Unfortunate Redevelopment on 6th

[TheArtist]

  Just west of the IDL on 6th as your coming into or leaving downtown is a strip of buildings that I have been passing each day as I head to the Central Center to work on a mural project.   One of the buildings in the middle of the strip is currently being remodeled.  Kept thinking to myself how nice to see another, hip, retro, Mid Century type building building being cleaned up and put to use again.  I really like the way those buildings look once they have been cleaned up. There have been several small buildings of that time period being turned into office space downtown lately, for design firms and architects mostly it seems, and they look quite sharp.  This one in particular had the light golden brick and rusty red tile work around the windows and doors and such.  

 Drove by yesterday and saw that they had ripped off the tilework and had plastered in the holes with cement.

I can only guess that they plan on "refacing" the front of the building.

Its just a small building but it still made me angry and perplexed.  Despite any arguments as to "uniquiness and character, sense of place and community, historic preservation, being environmentally friendly/conscious, etc."  Why would someone spend money to degrade the desirability of their own property?  They took the one aspect of their property that was hip, urban, unique, and desirable,,, and tore it up?!  I don't get it.  

Went from happy to see a neat space being fixed up, to floored with disappointment and frustration.

Anyone know who owns this property and what they plan to do with it?

[carltonplace]

One of these?

[TheArtist]

  Yes, the one on the right.

[ARGUS]

My dad used to own that block.

[BKDotCom]

My dad used to own that block.

My dad can beat up your dad

[nic nac]

I'm in agreement Artisit.  I love that building and always thought it could be restored so nicely.  Gonna to have to drive by to see what's going on.  I know at one time Steve Cluck was working out of there though I'm not sure if he still is.

[ARGUS]

BK I will accept your apology now for the remark you made about my father.

[carltonplace]

BK I will accept your apology now for the remark you made about my father.

[DowntownDan]

Saw today that there is a new marble facade on front of this particular space.  Any word on who or what is moving in?

[Ronnie Lowe]

For six years I've been trying to come to grips with the fact that most of my beautiful old Tulsa has been torn down.  I understand that Tulsa is not a museum and that she is a work in progress but Tulsa's redevelopment does not compare well to her original state.  Tulsa is no longer much of a headquarters town, and where the original structure was probably architect designed, more likely than not that new redevelopment is an engineer designed knock off or a bad remodel.  Plush budgets have been replaced by low cost budgets.  Good taste has been replaced by anything for a dime.

One major hurdle for anyone who wants to restore a historic building is the Americans with Disabilities Act which says that structures have to accommodate wheelchairs.  
Anyone who has built out a business in an old structure knows that making a building wheelchair accessible is prohibitively expensive and requires extensive remodeling that cannot help but degrade design integrity.  

The second greatest hurdle to preservation of historic structure is that this town has little appreciation for historic structures.  I believe the editorial position of the Tulsa World that seems to favor development at any cost over preservation is largely responsible for Tulsa's lack of sensitivity on this subject.

When I replaced windows in my home in Oakland in order to obtain a permit I had to pass an esthetic review where an expert examined pictures to determine if my new windows would fit in with the original structure and with the surrounding neighborhood.  Conversely, I understand that anything and everything gets approved in Tulsa, that zoning is regularly thrown out the window to accommodate just about anything.

The result is that America's Most Beautiful City -- isn't anymore.  Tulsa's famed beauty now lives only in memory and in the hearts of poets.

[Conan71]

For six years I've been trying to come to grips with the fact that most of my beautiful old Tulsa has been torn down.  I understand that Tulsa is not a museum and that she is a work in progress but Tulsa's redevelopment does not compare well to her original state.  Tulsa is no longer much of a headquarters town, and where the original structure was probably architect designed, more likely than not that new redevelopment is an engineer designed knock off or a bad remodel.  Plush budgets have been replaced by low cost budgets.  Good taste has been replaced by anything for a dime.

One major hurdle for anyone who wants to restore a historic building is the Americans with Disabilities Act which says that structures have to accommodate wheelchairs.  
Anyone who has built out a business in an old structure knows that making a building wheelchair accessible is prohibitively expensive and requires extensive remodeling that cannot help but degrade design integrity.  

The second greatest hurdle to preservation of historic structure is that this town has little appreciation for historic structures.  I believe the editorial position of the Tulsa World that seems to favor development at any cost over preservation is largely responsible for Tulsa's lack of sensitivity on this subject.

When I replaced windows in my home in Oakland in order to obtain a permit I had to pass an esthetic review where an expert examined pictures to determine if my new windows would fit in with the original structure and with the surrounding neighborhood.  Conversely, I understand that anything and everything gets approved in Tulsa, that zoning is regularly thrown out the window to accommodate just about anything.

The result is that America's Most Beautiful City -- isn't anymore.  Tulsa's famed beauty now lives only in memory and in the hearts of poets.

Sounds like you might be starting to understand the angst conservatives have over liberal initiatives like ADA.  Somehow some businesses seem to avoid the asspain while others pay dearly.  I've still never figured out how Elote maintains the little water closets Nelson's left behind.  Not a single clue of ADA there. 

Tulsa is still an amazingly beautiful place, especially in the spring.  It is unfortunate we've lost many significant old buildings, but we still have a lot of unique places and views.

You really ought to get involved in the Tulsa Art Deco museum.

[Hoss]

Sounds like you might be starting to understand the angst conservatives have over liberal initiatives like ADA.  Somehow some businesses seem to avoid the asspain while others pay dearly.  I've still never figured out how Elote maintains the little water closets Nelson's left behind.  Not a single clue of ADA there. 

Tulsa is still an amazingly beautiful place, especially in the spring.  It is unfortunate we've lost many significant old buildings, but we still have a lot of unique places and views.

You really ought to get involved in the Tulsa Art Deco museum.

Hmm...while I understand the frustration, I also deal with this on a semi-regular basis, what with my mother and all.

ADA after all did make handicapped parking spots a mandate for certain businesses.

Keep in mind also that many disabled Americans are also veterans of many different wars.  Something my mother reminded me of.  She never uses her disability as a crutch, but it makes life easier for both her and I.

Ok, rant off.  That pretty much stems from me watching people who look just fine park in handicap spots at my place of employment.  And have placards.  Not sure how.

[erfalf]

Just now read the main reason for the post and I totally agree. I'm sure the reasoning would be completely related to cost, but still.

Recently one of those nice facades was removed from a building in downtown Bartlesville. I never previously gave the building much thought. It was covered with one of those hideous aluminum things. It was home to the "Bargain Barn" (cheap used crap) and a rotating group of businesses on the other side. The way I understand it, the owners were doing some exterior work and realized that there was an art deco motif underneath. I believe they applied for a facade grant that they do in town here and this is what they ended up with. It is a complete 180 from what it was before. It is seen often (on Frank Phillips/Bartlesville's Main Street) and right next to the little downtown pocket park. From what I hear there are going to be three tenants (unknown right now).

[TheArtist]

 Very interesting.  Thing is, my first reaction would be that the art deco facade that is on there now isn't authentic.  If it is I would be quite suprised.  The deco feature in the middle looks "cliche" as if it's a modern vision of what art deco was, but didn't actually exist.  So I would really like to know if that facade is authentic.   

[Red Arrow]

Ok, rant off.  That pretty much stems from me watching people who look just fine park in handicap spots at my place of employment.  And have placards.  Not sure how.

Could be respiratory or heart conditions.  My mom had a placard for a while after her congestive heart attack.