Condos and penthouses, downtown Tulsa, midtown

[RecycleMichael]

Yes.

The cabinets were purchased at the Habitat for Humanity reStore. My wife found them. I winced when she told me that she was buying used cabinets, but they are beautiful.

Recycled building items are getting pretty mainstream. The carpet in my office is made from recycled water bottles, the benches from recycled soap jugs, and all steel used in America now contains at least 55% recycled steel.

[izmophonik]

www.uticaplace.com

They have penthouses available.  Nothing money can't cure.

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

So this thread turns into the fashion police...

I have almost the same cabinets, backsplash and sink in my home. Ours were all custom made from the finest maple...our travertine backsplash has handcarved leaf inlay...they both look beautiful.

Come-on Artist. Not everybody turns their home into a ancient palace.

Hey now, those cabinets and everything else in that kitchen are better than what I have lol. But I know I AM white trash lol. This person said they wanted something "nice/modern" and " willing to pay for something really fabulous."  Just making an assumption on what that means to the kind of person who likes that type of thing. Penthouse, something with parking, nice/modern, looked at highrise living options...

Then here again people on this thread are mentioning renting a house.... Lots of people do not like living in houses. Tulsa is great if you want and like the house with a yard thing. But please understand, lots of people would absolutely not want something like that. Cant speak for this person in general, but a lot of people I know dont want that at all. People say Tulsa is a great place to live, with lots of great places to choose from.... IF you like the suburban lifestyle. But that seems to automatically be the default suggestion from people on here. I wish they would just understant thats not what everyone likes.

How many new people have we had come on here asking pretty much for the same thing? They ask for the urban type living areas, something contemporary, etc.  Then we get a lot of posts on here suggesting houses or suburban South Tulsa lol. We have had quite a few people come on here asking for similar things and sometimes voicing some frustration at not really finding what they are looking for. What many a Tulsan may like or think is nice, isnt necessarily what a lot of other people, especially some of the younger ones who are moving in, are looking for or think is nice.

Not much we can do about it really. Hopefully as more people move in wanting those things, they will get built. The Bomasada development will be nice. The mixed use one across from the ballpark could be another, plus the one that the developer from Cali may do off of 15th street by the Synagogue. Have no idea what thet the 1st Lofts will be like, but that could be another option. Stuff is in the pipeline which could be relatively nice. That pic of the Tribune loft... was in no way "fabulous". Dont meant to be rude, but you got to understand what is available in other cities, thats even average there of this type of living option, and how those compare to that, which a lot seem to consider nice here. It doesnt compare very well. Its Tulsa, its a beautiful small city, we have had some hard times, and dont have a large young urban class, but we are getting there. Bout all you can say on the expectation side of things.    

[Lora]

Lots of great suggestions while I slept, thank you.

The parking issue is, unfortunately, a big one for me. I am regularly out of the country for months on end. I need secure parking for two cars.

I really like the look of the mayo. I did not realize they were ready. I tried to speak with them at one point, but always got a recording, finally one call back, which I missed, at around 3am my time. I am in Sydney.

The budget isn't super strict. I would be willing to pay 2500. If it were an amazing place probably more.

I really hate to be extravagant when I know I will be living there less than half the time. I do want to feel comfortable. I'd like to have room for all of my furniture and art, but that is unlikely.

I don't want a rental house, as maintenance is such an issue. I pay nearly $2500 now for a rental house with a leaking ground level and severely flooding basement. Not nice to come home to a house that is flooded. [] Much worse than having a white trash faucet. []

I do like Utica Place, from the floor plans, but it does look as though they are all for sell rather than lease.

So at this point I will be able to talk to a realtor/rental agent about:

Tribune Lofts,Mayo,Metro Lofts,Philtower,& Liberty tower (found on craigs list) and I can ask about Utica Place even though they don't list any as being for lease.

Not a bad start.

[Lora]

I am on a 1:45 flight to the USA tommorrow! I can not wait to be in Tulsa!

[Breadburner]

I'm recalling one from memory....I will make a point to drive by it for you today and get the name and address.....

[Breadburner]

Ok...Here it is.....http://www.sophianplazapark.com/

[azbadpuppy]

quote:Originally posted by Breadburner

Ok...Here it is.....http://www.sophianplazapark.com/

Nice building, but not rentals.

[AngieB]

quote:Originally posted by azbadpuppy

quote:Originally posted by Breadburner

Ok...Here it is.....http://www.sophianplazapark.com/

Nice building, but not rentals.

