At this hour, Mr Downing, (the head of the Visual and Performing Arts High School Project) is busy explaining the bid logged with the Tulsa Public School District.
The bid is for the purchase of Roosevelt School.
The intended use is explained in the folowing article.
http://www.newson6.com/story/10895412/approved-oklahoma-high-school-for-visual-and-performing-arts?redirected=true
Thoughts, or comments Welcome.
I previously evaluated that building for TPS (8-10 years ago) and believe it would be an excellent building for that proposed use.
Awesome! Hope this happens. I think that this would be an ideal location for them. (aside from downtown) It's close to TU, downtown, the up-and coming Pearl District, and midtown. Sounds perfect for an arts school.
Sounds good.
When we learned Burroughs was spared and Roosevelt was closed I immediately hoped the rumors of this group hoping for a TPS site near downtown were true.
This could be a great project for the burgeoning Owen Park neighborhood.
That is really a nice property, especially with it's proximity to the park. Even if it's not re-used as a school, I think it could be ideal for office space.
In case anyone needs the birds eye
(http://www.google.com/maps/vt/data=Ay5GWBeob_WIPLDYoIWcfVXxvZu9XwJ55OX7Ag,Q0Cl0naiDIoslqUJwvvJSaM2Y2d1iZe3mxLaziDBY_Kyb34PHf0SbL_gwEXWccU3pH0FVKRANIIHz5yYRmVcAfVn5_QQs-yGR4tM1yZQnPlYTnOFivQA86I68PqZgmur9hPOCA)
Conan, it is beautiful. If I recall it may need mechanical upgrades. Not 100% on that however.
I was at the Owen Park Neighborhood Association meeting last night... took notes on what Mr. Downing had to say and got his business card... exciting stuff.
I hope Tulsans have noticed that Owen Park is becoming a hot spot for those who want houses downtown in a historic neighborhood and don't want to spend a lot of money.
I bought my house for 60K and renovated it to my tastes for 40K, now it's worth 120K...and I have a house that is just the way I want it, and two minutes from downtown and the Brady district. I like the fact it's just across Edison from Tulsa Country Club...an old prestigious country club from Tulsa's oil boom days that has a completely new state of the art golf course.
Just this week another family is buying/renovating on my block, last year there were three.
OwenParkPhil
Quote from: OwenParkPhil on August 22, 2011, 11:08:17 AM
I hope Tulsans have noticed that Owen Park is becoming a hot spot for those who want houses downtown in a historic neighborhood and don't want to spend a lot of money.
I bought my house for 60K and renovated it to my tastes for 40K, now it's worth 120K...and I have a house that is just the way I want it, and two minutes from downtown and the Brady district. I like the fact it's just across Edison from Tulsa Country Club...an old prestigious country club from Tulsa's oil boom days that has a completely new state of the art golf course.
Just this week another family is buying/renovating on my block, last year there were three.
OwenParkPhil
Welcome aboard Phil! Congrats on your purchase and thank you for investing in a great historic neighborhood. Please be a regular!
Quote from: OwenParkPhil on August 22, 2011, 11:08:17 AM
I hope Tulsans have noticed that Owen Park is becoming a hot spot for those who want houses downtown in a historic neighborhood and don't want to spend a lot of money.
I bought my house for 60K and renovated it to my tastes for 40K, now it's worth 120K...and I have a house that is just the way I want it, and two minutes from downtown and the Brady district. I like the fact it's just across Edison from Tulsa Country Club...an old prestigious country club from Tulsa's oil boom days that has a completely new state of the art golf course.
Just this week another family is buying/renovating on my block, last year there were three.
OwenParkPhil
Congrats Phil. Owen Park is a jewel and its exciting to see it becoming more popular again. I'm on the shouth side of downtown in uptown and I really enjoy my proximity to the CBD.
The Arts school had the ONLY bid on the property.....
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/plan-would-repurpose-roosevelt-as-school-for-visual-and-performing-arts
QuoteA new law helped create the program two years ago and the group has been looking for a perfect location ever since.
The campus would house and educate 200 high school juniors and seniors.
