Evans Fintube Brownfield Site

[Gaspar]

I toured the site a couple of years ago with a developer interested in turning it into another residential experiment, retaining all of the existing steel structure and incorporating some modern architecture, but it was deemed unfeasable. I doubt he is taking another stab at it. 

I am willing to bet on parking structure.  The steel on site would just about pay for it, not to mention the gantries.

[erfalf]

I know this is a tad off topic, but it's in the vicinity. What is the deal with all the vacant land north of 44 between Main & Detroit. I am not a Tulsa history expert, but I always assumed they were more than likely homes before the Race Riots. You can still see sidewalk and driveway cutouts at the curbs so it was definitely single family residential. Has this never been redeveloped out of respect or out of lack of interest. Or does Oklahoma State own this? I only ask, because with the rise of the Brady district I would assume this land would look much more attractive.

Also has there ever been a discussion on this board about removing one of the legs of the IDL? I have done all this reading suggesting similar things in other cities and it's always a good thing for the city. In particular I think they should remove the eastern leg (75) and let the East End and The Pearl hook up in the future. Now it doesn't seem very plausible, but I think in the future it could be. Thoughts?

Regarding the Fin Tube site, it has the district disadvantage of being completely disconnected from everything around it. There is only (currently) one point of entry (Archer/Lansing) and it is completely bound by a highway and railroad tracks. I could possibly see some sort of affordable housing, but that's about it. The location reminds me somewhat of something they did in Fort Worth just east of downtown called Hillside. They are small duplex/triplex things with secured parking that was a pretty decrepit neighborhood before.

[Hoss]

I know this is a tad off topic, but it's in the vicinity. What is the deal with all the vacant land north of 44 between Main & Detroit. I am not a Tulsa history expert, but I always assumed they were more than likely homes before the Race Riots. You can still see sidewalk and driveway cutouts at the curbs so it was definitely single family residential. Has this never been redeveloped out of respect or out of lack of interest. Or does Oklahoma State own this? I only ask, because with the rise of the Brady district I would assume this land would look much more attractive.

Also has there ever been a discussion on this board about removing one of the legs of the IDL? I have done all this reading suggesting similar things in other cities and it's always a good thing for the city. In particular I think they should remove the eastern leg (75) and let the East End and The Pearl hook up in the future. Now it doesn't seem very plausible, but I think in the future it could be. Thoughts?

Regarding the Fin Tube site, it has the district disadvantage of being completely disconnected from everything around it. There is only (currently) one point of entry (Archer/Lansing) and it is completely bound by a highway and railroad tracks. I could possibly see some sort of affordable housing, but that's about it. The location reminds me somewhat of something they did in Fort Worth just east of downtown called Hillside. They are small duplex/triplex things with secured parking that was a pretty decrepit neighborhood before.

Removing the eastern leg of the IDL would literally (yes, literally) take an act of congress, as that segment AND the south segment is designated interstate highway (I-444, even though it is not signed as such).  Although on some maps it does show up.

http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-444_ok.html

[we vs us]

I know this is a tad off topic, but it's in the vicinity. What is the deal with all the vacant land north of 44 between Main & Detroit. I am not a Tulsa history expert, but I always assumed they were more than likely homes before the Race Riots. You can still see sidewalk and driveway cutouts at the curbs so it was definitely single family residential. Has this never been redeveloped out of respect or out of lack of interest. Or does Oklahoma State own this? I only ask, because with the rise of the Brady district I would assume this land would look much more attractive.

This is an excellent question.  I've wandered around in there and it's a wasteland.  Even though you'd think the land would worth a good deal for development.  What gives, TNF?

[TheArtist]

  I think that land is owned by OSU Tulsa for expansion of their campus, perhaps campus housing as one idea, sometime in the year 2310.

[erfalf]

Removing the eastern leg of the IDL would literally (yes, literally) take an act of congress, as that segment AND the south segment is designated interstate highway (I-444, even though it is not signed as such).  Although on some maps it does show up.

http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-444_ok.html

Didn't realize that the eastern leg was part of the interstate system. I always just assumed it was state highway 75. I figured removing the north or west legs would take an act of God, not just Congress.

