based Metropolitan Design Group Inc. plans to build seven new lofts at 1418 and 1420 S. Troost Ave. Most will have a skyline view, and they come with an optional hot tub on the third-floor deck.

A key question, Currin said, is how many lofts the Tulsa market can support. Downtown housing is a niche and not everyone can afford the rent, he said.

"When you see several hundreds or a thousand units come on line, will the demand be there?" Currin asked.

But Currin doesn't deny the potential for lofts to breathe life into two struggling downtowns. Their presence has already trimmed the downtown office vacancy rate, he said.

"A few years ago, the cities' (downtowns) died at 6 o'clock at night," Currin said. "Now when you add entertainment and housing options, you get more of a 24/7 environment."


----


http://www.couryprop.com/images/art/images_otherProp/tudorCottages/facade.jpg
The Cottages

http://www.couryprop.com/images/art/images_otherProp/tudorFlats/facade.jpg
The Flats

And here's a rendering for The Tudors off of Main and 21st in Maple Ridge. Construction began in Fall of 2004.

Wow, big update.

Bixby is really exciting to me. Will it be like Tulsa's Edmond?

Some very suburban looking developments there at the bottom.

Elimination of Substandard Housing is interesting but I still don't quite understand it- are they buying homes and dozing them for new ones, or dozing them to build new ones for the same owners?

Get to know Tulsa

Buildings (Emporis)
60 Completed
7 Demolished
1 Never Built

10 over 100m
22 over 50m

Tallest: One Williams Center 203m (Tallest in Oklahoma)
Cityplex Tower 198m (2nd tallest in Oklahoma)

Population (Census 2004)
City: 383,764 Land Area: 172.6 Mathematical Density: 2,223.4/sq mi
County: 569,148
Metro: 881,815

Facts
- Kanbar and Kaufman, developers from California, started buying buildings in downtown Tulsa at the end of 2005 and now own about 30% of all space in downtown Tulsa. Some of the space is already planned for residential conversions. The tallest purchase was First Place Tower at 516 ft/41 floors.
- Tulsa is well known for its Art Deco architecture.
- Under construction is an arena and convention center designed by Cesar Pelli
- Tulsa has plans or at least desire to have a downtown Major League Soccer stadium in their downtown, but the location is currently being debated.

Images
http://www.patrickmfox.com/portfolio/boston_ave.jpg
http://www.brachytherapy.com/tulsa-skyline.jpg

Wow, big update.

Bixby is really exciting to me. Will it be like Tulsa's Edmond?

Some very suburban looking developments there at the bottom.

Elimination of Substandard Housing is interesting but I still don't quite understand it- are they buying homes and dozing them for new ones, or dozing them to build new ones for the same owners?

Jenks is the nicest suburb, with somewhere between 20-30K people, while Broken Arrow has all of the upscale chains like IMAX and Bass Pro and whatnot, and about 80K people. It will probably overtake Lawton (110K) as the state's 4th largest soon.

ESH is where they bulldoze bad areas and rebuild the area with "executive" housing like in Jenks or Owasso.

The location of the stadium is not being debated. Well, it is in Tulsa Now. But Tulsa really just ignores them for most of the team, which is really unfortunate. It will be built in the East Village. The TU area should be really glad.

Oh, and Tulsa has the second most Art Deco buildings of any city. 1st is not Chicago, and not even New York. It's Miami.

So with ESH they're basically trying to get the rich people to move back into the city now that they have fled to the suburbs and dropped Tulsa's population?

Not necessarily. Developers have said they want to see rooftops up in north Tulsa before they start redeveloping it. It's a slum. That's what this is.

There's a rumor that BA is getting a NASCAR facility. Can I get a wow? Man, that also sounds like a good country song! "I broke my axle and my heart in Broken Arrow..."

"... but I had a really fast pit crew."

Where's that rumor coming from? That would be pretty cool for the whole state since I don't think we have a NASCAR facility yet?

There's a rumor that BA is getting a NASCAR facility. Can I get a wow? Man, that also sounds like a good country song! "I broke my axle and my heart in Broken Arrow..."

That would be great.

Where did you here this from?

Hi roboticbrad, I think I recognize your name from OKCtalk?

Hi roboticbrad, I think I recognize your name from OKCtalk?
yep thats me.

That would be great.

Where did you here this from?

My friend Porky. He lives in Tulsa. :)

I also posted the details into more depth in The Oklahoma Forum, linked in my sig and in Shane's. Hope to see you there. :runaway:

It's nice to see more Tulsans running around the web these days.

My friend Porky. He lives in Tulsa. :)

I also posted the details into more depth in The Oklahoma Forum, linked in my sig and in Shane's. Hope to see you there. :runaway:

It's nice to see more Tulsans running around the web these days.
Well, I registered at the oklahoma forum.

Cool, so now you're "in the know".

Let's snap back to development, shall we?

(when there is some more news. lol)

Here's a photo of the new Bass Pro in Stonewood Hills.

http://www.applepics.com/8/userfiles/43fa13e72f617.jpg

Stonewood Hills? I thought it was in Broken Arrow?

Is Stonewood Hills a development name or something? If it's a suburb then I've never heard of it...

And what's that U/C in the distance?

Stonewood Hills? I thought it was in Broken Arrow?

Is Stonewood Hills a development name or something? If it's a suburb then I've never heard of it...

And what's that U/C in the distance?
yes stonewood hills is a development name and I believe the U/C is a new hotel.

Bingo. There should be a handful of hotels, some large, some small (the one in the photo u/c won't be a big deal) and several restaurants like P.F. Chang's, Olive Garden, a Caraba's, and several others that I forget.

Blah... Broken Arrow sucks. Its a suburb where everyone is in bed by 9. :)

In 2000 the population was around 70,000. In 2009 it will be around 110,000, as projections show.

Tulsa CMSA

Tulsa county accounted for OVER HALF of its 2000-2005 growth in 2004-05 alone! That likely means very good news for the recently declining Tulsa city proper population.

County 2005 Est 2004 Est # Change
.Tulsa County 572,059 568,611 3,448
.Rogers County 80,757 79,032 1,725
.Creek County 68,708 68,647 61
.Wagoner County 64,183 62,793 1,390
.Washington Cnty 49,149 49,066 83
.Osage County 45,416 45,073 343
.Okmulgee County 39,732 39,764 -32
.Pawnee County 16,860 16,793 67

936,864 929,779 7,085

Meaning at current patterns Tulsa CMSA will grow to 972,289 by 2010. But I expect to see a speedup in Tulsa MSA growth (more than already), so let's shoot for 1 million...

That CMSA area is much belated, just my thoughts though. I'm sure your tired of me saying that.

Thanks to Swake, who I have partially paraphrased here.

Tulsa Projects:

Residential
Vision 2025 Housing Fund: 4 Projects, 232 Units

Mayo Hotel
V2025 assistance. 70 Units. Floors 1 and 2 are retail/event space. Floor 16 and 17 will likely be a ballroom, and floor 18 will be a restaurant.
http://www.mwbstudios.com/sitebuilder/images/mayo_1-249x337.jpg

Mayo Office Building
V2025 assistance. Up to 94 loft apartments. There is already retail on the ground level of the building.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e150/shake2005/ONGbuilding.jpg

PSO Building
V2025 assistance. 52 lofts to be developed with "some" retail space.
http://bestoftulsa.com/landmarks/PSOf1.jpg

Jacobs Hotel
V2025 assistance. Will create 16 units in the Blue Dome District of downtown Tulsa.
http://www.firststlofts.com/wp-content/uploads/monger%20web.jpg

Philtower Building - http://philtower.com
The top floors of this building are still under remodeling into residential space, but move-ins have already begun. There are private terraces and a common terrace, it's a very nice building. There is also office space in the building. 25 Residential Units.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e150/shake2005/Philtower2.jpg

Additionally, there are the Kanbar/Kaufman properties. They have recently purchased more than 2 million sf of space or 32% of DT Tulsa space, and it seems that much of it will be converted to mixed use and residential. The PSO project is one of their buildings.

The Village at Central Park - http://thevillagebuilders.com
A new urbanist towhnhome project overlooking Tulsa's oldest city park. 40 of the first phase 45 homes are already sold. Couldn't find a total unit count, don't know if there is one.
http://www.thevillagebuilders.com/home-slices/banner-exterior.jpg

The Tudors
Townhomes and a midrise apartment building near the Arkansas River. The townhome lots are mostly sold.
http://www.couryprop.com/images/art/images_otherProp/tudorCottages/sitePlans.gif

Utica Place
An upscale midrise (9 story) condo building in Midtown.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/Simwiz/up.jpg

There is a company called Tulsa Lofts that is constructing many lofts in Midtown. http://tulsalofts.net
Eastbrook townhomes is developing 8 units in Brookside.

Municipal

The BOK Center
This incredibly designed arena and events center is designed by Cesar Pelli, and is under construction in Downtown Tulsa. It's a Vision 2025 Project.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e150/shake2005/pelli_arena.jpg
Under Construction:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e150/shake2005/ConstructionArena.jpg

Offices:

McFarlin Building
(My personal favorite Tulsa project.. It would be better if it wasn't office space but residential on top though! ;))
This building will have office space on the top three floors. The first floor is already retail. Second floor will have retail and a New Orleans themed restaurant with balconies. The basement will have a nightclub accessible from the street level.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e150/shake2005/mcfarlin2.jpg

Brady District Warehouse
This warehouse is almost finished with a conversion into office space for an Engineering firm's headquarters.
http://www.kotv.com/pages/catimages/wallacebuilding.jpg

KMO Warehouses
KMO Development converted two warehouses into office space within the last few months.
http://www.kmodevelopment.com/image/kmo.gif

Tulsa looks like it is really moving up. Is there any highrise condos planned for downtown? Do they have any commuter rail or light rail?

They have plans for future rail transit, but I'm not sure what the timeline is for that. They don't even have a million in the metro yet, so...

There are only renovations downtown so far. There are new midrises in Midtown (Utica Square), and several of the downtown residential conversions are in historic highrise buildings like the Philtower and the Mayo Hotel.

yea unfortunately Tulsa isnt ready for any new towers downtown... as is there are towers spread out in different parts of the city.......