"This school gives us the opportunity to focus on those most gifted kids from all over the state of Oklahoma and to let them have a deep immersion into their specific arts discipline."
Downing's group has the only bid in for the building.
The district wants to negotiate.
"I'm not going to negotiate in public. But I'm just going to say it's far below what we would accept," Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard said.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=19&articleid=20110818_19_A11_CUTLIN919528
QuoteState law requires that surplus properties first be offered for public bid, but school districts are free to accept or reject those bids and then enter into negotiations for private sale.
Roosevelt Elementary School,1202 W. Easton St. The nonprofit Oklahoma School for the Visual and Performing Arts Foundation bid $251,778.50. The plan calls for the development and eventual operation on site of a school that was established by the Legislature in 2009 as a two-year residential facility for secondary students.
In the
"snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" dept....
From the latest Owen Park Neighborhood Association newsletter....
"David Brumbaugh (OK House District 76 Rep) and John Wright (Tulsa County Assessor's Office Director) have expressed their desire to have Roosevelt become the next "home" for the Juvenile Justice Center."Hmmm.... let's see... performing arts school versus a juvee jail?
Unfortunately, I cannot attend tomorrow night's Owen Park Neighborhood Association meeting, but these guys are going to argue for the Juvenile Justice Center -- how many other of these facilities are located literally next door to a public park? and across the street from a residential neighborhood.... ? >:(
http://podcast.1170kfaq.com/PatCampbellShow/tabid/1852/nnpg3505/4/Default.aspx
The Pat Campbell Show Hour 3 -- Monday, July 25, 2011 -- Starts at 12 mins 30 secs
"Eddie has an update on the Roosevelt Middle School/Storey Wrecker/Juvenile Detention Center facility debate. Is there any headway? What is the hold up? Is the city missing out on a chance to save some money?"
The Pat Campbell Show Hour 3 -- Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Starts at about 7 mins 30 secs....... and Eddie Huff resorts to bribery at 10 mins 30 secs.... ::)
"Eddie Huff had lunch with County Commissioner Fred Perry and discussed the Roosevelt Middle School proposal. Hear how everything hashed out during hour three."
Dear God I hope this doesn't happen! Just one more reason for the fine folks of Owen Park to vote for Blake Ewing tomorrow. Not trying to put words in Mr Ewing's mouth but as a property owner there I'm sure he will be attentive to their pleadings.
rdj..... wish you were there! Okay, so I lied and went to the meeting. My blood pressure was getting higher throughout the day today at work, so I skipped TOC rehearsal (I can't concentrate on Bach when my neighborhood's at stake!)..... Great crowd of well over a hundred, filled Owen Park Baptist Church (including the likes of Maria Barnes and Blake Ewing)...... a few were from Brady and Crosbie Heights.....
to be fair, I was very, very impressed with Liz Hunt at my first neighborhood association meeting last month... great neighborhood advocate, only weakness IMHO was relying on those magic words "public/private partnership" a few too many times... and I was starting to get irritable after spending the entire meeting seated in between these two guys....
(http://asset-server.libsyn.com/item/1566703/assets/old_muppets_on_balcony.jpg)
BUT TONIGHT, WE, THE PEOPLE OF OWEN PARK, sent two quasi "concerned citizens" -- the talk radio guy from KCFO who said Roosevelt, a facility right next door to a beautiful public park, was "perfect" for a Juvenile Detention Center; and his lackey, a former state rep from Broken Arrow who now works for the county -- out of our neighborhood with their tails between their legs. As much as I'd love to give you a play-by-play, I'm celebrating our little hood's victory with massive quantities of beer... Mr. Ewing bided his time and struck the perfect tone... and yours truly, as a former opera singer, was struck by all the drama and Blake was right there, waiting for his cue with perfect political timing, after observing the collective groans and general disgust..... huzzah!!!
I need another beer! ;D
I spoke to an insider with the school district and she said that the school board really likes the idea of Roosevelt becoming a charter performing arts school.
QuoteI spoke to an insider with the school district and she said that the school board really likes the idea of Roosevelt becoming a charter performing arts school.