[erfalf]

  I think that land is owned by OSU Tulsa for expansion of their campus, perhaps campus housing as one idea, sometime in the year 2310.

That's too bad if that's the case. Could have been something special. If it is the case I figure sometime around 2310 it will finally become a parking lot.

[Conan71]

Actually, I think TDA owns a fair amount of that land as well.  That area, to my knowledge, has not sat fallow since the race riots.  It was part of a very seedy neighborhood full of prostitution and drugs.  Sort of like the U.S. Congress.

I want to say most of that area was claimed for urban renewal in the early to mid 1980's and flattened.

[Townsend]

That area, to my knowledge, has not sat fallow since the race riots.  It was part of a very seedy neighborhood full of prostitution and drugs.  Sort of like the U.S. Congress.

I want to say most of that area was claimed for urban renewal in the early to mid 1980's and flattened.

That is what I heard.  I believe Carlton Place has some memory of what happened.  "Crime and drugs so bad they emptied it and tour it all down." or something like that.

[Conan71]

That is what I heard.  I believe Carlton Place has some memory of what happened.  "Crime and drugs so bad they emptied it and tour it all down." or something like that.

Main & Haskell was the most notorious intersection in Tulsa at that time.  Juice joints, craps games, street walkers, dope, you name it.  Not the sort of place you wanted to run out of gas after dark, or even in daylight.

[rdj]

I know this is a tad off topic, but it's in the vicinity. What is the deal with all the vacant land north of 44 between Main & Detroit. I am not a Tulsa history expert, but I always assumed they were more than likely homes before the Race Riots. You can still see sidewalk and driveway cutouts at the curbs so it was definitely single family residential. Has this never been redeveloped out of respect or out of lack of interest. Or does Oklahoma State own this? I only ask, because with the rise of the Brady district I would assume this land would look much more attractive.

This land is controlled by a combination of TDA & UCAT Trust (University Center at Tulsa).  It was claimed through essentially eminent domain due to the aforementioned undesirable activities.  The "excuse" was the land would  be used for a higher education institution that would provide an option for a bachelor degree from a public university.  As part of the set up Langston was afforded protection of their existing offerings in the market and all other public universities save OU & OSU are not allowed to operate within a certain mile of the land.  This is why NSU is in BA and in fact if they were on the other side of the street they'd be in violation of the law.

The buildings that are now OSU-Tulsa originally housed programs for OU & OSU.  When OU had the opportunity to take over what is now Schusterman they did so, and essentially abandoned the UCAT model.

As a resident of north Tulsa this land is a bit of a hot button for me.  You are correct in that the land is ripe for development but we continue to let it sit fallow.  The view from the property are amazing.

[Conan71]

RDJ, I suspect something really spectacular will happen with this land in the next 10 years.  Once the Brady District is mostly redeveloped, it will help lend itself to some great housing or even office space/high rise housing on the higher pieces of property next to the IDL.

[rdj]

RDJ, I suspect something really spectacular will happen with this land in the next 10 years.  Once the Brady District is mostly redeveloped, it will help lend itself to some great housing or even office space/high rise housing on the higher pieces of property next to the IDL.

I sure hope it happens.  It's going to take OSU/UCAT agreeing to make it happen.  As long as they continue to spout a desire to develop the campus west across Cincinnati nothing will happen.

I'd love to see housing developed that would be targeted for grad students.

[Urban Enthusiast]

I think it would be cool if at least some of the OSU/UCAT/TDA land would be developed in a manner like the Fall Creek Place Neighborhood in Indianapolis.  It was a blighted neighborhood that was redeveloped with a mix of affordable and market rate housing options most with traditional style architecture (i.e. traditional to that part of the city with front porches, detached garages, lots of different colors, etc.).  It would be cool to see Denver Avenue style of houses built there. 

[DTowner]

I sure hope it happens.  It's going to take OSU/UCAT agreeing to make it happen.  As long as they continue to spout a desire to develop the campus west across Cincinnati nothing will happen.

I'd love to see housing developed that would be targeted for grad students.

If access over the RR tracks can be addressed, it seems like it makes more sense for OSU Tulsa to grow into the Evans Fintube site than towards the residential areas to the west.

But, sense Blake Ewing is building a venue, hall concert place at the Evans Fintube site, I guess it's too late.