kendall whittier/lweis/6th/demolition

[cynical]

That's not correct. Private entities can still exercise the power of eminent domain provided that the taking is for a public purpose. For example, OneOK has the power to take private land to lay a pipeline that connects to an electrical generation facility that serves the public.

The confusion is that the Supreme Court ruled that economic development by itself does not constitute a public purpose that would justify the taking of private property. It said nothing at all about the exercise of eminent domain by private entities.

At the risk of thread drift: But as we've discussed on this board before, that's not really an option anymore in Oklahoma. The state supreme court has said our state constitution forbids takings for private entities (as TU is) of that kind. And good riddance. What's more, such a move would probably provoke considerable more public opposition now than it did before New London, CT's Kelo case and the nationwide wave of backlash it sparked.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Has anyone been to the new food truck park at 2439 E 11th St? It has consistent hours 11am-2am Tues-Sun. The bar is really nice along with a nice fence and patio which has a bunch of patio games. The truck stalls aren't completed to plan yet but still looks fine with a few trucks there. The future plans look even better. Currently, it has a funky/hip look to it and looks a lot like something you'd see in South Congress in Austin.

I really wanted Park in the Pearl to succeed but it was rarely if ever open and there were no consistent hours and no "base" with an indoor bar, big covered patio or restrooms. Fuel 66 has all of that so even in the cold it is fun to hang out there. The area is really coming along with 918 coffee, Campbell Hotel, Capp's, Rennaissance Brewery around the corner and the future Kathy Taylor urban development next to that. This borders the neighborhood west of TU. It will be interesting to see how this place is supported and how that neighborhood changes in the next couple years.

https://www.facebook.com/fuel66tulsa/

www.fuel66tulsa.com/

TW Article about it:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/food/fuel-food-truck-park-planned-on-route/article_34ee51b4-a18f-53c3-a37a-a0d7231bee73.html

[RecycleMichael]

I have been.

It is nice. They had a courtyard with a big fire pit, a adult-sized chess board, and odd games for kids. Parents all stood around talking near the food and drink trucks and the kids played.

I think it will take constant promotion to make it work, but it is a fun place to eat and could be wildly successful on events.

[Conan71]

I have been.

It is nice. They had a courtyard with a big fire pit, a adult-sized chess board, and odd games for kids. Parents all stood around talking near the food and drink trucks and the kids played.

I think it will take constant promotion to make it work, but it is a fun place to eat and could be wildly successful on events.

I forget, was Josh Lynch (Doghouse) the developer on this concept or someone else? 

He was on the Pearl one at any rate.  We stopped in there once and there wasn't much compelling there to get us to hang out for a couple of hours.

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

The area is really coming along with 918 coffee, Campbell Hotel, Capp's, Rennaissance Brewery around the corner and the future Kathy Taylor urban development next to that.

What is this Kathy Taylor urban development thing?

[patric]

Has anyone been to the new food truck park at 2439 E 11th St? It has consistent hours 11am-2am Tues-Sun. The bar is really nice along with a nice fence and patio which has a bunch of patio games. The truck stalls aren't completed to plan yet but still looks fine with a few trucks there. The future plans look even better. Currently, it has a funky/hip look to it and looks a lot like something you'd see in South Congress in Austin.

I hadnt noticed your post before I started a review  http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=21431.msg313422#msg313422

Ill be going back.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I hadnt noticed your post before I started a review  http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=21431.msg313422#msg313422

Ill be going back.

Nice review! Good points. I agree about better lighting is needed. Something is needed so stand out at night there.

It was unfortunate timing, opening late fall when the weather gets cold. I'd like to think the patio will be well utilized in spring/summer months. Feels very welcome in the west patio and the games are neat.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I have been.

It is nice. They had a courtyard with a big fire pit, a adult-sized chess board, and odd games for kids. Parents all stood around talking near the food and drink trucks and the kids played.

I think it will take constant promotion to make it work, but it is a fun place to eat and could be wildly successful on events.

I think the interior of the bar, awesome beer selection, nicely built/decked-out patio and having a permanent inside area (and permanent bathrooms) really set it apart from Park in the Pearl.

It will need some better promotion. It just opened and had articles in the TW, but has been pretty empty when I've been with only 1/2 trucks usually. Bad timing, but they need to do some major advertising to get people to know it exists and keep it open or else, despite all of its advantages, will suffer the same fate as the Pearl (not enough guests, can't attract food trucks, can't afford to stay open).

The hours are honestly a bit insane 11am-2am!? That is crazy for a food truck park. Good for consistency if they do that long term, but I think it should be more like 10am-10pm Sun, 11am-10pm Tues-Thurs and 11am-2am F-S. Might need to host a bunch of special events for the public, happy hours and mini-food truck fests to keep some momentum.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

What is this Kathy Taylor urban development thing?

I don't know many details. When I talked to the people who started Fuel 66, it sounds like they are involved in it also. Just supposed to be an urban mixed-use development stretching for several lots, from Advance Auto to Renaissance (so pretty big place!). Building has not started yet so can't see the scope of it yet or how close it is to street.

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

I don't know many details. When I talked to the people who started Fuel 66, it sounds like they are involved in it also. Just supposed to be an urban mixed-use development stretching for several lots, from Advance Auto to Renaissance (so pretty big place!). Building has not started yet so can't see the scope of it yet or how close it is to street.

