What ever happened to Tulsa Northwest Passage

[brettakins]

I was driving through this area of town, and I came across signs advertising this new housing development, so I decided to see what the fuss was all about. Tucked away in the northwest area of town this isn't something that most people would just stumble across. What a surprise I see a new neighborhood full of pretty nice size homes, nothing extravagant, but nice. It seems like the developer cut and ran with this project half completed. Does anybody have any information on what happened with this development? I did a google search but I couldn't seem to come out with any information except for a couple of Tulsaworld articles.

The developer of a nearly 500-acre planned-unit development in northwest Tulsa will go before the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission next month seeking to modify the plan to accommodate the ongoing construction of the Gilcrease Expressway.

The planned-unit development, or PUD, is called the Northwest Passage. It originally was approved by the City Council in 2000 but has seen only minor development since.

It stretches roughly two miles from 41st West Avenue to Osage Drive in Osage County.

The property is owned by Legacy Investments LLC of New Mexico, and development plans are being handled by Tulsa Engineering and Planning Associates Inc.

Tim Terral, director of land planning for the company, said there are no immediate plans to develop the property.

"They (the owners) are really wanting to do this to get ready for the future," he said.

Terral said that when the PUD was created in the late 1990s, it was assumed that the expressway would run along one path, when in fact it ended up farther south, leaving more developable land to the north of the expressway.

As part of its hearing before the Planning Commission, Tulsa Engineering and Planning will ask commissioners to approve the rezoning of five parcels abutting the expressway to allow for more intense development - such as commercial and office - than was originally contemplated.

"It just made a lot of sense," Terral said.

As proposed, the modified PUD would provide approximately 66 acres zoned commercial and office north of the expressway and nearly 57 acres with the same zoning south of the expressway.

Terral said the proposed commercial and office development not only makes sense from a business standpoint but would provide a buffer for the residential developments planned south of the expressway.

In addition, the PUD would stimulate growth beyond its boundaries, with new businesses and housing likely to spring up around it, Terral said.

Tulsa Engineering and Planning also is seeking to rezone a sixth parcel at the northeast corner of the PUD near Osage Drive and the Gilcrease Expressway.

Tulsa Engineering and Planning initially proposed changing the zoning for the 23.2-acre parcel from multifamily residential to light-industrial.

The rezoning request now calls for the property to be zoned office.

The change was made after Planning Commission staff members recommended that commissioners deny the request for light industrial zoning, believing it was not appropriate for that site.

The Planning Commission will hear Tulsa Engineering and Planning's application at its Aug. 21 meeting.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/tulsa-s-northwest-passage-development-plan-may-be-modified/article_2d5d5f23-6f3c-5f88-a6e7-423e257d15ef.html

[Breadburner]

Alot is going to have to go on over there for anything like that to ever work.....

[dbacksfan 2.0]

2008 Financial meltdown might have had an effect.

[TheArtist]

I think all that divided use zoning crap is absurd.  Why not just allow for mixed-use Form Based Codes and leave it at that?  

Speaking of zoning, don't know if I have mentioned this yet, just learned the other day that along 11th (where I am looking to put another business) that it's illegal to install awnings that go over the sidewalk!  The property that we are looking at has a building up to the sidewalk and I was wanting to add awnings to the front.

What the heck to they think awnings are for?  They are to protect pedestrians from sun and rain and help make the street more pedestrian friendly.  (oh, and also that we probably can't open because of minimum parking requirements which would necessitate tearing out another building or home nearby.  Guess that abandoned building may just stay abandoned. Sucks to lose a $4000 deposit and find this stuff out too late, though thought the building was in the Pearl Form Based Codes area but apparently they are not really there or something.)

Was thinking how when I was in London a while back sitting in a cafe looking down the street and it started to rain.  Suddenly colorful awnings went out all up and down the street in front of the shops and cafes and over fruit and vegetable, and flower vendors etc. (that didn't have permanent awnings already).  Rather than the street becoming abandoned like it does along say Boston Avenue or the Blue Dome district, the pedestrian traffic and commerce kept trucking along.  Then the rain stopped and the sun came out and since it was a cool day, all up and down the street the awnings were retracted back.  I thought it was the neatest thing but realized that it was probably a scene that one could have likely seen in cities all over the world for thousands of years... but not in Tulsa where it's illegal.   What a joke.  

Rant over, back to our regularly scheduled thread.

[Townsend]

Tulsa, where it's illegal.   What a joke.  

That's a better slogan than some of the other ones Tulsa's had.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Wasn't that area originally part of Gilcrease Hills back in the 1970's? Something like phase II or III? It was all supposed to be connected with bike/horse trails and stables as well as commercial IIRC.

