Where're all the 20 somethings?

[RecycleMichael]

You can't run for Mayor for two years. But you can run for city council by filing next week.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

You can't run for Mayor for two years. But you can run for city council by filing next week.

and he is a perfect example of why there shouldn't be a 300 signature requirement.  For someone who just got to town, it would not be easy.

[Renaissance]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

You can't run for Mayor for two years. But you can run for city council by filing next week.

and he is a perfect example of why there shouldn't be a 300 signature requirement.  For someone who just got to town, it would not be easy.

Do we want someone who just got to town to run for city government?  On a whim?

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by perspicuity85

Conan, I agree with you.  Completely.  Maybe you weren't expecting that.  I am considering several places to live, but I truly want Tulsa to sway me back home.  I challenge Tulsa because I care about Tulsa.  If it were up to me, I would run for mayor or something.  I can tell you that there are a lot of things Tulsa possesses that it should market to people.  I stick up for Tulsa a lot, only because  I actually know about some aspects of Tulsa that many people my age do not know exist.  I'm the type of person that strives to motivate others, and I don't know how else to be.

There are some of us who have this coccoon-like obsession with Tulsa and might come off as stodgy.  

I hadn't given much thought lately till yesterday how much this city really has changed in the 21 years since I moved back from my six month stint in Kansas City.  I couldn't wait to get out of Tulsa when I had the chance.  I loved the vibe in KC, yet there was something constantly beckoning me back home.  

Yesterday, I was driving through the Brady District during the day and marveling at how many of those buildings were derelict 20 years ago and how vibrant many of them are now.  There's also been an attractive mix of modern design put into existing shells which works aesthetically.

I aspired to the urban lifestyle when I moved back to Tulsa and lived at Center Plaza for the next two years after I came back.  When I moved from there it was to the TU area.  I got to see the re-birth of Cherry St. happen in that time.

I guess the only belly-ache (other than traffic) I've ever had with all the development at "retail hell" (71st St. from Memorial to Garnett) is I would have liked to have seen more of that money invested downtown.  But we might have wound up complaining about how congested downtown is these days if that would have happened. []

I like to visit places like Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, or So-Cal, but I'm always so grateful at the end of the trip to come back to Tulsa.  I like our relative lack of traffic congestion, being able to get from one end of town to the other in 30 minutes or less.

There are things I see in other cities when I visit them that I'll think to myself "Wow, that would be cool in Tulsa."  Then I realize, those are the things which motivate me to want to travel and get out of town.  Ft. Lauderdale is one of my favorite destinations and there are things which are unique to it I love, yet we can't bring here, and I'm cool with that.

I really mean it, take the chance to get out and spread your wings while you have the time and fewer obligations to others.  There's a great world out there.  You might find out Tulsa is a great place to "be from" or a great place to "be" as so many others have found.

[TURobY]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

You can't run for Mayor for two years. But you can run for city council by filing next week.

I realize that. But I like my councilor, thus my interest in other governmental positions.

[USRufnex]

quote:Originally posted by we vs us

Well now, the mystery is half the fun of the interwebs, wouldn't you agree?  I will say that I'm not a 20 something (older'n you, at least, CF), am married with no kids, just moved here from Chicago, where my wife and I lived for 8 years.  Work brought her and I tagged along.  I'm doing some internet consulting for my former employer but am looking for steadier local work as well.  I spend most of my day on the computer, so that's why I'm hanging around all the time.  I've got y'all on auto-refresh []

And yeah, grew up in Northwest Arkansas, so I'm familiar with the region, but don't know a soul in Tulsa except y'all.  

There're obviously huge differences between Tulsa and Chicago, but I've been trying to see past them to understand where Tulsa might be going. Tulsa's still a city, after all, and subject to the same forces that Chicago is.

Much of Chicago is booming, and a lot of the gentrification going on there has to do with gainfully employed, single 20 somethings slinging their money around. And other smaller cities (Kansas City and Nashville are two examples I'm familiar with) are relying in part on that same group to fund a lot of the revitalization with their spending habits.  

So my list above, while I meant it kinda tongue-in-cheek, is still valid.  My wife and I are still looking for a good and convenient gym, some good upscaley restaurants, and good local stores that are in a walkable area.  And yeah, even a Starbucks wouldn't be awful.  Brookside looks to be the sum total of what's available.  Maybe Cherry Street.  Anything else I'm missing?

Well, if you're a former Chicagoan... I'll put it this way.

South Tulsa is a lot like Schaumburg.  
Jenks is becoming like Oak Park or maybe after the river developments, like Evanston w/o Northwestern U...

I grew up here... but lived in Chicago off-an-on since 1990 (mostly in Rogers Park)... visited family in Tulsa a couple of times a year, moved here for family reasons from 2001 to 2002, and was really surprised to get re-acquainted with Tulsa... and like it.

So, when the chance came and I thought there were 3 other midsized cities I had my eye on moving to, Tulsa moved to the front of the pack... because of job opportunities and cheap rents/housing... oh, and Vision2025 (not a big factor but definitely one of the factors)...

For all that 20-something demographic, well... lots and lots of 20-somethings move to Chicago, LA, NYC, Atlanta, Dallas, etc, etc... they're a magnet for not just the rich YP's... but also for us young starving artists, actors, musicians, comedians, etc, etc...

As for the gay neighborhood theory, I doubt Tulsa's much of a "gay destination" (understatement) but does have a few spots here and there... Club209 has a mixed crowd on weekends which has become part of that nice couple of blocks around the Brady District... and there seem to be attempts... http://www.gaybradyheightstulsa.com/

OKC has its own gay "strip" with its own gay hotel, The Habana, that seems to attract its share of hypocritical baptist ministers... http://www.abpnews.com/752.article

See, the quest for those ecclectic, urban 20-somethings you seek is not going to be very apparent or easy... Tulsa has a couple of blocks around Brady... and Gypsie Coffeehouse is off Brady and Cincinnatti... a couple of blocks around to the Blue Dome... a couple of bars and such for a few blocks around 18th in south Downtown... a few blocks around Cherry Street... the traditional Brookside and Utica Square (Utica's looking a little old to me these days-- probably because it IS old)...

And I really like the Riverwalk in Jenks, Nordaggios is nice and next door is an Italian place that actually offers Chicago hotdogs with the poppyseed buns if you're a little homesick... Freddie's on 71st by Woodland Hills Mall offers Chicago hotdogs--but they're served on texas toast... oh, the horror... the sacriledge...

And I'd be irresponsible as a resident Tulsa soccer-nut not to mention a Tulsa 20-something who has put a pretty big chunka change into this... http://www.aisl.org/tu_index.php
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=196753699

As for development these days, evidently it's a very big secret if anything's going on in Tulsa, especially downtown..... shhh.  be very quiet..... don't make a noise... you'll scare them away... [|)]