Seems like that will not replace the Advance Auto Parts, though. Too bad. That's a corner location that could use up-to-the-street, non-auto-oriented development. I want 11th to be cool as much as anyone else but when I look at it, it still just looks like a endless stretch of welding schools, sad used car lots, aging strip malls, and chainlink fences surrounding what I guess used to be a parking lot but has now been reduced to gravel by the weeds growing up through it. I know we've made progress, but jeez do we have a long way to go.

Speaking of, what's the story with this Page Moving building? Is that place operational? It looks like something a redeveloper would love to get their hands on.

[SXSW]

The Page Moving Building would be awesome for lofts or office space.  The big windows have great views of downtown.  It looks vacant or maybe just a storage building?

I think the biggest priority for 11th at this point is to get BRT running along with a new streetscape between Peoria and Harvard.  Not just new sidewalks and some trees but a major overhaul.  That's one of the biggest issues with 11th is that it lacks any cohesiveness between the redeveloping areas.  Look no further than NW 23rd in OKC for an example of a nice streetscape with a similar urban density.  Though ours should be built around transit with clearly marked shelters at each stop announcing the next bus.  Also adding parallel parking to both sides of the street (like NW 23rd) helps pedestrians feel safer and adds parking for sidewalk-facing businesses.

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

The Page Moving Building would be awesome for lofts or office space.  The big windows have great views of downtown.  It looks vacant or maybe just a storage building?

I propose the members of this board form an LLC, buy the property, and redevelop it. We all know this group would create a much more urban- and pedestrian-friendly development than many of the usual suspects in town. I can pass around a hat to begin pooling contributions.

Look no further than NW 23rd in OKC for an example of a nice streetscape with a similar urban density.  Though ours should be built around transit with clearly marked shelters at each stop announcing the next bus.  Also adding parallel parking to both sides of the street (like NW 23rd) helps pedestrians feel safer and adds parking for sidewalk-facing businesses.

NW 23rd is a good comparison for 11th and should be looked to as an example of what to do.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

From hardware to creative hub: TPC Studios refurbishes former Swinney Hardware building

Tulsa firm refurbishes Swinney Hardware building

TPC Studios chose a former hardware store in which to hammer out a new home for itself.
The company is glad it did.
"I felt like every time we looked at a space that was more generic or not interesting place, it just didn't have any soul," Todd Pyland, TPC principal and creative director, said about the former Swinney Hardware building at 32 S. Lewis Ave. "When we came here, we thought, 'There's history here. There's a soul in this building.'
"We saw this vital (Kendall-Whittier) community growing around this area, but we saw this big, empty hole here. We wanted to partner on with some of the existing creative firms that are over here. There are photographers, artists, small businesses around the corner. So we get to anchor that space," he said.
"We just felt like we were the perfect addition as this creative hub to finish out this neighborhood in a way."
Formerly Talmadge Powell Creative, TPC Studios poured about $2.5 million into the refurbishing, which incorporates some of the historical aspects of Swinney Hardware. The store operated 74 years until its closing in 2008.
"In terms of the arrangement of space, we really took advantage of the two street facades," said project designer Shannon West of Selser Schaefer Architects. "We had some great window frontage on the south edge of the building as well as along Lewis."
Abundant natural light brightens a gallery (1,000 square feet) and open work space (1,725 square feet). The soft green paint on the exterior matches that of the original, the result of a painstaking, peeling-back process, West said.
"We did some architectural archaeology for the project," he said of the exposing of the paint layers. "It really brings some great character back to the building."
TPC Studios, which focuses on event planning, branding and media production, purchased the structure from Ross Group for $1.5 million. The new 11,000-square-foot space nearly quadruples the room it had in its former home, a converted auto repair shop at 211 W. 11th St.
"We tried to think big because we acquire so much stuff," TPC Studios Managing Partner Pat Chericky said. "We just want to be able to recycle that. It saves our clients money, and we don't have to start from scratch every time.
"We've always had all these services, but no one could actually see them. By expanding in this area, when you go through and see all the different spaces and see what we actually have, I think everybody will be surprised."
Talmadge Powell is founder of the company.
"The thing I'm really most excited about is just having a space for everyone to work more efficiently and not be right on top of each other," he said. "It gives us more flexibility to be more creative and build larger props and set pieces and do other things for the event side that we weren't able to do previously."
The facility includes ample storage space, a kitchen and break room, and a cooler for fresh flowers.
"There's not another firm like us that I know of, in this region especially, that has an event-planning component but also the branding component all under one roof," Pyland said. "Depending on what we're working on, by adding this large photo studio and warehouse space and the floral and storage decor areas, we can do anything. We're kind of a one-stop shop for all things creative."

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/realestate/from-hardware-to-creative-hub-tpc-studios-refurbishes-former-swinney/article_9361fc06-9885-5a4e-b785-907091444430.html

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I was wondering what the old Swinneys building was going to be. Looks great now and really finishes up that block well. Unfortunate it is not a "walkable" or mixed use development, but at this stage anything bringing in businesses there is probably good for the area.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Habitat for Humanity is partnering with Kendall Whittier to build "The Village at Whittier Heights". Looks like they'll be accross Lewis from Las Americas in the big empty lot. Might end up looking something like the village TU collaborated on at 6th and Lewis (which they're building another phase of soon).

http://www.fox23.com/video?videoId=511662044&videoVersion=1.0

Video direct link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi8x3oXloQA