There's a new mixed-use lofts project that will be 5-stories tall going in up at 21st and Boston in Midtown.

Bixby's conferance center is a go.

http://www.applepics.com/8/userfiles/447419e167910.jpg

Cheesecake Factory is rumoured for Brookside.

Cheesecake at brookside would kick ass.
Rumor is Cherokee Casino is looking to build a casino/resort downtown across form the new arena.
Metro lofts infill project is almost complete as well as Cherry st. Lofts.
Metro isnt even really infill they bulldozed two existing houses and built 7 3 level lofts on the spot.

Cheesecake at brookside would kick ass.
Rumor is Cherokee Casino is looking to build a casino/resort downtown across form the new arena.
Metro lofts infill project is almost complete as well as Cherry St. Lofts (http://www.mdgi.net/details.cfm?PROP_ID=55&sales=yes)
South Quincy Lofts (http://www.mdgi.net/details.cfm?PROP_ID=70&sales=yes)
Troost Lofts (http://www.mdgi.net/details.cfm?PROP_ID=59&sales=yes)

I wonder if this can be pinned.

Thats pretty cool to see Tulsa get some new development going. I went down there last weekend and walked through downtown. It looked like there were some constructions going on through there. I also went by the new arena construction area. I didn't know it was pretty close to the BOK tower.

http://vision2025.info/includes/categories/tulsaregionalconventioneventscenter/projects/construction/bigimage3.jpg

Here's a photo of it someone posted on the uo forum...

Hot DAMN.
I was just in Tulsa at Christmas, and I think by the time I get out there again, I will be very surprised by how different it will be.
That arena is going to be killer, Esp with it so close to the skyline and DT. All I can say is lucky bastards.
I wish Louisville could get its shit together and start construction on our new arena. :sleepy:

There's an alligator that's loose in a Broken Arrow neighborhood. It was all over the 6 o'clock news.

(That's proof enough that Oklahoma belongs in the Southern forum but NOOOO!!!)

That arena is starting to look awesome.

There had been a huge controversy about the arena earlier. The city was saying that the Vision 2025 Fund allocations were way off and that projections must have been marred by Katrina. Bids came in at double what was expected, so construction was halted for a while and it looked like the city would cut a project from Vision 2025 to pay for it, most likely the convention center.

But the Kaiser Foundation of George Kaiser (Tulsa's wealthiest millionaire) kicked in a grant to the city for the extra run-up and another $15M for Arkansas River development projects.

If Tulsa wasn't too far away I would like to take a lot of pictures of the arena construction and the surroundings. It looks wonderful down there. Does anyone know if the arena will have a big name sponser behind it, like the Toyota Center?

BOk Center.

There had been a huge controversy about the arena earlier. The city was saying that the Vision 2025 Fund allocations were way off and that projections must have been marred by Katrina. Bids came in at double what was expected, so construction was halted for a while and it looked like the city would cut a project from Vision 2025 to pay for it, most likely the convention center.

But the Kaiser Foundation of George Kaiser (Tulsa's wealthiest millionaire) kicked in a grant to the city for the extra run-up and another $15M for Arkansas River development projects.
Sounds like Tulsa actually has its shit together. Nice. :okay:

BOk Center.

Thats cool. Too bad it can't be Toyota Center 2!

Yep, we sure got our shit togetha, aint we now?

Actually the population loss period has also ended. Though Tulsa is definately not one of the state's fastest growing cities (the Top 4 fastest growing Oklahoma cities are all Tulsa suburbs) but now we're back on the path to repairing economically deprived areas of Tulsa like north tulsa, Southwest Tulsa, east Tulsa by the airport...

There are major plans underway or fixing to start in every one of those communities to bring life back to the more decrepit, gang-infested streets of Tulsa that you don't always see on South Tulsa postcards.

There's an alligator that's loose in a Broken Arrow neighborhood. It was all over the 6 o'clock news.

(That's proof enough that Oklahoma belongs in the Southern forum but NOOOO!!!)

Breaking news:

Wild hogs are loose in an Owasso housing addition. This in addition to the alligator they still haven't caught roaming the streets in BA. That's when you know yer in Oklahoma...

High rise proposed for downtown Tulsa. :scouserd:

I'll post more once I get some ripples.

^^
Awesome news! Are they still constructing the BOK center?

High rise proposed for downtown Tulsa. :scouserd:

I'll post more once I get some ripples.

Is it the casino tower?

No it's a westin with 100 residential units.

Why is this not Sticky?

The admins aren't very pro-OK, refusing to put us in the South where we belong, refusing to pin the Tulsa Development Thread.

I hope you didn't get banned over asking...

^^
:lol: They are kinda sorta butts about OK, arent they?
A westin eh??? Thats friggin AWESOME. We're hoping for something along the lines of a Westin in Museum Plaza. It should be announced by the end of the year.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/images/2006/060820_A1_Devel41046_a1garden20.jpg

Street-level boutiques, plus lofts above the boutiques and lofts on the top few floors of the tower.

The design looks cool.

I sure like it. They have some silly strings attached. I can only thing of two or three. They want to be the official hotel of downtown, they want the bus station at 6th and Denver moved to like 2nd and Denver and for the 6th and denver station to become a new tourist lobby. There's like 3 or 4 other demands...

^^
Hah, thats kinda funky. But I say do what they ask. That looks like a great project and a VERY good thing for DT Tulsa. It will be nice to see a new mid/high rise in the skyline. I can't wait!

Wow this will be awesome if it gets built all there is on that block is surface lot and an abandoned building.

That land is probably worth a lot more than it actually says on the county assessor's site. And it will only get better. Some of those demands are doable, some just aren't.

I think having an official hotel of DT Tulsa is rather communistic, but it is a very nice development. Someone said earlier what is a very valid point: The city can really have their pick of development on this plot of land, even if there was only one bid this time. Take bids next month, the next month, and so on, eventually this plot of land will fetch the best project.

Actually, Scraper, the abandoned building on the site is the Towerview Apartments, which actually has some neat brick work. I would really love to see that old building saved and renovated into upscale lofts or something. Though currently I believe they're having ownership legal battles of it?

New rendering of Utica Place I think we can all appreciate:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g100/TheOkie/Forum/uticaplace.jpg

Gorgeous, but could have been a bit closer to DT. =/ But alas, just another skyscraper randomly placed in Tulsa..

I'll worship the person who puts together a rendering of what Tulsa's skyline might look like if all of it's buildings were together and not all over the metro.

Well I can ask around, but I think the skyline is by no means exactly "lacking".

Well one day I will go up to the top of Turkey Mountain and try to get a pano pic because from up there one can see all of the buildings from downtown to 81st.

You can see a lot more than just buildings... lol.

You can see a lot more than just buildings... lol.

OMG I can't believe you said that!!! haha how would you know... hmmmm

I'm not one of them... I was up in T-Town with some co-workers and we thought we'd go check out this mountain in the middle of Tulsa. Well...

I'm not one of them... I was up in T-Town with some co-workers and we thought we'd go check out this mountain in the middle of Tulsa. Well...

well aside from nature "scenes" the trails offer some awesome views of the building clusters and stand alones.

The stand-alones and of course the stand-togethers.

OK enough of that. I could post a whole bunch of news about new suburban shopping centers proposed, but I'll just sum it up pretty quickly. New shopping centers popping up all around Bixby and far South Tulsa.

There's a new mixed-use district proposed downtown. The East End will be located along the west side of the IDL, and it will have four hotels, 800 downtown units, and a lot of retail and office space. The Tulsa Drillers are rumoured to be in talks with the developers of building a new baseball stadium in downtown, in the East End. That would really help this development a lot.

^^
Build it, and they will come. Swear to god. :lol:
Louisville built Slugger Stadium and BAM, out sprouts East Main and Market which leads on to Butchertown and gets everyone believing in DT as a whole, which then brought back 4th street and night clubs and museums and suddenly you have a 61 story, artsy fartsy tower in the middle of a growing artsy fartsy district.
Slugger Stadium and Waterfront Park made believers out of everyone and planted a seed. Tulsa would do well to build that stadium quickly.

The last time I checked Tulsa does not reside in the midwest.

The admins on this site are pretty much finished with arguing about OK, I think. They decided that this is the Midwest and Plains section. Therefore, all of OK is put in this section.

It's now stickied.

The last time I checked Tulsa does not reside in the midwest.

who cares, this section of forum will now get more hits. I personally think wausau should be stickied before tulsa..IMO. Theres so many replies and updates out of wausau to keep up with. Alot more interest in wausau.

Interest in Tulsa has been killed by not having a sticky thread, which we now have. Plus I have never heard of Wausau before...do they have a skyline like Tulsa does?

Anyway, since we finally got a sticky here, I might start to contribute some real news to this thead, lol.
These are some new developments all along S. Memorial Road from about 91st to 121st or so...

1) Avalon Park, at 106th or so. This is a mixed-use WiFi community of retail and offices.

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/6/A/E/6AE97EFD-B824-46E3-89A5-07ADE3A180E8_or.JPG

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/6/2/0/62021155-AB71-4480-82D5-AB672CF880B7_or.jpg

2) South Town Square

Property Description:
125,000 SQ Ft of class "A" retail and restuarants located on 22 acres of land.

Location Description:
Located on the northeast corner of 101st & Memorial, one mile norht of the future Wal-Mart Supercenter and across the street from Dickinson Starworld 20 theatre.

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/6/B/F/6BF75A9B-69D2-4AAF-93AE-7FAC933E0FA4_or.jpg

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/3/B/4/3B4ACDD6-01F8-4EAD-B1D2-46DC6314924C_or.jpg

3) Memorial Commons...at Memorial and 106th.

http://www.expertcompanies.com/projects/images/Memorial_Com_site_plan_8.23.06.jpg

4) New Carmax at 91st and Memorial Road.

5) Trinity Restoration Shop, being built at 97th and Memorial Road, will be the scene of a new hot rod version of West Coast Choppers on the Discovery Channel.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/images/2006/060926_E1_Resto17799_e1render26.jpg

5.5) There are two new Wal Marts, one at 71st, another at 111th, that opened the same day last week...but in my opnion that only deserves half of a seperate number, and can share as well...