[Dspike]

TheArtist, could you point to the Ordinance/Rule/Law that makes the awnings illegal. That seems like a small enough thing that we can do something about it.

[TheArtist]

TheArtist, could you point to the Ordinance/Rule/Law that makes the awnings illegal. That seems like a small enough thing that we can do something about it.

I will ask the Awnings of Tulsa guy about it next week.  He is the one that informed me of the rule when I mentioned where I wanted the awnings to go and pointed down the street at some other awnings that were actually "illegally" placed on buildings and the business owners crossing their fingers hoping they don't get caught.  Also heard there was one that was damaged on Cherry Street a while back. It had been there fore ages and when they went to try and put a new one back on and file for a permit, they found out that it wouldn't be legal to do so.

[heironymouspasparagus]

TheArtist, could you point to the Ordinance/Rule/Law that makes the awnings illegal. That seems like a small enough thing that we can do something about it.

Might run into problems there....awnings will help make a place more energy efficient, and the would be against the interests of "you know who"....  And Dewbies background is IN oil and gas....   One of my favorite platitudes - Follow The Money!!

[brettakins]

http://crosstimbersnwp.com/



http://ktul.com/news/local/new-homes-headed-to-north-tulsa-future-development-hopeful

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) -- New homes are on the way to a neighborhood in Tulsa that needs them.
A quiet, dead-end road now leads to a new direction, Cross Timbers at Northwest Passage subdivision.
Currently, about 30 homes sit on the lot, but 64 more homes are on the way.

"I like the neighborhood, it is quiet, it is away from a lot of traffic and I like that," homeowner James Furch said.
Furch moved into his home in 2009 and not long after that, construction just stopped on the new developments.
"At one time the owners of this land, I believe had gone bankrupt so we had become worried of what would happen out there," Furch said.
A 2016 comprehensive plan done by the City of Tulsa showed north Tulsa with the least amount of new homes.
"My goal is always to support what is good for north Tulsa," Beverly Parker said.
Parker has lived on the north side of town for 50 years and she has one goal for north Tulsa.
"Improve development for citizens that live on this side of Tulsa that I feel in so many ways have been excluded from Tulsa," Parker said.
The new subdivision, which is just five minutes from downtown is on its way to housing more than 90 homes.
Realtors Kimberly Grayson and Nevada Titworth say this area is one of a kind.
"This is the only community that is in this area, that has a brand new feel, with brand new homes, in a subdivision," Titworth said.
Grayson says development has been slow for the area, but she believes this new subdivision will be just what the area needs.
"New housing is something that is needing, grocery stores that has been a big buzz for years and I think with this neighborhood that is going to bring in more people and hopefully start the process for what is needed," Grayson said.
Homes will start at about $160,000.
"The homes will range from 1,600 square-feet up to about 3,500 square-feet," developer Brandon Jackson said.
Jackson says the area surrounding this neighborhood is already on the rise.
"This area is on the verge of being the next emerging market," Jackson said. "We have a lot of things going on, a lot of infrastructure going in, State Highway 11, the Botanical Garden coming in and we have a lot of opportunity with downtown growing."
The size of the homes will range from small, starter homes to larger, family homes.

[patric]

Speaking of zoning, don't know if I have mentioned this yet, just learned the other day that along 11th (where I am looking to put another business) that it's illegal to install awnings that go over the sidewalk!  The property that we are looking at has a building up to the sidewalk and I was wanting to add awnings to the front.

This should be a thread of its own.  I can only imagine how much places like Tally's have spent on their awnings and street furniture, and the corner is actually alive.
Also, you might be surprised at how much Neighborhood Enforcement cherrypicks what ordinances they will enforce and what they wont.

[SXSW]

Interesting, I haven't been up that way in awhile is there a connection between Gilcrease Museum Rd and the Gilcrease Expressway yet? 

[Hoss]

Interesting, I haven't been up that way in awhile is there a connection between Gilcrease Museum Rd and the Gilcrease Expressway yet? 

Technically, yes...but GMR doesn't go much further north than Apache and if you want to get there you'll need to exit the Gilcrease at the terminus (which I believe is 41st West Ave), travel south along that until Apache, then back east to get to Gilcrease Museum Rd.

[SXSW]

Technically, yes...but GMR doesn't go much further north than Apache and if you want to get there you'll need to exit the Gilcrease at the terminus (which I believe is 41st West Ave), travel south along that until Apache, then back east to get to Gilcrease Museum Rd.

It looks like future plans call for a highway interchange with GMR and an extension of the road north of W 30th St N, where the entrance to the development is currently located. 

I know the south leg of the Gilcrease Expwy will be a toll road but where will the tolled portion end?