I know someone who rents there.

However, I will say they have been there forever. Seems those who are there, stay.

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by TulsaMINI

quote:Originally posted by azbadpuppy

quote:Originally posted by Breadburner

Ok...Here it is.....http://www.sophianplazapark.com/

Nice building, but not rentals.

I know someone who rents there.

However, I will say they have been there forever. Seems those who are there, stay.

Thank You......

[Red Arrow]

I guess I'm proof of why suburbia exists. I can't imagine paying $18000 to $24000 or more per year for a stack of rent receipts. That will pay for a LOT of gas and parking fees. If that's what you want, fine. Count me out.

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

I guess I'm proof of why suburbia exists. I can't imagine paying $18000 to $24000 or more per year for a stack of rent receipts. That will pay for a LOT of gas and parking fees. If that's what you want, fine. Count me out.

I imagine she knows that already...Thank You very little....

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

I guess I'm proof of why suburbia exists. I can't imagine paying $18000 to $24000 or more per year for a stack of rent receipts. That will pay for a LOT of gas and parking fees. If that's what you want, fine. Count me out.

Thats so sad on sooo many levels. And you probably dont have a clue as to one of them. But ya know, to each his own. Just please dont assume that what you accept as normal and good others do. You want to spend your days sitting in a car going from place to place, sending your money to the middle east, creating smog, living in some uninteresting, isolated, same ol same ol place, in a house that looks very much like every house on the street, on a street that looks very much like every other street in the subdivision, in a subdivision that looks very much like every other subdivision along an arterial street that looks like everywhere America, etc. Go for it dude. Can't be everyones idea of paradise I guess.[]

[Red Arrow]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

I guess I'm proof of why suburbia exists. I can't imagine paying $18000 to $24000 or more per year for a stack of rent receipts. That will pay for a LOT of gas and parking fees. If that's what you want, fine. Count me out.

Thats so sad on sooo many levels. And you probably dont have a clue as to one of them. But ya know, to each his own. Just please dont assume that what you accept as normal and good others do. You want to spend your days sitting in a car going from place to place, sending your money to the middle east, creating smog, living in some uninteresting, isolated, same ol same ol place, in a house that looks very much like every house on the street, on a street that looks very much like every other street in the subdivision, in a subdivision that looks very much like every other subdivision along an arterial street that looks like everywhere America, etc. Go for it dude. Can't be everyones idea of paradise I guess.[]

Yep, I'm probably clueless to your generation and attitude. As you said, to each his own. I can accept that you may want to live in some high rise building only inches from your neighbor in the concrete jungle in one building that is as bland as the one next to it.  I understand not wanting to have anything around you except concrete. I have alergies. Perhaps you hate to cook and like to go out to eat. Maybe your life consists of bar hopping. Maybe in 20 or 30 years your opinion may change, maybe not. My commute time is about 15 minutes to work (not downtown). I drive 100 mi/week to work and home, the rest is personal business.  Some of the houses here look similar but they are not cookie cutters. I like the fact that my neighbor can play his stereo and not bother me. To me, one high rise is as boring as another. Being able to walk to buy one meal's worth of groceries is not important. I can plan my trips to buy a few days worth. One of my cousins used to live in Boston near the Boston Commons. It was a short walk to the Esplanade (sp?) for the 4th of July shindig. Walking the Freedom Trail was fun. It was really exciting, for a visit. Beyond that, it was just another place to live. She and her husband eventually moved away.  I like having room for our dogs to play in the yard without having to go to a "dog park".  I don't expect you to understand or agree. All I ask is that you don't instantly condemn a lifestyle different than your own.

Embracing prices beyond the capability of most will send more people to suburbia, leaving you ever more dependent on suburbia for a tax base to support your lifestyle. Downtown needs to be affordable if you want it to thrive. That you should understand.

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

I guess I'm proof of why suburbia exists. I can't imagine paying $18000 to $24000 or more per year for a stack of rent receipts. That will pay for a LOT of gas and parking fees. If that's what you want, fine. Count me out.