Did the insider whisper that in your ear before bed?
That is the best news I have heard in a long time.
Quote from: RecycleMichael on September 13, 2011, 01:56:33 AM
I spoke to an insider with the school district and she said that the school board really likes the idea of Roosevelt becoming a charter performing arts school.
I really hope that comes to fruition. It's the perfect location for it and I'd rather see the Juvy Center on the Storey property.
Quote from: JoeMommaBlake on September 13, 2011, 03:59:42 AM
Did the insider whisper that in your ear before bed?
Man, I hope you're talking about Anna.
Quote from: JoeMommaBlake on September 13, 2011, 03:59:42 AM
Did the insider whisper that in your ear before bed?
Blake, can I send my dry cleaning bill to you? I just spit my coffee out all over my shirt and pants. Luckily my keyboard was spared.
Being a resident of Reservoir Hill I'm very interested in what happens over there with the school. I'm voiced my opinion here that I don't like the center being on the Storey Wrecker site but the Roosevelt site is abhorrent. If the intent was to get the community to sign off on the better of two bad locations then I guess mission accomplished.
Quote from: rdj on September 13, 2011, 10:02:12 AM
Being a resident of Reservoir Hill I'm very interested in what happens over there with the school. I'm voiced my opinion here that I don't like the center being on the Storey Wrecker site but the Roosevelt site is abhorrent. If the intent was to get the community to sign off on the better of two bad locations then I guess mission accomplished.
Ahh propose a bigger pile to make the original pile look more like only a fartburger.
I think we beat that whole Storey Wrecker site discussion into the ground. I still think being across from the DL Moss and near social services makes more sense.
Quote from: Conan71 on September 13, 2011, 10:15:49 AM
Ahh propose a bigger pile to make the original pile look more like only a fartburger.
I think we beat that whole Storey Wrecker site discussion into the ground. I still think being across from the DL Moss and near social services makes more sense.
Before you start celebrating "Storey" I have three little words for you.
DEQ
Let me know how that turns out.
Maybe that's why they're making a push for Roosevelt.?
Quote from: Truman on September 13, 2011, 01:18:25 PM
Before you start celebrating "Storey" I have three little words for you.
DEQ
Let me know how that turns out.
That's a three-letter acronym ;)
DEQ issues with oil seepage, heavy metals, or other things which might have leeched into the soil on the property over the years will be easier for a government entity to deal with it than a private one.
Quote from: Conan71 on September 13, 2011, 01:58:29 PM
That's a three-letter acronym ;)
DEQ issues with oil seepage, heavy metals, or other things which might have leeched into the soil on the property over the years will be easier for a government entity to deal with it than a private one.
by easier you mean, easier to fund by using taxpayer monies?
Quote from: Conan71 on September 13, 2011, 01:58:29 PM
That's a three-letter acronym ;)
DEQ issues with oil seepage, heavy metals, or other things which might have leeched into the soil on the property over the years will be easier for a government entity to deal with it than a private one.
Conan is right. The DEQ is likely to be a free consultant helping another government deal with environmental issues more than they would a private developer.
Where is the old storey site? Usually I'm up on that sort of thing.
Quote from: RecycleMichael on September 13, 2011, 04:50:58 PM
Conan is right. The DEQ is likely to be a free consultant helping another government deal with environmental issues more than they would a private developer.
Other part is, just how marketable is that property to other commercial interests? I can see the ad now:
Wonderful Opportunity Directly Across The Street From The Tulsa County Jail!Homeless shelters and bail bondsmen are within convenient walking distance!
Gallons of oil seepage right under the property! Erect your own oil derrick!
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
Hey, wait! Sounds like a perfect spot for Bell's!
Archer & Elwood, across the street from David L Moss... location makes sense, I guess, it certainly wouldn't be out of place... much better than next door to the bark park on third.... somehow I'm reminded of a certain Vancouver architect a few years back who was paid $10mil to tell us that the IDL is a noose that strangles downtown Tulsa... yet from my perspective, I'm grateful to have those barriers in place, Owen Park feels kinda tucked away ... although my IDEAL location for the Juvenile Center is in "concerned citizen" John Wright's neighborhood in Broken Arrow, preferably as close to a public park or community swimming pool as "humanely" possible... :P
Quote from: RecycleMichael on September 13, 2011, 04:50:58 PM
Conan is right. The DEQ is likely to be a free consultant helping another government deal with environmental issues more than they would a private developer.
