Evans Fintube Brownfield Site

[Townsend]

Whoa dude...religious freedom.  I feel oppressed.

[cannon_fodder]

[SARCASM] I'm sorry. That emoticon is clearly gay. We don't want them types 'round here.  [/SARCASM]

/thread hijack, sorry!

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

More than 22 acres of undeveloped land is sitting just outside the IDL in Tulsa and the city is asking for proposals on how to bring the historic property back to life.

The Evans Electric building went up in the 1920s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; it's the second time the city has requested proposals for development there.

At almost 100 years old, the building shows some wear and tear, but to developer Antoine Harris it is much more than that.

"This building has incredible bones, and structure and a great story," he said.

Part of the Historic Greenwood community, the area used to be a bustling industrial complex.

Harris and his team think they've got the perfect concept for it - an open-air marketplace that will tell the history of the community while emphasizing sustainability.

"Taking these old historical buildings and rehabbing them into modern beauty. Our goal was to add to and tell the collective minority story by bringing it into the whole of today," Harris said.

There would also be more than 200 apartments on the property for medium income renters, like OSU and Langston students.

For Harris, it would be the second go-around since the city didn't accept any of the proposals for the area in 2013.

If Harris submits another proposal it would just be a revamping of the original idea, with a few tweaks; modeled after the famous Pike's Place Market in Seattle.

"This is screaming for a specific type of developer, one that is planted in this community and understands the history and where we are going as a collective city," he said.

And as the city points out, the area has direct access to Interstate 244 and US Highway 75. Plus, it sits just across the IDL from millions of dollars of investment in the Brady and Greenwood District that will only continue to grow.

Whoever ends up developing there will have to deal with some environmental issues. To make it fully ready for development, a close to two-year cleanup process will have to happen before anyone even breaks ground.

http://www.newson6.com/story/29437659/city-seeking-proposals-to-develop-historic-land

yes please

[LandArchPoke]

I don't get how this building is historic... maybe I'm just missing something on this one. It looks like cheap pieces of tin.

However, I think the public market idea (Pike Place) is excellent. They should reach out to the Cherry Street Market and do a partnership with them to bid for the site. The views from this property back towards downtown are nice, and if you infilled the surrounding area around the building with student housing and small retailers you could make a pretty nice neighborhood.

[Weatherdemon]

Not sure on the historic piece either but it would certainly help the cities cause if they could do a little road work over there.
That's the only road in Tulsa that is so bad that someone put up graffiti asking the city to fix it.

Of course, the they don't appear to care as apparently none of them drive that street... EVER.

[carltonplace]

This is a great concept...I hope it moves to something beyond concept, this parcel has had so many unfulfilled concepts.

[DowntownDan]

The market with housing would be awesome.  Please happen!

[Conan71]

My mind's eye keeps going to the City Market in the River District in Kansas City when I see the concept.  I like it a lot.

[AdamsHall]

This is a great concept...I hope it moves to something beyond concept, ...

Agree

[sgrizzle]

My mind's eye keeps going to the City Market in the River District in Kansas City when I see the concept.  I like it a lot.

Looks like a Motel 6 to me...

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I wasn't sure where to post this. According to the article below, the Moton site is 1 of 6 Brownfield sites the city of Tulsa has been looking to have cleaned and redeveloped since 2013. http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/historic-moton-hospital-poised-for-brownfields-face-lift/article_216794f9-592b-553b-9c5a-39428cf9b5d2.html

This could potentially be put in downtown development since the aim of the developer is to create affordable housing for those wanting to live near downtown, but it is a mile north. A lot further than the Evans site.