There's a long list of projects for suburban portions of Mingo Road and 169 as well...

Oh booo what is that Memorial Commons business? So much surface parking. >.<

Here is a good link to the 6th street infill project they are calling it "The Pearl District" with the new central park as the focal point..
http://www.cityoftulsa.org/Community/Revitalization/documents/6thStreetEntire.pdf#xml

Also as SRG mentioned further up the list the Tulsa East End project has a website with a cool little video on it.

http://www.globaldevelopmentpartners.com/EastEnd.html

Oh booo what is that Memorial Commons business? So much surface parking. >.<

Better than the average strip mall project...

Wow, has no one mentioned The Channels yet? Big controversy in Tulsa, this project worth over half a billion dollars by Bing Thom of Vancouver to put islands with retail, entertainment, offices, and more than 1,500 housing units in the Arkansas River.

http://okmet.org/bb/gallery/53_03_10_06_12_57_10.jpg

http://okmet.org/bb/gallery/53_03_10_06_12_57_53.jpg

^^
Its been mentioned, but those renderings are new to this forum. Awesome stuff, but I don't see how Tulsa could make it a justified and feasible project. Thats a lot of highrise housing for a relatively small city to tackle.
I also think that the project might pull away focus and excitment(and housing) from the main DT area, wouldn' it?

I think someone started a seperate thread actually. How dare they do that! lol...

No The Channels would really be something. It's highly subsidized though, that's why it's extremely controversial. But it would put a new face on Tulsa for sure, and make way for the river front to be even more alluring to future developments, possibly high rise. And any inner-city progress in Tulsa will also affect DT Tulsa positively, no doubt.

I would have no issues with the channels if they didn't ask for the residents such as myself to pay for it. Don't ask me to help pay for something in the river when....
A. the river is usually dry even with the dam that is already below the 21st bridge, it only gets water in it when Keystone dam decides to let it flow

B. they want to build an 18ft high dam at 21st st which will wipe out most of the river parks on both sides as well as what residential is there now from 21st north

C. there are surface lots dotting downtown


I would be for this if they wanted no tax money and they could build within the existing area without flooding the riverparks on both sides...... and even if that happened is Keystone gonna keep the water flowing?

^^ agreed. They should put their private money together (I know they have plenty of it) and build highrises downtown or in Midtown. Or at the very least, something along the existing riverfront. The idea of flooding an important identifying feature of Tulsa like the riverparks just to put in islands is silly when they could just use already existing land.

Sometimes the subsidy for major development projects, which would be skipping bases in economic development (normally the city would pay for infrustructure and make an area nice, not get it all in one package) is worth it. That's the question regarding this.

Shane...the sig...again....the last time, lol.

In this case, the public money spent to create the islands (and apparently some of the infrastructure on the island) would only directly benefit a single benefit. Yes, I can see benefits of the Channels spreading beyond the islands (encouraging more development, providing positive image of Tulsa), but why not spend half a billion public dollars on a massive downtown streetscaping project, or a modern streetcar, which will encourage investment in existing areas.

One way or the other Tulsa needs to invest big time in itself. V2025 was a start, but not enough IMO. And I think it's better to invest in the existing places than in new places. In fact, it's almost taking the suburban mentality of building new places to replace old places and applying it to an urban situation... Creating a new chunk of land to build on in an urban part of Tulsa.

^^
I agree with that last statement.
Tulsa, I believe, is rather notorious for abandoning suburbs as they age. When one area gets old, build somwhere else and let this part of town go way down hill. I think Tulsa needs more people to be willing to reinvest in what's already there, and that includes DT.
Some things are happening, but not enough. Its got to be a city-wide effort to update and rejuvinate.

What old areas are you talking about? The south side of Tulsa is probably one of the nicest chunks of large cities you'll ever find. The north side of Tulsa has been predominantly poor from the inception of the Creek Council Tulseey village, so it was never really 'abandoned', just never got any better. That's not to say there aren't some nice historic hoods on the north side that have been well-preserved.

I don't think you'll come across a town with more residential historical preservation than Tulsa.

I don't think you'll come across a town with more residential historical preservation than Tulsa.

o_0
......

[See east coast]

See Midtown Tulsa...and Downtown Tulsa.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71912608@N00/

http://www.pbase.com/dcm74133/tulsas_art_deco_architecture

http://www.pbase.com/dcm74133/historical_buildings

http://www.pbase.com/dcm74133/philbrook_museum_of_art

^^
I know that Tulsa has tons of preserved Art Deco buildings, but what does that have to do with "residential historical preservation"? All I was saying is Tulsa is likely not even in the top 20 as far as historical preservation goes. Louisville has the largest collection of preserved Victorian mansions in the United States, but it still doesn't hold a candle to the types of houses you'll find in Boston or Philly.
Trust me, I'm not bashing; I've been all over Tulsa, 90% Of my family lives there, I was born there, and I love the city.

Never accused you of bashing.

I would have thought a good urbanist like yourself would accept 'buidings' for per se their residential use.

er,historical residential usually means historical homes and townhouses along with historical apartment buildings,and Tulsa does have some fine art deco buildings that were preserved,but historically Tulsa doesent even compare to the historical preservation of cities in the great lake region,southeast,or the east coast,remember,Oklahoma wasent even a state till the turn of the 19th century,and the rest of the states east of it were either brought into statehood in the early 1700's or early 1800's,wich leads to cities like Boston and Philidelphia being coverd with 18th century homes,and places like Cincy,Indy,st.pual,Detriot,Chicago,and Louisville,to have large historical districts of houses dating back to the 1820's or earlier,so you cant really say that,not attacking Tulsa at all,Tulsa is a very nice place,but historically it doesent compare to eastern cities or midwestern cities.

Actually, historically, it does. The 1920s and 1930s were Tulsa's golden years. Does any city Tulsa's size beat Tulsa for Art Deco history? No. The only REAL Art Deco city with more than Tulsa is New York.

This includes Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, and the rest. And for history, Tulsa may not be quite on par with Cincy, but it is at least on par with Louisville.

I'v never been to Lousville so you could be correct,I dont know,
BUT,I thought you were talking about historical districts of manors,houses,shops,cathedrals,stations,temples,halls,lodges,plazas,and stuff,
but the 1930s and 1920s architecture isnt nearly as historical as victorian,queen anne,itialanate,and second empire,but for Oklahomas age,I guess that those interesting art deco structures are your victorian mansions,
(not literally but you get the point?).
and yes,Tulsa does have quite a few,here in Indianapolis,we only have art deco midrise and lowrise structures,but no art deco towers,our city had a law clear up to the 60s that nothing could be higher than the soldiers and sailors monument.

This isnt so much on the architecture side but they FINALLY began the expansion of the Gilcrease Expressway further west to connect to the Tisdale Parkway. I guess it should move traffic easier between the east suburbs to the far North and West undeveloped Osage/Tulsa county lines which at this point development almost abruptly stops at the county line. More sprawl please!

good for Tulsa,maybe it will make there be more activity in the downtown,(not saying there isnt any)I am just saying,it could make a nice downtown,better,but anything can be made better right?

Yea downtown Tulsa is s-l-o-w-l-y coming around. right now the skyline is kick ass because they are getting ready for the Centinnial the buildings are lit up Red, purple and so on. I need to snap some shots soon. I'm downtown every weekend going out and theres plenty to do but theres always room for more.

Yah,downtown Tulsa is slowly but surely devoloping,I think some major historical restoration of exsisting old stores and buildings,will lead to a very nice downtown.
Here in Indianapolis historical restoration is well,popular,especially in lockerbie and around wholesale and monument circle,
is there any restorations going on in downtown Tulsa?
If so,I would be interested in knowing about it,
its always nice to see a another city interested in preserving its history.:)

The Mayo Place district has a lot going on.

ScraperDude, this will also eventually connect to Berryhill and SW Tulsa, so I'm for it. It will give Tulsa a complete loop, which may even things out and center downtown some day.

that would be nice.

Incidentally, Oklahoma's "version of" Victorian mansions /are/ Victorian mansions... The original state capitol, Guthrie, is recognized as having the best-preserved Victorian-style downtown commercial and residential districts in the nation.

But you're right, Oklahoma's history didn't really start to really kick off until the late 1800s when the land runs were held. But we sure made up for a lot of lost time in one-day bursts on the land run days... (They say Rome wasn't built in a day.. but Oklahoma was!)

Reason for Guthrie being the best preserved small town in the nation BY A LONG SHOT is that the money left it after 1906, and so did the "opportunity" for urban renewal. Darn it!

victorian mansions huh?
Here in Indianapolis we have this five story brick german styled one,very thin building,mainly becuase of the compact space of its neighborhood,
but arent your guyses old manors downthere like really far apart from one another?(mainly becuase of the empty open avialable space.)

Actually, historically, it does. The 1920s and 1930s were Tulsa's golden years. Does any city Tulsa's size beat Tulsa for Art Deco history? No. The only REAL Art Deco city with more than Tulsa is New York.

This includes Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, and the rest. And for history, Tulsa may not be quite on par with Cincy, but it is at least on par with Louisville.
I just really need to point out that Detroit easily beats Tulsa in Art Deco.

I just really need to point out that Detroit easily beats Tulsa in Art Deco.


ooo,I forgot Detriot.

I just really need to point out that Detroit easily beats Tulsa in Art Deco.

Nope, sorry... :ohno:

Moronic statement of the day goes to.....Eweezerinc! For: Highly false statement refuting Tulsa's status as one of the nation's Top 3 Art Deco cities, and doing so in the Tulsa thread. Bravo! Bravo!

Nope, sorry... :ohno:

Moronic statement of the day goes to.....Eweezerinc! For: Highly false statement refuting Tulsa's status as one of the nation's Top 3 Art Deco cities, and doing so in the Tulsa thread. Bravo! Bravo!

SRG,its not a moronic statement,its just that Detriot has more older towers,maybe he or her mistaked them for art deco.

There is a point where a stupid comment in a particular thread...of all threads...crosses the line into becoming trolling.

For now on this is the Tulsa is the Greatest City in the World Thread and anyone who objects, well... off with their head! And same goes for the OKC is the Greatest City in the World Thread, which I know are conflicting interests as they always are, but that's the way it is folks.