OK the facts, as you won't get them from today's TW.
DEQ was running tests on the property. Results at first were clean. Too clean.
Under one of the buildings's concrete slab, was found a "well" that had been capped with concrete.
DEQ put together a special testing device. Two feet down in the well there began to be high concentrations of volatile chemicals, PCB's, and chemicals that would preclude any sort of a residential type facility.
More to be determined as that was just at two feet. The plan was to go substantially deeper in running the test.
Cost of cleanup was to be paid by Storey if they followed through with the contract.
Out of pocket for Storey may have just been estimated at an unacceptable level with the 2.5 Mil sale price. Who knows? May have opened doors that a wrecking company, a successful wrecking company, would like to see remain closed.
Any indication who dumped stuff under the building and who capped the "well"?
Sounds like Storey wanted to dump the property on the taxpayer as though it was clean. Then when the truth was exposed they didn't want to take responsibility for clean up unless they could get more money. The bottom line is this: even if the property is cleaned up in conjunction with DEQ as a "free" consultant (nothing is free), the taxpayer foots the bill. Either in the form of a higher purchase price or with another government entity helping.
What ever happened to taking responsibility? Someone dumped the stuff there. Whether it was Storey during the last few decades or past residents of the property, Storey has the responsibility for clean up now. It disgusts me that it is only disclosed here on a limited forum and that suddenly Roosevelt is pursued as the answer.
The answer is for Storey to pay for their deferred disposal expenses by cleaning up their property.
Federal environmental laws pin liability on any owner of the property, even if the current owner did not do the polluting. Most recent owner usually gets stuck with the cleanup/remidiation bill unless it can find a previous owner who did the polluting and has money to pay. Most commercial purchases are contingent on envirornmental study. If this is the case, Storey should be stuck with cleaning up whatever mess is there no matter who made it, unless the government decides to let them off the hook.
I know they are stuck with it. But it looks like they intend to pass it on in the selling price rather than paying for their past deferral. Especially if the Roosevelt property falls through. I can foresee authorities reverting to the Storey location and paying the extra price.
Its like a homeowner who fails to re-roof his home and prices it as though he had. Yet when an offer is made contingent on the home being re-roofed, suddenly increases the price to reflect the added expense.
Even if they refuse to sell to the county, there is the nasty little matter that toxic disposal laws have probably been broken while the city/county did business with them for years under the assumption that they were properly disposing of anti-freeze, oil, battery acids etc.
AquaMan - are you suggesting the County is now going to pay more $ after discovering there is a hidden toxic filled well?
If the contract price was already agreed upon, any cleanup/remediation costs should be Storey's problem. Once the property is cleaned up, it is probably worth what the County agreed to pay. Even if Storey backs out of the deal, assuming the contract permits it, Storey still has a problem now that a toxic filled well has been discovered on its property. DEQ will not let them ignore it, even if they don't sell the property.
Quote from: DTowner on September 16, 2011, 10:41:32 AM
AquaMan - are you suggesting the County is now going to pay more $ after discovering there is a hidden toxic filled well?
I am hoping that a public discussion of that possibility negates its probability. The county has a long relationship with Storey and others have mentioned on here that remediation would be smoother with purchase by another governmental entity. Consider me skeptical.
If the contract price was already agreed upon, any cleanup/remediation costs should be Storey's problem. Once the property is cleaned up, it is probably worth what the County agreed to pay. Even if Storey backs out of the deal, assuming the contract permits it, Storey still has a problem now that a toxic filled well has been discovered on its property. DEQ will not let them ignore it, even if they don't sell the property.
That last paragraph is comforting. That is the way it should all go down. I now adjust my suspicious countenance.
Quote from: Truman on September 16, 2011, 08:13:25 AM
OK the facts, as you won't get them from today's TW.