Thats so sad on sooo many levels. And you probably dont have a clue as to one of them. But ya know, to each his own. Just please dont assume that what you accept as normal and good others do. You want to spend your days sitting in a car going from place to place, sending your money to the middle east, creating smog, living in some uninteresting, isolated, same ol same ol place, in a house that looks very much like every house on the street, on a street that looks very much like every other street in the subdivision, in a subdivision that looks very much like every other subdivision along an arterial street that looks like everywhere America, etc. Go for it dude. Can't be everyones idea of paradise I guess.[]

Yep, I'm probably clueless to your generation and attitude. As you said, to each his own. I can accept that you may want to live in some high rise building only inches from your neighbor in the concrete jungle in one building that is as bland as the one next to it.  I understand not wanting to have anything around you except concrete. I have alergies. Perhaps you hate to cook and like to go out to eat. Maybe your life consists of bar hopping. Maybe in 20 or 30 years your opinion may change, maybe not. My commute time is about 15 minutes to work (not downtown). I drive 100 mi/week to work and home, the rest is personal business.  Some of the houses here look similar but they are not cookie cutters. I like the fact that my neighbor can play his stereo and not bother me. To me, one high rise is as boring as another. Being able to walk to buy one meal's worth of groceries is not important. I can plan my trips to buy a few days worth. One of my cousins used to live in Boston near the Boston Commons. It was a short walk to the Esplanade (sp?) for the 4th of July shindig. Walking the Freedom Trail was fun. It was really exciting, for a visit. Beyond that, it was just another place to live. She and her husband eventually moved away.  I like having room for our dogs to play in the yard without having to go to a "dog park".  I don't expect you to understand or agree. All I ask is that you don't instantly condemn a lifestyle different than your own.

Embracing prices beyond the capability of most will send more people to suburbia, leaving you ever more dependent on suburbia for a tax base to support your lifestyle. Downtown needs to be affordable if you want it to thrive. That you should understand.

Aaaah the smell of fresh skyscrapers in the morning. Cant be beat. [8D]  I don't really think we Tulsans have to worry about a concrete jungle with rows of highrise buildings that all look alike. The only things we have got that are close to highrise in or near downtown this entire last decade were the Glass Cube and Utica Place. And I think you would be hard pressed to find someone that thought they looked alike. But I get your point. However, a good city isnt all about concrete, it can have tree lined streets with outdoor cafes, parks large and small sprinkled throughout for children and pets to play in. Its also about community, not sitting at home listening to music or on the computer. Its sitting in a comfortable coffee shop, working on your laptop, posting on TN [] there, not in some home office. Its listening to live music at a restaurant, coffe shop, cafe, outdoors with live musicians, not sitting at home listening to a CD. Its about being able to walk practically right outside your front door and finding everything you need or would want. Being able to spend the entire day in an area, whether you walked there or drove there from the suburbs, shopping, going to a movie, museum, eating, a sporting event, live music, just sitting outside at a cafe watching the people go by and chatting with friends. Its about building great community spaces and places, great streets where you can live, its about spending your money to do those things versus having a huge Mc Mansion with a media room, wine cellar, huge kitchen, high ceilings, yard that looks like a park, grand staircase, beautiful this and that etc. trying to have the world in your home then driving everywhere. Its perhaps having a small space, but then having a beautiful, large shared, public space. The grand plaza or central town squares of old. Making great, shared, community spaces and streets that work well, are beautiful and enjoyable, functional. Where it doesnt matter if your well to do or working class, those great shared spaces are there for everyone to live in.  

I am sure we have very different visions of what is worthwhile and the kind of places we want to create for ourselves. But its also quite possible that somewhere between sprawling suburbia and concrete jungle, there is a sweet spot thats just right.


In [the traditional New England town], one can live above the store, next to the store, five minutes from the store or nowhere near the store, and it is easy to imagine the different age groups and personalities that would prefer each alternative. In this way and others, the traditional neighborhood provides for an array of lifestyles. In conventional suburbia, there is only one available lifestyle: to own a car and to need it for everything. - Andres Duany, "Suburban Nation"

If buildings are beautiful, higher density compounds that beauty. Conversely, if buildings are ugly, then higher density compounds that ugliness. - Vince Graham

Factors that are driving the popularity of large houses: "First, with less of a sense of community and public life in our culture, the home becomes a fortress which needs to contain everything we need, including multiple forms of entertainment, rather than basic shelter..." - designer-builder John Abrams of the South Mountain Company in West Tisbury, Mass.

A premise of the new city is that we want a society to be as egalitarian as possible. For this purpose, quality-of-life distribution is more important than income distribution. [And quality of life includes] a living environment as free of motor vehicles as possible. - Enrique Penalosa