Wanna make an incorrect statement that belittles Tulsa, do it in another thread, by all means...

sorry,
I know what you mean,
Tulsa and Oklahoma city do tend to be lowerd becuase there not as old as the rest of the cities around it,but Tulsa has good and bad,like every other city,and good I guess is there art deco structures.
But seriously,its not that big of a deal if Detriot has more art deco,Detriot is also alot larger,so thats like comparing oranges and apples.

There is a point where a stupid comment in a particular thread...of all threads...crosses the line into becoming trolling.

For now on this is the Tulsa is the Greatest City in the World Thread and anyone who objects, well... off with their head! And same goes for the OKC is the Greatest City in the World Thread, which I know are conflicting interests as they always are, but that's the way it is folks.

Wanna make an incorrect statement that belittles Tulsa, do it in another thread, by all means...

I'm not trying to belittle Tulsa, but you made a rather ignorant and uninformed statement that, asside from New York, Tulsa is the ultimate art deco city.. And I'm saying you must have forgotten Detroit. Honestly, why not chill and refrain from being so touchy.

Detroit:
Penocobst Building
Fisher Building
Guardian Building
Book Tower
Cadillac Tower
Broderick Tower
Buhl Building
Westin Book-Cadillac Detroit
First National Building

Those are just all the Art Deco scrapers in Detroit over 100 meters. The list goes on and on.
Tulsa has 3 Art Deco scrapers over 100 meters. Its simply on a different scale is all. yeesh.

So why was my statement moronic?
And I'm not attacking Tulsa. I'm defending my perfectly justifiable statement. So quit acting like this has anything to do with me knocking on Tulsa.

Why does everything have to be a contest? Tulsa has some nice art deco towers but the amount of historic home density in Tulsa simply cannot touch any major Midwestern city and some older southern cities like Louisville, Memphis, and New Orleans. For one, Tulsa is significantly smaller in both city and metro. For two, Oklahoma is a much newer state in general. Tulsa is a fine town, so be happy with what you have. But when you make outrageous comments, people will come in and correct you. Tulsa has nice art deco towers for its size, more than some older Midwestern cities like Indy and Louisville. But it simply cannot match the historic housing density in these old cities due to its smaller size and later founding.

Why does everything have to be a contest? Tulsa has some nice art deco towers but the amount of historic home density in Tulsa simply cannot touch any major Midwestern city and some older southern cities like Louisville, Memphis, and New Orleans. For one, Tulsa is significantly smaller in both city and metro. For two, Oklahoma is a much newer state in general. Tulsa is a fine town, so be happy with what you have. But when you make outrageous comments, people will come in and correct you. Tulsa has nice art deco towers for its size, more than some older Midwestern cities like Indy and Louisville. But it simply cannot match the historic housing density in these old cities due to its smaller size and later founding.

We should except our cities for what they are,Tulsa,does have amazing art deco,but I really dont know if Detriot has more art deco,
Tulsa isnt a big historically amazing city,I mean it wasent a city till the 1880's or 1890's,wich compares to the 1780's and 1820's,thats not nearly as old,but Tulsa has amazing art deco,yes,and it has a very clean downtown,but the cities history doesent compare to the ones east of it,as I said,comparing oranges and apples,its like comparing Tokoyo to Paris.
Both great places to live,but Paris is alot older,and has ALOT more older buildings(duh)

Well, the big stink right now has to do with Bell's Amusement Park. You know, Tulsa, there always has to be a big stink...

Will Bell's get a renewal on their lease from the county, or will they have to build another location somewhere outside of Midtown?

The word is they have their eye on land near the OK Aquarium and Riverwalk.... I personally hope this doesnt happen. I dislike Jenks and the riverwalk.... these developments should have been built downtown but of course Tulsa couldnt get their shit together to get any of this done...
Now having Bells downtown would be awesome :)

The reporters say that they're moving out of Tulsa for good...but wtf happened to their grace period to show the county their business model??

all I can say to Bells is.. PEACE OUT
Let them move I wonder if Tulsa fairgrounds will jump on that land.. or do they already own it?

Whatchou talkin' bout, Willis?

Tulsa County owns all of the land at Expo Square. They want the Golden Driller gone next. Valuable potential parkin' lot real estate!!

The Saint Joseph Monastery has a really awesome renovation going on that you can see the renderings of here:

http://www.tulsaosb.org/Renderings.html

Wow, thats beautiful!
I love the neo gothic architecture.
Is Tulsa doing a major restoration to the central area?
Sorry, we don't get much info here on restoration work past Chicago, XP.

Wow, thats beautiful!
I love the neo gothic architecture.
Is Tulsa doing a major restoration to the central area?
Sorry, we don't get much info here on restoration work past Chicago, XP.

If you are referring to the central city aka downtown it's pretty stagnant.
The arena is still being built. The only additions to any downtown development are as follows:
Philtower which finished converting the upper floors into apartments

There is a loft conversion on 1st and Detroit I think the address is 310 about 4 stories.

There was a shell of a brick building at the corner of 3rd and Kenosha that is being redone.... looks like lofts but could be a club... who knows.... No one ever speaks about anything going on down there.

A four story building was totally remodeled at Fairview and Denver just north of the Brady district.

Building conversion in the Brady district into an engineering firms offices.

What i'm curious to see is where the MTTA is planning to have a downtown train station for the commuter rail because they already converted the awesome historic Union Station into a jazz museum...... great idea...

More Art Deco? Let's just stick to the CBD's, and remember this is "skyscrapercity.com."

If you are referring to the central city aka downtown it's pretty stagnant.
The arena is still being built. The only additions to any downtown development are as follows:
Philtower which finished converting the upper floors into apartments

There is a loft conversion on 1st and Detroit I think the address is 310 about 4 stories.

There was a shell of a brick building at the corner of 3rd and Kenosha that is being redone.... looks like lofts but could be a club... who knows.... No one ever speaks about anything going on down there.

A four story building was totally remodeled at Fairview and Denver just north of the Brady district.

Building conversion in the Brady district into an engineering firms offices.

What i'm curious to see is where the MTTA is planning to have a downtown train station for the commuter rail because they already converted the awesome historic Union Station into a jazz museum...... great idea...
No, I was talking about the St. Joseph monastary.

The monastery is at Lewis and 21st, about 15 blocks south of DT.

It is very ornate, it reminds me somewhat of the office section of Saint Johns here in Indy.

I don't know if I covered this, but there are adding another 50 to 75 townhome units across from Central Park in the East Village.

Great, are they going to be made from brick? Or will they have siding?
Here in Indianapolis there are mostly brick townhouses downtown for residential use, trust me, it is a fast way of making a city have higher density, and increase its beauty!

Brick.

http://www.thevillagebuilders.com/home-slices/banner-exterior.jpg

Some existing ones...

Beautiful! Those look somewhat like the ones in Indy, except the ones in Indy have the traingular gables, but I like those, they look Italianate!

New mixed-use development, mostly offices and retail, at South 41st and Rockford Avenue.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/images/2006/061206_E1_Brook33787_e3rockford6.jpg

There's a new mega mixed-use development in Jenks, on the Arkansas River.

It's going to have a large lake in it, a winding canal, water taxi service, a pedestrian bridge across the river, and offices, retail, and entertainment. This is what one of three entrances into the massive development will look like:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/images/2006/061210_A19_River25269_a19jenks10.jpg

Here's a map of the Jenks river front.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/images/2006/061210_A19_River25269_jnkdevelop.jpg

RiverWalk Crossing is currently the massive mixed-use development that fronts the river in Jenks. But it won't be the top man anymore, to say the least.

^^
TRhat looks really nice.

I'm in Tulsa right now visiting family. Things are looking nice. I got some St. Louis shots driving on I-64. I'm going to try and get some good ones in DT Tulsa today or tomorrow and then make a thread sometime next week.

Tis good to be home. :okay:

Cool -- I'll look forward to those. So where in Tulsa are you staying exactly?

Great to see such traditional styles coming back!

I'm a failure. I never made it DT. All I have are Shots of St. Louis, when all I wanted were shots of Tulsa. erg :bash:

Well, my visit was very pleasant. Tulsa is really beefing up with some high-end retail. But I still say Tulsa needs more center turn-lanes. Traffic can be a nightmare around Christmas. :nuts:
I saw a lot of really nice developments around the city; a lot of traditional architecture. Very classy. My only issue: it all should be Downtown. :sleepy:
Over all I got a really nice, active buzz from being there. Tulsa's looking way up. It should be hitting that million metro mark any year now, if it hasn't already.

tulsa is a terribly under-rated city.

They are turning the old McBirney Mansion at Galveston and 14th (it's smack behind Riverside Drive) into a large boutique hotel. It will have about 110 rooms in it, and it will be expanded. Actually it will be expanded a lot. Here's the rendering that shows what it should look like when it's finished:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/images/2006/061227_E1_Mansi29282_e1mansion227.jpg

beautiful structure! I love the thick limber look, it reminds me of alot of homes in Indy, except that manor is way bigger,
congrats Tulsa!

At Grand Lake near Tulsa, a $100 million resort will begin construction this year. The Peninsula Resort & Club includes a 16 story condo tower and a 500-boat slip marina, among other amenities. It will be complete by spring 2009. Later phases could include more midrise condos, waterparks, and a longer runway to allow small planes to land. The developers are seeking state incentives to build the project but it sounds like they'll do it with or without the full allocation that they're asking for.

http://static.newsok.biz/article/2994791/biz-j5resort_01-05-2007_JT23218.jpg

thats great!
Its going to take sometime though. :(

Bayless Plaza at U. of T. is finished.

http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/7498/tuconstruction020abhu0.jpg
Photo credit: TheArtist

interesting, is that a steeple in the middle of that gazebo like thing?

So Bobby Petrino is off to Atlanta(surprise...), and it looks like UofL is picking up Tulsa's Kragthorpe. I've heard nothing but good things and he's done some great things for Tulsa's program, so my hopes are high.