DEQ was running tests on the property. Results at first were clean. Too clean.
Under one of the buildings's concrete slab, was found a "well" that had been capped with concrete.
DEQ put together a special testing device. Two feet down in the well there began to be high concentrations of volatile chemicals, PCB's, and chemicals that would preclude any sort of a residential type facility.
More to be determined as that was just at two feet. The plan was to go substantially deeper in running the test.
Cost of cleanup was to be paid by Storey if they followed through with the contract.
Out of pocket for Storey may have just been estimated at an unacceptable level with the 2.5 Mil sale price. Who knows? May have opened doors that a wrecking company, a successful wrecking company, would like to see remain closed.
Care to provide a source on these facts since you've got posters running away with this now?
DEQ
You can buy a copy of the report in the near future.
Quote from: Truman on September 16, 2011, 04:11:30 PM
DEQ
You can buy a copy of the report in the near future.
I don't know who you are, but you are saying things that don't jive. I have had some conversations about this property that are in conflict with youir statements.
Can you cite any references before you throw out any more scare stories and claim they are facts? If you have anything in writing, I would tend to believe you, but at this point you seem to be a bombthrower who is putting out unfounded lies.
Did Storey tow your car and now you want to get even?
Quote from: AquaMan on September 16, 2011, 10:29:04 AM
I know they are stuck with it. But it looks like they intend to pass it on in the selling price rather than paying for their past deferral. Especially if the Roosevelt property falls through. I can foresee authorities reverting to the Storey location and paying the extra price.
The Roosevelt idea was never more than a pet project from KFAQ's people who yammered about preferring to house juvenile delinquents in a neighborhood school to save money.... I think Fred Perry was just playing nice....
Notes on the juvenile centerby Commissioner Fred Perry
http://www.tulsabeacon.com/?p=5368
QuoteI have gotten it down from the $77 million price tag that was originally projected by the architects. I continue to try to reduce it even more. We are also looking, and have looked long and hard, at alternatives to building the center from scratch.
But it is not as easy as one would think. Juvenile Justice Centers are part detention center (in this case around 65 beds), part courthouse (for juveniles only) and part office space. State and federal regulations regarding detention facilities for juveniles preclude the detention part of the facilities being built from existing structures except for possible similar facilities.
We looked hard at the schools that TPS have put up for sale. The major problem with them, including Roosevelt Elementary which Dan mentioned in his piece, is that they are in residential neighborhoods.
Zoning would have to be changed "big time" because you have to jump several levels of zoning to get such a facility approved by the Board of Adjustment and the City Council.
They are in the same class as jails and some of the kids are violent. Citizens living in a residential area rise up in strong protest when authorities start considering putting such a facility in their back yards. It seems to be an impossible task.
Because of the regulations, the detention center portion would have to be built from scratch at a cost of about $15 million. We have considered the Roosevelt Elementary School. I toured the building in July. The building is 95 years old which makes it even less of a possibility to remodel for the detention portion of the facility. It could be remodeled for the courtrooms and offices but that would not come cheap and the "skin" and structural aspects would still be 95 years old.
If Dan had driven by Roosevelt School he would have seen that it is not downtown, as he stated. It is across multiple freeways from downtown, next to Owen Park and in the Owen Park residential subdivision and a block from the Tulsa Country Club southern boundary. Owen Park has a very strong home owners association that has made it known they are strongly opposed to the center being located anywhere nearby, much less right in the subdivision. They have successfully blocked much less benign facilities such as a proposed juvenile half-way house blocks away from the subdivision.
Funny how the talk radio drivel-masters criticize the county but NEVER spoke with residents until last week...
Plan for county juvenile justice center on holdhttp://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20110916_16_A8_CUTLIN276239
QuoteMeanwhile, earlier this week, neighborhood residents packed Owen Park Baptist Church to discuss the possibility of housing the juvenile court at the recently closed Roosevelt Elementary School, 1202 W. Easton St.
The meeting was arranged by John Wright, a Tulsa County Assessor's Office employee and former state lawmaker, and state Rep. David Brumbaugh, R-Broken Arrow. Wright, who represented District 76, left office because of term limits. Brumbaugh succeeded him in 2010.