Booker T. Washington grad wants to 'give back' with $21 million redevelopment of Moton site

Michael Smith hasn't had a Tulsa address since 1979, but it's never been far from his mind.
Smith says he's long wanted to do something to benefit the north side community where he grew up. Now he thinks he's found the perfect opportunity.
Retired from a 34-year career as an engineer with Marathon Oil, Smith is moving forward with plans for a redevelopment of the historic Moton Hospital site just east of the intersection of North Greenwood Avenue and East Pine Street.
The project, expected to cost between $21 million and $26 million, would include restoration and renovation of the original Moton Hospital building, and construction of 100 apartment units, retail and office space and pads for one or two informal, sit-down restaurants on the four-acre parcel.
A public meeting on Smith's proposal is scheduled for 3 p.m. Nov. 21 at Rudisill Regional Library, 1520 N. Hartford Ave., or immediately east of the Moton site.
"I'm a product of north Tulsa," said Smith, a 1975 Booker T. Washington High School graduate now living in Houston. "I want to give back to the community. I think this is a great opportunity."
"The Moton building is a unique opportunity for the city to refurbish one of its most historic structures," said Dwayne Midget, director of community development and transportation for the city of Tulsa. "We don't have a lot of historic buildings left in north Tulsa."
The original Moton opened in 1932 as a replacement for the Maurice Willows Red Cross Hospital, built in the aftermath of Tulsa's 1921 race riot, at 314 N. Hartford Ave.
Moton was named for Robert Russa Moton, an African-American educator and second superintendent of the renowned Tuskegee Institute.
Moton briefly closed in the late 1960s, but reopened as a clinic instead of a hospital. An addition to the south side was built in the early 1970s, and it is this structure most casual observers see when passing by on Pine Street.
Two other buildings were added to the small complex over the next decade. The name was changed from Moton to Morton in 1983 to honor Dr. W.A. Morton, a local physician.
The complex has been empty since 2006, when operations transferred to a new clinic at 1334 N. Lansing Ave.
Smith hopes to restore and repurpose the original 1932 building, and lease it back to the city or county. There have been some discussions about a small museum or other historical component being included in this part of the project.
The other buildings will be demolished, Smith said, to make way for the apartments and commercial space. Smith said the project will be financed with about $18 million in bank loans and private equity, with the rest coming from local, state and federal tax incentives.
Smith said the project will target young people and small business attracted to the downtown area, but who can't afford the more expensive downtown rents. The development will be about a mile from ONEOK Field.
Those attending the Nov. 21 meeting will be asked for their opinions and ideas on the project. The project is still in its preliminary stages, but if all goes well, Smith and Midget said, they hope to begin work on the site next year.
"If I make a dollar or two, that's fine," said Smith. "Truly, my reason to do this is to give back to the community."

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/booker-t-washington-grad-wants-to-give-back-with-million/article_5c3cd556-b8c9-548a-a3ee-2529834a5354.html

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Raw Space supporters tour Evans-Fintube site

Patrick Forringer is part of the Maker Movement.
A growing culture in the nation, the Maker Movement expects computer programmer-types of 10 and 20 years ago to do more than just know computer code. They are making entirely new technologies.
Forringer, for instance, likes to build frames for drones. He, with help from others, can design and build a specific drone to accomplish unique tasks.
"I'm getting into racing," Forringer said. "I want to organize a (Tulsa) race."
But he wants to grow past his own personal builds. He wants to design drone frames on a larger scale that he can sell online around the world.
On Monday, Forringer and a group of Raw Space Tulsa supporters toured the city-owned site they hope to obtain for an industrial-size maker space — which if built would be one of the premier innovation spaces in the nation, said Scott Phillips, the leader of Raw Space.
Phillips said the former Evans-Fintube industrial complex, on downtown's border with north Tulsa, is ideally placed for small-scale and large-scale innovators to mix companies and incubate new enterprises.
Whether development of the 23-acre site would be helped with any Vision sales-tax money is another matter.
John Dungan, a leader at Code for Tulsa, said as a computer programmer he doesn't need a large space at the industrial complex, but he hopes the large investment of space draws a diverse group of people whom he can work with.
"The best part of the vision on this thing is the open space," Dungan said. "I can sit on my computer all day long but I would never run into the people that could benefit from my skills."
Mark Lauinger, senior vice president of i2E — Innovation to Enterprise, says the project should be pursued by Tulsa even if it doesn't receive funding in a Vision renewal expected to go to voters in April.
"That's why we need big thinkers to look at things like this," Lauinger said. "That's what this is all about. How do you foster incremental innovation? ... I love the zoo and think it's important, but it's things like this that are important, too."
Mayor Dewey Bartlett, who was not on the tour Monday, said he supports the Raw Space Tulsa proposal but not necessarily at the Evans-Fintube site, which he and his office have unsuccessfully marketed for years to developers.
Bartlett said EPA requirements for cleanup at the site have been a major roadblock to developers, and he has proposed meeting those requirements through a separate Vision proposal.
However, Phillips said his $24 million proposal to build Raw Space has all the required cleanup built into it.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/raw-space-supporters-tour-evans-fintube-site/article_3096cb1b-74f9-5078-bc89-7daccb7f4536.html