At Grand Lake near Tulsa, a $100 million resort will begin construction this year. The Peninsula Resort & Club includes a 16 story condo tower and a 500-boat slip marina, among other amenities. It will be complete by spring 2009. Later phases could include more midrise condos, waterparks, and a longer runway to allow small planes to land. The developers are seeking state incentives to build the project but it sounds like they'll do it with or without the full allocation that they're asking for.

http://static.newsok.biz/article/2994791/biz-j5resort_01-05-2007_JT23218.jpg

cool hotel proyect

Is Steve Kragthorpe really leaving? The only reason I liked him is because how many times he said he would never leave Tulsa...

He had been pursued as a possibility for North Carolina, Arizona State, Kentucky, Michigan State, Miami, and Texas A&M. Why would he leave for Louisville?

----------

Kragthorpe says he's not interested in North Carolina job

Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe announced Monday at his weekly media conference that he's not interested in the vacant North Carolina head-coaching job.

Speculation had been swirling among North Carolina media that Kragthorpe was a strong candidate for the opening.

"I think the job at North Carolina is a great job," Kragthorpe said. "Chapel Hill would be a great place to live. But I'm not interested in being the head coach at the University of North Carolina. I want to be the head coach at the University of this beautiful city we have.

"I love it here. It's a great place to work."

The AmeriSuites at 71st and Zurich was recently bought and is undergoing renovations, after the renovations it will carry the Hyatt brand. Something like a Hyatt Place Hotel?

Heard through the grapevine...

Is Steve Kragthorpe really leaving? The only reason I liked him is because how many times he said he would never leave Tulsa...

He had been pursued as a possibility for North Carolina, Arizona State, Kentucky, Michigan State, Miami, and Texas A&M. Why would he leave for Louisville?

----------

Kragthorpe says he's not interested in North Carolina job

Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe announced Monday at his weekly media conference that he's not interested in the vacant North Carolina head-coaching job.

Speculation had been swirling among North Carolina media that Kragthorpe was a strong candidate for the opening.

"I think the job at North Carolina is a great job," Kragthorpe said. "Chapel Hill would be a great place to live. But I'm not interested in being the head coach at the University of North Carolina. I want to be the head coach at the University of this beautiful city we have.

"I love it here. It's a great place to work."
UofL athletic director Tom Jurich and Kragthorpe are good friends that go a ways back. Thats a major reason, be he's also probly gonna get a heftier check, and Louisville did just win a BCS bowl game, so I'd say its definately an attractive option at the moment. I do feel for Tulsa though.

He would have taken the A&M or Miami offers he got if he was interested in his career. I hadn't known about Tom Jurich, that probably does explain it. That's a shame, too ...

Anyway, new high rise announced. It's an expansion at the Cherokee Resort & Golf Club in Catoosa. This will be the tallest building in all of Tulsa's suburbs, and that's funny because I always thought Owasso or Broken Arrow would top 20 stories first.

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/3043/casinoexpansion11107de2.jpg

20 stories. It's going to be on I 44 and 193rd East Ave., in Catoosa.

He would have taken the A&M or Miami offers he got if he was interested in his career. I hadn't known about Tom Jurich, that probably does explain it. That's a shame, too ...

Anyway, new high rise announced. It's an expansion at the Cherokee Resort & Golf Club in Catoosa. This will be the tallest building in all of Tulsa's suburbs, and that's funny because I always thought Owasso or Broken Arrow would top 20 stories first.

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/3043/casinoexpansion11107de2.jpg

20 stories. It's going to be on I 44 and 193rd East Ave., in Catoosa.
That's pretty impressive. Is it just going to be extra hotel rooms or is it going to add on to the Casino as well. The current hotel is always full.

I wouldn't doubt it will have additional casino on the ground floor. Everytime I've been there be it 5pm or 3 am its PACKED.

cool to see somthing going up in catoosa

One of the new lifestyle centers planned for Stonewood Hills is going to be Albany Hills, and in the rendering below, it shows that there will be an Urban Outfitters.

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/8/7/5/875BC41E-FE2C-427C-9B70-50EB01D683F9_or.jpg

A list of 33 major downtown projects

1. 3rd and 4th Street improvements, new streets and sidewalks. (DOT project)
• New streets and sidewalks on 3rd and 4th from Denver to Elgin.
• In design phase, construction due to start summer ‘07

2. 11th St Bridge “The Cyrus Avery Bridge” and Avery Plaza (Vision 2025 Route 66 project)
• Basic restoration into a pedestrian bridge including sealing the bridge and adding decorative lighting and construction of Avery Plaza with the “Route 66 Experience” museum.
• Bridge is in design phase and the plaza has been put out to bid on construction.

3. Bank of Oklahoma Arena (Vision 2025 project)
• The 18,041 seat $183 million arena is under construction, due to be complete in mid ‘08

4. Boston Avenue Street Rehabilitation (2001 3rd Penny Sales Tax project)
• $5.5 million project to reconstruct Boston Avenue with new sidewalks, lighting and trees from 3rd St to 7th St and convert the street back to two way traffic all the way to 10th. Under construction and due to be complete in August ‘07

5. Boulder Avenue Bridge reconstruction (2006 3rd Penny Sale Tax project)
• This $4.8 million project will restore the bridge to vehicle and pedestrian traffic and will include new lighting and sidewalks.
• No date on construction yet

6. Brady Theater renovations (private project – Steve Alter and Matt Livingood)
• Renovations to the classic 1914 downtown convention hall by a private group
• In development stage

7. Centennial Green (Vision 2025 project)
• New urban park on the south side of CBD at 6th and Main encompassing half a full city block
• Design work should be complete and construction start soon

8. Centennial Walk (Vision 2025 project)
• 2.5 miles of update sidewalks with historical marker and way finding signage and new lighting and trees through downtown.
• Design work should be complete and construction start soon

9. Centennial Park Improvements (2001 Third Penny Sale Tax project)
• Newly landscaped park with fountains, canal, pond, and walking trails
• Just completed

10. Centennial Park Community Center (TIFF Funding project)
• New $1.9 million 12,000 square foot art deco inspired community center located at Centennial Park
• Just completed

11. Contemporary Art Museum and Artist Lofts (Public/Private Cooperative development)
• Conversion of the Matthews Warehouse into a contemporary art center with dwelling and work spaces for resident artists.
• Status is in development

12. Tulsa Convention Center (Vision 2025 project)
• This $40 million project includes renovation of The Tulsa Convention Center and conversion of existing arena into additional meeting space. Updating the 1960s era building in appearance and amenities while adding 21,000 square feet of new meeting space and proving links to The Bok Arena next door.
• Design work is under way and construction will begin after the Bok Arena is completed.

13. Crowne Plaza Hotel renovations (private project)
• $12 million in renovations to the downtown hotel to include a renovation of the entire hotel and the addition of a freestanding Starbucks and top floor restaurant.
• Under construction

14. Downtown DoubleTree Hotel renovations (private project)
• $2.5 million in renovations to the downtown hotel to include a renovation of the entire hotel
• Under construction

15. Downtown Way Finding system (2006 3rd Penny Sales Tax project)
• The Downtown Way Finding system will help to direct vehicles from the IDL and access points to structured and surface parking servicing the Arena and Convention Center. Pedestrian signage will assist in directing people to Vision 2025 venues and downtown landmarks and entertainment areas (Centennial Walk, Jazz Hall of Fame, Bartlett Square, Brady Village, Blue Dome District, etc.).
• In Development

16. The East End (Private development – Global Partners, probable TIFF portion)
• 1.9 million square foot development to include a minor league baseball stadium, 450,000 square feet of retail space, 3 hotels, 800 housing unit and 150,000 square feet of office space in 14 city blocks in a current industrial area on the east side of downtown.
• In development

17. TCC Metro Campus Center for the Advancement of Learning
• $10.5 million, 56,000 square foot building just south of the current downtown “Metro” campus that will house several departments of Tulsa Community College. computer information systems, journalism/communications, radio and broadcasting, television production, instructional design, graphic design, and the visual arts will all be relocated to this full city block facility.
• About to start construction

18. Village at Central (Centennial) Park
• Urban town home development next to Centennial Park
• Under Construction

19. McBirney Mansion (Private)
• The classic oil baron mansion overlooking the river is currently a Bed and Breakfast, the owners have proposed adding several buildings onto the property to covert the Bed and Breakfast into a small (80 room) 5-star boutique hotel
• Waiting on approval from planning commission

20. The Tudors (Private)
• Townhomes overlooking the river in the Mapleridge area just south of downtown
• Construction nearly complete

21. The Flats (Private)
• Five story mixed use building overlooking downtown and the river next to the Tudors
• About to start construction

22. Mayo Hotel Lofts (Public – Vision 2025/Private)
• Conversion of some of the upper floors of the former Mayo Hotel into lofts. 70+ lofts will be created as part of this project. Also, the first two floors of the Mayo are already in use as meeting and retail space. The top two floors will also be restored as restaurant and meeting space.
• In Development, approved by city and funding has been released

23. 420 Mayo (Public – Vision 2025/Private)
• Conversion of the upper floors of the Mayo Building (Separate from the Hotel) into nearly 100 lofts. First floor is currently retail space.
• Construction due to start this spring

24. Jacobs Hotel (Public – Vision 2025/Private)
• Conversion of the former Jacobs Hotel in 16 lofts in the Blue Dome district of downtown.
• Under Construction

25. ONG/Transok Building (Public – Vision 2025/Private)
• Conversion of the art deco former headquarters of Oklahoma Natural Gas in over 50 lofts.
• In development

26. Philtower conversion
• Conversion of floors 12-20 of the Philtower into 32 lofts. The bottom floor is retail and majority of the building will remain office space.
• Construction is recently completed and building is fully leased

27. McFarlin Building (Private)
• Formerly shuttered building downtown has been restored, bottom floor is retail, the upper three floors will be office space (for the development company), the second floor will be a New Orleans style restaurant and the basement a nightclub.
• Under construction

28. OSU Medical Center (State Funded)
• The state has leased (for 50 years) the former Tulsa Regional Medical Center downtown and the hospital is now the primary teaching hospital for The OSU School of Medicine. The state is also spending $40 million on upgrades to the hospital
• Underway

29. OSU Advanced Technology Research Center (State/Vision 2025)
• This $52 million 180,000 square foot center on the OSU Tulsa Campus will focus on the development of next generation composites and materials in demand for cutting edge applications within the aerospace, biotechnology, telecommunications, and manufacturing industries.
• Construction is nearing completion

30. Downtown Quiet Zone (3rd Penny Sales Tax/Federal)
• This project will “harden” street level rail crossings at Greenwood, Elgin, Cheyenne, First and Second streets in and near downtown. Once these crossings are hardened, train horns would be prohibited in or near downtown.
• Funded, in development

31. Vandever Building Hotel (Private)
• The owners of the McFarlin building (across the street) have purchased the former Vandever’s department store building (currently used as office space) and plan to convert the building into a boutique hotel
• In development

32. Coney Island Building (Private)
• This former motel property one block east of the new arena has been purchased and is being remodeled back into a hotel.
• In Development

33. Tulsa Development Authority Property at 3rd and Denver/Towerview Property
• TDA offered their property for sale but was hampered from getting the kind of development proposals they sought due to the unreasonable price demanded by the out of state owner of the abandoned Towerview building next door and due to pending litigation between the current and former owners of the Towerview. A proposal for a Westin Hotel on the site was rejected due to demands made outside of TDA’s scope of influence. TDA says they have another developer they are working with, but that developer does not want to work with the owner of the Towerview due to the legal problems and wants TDA to purchase the property. The Towerview was also heavily damaged by fire last month and is currently being razed.
• TDA is pursuing the purchase of this property.