Brumbaugh said Thursday that his group is looking to find a site that could be reconfigured for less than it would cost to build a new juvenile justice center.
"We are not married to Roosevelt or any other type of facility," he said. "We are just trying to find a good option for the taxpayers."
David Phillips, a neighborhood resident who attended the meeting, said the "general reaction was pretty vocally negative to doing anything like that."
Perry said he supports Brumbaugh's efforts to provide vocational training for young people in the juvenile justice system but said the Roosevelt site is not appropriate.
He said county engineers have advised against the site and that he believes that required zoning changes would not be approved because of neighborhood opposition.
"pretty vocally negative" = unanimous ;D
I will admit, Storey once towed my car after an accident, when I was in high school. Somehow in a locked facility in north Tulsa at the time, all my 8 track tapes and tape player got stolen! Beach Boys Animal Sounds album was pretty groovy stuff. They shrugged their shoulders. I'm still pissed. ;)
Oh, yeah, I paid one a twenty back during the disco days to not tow my car from behind Boston Avenue Market and he gladly accepted it. So, I guess we're even.
Quote from: RecycleMichael on September 17, 2011, 01:19:26 PM
I don't know who you are, but you are saying things that don't jive. I have had some conversations about this property that are in conflict with youir statements.
Can you cite any references before you throw out any more scare stories and claim they are facts? If you have anything in writing, I would tend to believe you, but at this point you seem to be a bombthrower who is putting out unfounded lies.
Did Storey tow your car and now you want to get even?
"bombthrower" Don't remember ever being called that.
When Tulsa Now, was in it's infancy, I knew a fellow that was set on having employees on as many Boards, Agencies, etc. as contacts. Seems he did not trust the info he was given through the
usual sources.Possibly all that has changed. One can fold their hands and listen to the media, read the paper, and await the Bureaucratic statement released by the "parties involved".
In the above case, I thought, this organization deserved to know exactly what facts Fred Perry, and Karen Keith, etc. had been given the day before the Tulsa World story.
If the readers on this forum are content with "The truth" as the officials want them to have it; you will not have me giving life to any further outlandish stories.
Before I go, you wanted something in print. Here you go Sir.
http://www.mediafire.com/?jybq657lvaz11
Thank you for making to easy to look at the files.
It shows levels of contamination consistent with an indoor facility storing used cars for twenty years. It also suggests reasonable measures taken during construction to remediate the problems.
I don't know why you thought this was some Chicken Little screaming "the sky is falling" report. Yes, old cars can leak motor oil if parked for decades. Yes, you are probably going to do some cleanup of the site. Yes, I am sure that work is anticipated before they build on the land.
Quote from: RecycleMichael on November 02, 2011, 02:35:22 PM
Thank you for making to easy to look at the files.
It shows levels of contamination consistent with an indoor facility storing used cars for twenty years. It also suggests reasonable measures taken during construction to remediate the problems.
I don't know why you thought this was some Chicken Little screaming "the sky is falling" report. Yes, old cars can leak motor oil if parked for decades. Yes, you are probably going to do some cleanup of the site. Yes, I am sure that work is anticipated before they build on the land.
So it's not a superfund after all, eh?
Quote from: Truman on November 02, 2011, 02:11:23 PM
"bombthrower" Don't remember ever being called that.
When Tulsa Now, was in it's infancy, I knew a fellow that was set on having employees on as many Boards, Agencies, etc. as contacts. Seems he did not trust the info he was given through the usual sources.
Possibly all that has changed. One can fold their hands and listen to the media, read the paper, and await the Bureaucratic statement released by the "parties involved".
In the above case, I thought, this organization deserved to know exactly what facts Fred Perry, and Karen Keith, etc. had been given the day before the Tulsa World story.
If the readers on this forum are content with "The truth" as the officials want them to have it; you will not have me giving life to any further outlandish stories.
Before I go, you wanted something in print. Here you go Sir.
http://www.mediafire.com/?jybq657lvaz11
Quote from: RecycleMichael on November 02, 2011, 02:35:22 PM
Thank you for making to easy to look at the files.