[cannon_fodder]

First, the University of Tulsa student newspaper, the Collegian, had a better write up 6 weeks ago... It better explains the history of the site and the vision of the organization behind the request. The group also has their presentation online:

http://www.rawspacetulsa.com/

I like the idea - but I've worked in those old industrial buildings. They are hot in summer, cold in winter, and nearly impossible to actually seal in any effective manner. They simply were not made to be office space.  Would it be cool? Absolutely. Would it be great to reuse this space. YES! I know the vision is to have the space used for multiple purposes, and that would be great, but it would be hard to do (just money really). I suspect the "office" component will be a minor element compared to what I see as the real benefit:

An incubator for industrial ventures: welders, mechanics shop, crane companies, pipe fitters, tree trimmers, manufactureres. Things that industrial space, indoor space, and some large amounts of space. Those companies need incubator space too and in many cases support or form the basis of our industrial economy.  I'm sure there are a myriad of other industrial companies that would love to occupy a building that offers space, loading docks, industrial electrical hookups, etc.  The alternative is usually a garage, or jumping in with both feet on your own space.

The City has $600k in grants for remediation of the site. They threw out an RFP back in June, due back in July.

Not sure what they are talking about visa vis historic places registration. As far as I can tell, the site doesn't appear on the National Registry of Historic Places. Would appreciate it if someone cleared that confusion up for me.  Cool old building for sure - but I don't see it listed.

Anyway, the idea is fantastic. No idea about the feasibility or cost, but an incubator for industry that utilizes this location is a great idea.

[cannon_fodder]

Also, here is the link to the (draft) Tulsa grant application for remediation of PCBs, hydrocarbons, and metals. Tons of information on the Evans building, Fin Tube building, ad contamination that is present:

http://www.cityoftulsa.org/media/106583/draft09-22-10evansfintubeepacleanupgrantapplication.pdf

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I love the idea. I wonder how they will implement this realistically:

The shared resources mixing allows any one tenant to benefit from the tools and resources available from other tenants.

From my experience working in shop and lab-type environments, tools going missing has always been a problem and can halt projects and cause frustrations. Many employees/departments at shops and labs, even some of the friendliest/most family-like places, keep their tools locked up so they don't go missing (either by borrowing or stealing).

It is not a show-stopper, but if all of these multi-million and billion dollar businesses I've been around where everyone inside is accounted for at all times with security cameras and near 24-hour presence can't find a way to share tools, even just among different work groups, I can't imagine several completely different ventures being willing/able to openly share tools/assets which could range from $10-$10,000s or much more (e.g. any CNC machines, lathes).

I wonder how much patience various startups would have for each other. It is often a stressful/OT endeavor with tight deadlines and a lot of risk. I wonder how helpful they would be to each other or if they would even be able to put up with a bunch of things being tested like drones flying around, the noise involved with any assembling of products, the general clutter that comes with many big projects.

On a small scale like at Fablab, this has proven to work if you can make sure everyone cleans up after themselves and take turns and have a good fair price for lab usage. How about when everyone's livelihood is dependent on a timeline and use of the space/tools? The different types of proposed businesses sound interesting, but many of those, especially the manufacturing and industrial listed, would take a considerable amount of room.

I am all for this if they can find a way to work! I would definitely check it out and try to get involved to some extent and support the businesses that I could.