Are you with DT Tulsa Limited?

I can not wait for the quiet zone to take effect. Its amazing there are no train gates in a downtown and I live over in the Cherry St area and I hear the train horns.

FYI Cherokee resort tower is at level 5 now U/C I just passed by there this weekend.

Wow that seems fast... I just heard about it the first time a few weeks ago.

I think that's the parking garage, The tower has not started site work yet, much less general construction.

Sorry if this is a bit off topic, but I have a question for the Tulsa forumers. Have there been any proposals to remove the Inner Dispersal Loop or any portions of it? Here in Rochester, we have a similar downtown loop expressway simply known as the Inner Loop. It is likely that at least one leg of it will be removed to reconnect neighborhoods to downtown Rochester as well as open up valuable land for redevelopment. There aren't many other cities like Tulsa and Rochester with these ill-conceived downtown loop expressways. In fact, I think Kansas City is the only other one and they are looking at removing its northern leg (from what I've heard). I'm interested to know if removal of your loop has been considered. Thanks.

No, there are no discussions. It may be doable to remove either to eastern or southern sides of the Inner Dispersal Loop (commonly called the IDL).

I think Tulsa has a strategy of trying to connect neighborhoods even with the IDL in place. They are beginning to concentrate some revilization efforts on areas just outside of the IDL.

Those highway designers back then sure had some silly ideas...

I am trying to think ... we have a lot of catching up to do.

The East End has fallen in and out of being an active project. I believe that the proposal recently has sputtered out only for the next news release to read that they acquired another huge chunk of land and are closer to getting the Nordam land that they need. But I still need that clarification.

There's also been an urban Wal-Mart proposed for the site where the ballpark should go in the East End. So we have competing proposals going on.

Bell's has to be out of Expo Square by June and they haven't named a new suburb that they will call home.

The Brady Theater is being renovated.

There's a new program where they'll have bikes available for free along the River, and you can just take one off of a rack and ride it wherever. It should have ads on it paying the costs, and it will probably greatly increase Tulsa's pedestrian friendliness as well as bicyclist friendliness. It's a pretty innovative program.

TU has had something like this for a while and they'll looking to expand it to some select urban neighborhoods in Tulsa like Cherry Street or Brookside. And of course downtown.

Well someone ought to bring this thread back to life.

River Development Announcement Expected
Tulsa Business Staff
6/13/2007

A major announcement is coming this month about the planned $550 million Tulsa Landing, according to one of the principals.
"There will be some fantastic announcements by prominent local people will be happening in the next week or two," said Richard E. Huffman, CEO of Branson, Mo.-based HCW Development, LLC.

Huffman declined to offer any more details.

"There has been some work going on some citizens in Tulsa to raise funds to help beautify the river," Huffman said. "We are working with them."

Huffman is waiting for the scheduled announcement before releasing any plans.

"We will release some preliminary plans by the end of July," he said.

The Tulsa Landing is projected to be constructed on the west bank of the Arkansas River between 11th Street and 21st Street.

"We are planning a destination that will encompass more than 150 acres," Huffman said. "Our proposal will have a link to downtown. Obviously it is in the very early stages of design."

The projected is modeled after the Branson Landing, a $430 million entertainment and shopping complex completed a year ago on the waterfront of Lake Taneycomo in downtown Branson.


"Branson Landing is vibrant, it is alive 24 hours a day. It is fountains. It is colored lights. It is shopping, lots of restaurants."

Construction of the Tulsa Landing is not expected to start for another year and will take two-and-a-half years to complete. Opening would be sometime in late 2010 or 2011, Huffman said.

HCW is working with working with "a couple of companies" in Tulsa with the management and leasing of the project, but declined to say who because of a confidentiality agreement.

The Arkansas River has gone undeveloped for years, Huffman said.

"We have found the commitment the city and citizens of Tulsa have a true desire to redevelop the river front and we are excited about that," Huffman said.

Huffman has been in the development and construction industry for more than 20 years. He moved to Branson in 1992. Prior to that, Huffman owned Huffman & Associates, a real estate development firm in Wichita.

In 1992, Huffman, along with Marc Williams and Santo Catanese formed HCW and began developing an array of real estate projects in southwest Missouri and in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arizona, Mississippi and Texas.

^^ I'm looking forward to seeing those plans in a couple months. Obviously this is a pretty big deal... 150 acres? Holy shnikies.

Well it's either this or this.

http://tulsachannels.com

Oh yeah... THAT project. This is seriously going to happen? Looks more like a project you'd see in Dubai or Vegas given the scale of it all.

The public is behind it but the public is also against it.

Will be interesting. I don't think that The Channels will happen, but if it weren't for that proposal getting everybody in Tulsa into a debate about river development, Tulsa Landing would not be happening. Tulsa Landing will probably have as much development only on actual land and thus being much less expensive and less need for a massive public subsidy to build the river islands.

This is a new rendering of the focal point feature that will be in the East End development.

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/building1.jpg

I like that design, it will fit in well with the rest of downtown. Have you heard if they are still working on getting the Drillers a new stadium in the East End?

Global is trying, Nordam isn't selling.

I think it will become an urban Wal-Mart.

Utica Place in Midtown Tulsa, nearing completion... apparently half the condo units and all the office space was spoken for before the developers even began advertising. They're now possibly considering a second tower.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1188/939373747_a0db4b0198.jpg?v=0

Utica is looking awesome...where did you hear about a possible second? That would be fantastic news.

A proposed $500 million mixed-use project, including stadiums, retail, condos... on the west riverside of the Arkansas River in Tulsa, across from downtown. Contingent on a public vote for $280 in public improvements to the river (a .04% Tulsa County sales tax)--which the private sector, led by the George Kaiser Foundation, promised to kick in an additional $120 million. Tulsa said HELL NO in droves when they went to the polls yesterday and the $120 million was instead donated to a private charity, instead of going towards cleaning up the river and adding more impressive green space along the shores. And the project, well that's gone now. The developer of the $500 million Tulsa Landing project, the same that did Branson Landing, also says HELL NO to such a progressive town.

Here's what won't happen now:

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/Baseball20Stadium20small.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/stadiuminfo.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/1480077198_2c2051ba45_o.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/1480077810_bfcee87289_o.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/1480078908_e7ffaf6f1f_o.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/1480078682_3a14d4cd80_o.jpg

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/070621_A1_hOKto84204_a1river2.jpg

http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2007/070719_A1_hAVis52652_river19.jpg

I can't find any renderings of the docks and plazas and boardwalks that would have been along the river...they've been taken offline it seems since the vote failed 53-47.

What will happen (or remain the same rather) instead:

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/070621_A1_hOKto84204_a1river1.jpg

http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2007/Tulsa-River-Tax.jpg

Were they proposing a 0.04% sales tax or a 4% sales tax? 0.04% wouldn't go very far, so I'm guessing you mean the latter.

To interested groups like people on this forum, it's sad that a development like this fail. But this is fairly unique in that the public actually got to directly vote on it. Can't really argue with the outcome when everybody got their say.

A 4% sales tax hike is pretty steep, not sure I'd even vote for that.

UPDATE: just did a quick search and it looks like they were proposing a 0.4% sales tax increase. That's a drop in the bucket, really. A bit surprising voters rejected it. Tulsa residents would have been getting back more than $2 in development investment for every $1 of their tax money ($620M investment for $280M in tax).

That's a hard deal to pass up.

Indy didn't get a deal even remotely that sweet on the tax deal that's building the new Colts stadium. We're getting something like $1 in private investment for every $6 of public tax. ($675M total, $100M from the Colts)

What did I put, .004? Whoops not what I meant to put but oh well.

The Tulsa World's articles are being swamped in comments online and people are now calling Mayor Kathy Taylor "Kitty" and blaspheming any other politician that supported this proposal.

The reason it failed is because people want roads fixed not the river. Go figure. The ballot issue would have passed if people had more faith in their leaders in Tulsa.

OKC's going places fast because the leadership is excellent and everyone knows it.

Some new renderings of the next phase of Riverwalk Crossing in Jenks.

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/6716/riverwalkphase2awebgy9.jpg

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/7074/riverwalkphase2ewebpo5.jpg

New Tulsa Tech campus proposed in Broken Arrow:

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6929/collegetech3mx6.jpg

The Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center:
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2741/banewpacahi2.jpg

Renderings of a mall on the east side that's being converted to office space:
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8498/officeeasgatemetroplexwbj6.jpg

^^ This is great and all, but I really hope Jenks doesnt get the drillers.. They need to just stay in Tulsa and build a stadium in DT or something and liven up the DT area a bit.. And Tulsa really should have voted yes (even though there are road problems and other major priorities) on the river tax... Would have brought a lot to tulsa.. Hey whatever happened to "The Channels" project??