It shows levels of contamination consistent with an indoor facility storing used cars for twenty years. It also suggests reasonable measures taken during construction to remediate the problems.
I don't know why you thought this was some Chicken Little screaming "the sky is falling" report. Yes, old cars can leak motor oil if parked for decades. Yes, you are probably going to do some cleanup of the site. Yes, I am sure that work is anticipated before they build on the land.
Reading comprehension is not your strong suit is it?
Either that or you know more than the DEQ personnel combined.
The findings trace back to "Norris" more than Storey. But you knew that.
Quote from: Truman on November 02, 2011, 04:33:48 PM
Reading comprehension is not your strong suit is it?
Either that or you know more than the DEQ personnel combined.
The findings trace back to "Norris" more than Storey. But you knew that.
Well Truman, I fail to understand your motive here but what is clear is that you are willing to make up your own facts to support it as little if anything of what you stated is true. Especially your claims of "clean too clean" but where you really exposed yourself is your unfounded claim that PCB's were found which is simply untrue as the documentation you linked to clearly states. So in your own words I guess "you know more than the DEQ" published in their certified report which is dated AFTER the fixed contract time for closing expired.
As one who was there during this process, in my opinion, this is a good site and the present conditions do not preclude a valuable reuse of it and depending on that reuse it may or may not require remediation as perhaps hundreds of other sites in the city might also. The difference here is that when your proposed future use will have people sleeping on a redeveloped former industrial site the allowable contaminate threshold established by the EPA and administered by the ODEQ (that's why the agency was directly involved) is quite low, as it should be, and in my observation confirmation that it would be met could not be provided in the time allowed and the agreement expired.
In closing, the owner's and the County have now learned a great deal about this site and I will state without reservation that the family was 125% cooperative from day one and are in no way due any criticism whatsoever on thier poropsed sale and I predict that we will all see this site re-purposed in the future.
Quote from: Vision 2025 on November 02, 2011, 07:08:33 PM
Well Truman, I fail to understand your motive here but what is clear is that you are willing to make up your own facts to support it as little if anything of what you stated is true. Especially your claims of "clean too clean" but where you really exposed yourself is your unfounded claim that PCB's were found which is simply untrue as the documentation you linked to clearly states. So in your own words I guess "you know more than the DEQ" published in their certified report which is dated AFTER the fixed contract time for closing expired.
As one who was there during this process, in my opinion, this is a good site and the present conditions do not preclude a valuable reuse of it and depending on that reuse it may or may not require remediation as perhaps hundreds of other sites in the city might also. The difference here is that when your proposed future use will have people sleeping on a redeveloped former industrial site the allowable contaminate threshold established by the EPA and administered by the ODEQ (that's why the agency was directly involved) is quite low, as it should be, and in my observation confirmation that it would be met could not be provided in the time allowed and the agreement expired.
In closing, the owner's and the County have now learned a great deal about this site and I will state without reservation that the family was 125% cooperative from day one and are in no way due any criticism whatsoever on thier poropsed sale and I predict that we will all see this site re-purposed in the future.
Kirby, "clean too clean" were the exact words used by someone from the DEQ.
"PCB's" were at a time when they had located the electrical equipment. Once again, this was a verbal update on the tests, they were referencing the electrical transformer. Sorry, if that was misleading.
Finally, I in no way meant to infer that Storey was trying to hide anything.
My point was, the remediation of the site, may have been to costly for there to have been enough of a profit for Storey.
Meeting on Thursday...
Wish I could go to support the new
Oklahoma School of Visual and Performing Arts.... but ironically.... I have an opera rehearsal that night.
QuoteOPNA Members and Friends,
I wanted to share the information that I received from Tulsa Public Schools regarding Roosevelt. It looks like the Oklahoma School of Visual and Performing Arts still wants to become our neighbor.
Here is the email I received:
Dear Home Owners Association liaisons,
Please note the attached information regarding a neighborhood forum that will be held on Thursday, April 4, 6:30-7:30 p.m., in the Roosevelt gymnasium. Please forward this information to your respective neighborhood association email lists and don't hesitate to contact us if you need more information.
