Historic Home Torn Down

[TheArtist]

  Does anyone know why this historic home in Mapleridge was torn down?  I am painting some murals in a home in the neighborhood and drove around a bit and found some machinery ripping out the last bits of the foundations.  Because I know the neighborhood, I immediately knew which old familiar home it was. Did it catch on fire or something and have to be destroyed?  Or was it another tragic teardown?

This home was called "Tulsa's Castle" in the 100 Historic Tulsa Homes book.  Built in 1929 for one of Tulsas Oil Baron families.  I never went inside this one, but from the descriptions it sounded quite beautiful with its ornate decorative plaster ceilings, mahogany walls, iron and bronze chandeliers, glass atrium, etc.  

I suppose we will likely get a badly proportioned, bland, Tuscan style home with "stucco" over styrofoam, interiors with "high ceilings" of all kinds of hideously odd, low class, shapes for they make them high "I guess thats all that matters lol" without regard to any symmetry or proportions, and a nice garage out front, in its place.

[patric]

What a cool looking old house.  What was the address?

[TheArtist]

 It WAS on the corner of Terwilleger and South St. Louis Ave.

[AngieB]

Oh my. I've been in that house. A friend lived there years ago. She called it her castle...she lives in NY state now, but I'm sure she'd be sad to learn it has been torn down.

[patric]

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Terwilleger+and+South+St.+Louis+Ave+tulsa&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=S+St+Louis+Ave+%26+S+Terwilleger+Blvd,+Tulsa,+Oklahoma+74114&ll=36.126246,-95.969203&spn=0.004619,0.009624&z=17&layer=c&cbll=36.126291,-95.969243&panoid=vQ8YUaI1fbJ6OdUoFUkmKw&cbp=12,57.98,,0,0.41

[heironymouspasparagus]

It's Tulsa "progress".

Another terrible loss - not quite as bad as the castle, but still bad;
There was a magnificent old place just north of 15th street (14th) on west side of Utica that was torn down fairly recently.  Google maps shows the blank space where it used to be.  Google maps STREET view still shows the old house.  At one time, I was told that a doctor had built it back in early 1900's.  ??  Anyone know for sure?

American Theater Company was headquartered there for a while in the '70s.

Wonderful place.  At one time, beautiful wood trim inside - wonderful hardwood floors.  But I'm sure a condo or another small strip center will be much better for the neighborhood and revenue to the city 'planners'.

[AngieB]

Hey Artist - Technically, I don't think that would be considered Maple Ridge. That area is Terwilleger Heights. I could be wrong, but I don't think Maple Ridge  goes east of Peoria, does it?

In any case, it's a real shame that home is gone.

[YoungTulsan]

Whoever lived in that house would do it up very big for Halloween like a scary castle.

So some dude is going to build a Tuscan mcmansion there now?

* Edit * LOL at the forum changing my term for a feminine hygiene product into "dude"

[waterboy]

I don't remember the house but Angie is correct iirc. That area is not considered Maple Ridge and does not enjoy its protections. I can't imagine, short of irradiation, why anyone would take down such a fine looking home, but it was their home to do with as they please.

[OSU]

Wow...that makes me sick to my stomach. Heck it made me sad when they planted those stupid magnolia trees in front of the house several years ago.

[Conan71]

Development myopia.  What a shame.

[Gaspar]

Are we getting a new QuikTrip?

[OSU]

Just drove by and the house is still there...

[SXSW]

Terwilleger is on my way home from work so I'll check it out.  

There was another house recently torn down in Maple Ridge just south of 21st & Peoria.  The house was in bad shape and the property faces Peoria and Woodward Park.  It will be interesting to see what ends up getting built there.  Since it's in Maple Ridge are there any new development requirements?  

There are several new houses going up on the western side of Terwilleger Heights right now, all on 29th between Peoria and Rockford.  I like the one on Peoria, looks very Hugh Newell Jacobson.  

[TheArtist]

Just drove by and the house is still there...

Hmmmm, egg on my face then lol. I thought I was certain that the house that was at the spot I drove by was that one. I will go by again tomorrow and get the street.  I know A house was torn down though lol. It was on a sharp corner lot like the castle one above, and had a similar lighter colored stone house next door as well.  Hopefully I was wrong.