The Channels was just an idea that wanted to become a project. The Kelly's were the only force behind it and they just couldn't get any support for it. I liked it but it was a little crazy, I'll admit. What Tulsans got to vote on instead was a much better project when you included the Tulsa Landing development.

Ok, that sounds right. Tulsa landing would have been great for DT... with the new arena and maybe a high rise hotel..

Could still be on.

TDA will just have to get real creative to make it happen at this point. I give it a 40% chance. It's not down-and-out yet.

But you know Tulsa, we shoot down every positive thing it seems.

^^
No, developers just always seem to want to do big ridiculous projects that aren't feasible. You all shouldnt need to raise taxes just to pay for stadiums and parks. Break it up into smaller projects. That should all be much more of a long-term goal to revitalize the area. Giant developments give a bit more instant-gratification than waiting for smaller developments to fill in, I suppose, but those are very ambitious projects and Tulsa would be lucky to get any of them off, especially when the city as a whole I don't think quite trusts that a revitalized DT and riverfront is going to benefit them at all.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=563303

That's a BOK Center thread, it's under the sport arenas section if anyone wants to add anything to it.

Wow. Lots of nice things going up in Tulsa. ;)

Can someone pull up the whole new Jenks thing?? can't find any pics or anything.

Wait what are you talking about exactly?

Jenks is planning a new riverwalk crossing condo development thing with retail and restaurants... I forget how many units.. maybe like 800? and should be done by august of this year.. It was on the news last night.

The whole Jenks situation is getting a little out of control.

Come on, Tulsa.

^^But i'm g-man. :banana:

The whole Jenks situation is getting a little out of control.

Come on, Tulsa.

YES! I think this also, it's ridiculous a little suburb of 10-20,000 is outdoing Tulsa. Their developing like crazy, it was Tulsa's idea originally to develop the Arkansas River. Well Tulsa didn't take the iniative to start something until it was too late, then you had Jenks prospering from the riverwalk and people coming up with the "ideas" of The Channels project, and "Tulsa Landing" which in my opinion would have been absolutely great for Tulsa especially with the new arena going downtown they would have complimented eachother perfectly. Now Jenks is developing condos and such along the river, and they're going to be done very soon.

This should all be in Tulsa, but whatever. Downtown Tulsa needed something new and nice (the arena answered that) but now you have that huge arena and in a crappy part of town... Tulsa really should have developed the River.

And on top of that, Jenks is trying to take our Drillers!!! Tulsa needs to keep them, they're Tulsa's team. They need to build that new stadium they talked about in downtown to compliment the arena..

If the Drillers move to Jenks, it would be a fascinating but devastating blow to a city from its suburb. It would make an interesting urban study about suburbs cannibalizing their central city.

It's ridiculous, and it has to stop. The more the downward slide continues, the more citizens will become discouraged with their own city... But the only way it will stop is if Tulsa voters decide they want to make it stop, and they absolutely can.

If the Drillers move to Jenks, it would be a fascinating but devastating blow to a city from its suburb. It would make an interesting urban study about suburbs cannibalizing their central city.

It's ridiculous, and it has to stop. The more the downward slide continues, the more citizens will become discouraged with their own city... But the only way it will stop is if Tulsa voters decide they want to make it stop, and they absolutely can.

Exactly. It's great for Jenks, but Tulsa should be doing this as well..

In Greenville, SC we have Mauldin, Simpsonville, and Greer which are all around 20,000 people and suburbs of Greenville. They also try to out annex Greenville and compete with Greenville which is really the important central city out of all of them. I think this kind of thing happens all over the country which is sad. Sprawl, Sprawl, and more Sprawl.

The problem about Jenks though isn't really a residential sprawl issue. I mean, it is sprawl, and Tulsa metro has sprawl, but that's not the biggest problem facing Tulsa... The problem is the sprawling of culture. Tulsa's strongest point has always been its culture and now its little baby suburbs are STEALING culture from Tulsa. Not just stealing people anymore.

The problem about Jenks though isn't really a residential sprawl issue. I mean, it is sprawl, and Tulsa metro has sprawl, but that's not the biggest problem facing Tulsa... The problem is the sprawling of culture. Tulsa's strongest point has always been its culture and now its little baby suburbs are STEALING culture from Tulsa. Not just stealing people anymore.

lol, yep. Tulsa needs to keep what they have left.

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Tulsa19/JenksRail.jpg

New Tulsa urban planner outlines river, rail proposals
by Kirby Lee Davis
The Journal Record January 24, 2008

TULSA � Tulsa city leaders will soon have a new riverfront development idea to consider, the first of several downtown revitalization proposals expected from Mayor Kathy Taylor�s new urban planner.

Jack Crowley, a University of Oklahoma-Tulsa visiting professor on loan to Taylor�s staff, is working with HCW Development Co. of Branson, Mo., to revisit its Tulsa Landing retail and residential real estate concept for the Festival Park area.

Since that depended upon an Arkansas River tax proposal that went down in defeat last fall, Crowley has contemplated other means to generate the infrastructure funds HCW requires to jump-start that $1 billion project on the 23rd Street west bank.

The former Oklahoma Department of Transportation director and Williams Realty vice president also has pondered how to use Tulsa Landing as a growth tool for downtown.

His link: inner-city rail.

Identifying a lack of population density as downtown�s biggest problem, Crowley has focused on the underlying chicken-and-egg factors since joining the mayor�s team this month.

The short-term solution, in Crowley�s eyes, lies in building an alternative transportation system that helps commuters come downtown as it adds more entertainment venues to engage those consumers and make the central core more attractive.

With the latter demonstrating steady growth � Taylor unveiled one possible facet Tuesday with a downtown ballpark proposal for the Tulsa Drillers AA baseball team, even as the 18,000-seat BOK Center nears completion and the Brady and Blue Dome districts prosper � Crowley is working on transportation ideas that would not place a drain on voters.

While he sees great untapped potential in Tulsa�s hundreds of bicycle path miles, Crowley said Tulsa�s biggest opportunity lies in building inner-city rail.

�Any city of Tulsa�s size, or larger, that doesn�t have a fixed rail system of transit in the next 15 to 20 years is going to be way behind the curve,� he said, noting the progressive rise in fuel prices. �You can�t rely on the car to continue to grow.�

Using a modern passenger rail line to connect the BOK Center and ballpark with a high-energy entertainment center like Tulsa Landing would help overcome not only fears of commuter systems and leaving behind individual vehicles, but of just going downtown. By building such a system with bonds or tax-increment financing, incorporating development hubs with rail stops featuring commercial space for long-term tenant leases, Crowley said the inner-city rail should become self-supporting.

The end result would not only build public trust in a rail system, but increase downtown�s density and attract more residents.

�Double the density, double the sales tax,� he said. �You use the transportation system to cause the density that you�re looking for.�

The former dean of the University of Georgia College of Environmental Design hopes to offer a inner-city rail proposal, with a financing plan to help jump-start Tulsa Landing, within three weeks.

�I just have to convince myself it would work,� he said with a confident smile.

Once completed, Crowley said it would open the doors to extend the rail line from downtown to Tulsa International Airport, again using development hubs at terminal stops to pay for the system�s operation. He�s already contemplating a route, again incorporating real estate the city already owns to keep costs contained.

After that line was complete, Crowley estimated, the city would be prepared for extending such a system for other commuter traffic.
�My sense is, this town�s closer than it ever has been to change,� he said.

Crowley is on loan to Taylor until August, although Crowley said he would be interested in sticking around. Working with the Chicago-based real estate consultants Jones Lang LaSalle, he intends to help develop not just mass transit and downtown issues, but in updating the city�s comprehensive plan.

�In eight months, what I can do is set up two or three projects that clearly have some economic advantages to them,� he said. �It�s going to take some big thinking.�

While he would prefer to present the ideas and watch others take them before the public, Crowley expects to shepherd the rail concepts within the city government, and perhaps outside it.

�It�s going to take a clear picture,� said the OU graduate, telling how he intends to outline the economic details of such systems. �It�s going to take three to five years to make it commercially viable.�

Thanks for posting that Shane. Tulsa needs some more condos in the DT area..

Tulsa sees convention space boom: http://www.journalrecord.com/article.cfm?recid=86250

TULSA – If all the steel and welding foretells the future at all, the next three years promise a renaissance in convention business for metropolitan Tulsa.
Almost half a billion dollars of potential convention space construction is under way or on the drawing boards across the area, from downtown’s 18,000-seat BOK Center and Tulsa Convention Center renovation to the Cherokee Casino Resort expansion in Catoosa and the 5,000-seat SpiritBank Event Center in Bixby. Article Tools Printer friendly edition E-mail this to a friend RSS Feed Digg this history Add to Del.icio.us “Every city wants that full-service hotel and convention center,” said Mike Craddock, the Tulsa manager for HotelBrokerOne and the 2008 president-elect of the Oklahoma Association of Realtors. “Cities want to bring in that group business. It brings dollars into your city.”
With existing options ranging from the 460,000-square-foot Expo Square to the 10,000-seat Mabee Center, the 8,355-seat Donald W. Reynolds Center arena, the 2,700-seat Brady Theatre and the 1,500-seat Tulsa Community College Performing Arts Center, some observers question whether the metro area can support all the extra capacity.
“I think we’re there,” said Suzann Stewart of reaching a saturation point. “We probably have more event facilities per capita than anybody.
“I don’t think we need any more event centers in the community,” continued Stewart, senior vice president of the Metro Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau. “I think we need to maximize what we have.”
Bixby leaders fed such competitive fears Tuesday when they disclosed the Tulsa 66ers professional basketball team would play its 2008 schedule in the SpiritBank center.
That echoed last year’s shocking announcement the Tulsa Drillers pro baseball team had entered talks to move from Drillers Stadium at the Tulsa Fairgrounds, near where the 66ers now play, to a proposed ballpark in Jenks, just a few miles west of the Bixby center.
That revelation spurred Tulsa officials to put together ballpark construction plans of their own, which are still in development.
Those adding more brick and mortar see greater needs.