The attached document explains the nature of the forum with additional contact information and we look forward to answering any questions that you might have next week.
Best,
Paula Wood
Director of School and Community Relations
Tulsa Public Schools
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting,
Cheers,
David Moore
OPNA
Quote from: TulsaRufnex on April 02, 2013, 10:59:11 PM
Meeting on Thursday...
Wish I could go to support the new Oklahoma School of Visual and Performing Arts.... but ironically.... I have an opera rehearsal that night.
Which show are you doing?
...chorus for Aida.
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/oklahoma-school-for-the-visual--performing-arts-eyes-old-tulsa-public-schools-roosevelt-elementary
QuotePosted: 03/31/2013
By: Max Resnik
TULSA - The Tulsa Public Schools will host a public meeting Thursday to discuss the potential sale of the Roosevelt Elementary School building, which could be transformed into the Oklahoma School for the Visual & Performing Arts.
The father-son team of David and Coleman Downing are leading the effort to purchase the building, which was closed during the district's Project Schoolhouse Efficiency Initiative.
The school, constructed in 1926, currently houses TPS programs and offices, but if transformed, would offer an array of classes centered around the visual and performing arts.
"We'll have visual arts, which would cover drawing and painting, photography, video work. Performing arts, which would be orchestral music and choral, and we would have ballet and modern dance and acting and creative writing. Pretty much the whole spectrum of the arts," said Coleman Downing, who was inspired to create this learning atmosphere based on his summers at the Oklahoma Arts Institute.
The Oklahoma School for the Visual & Performing Arts would house 200 students from throughout the state for their junior and senior years.
"It's something that's under appreciated here in the state, in terms of funding from the state and from schools around the area. People don't put a lot of stock into it, but people don't realize how important it really is. I think that the best way to spread awareness is to fund more projects and have a place where kids can come and learn what they want to learn," Coleman explained.
Oklahoma House Bill 1737, signed into law in 2009, creates a public-private partnership for the school. Over the next year, David Downing explained, he, his son and their team, will need to raise between $20 and $25 million for the building purchase, renovations and equipment. Then, they'll need to seek operational appropriations for the school from the legislature.
"It's incumbent upon us, the school, to raise private financing to build, renovate, equip and prepare the facility for the kids. It's the responsibility of the state to fund the ongoing operation of the school through appropriation, which we will do every year hopefully for the next 50 to 100 years," David said.
The Downings hope to open the school in the next three to four years.
Community members can share their thoughts about the potential sale Thursday, April 4 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the Roosevelt Elementary School gym.
I never got this area of "business" unless this isn't a business and they are just really nice people, they are wanting someone to buy the building for them and pay for it to be brought upto code than have the state fund it? Maybe I missed something...I am in the wrong line of business if I didn't...
Why would we sell a property to an entity which does not have the money already on hand?
Quote from: zstyles on April 04, 2013, 09:00:03 AM
I never got this area of "business" unless this isn't a business and they are just really nice people, they are wanting someone to buy the building for them and pay for it to be brought upto code than have the state fund it? Maybe I missed something...I am in the wrong line of business if I didn't...
do you consider public education a business?
... they've done a significant amount of fundraising over the past few years and had the high bid from the original auction.
Admittedly, I am not able to quantify "significant amount" at this time.
Quote from: takemebacktotulsa on April 04, 2013, 09:59:02 AM
do you consider public education a business?
I guess it depends who the vendors are that are taking the money from the public education system, yes I do consider it a business.
Quote from: zstyles on April 04, 2013, 12:39:21 PM
I guess it depends who the vendors are that are taking the money from the public education system, yes I do consider it a business.
I know the Downings, and I know that they don't expect any personal financial gain from this project. And so far they have only invested their own time and money.
Quote from: takemebacktotulsa on April 04, 2013, 01:12:06 PM
I know the Downings, and I know that they don't expect any personal financial gain from this project. And so far they have only invested their own time and money.
Exactly.
Did anyone go to the meeting last night?