“We’re reaching a size now where it almost becomes necessary to have some type of contemporary well-equipped conference center for meetings and events,” said Keith Sterling, director of communications for the city of Broken Arrow, using words that echoed Bixby leaders.
Two different facilities are in the works for Tulsa’s largest suburb.
After three years of work, Broken Arrow officials are negotiating with Stoney Creek Hospitality Corp. to raise a convention center on the hill overlooking Bass Pro Shops. That 600- to 1,200-seat facility would connect directly to a multistory, full-service Stoney Creek Inn.
“We hope to break ground late this year,” said city tourism director Lori Hill.
Flintco workers just celebrated the topping-off of the Broken Arrow School District’s $26.4 million performing arts center, a 1,500-seat auditorium expected to open at the end of the year.
“Our other auditorium doesn’t have enough dates of the year to meet the needs of our students,” said Keith Isbell, communications officer for the district. “Many of our performing groups would not have a place to perform if not for the generosity of local churches.”

continued

On evenings and days the school does not require the theater, Isbell said the district intends to make the center available for community use, at rates still to be determined. That follows a pattern set by many districts, tapping their auditoriums and basketball arenas for additional revenue as event and convention sites. Tulsa Union High School’s 5,600-seat UMAC arena has hosted everything from Star Trek conventions to marriage seminars.
The 165,000-square-foot SpiritBank Event Center – scheduled for completion in October, one month after the $178 million BOK Center – promises to serve a different market than the city’s other facilities, said Sam Remy, vice president of operations for the Remy Cos.
“The Mabee can’t house those home and garden shows, car shows, that sort of thing,” said Remy, the son of Remy Cos. President Tim Remy. “It’s a different clientele, a different atmosphere.”
Drawing from all south Tulsa, the SpiritBank center boasts within walking distance several restaurants, 130,000 square feet of new Regal Plaza retail space and the Bixby Hampton Inn – creating the type of business environment craved by conventioneers, sports teams and events planners.
Sam Remy, who could announce the center’s initial concert lineup within a month, said he expects those synergies to attract even more commercial development around the center.
“I think it will kind of be a no-brainer for businesses to come into this area,” he said. “You look at the hotel, the movie theater … they’re pulling traffic like you wouldn’t believe.”
The $125 million Cherokee Casino and Resort expansion adds not only 200 rooms to the Catoosa facility, but 30,000 square feet of convention space and 75,000 square feet of other meeting area. That compares to 50,000 square feet of convention space at the 265-room, 35-suite Renaissance Tulsa Hotel.
Several downtown hotels, from the Crowne Plaza to the Doubletree, have renovated and expanded their convention space as well.
Across the city, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation continues to grow its casino at its 81st Street and Riverside, but has put on hold development of a hotel and convention space.
While they applaud the spending and motives, especially at the casinos, some observers have questioned whether the influx of new convention space will attract much more activity.
“When I look at it from a hospitality standpoint, the failure of the river tax didn’t bode well for Tulsa because it would have drawn from the regional economy,” said Craddock.
The lack of demand generators such as the river tax would have provided could mean convention and event planners will continue to base Tulsa decisions on its existing demographics, he said, which might not spur increased traffic. Without the economic engines and attractions projected from the river improvements, the city also lost key incentives needed to spur more downtown traffic in support of the BOK Center and Tulsa Convention Center.
“Everyone’s competing for the hospitality dollar,” said Craddock. “I can’t fault them for that. But can those cities attract the business they need to pay for those types of facilities? Time will tell.”
Leaders at Bixby and Broken Arrow feel that could come almost upon opening – and not just at their facilities.
“In my own personal life I go downtown for personal concerts,” said Remy, refuting arguments south Tulsans would not travel downtown for events. “But the thing, people are trying too much to take this event center and compare it to the other event centers.
“There is a need for this, especially for the south Tulsa area,” he said. “Everyone likes an event center closer to where we are.”
That point hit home with everyone.
“Whenever the city of Broken Arrow holds annual parties or events, we’re having to go to Tulsa because we just don’t have adequate facilities here,” said Hill. “Also groups that meet in the Tulsa area, they’re looking for avenues and ways to meet in Broken Arrow and the community.”

Tulsa MSA Passed 900k mark for first time. CSA including Bartlesville now over 950k.

-----


Tulsa

Tulsa 585,068 ----> 3.9%
Rogers 83,105 ---> 17.6%
Wagoner 67,239 ---> 17%
Okmulgee 39,300
Creek 69,073
Pawnee 16,447
Osage 45,523

2007 total msa: 905,755 ----> Passing 900,000!

CSA

Washington 49,888

2007 CSA Total: 955,643

^^
Thats good to see. As I don't live in Tulsa or even Oklahoma I travel to Tulsa whenever I want to see a "big city". Its good to hear that they have passed the 900,000 mark. I don't really know about the people who live there, but to me the area has always seemed much bigger than it actually is. I do hope that some of that growth is inside of the Tulsa city limits. I've heard that not long ago the city was losing people. Hopefully that not true now though.

Is the light rail still being planned? Also, any new developments?

Yes, Tulsa's population was in decline at the beginning of the decade, but it's going back up now. I don't think the metro population ever declined, only the population of city proper, which was getting very close to 400,000.

In 1990 Tulsa's population was 367,302. Tulsa saw a boom throughout that decade and in 2000 it's population was 393,049, but in the early 2000's Tulsa's economy hit the floor and in 2005 the population was counted at 382,457.

So from 1990-2000, Tulsa's population increased by 25,747. And from 2000-2005 Tulsa's population decreased by 10,592. But it's slowly picking back up now. And yeah, Tulsa's metro never declined.

Tulsa seems to have a lot more bad stigma about the inner city from both the suburbs and outer areas (especially southern) Tulsa. So Tulsa is hopefully going to get over that and more people will be moving back into the city proper.

Tulsa has urban areas that are unique because they have such a presence. Most cities don't come close to this sense of place that Tulsa happens to have. Tulsa's problem is that it can't be suburban anymore, and all of the damn ankle-biting suburbs around Tulsa and the people that live there are gonna hold that against it in a big way.

This flew by me: Downtown Tulsa has a small local grocery store now open in Crosbie Heights:


Grocery to open in Crosbie Heights
DAVID R. MILLION / Tulsa World
Scott Smith (left) plans to open a small grocery store in the Crosbie Heights Neighborhood before the end of the year. Lucio Benavides, a local artist living in east Tulsa, is helping with renovation of the building.


By DAVID MILLION World Staff Writer
11/21/2007

Lucio Benavides is familiar with the small neighborhood grocery store idea that Scott Smith is creating in the Crosbie Heights Neighborhood near downtown Tulsa.

"I grew up in Milwaukee's inner city where we had many little grocery stores run by mom and pops. I loved going in and buying a bag of candy for a dime," Benavides said.

Benavides, an artist, is helping Smith with the renovation of a 900-square-foot building at 306 S. Phoenix Ave.

In return, Smith will help Benavides by displaying some of his artwork when Blue Jackalope Groceries & Coffee opens in December.

"I plan to display local artists' work," Smith said. "I'm building my store around the idea of locally grown food and good nutrition. We'll be another outlet for local farmers you see at farmers markets during the summer."

Rita Scott is president of Sustainable Green Country, an organization that promotes locally grown food.

"We need more of these stores," she said. "They provide fresher, more nutritious food. Scott Smith is helping create relationships between local farmers, local sellers and Tulsa area consumers.

"He's also helping to create a sustainable, walkable community in his neighborhood,
an area underserved to access of locally grown food."

Smith predicts his customer base will be a mix.

"I believe 75 percent will be those in the immediate area with only their feet for transportation who'll do most of their grocery shopping here," he said. "The rest will stop in for between-supermarket trips."

Good to hear, I've noticed Tulsa and OKC don't have much when it comes to grocery stores in the CBD. Hopefully with all the residential development in OKC a couple will sprout up. As for Tulsa, well it's business, so that's good.

Well, this thread needs updated. Not much going on as usual but here's a little bit.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3038/2703245747_00090bf9f7.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3062/2704068752_c2c56fbf1a.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/2704072260_ec23f414ee.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3231/2703255735_8d30e40783.jpg?v=0

Finshing up the inside, it's on schedule to open in September, sexy isn't it? Pics taken fom city-data forum.

And the ballpark in the Greenwood District is slated to be completed by 2010. That's about all that's worth mentioning as of right now.

Holy Cow... BOK is so awesome. It still doesn't look real. I have to see it in person to believe it, I think... Haven't driven by since probably last fall.

Okay, that arena even beats some of the Chinese Olympic stadiums. What a awesome looking project!

That's an AWESOME design.

It truly is. But yet the area around it is disgusting, this arena truly is out of place. We can only hope Tulsa continues to beautify the areas.

That is possibly the best design for any new arenas I've seen in recent years , who is the architect?

It truly is. But yet the area around it is disgusting, this arena truly is out of place. We can only hope Tulsa continues to beautify the areas.

Well, perhaps this will force developers and other investors to focus on the surrounding area. This new awesome arena could be a better thing than just it'self. :)

Well, perhaps this will force developers and other investors to focus on the surrounding area. This new awesome arena could be a better thing than just it'self. :)

Well they have beautified some surrounding blocks, they've torn up and redone several blocks of sidewalks and streets, renovations are going on some of the surrounding historic buildings such as the Mayo Hotel. And every once in a while there pops up talk of a new midrise or highrise hotel going up across the street but that never leaves the ground. And I think it's about time to update this thread...

Here are just two somewhat significant projects. Other than that there isn't too much going on and right now I'm too lazy to go through and pick out every little proposed loft and walmart so here ya go.

New Tulsa Drillers downtown ballpark:

Groundbreaking ceremony was supposed to be on Tuesday Dec. 16 but due to icy weather they had to postpone it. The stadium is scheduled to be completed by February 2010. It will seat approximately 6,200 (about 4,000 less than the original stadium they are currently playing at) and will have 30 suites.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2008/20081209_ballpark.jpg

Rumored BOk Center hotel:

Approximate cost was around $38 million I believe, featured would be 45,000 sq. feet of retail space and a 200 car garage.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/2905050442_1eee33a056_b.jpg

That is possibly the best design for any new arenas I've seen in recent years , who is the architect?

Cesar Pelli