Downtown Development Overview

[erfalf]

If actually built like this it would definitely raise the bar for new development downtown.  This is across the street from Santa Fe Square.  If both projects are built as shown, along with GreenArch II, then Greenwood Ave. will be a pretty decent urban street after having zero development along it 3 years ago before GreenArch I, Hogan Assesments & The Edge.

Speaking of this street, why was the Edge built so far back from the street. Single family homes in "midtown" are closer to the sidewalk than that.

[SXSW]

Speaking of this street, why was the Edge built so far back from the street. Single family homes in "midtown" are closer to the sidewalk than that.

Bamboo World offered an explanation awhile back:

It was for open space (and a few trees, according to the June 18, 2009 map shown on page 23 of Volume 2 of the Downtown Master Plan).

The setback is a strip of land on the east side of Greenwood, forty feet wide, as I mentioned in a previous post.

The strip still may be intended as open space, but I don't know.  Since 2010, there have been various negotiations/agreements between the TDA and Land Legacy, and among the TDA, Tulsa Open Space Alliance (TOSA), Yvonne Hovell ( Urban 8 ), and The Edge developers.

In June 2015, it seems to me after reading this agreement, both TOSA and the TDA agreed to the sale of the north 220 feet of the strip (abutting The Edge property) to The Edge owners and the south 80 feet of the strip (abutting the Urban 8 development) to Urban 8.

The June 2015 agreement refers to a Valentine's Day 2014 contract between the TDA and TOSA, which I've not seen.  However, the June 2015 agreement amended the February 2014 contract by deleting all references to "Construction Plans" in the 2014 TDA-TOSA contract.  (In the June 2015 agreement, see item 2.g.)  If "Construction Plans" in the 2014 TDA-TOSA contract related to plans for an urban park or open space or something similar, then those particular "construction plans" are no longer binding upon The Edge owners or Urban 8, as I see it.

If I can find the February 2014 TDA-TOSA contract, then I'll post what I discover.  There were at least four amendments to the contract, as best I can tell.

Anyway, the strip very well may become a small urban park, eventually.

[erfalf]

Maybe I just never noticed before, but at the moment, the satalite shots on Google of downtown Tulsa are during Mayfest. So you've got festivals all over downtown.

Also shows the Residence Inn, Hampton Inn, new OneOK plaza, Hogan, The Edge completed and those townhouses next door. Can also see dirt work at Archer & Boston, work on the Warehouse on Archer between Cincinnati & Detroit, and the lot cleared for the hotel @ Archer & Elgin. If they could somehow talk BOK out of those two blocks of parking, or maybe just the 50 feet up front, Archer would be happening. Honestly the view from the sky doesn't do it justice.

I remember walking around near by the Tribune (that we were thinking about renting a unit in) over 10 years ago, and there just wasn't anything going on north of the tracks. Walking around in the area now is just amazing considering what I remembered it to be like. Brady Street has turned into one of the best city streets in the state to walk, and it's only really a few blocks long.

The project @ Elgin & 2nd will also completely change the feel of that part of town. The Blue Dome still feels rather parking lotish when we go. This will help bookend the primary intersection in the neighborhood.

[Conan71]

Maybe I just never noticed before, but at the moment, the satalite shots on Google of downtown Tulsa are during Mayfest. So you've got festivals all over downtown.

Also shows the Residence Inn, Hampton Inn, new OneOK plaza, Hogan, The Edge completed and those townhouses next door. Can also see dirt work at Archer & Boston, work on the Warehouse on Archer between Cincinnati & Detroit, and the lot cleared for the hotel @ Archer & Elgin. If they could somehow talk BOK out of those two blocks of parking, or maybe just the 50 feet up front, Archer would be happening. Honestly the view from the sky doesn't do it justice.

I remember walking around near by the Tribune (that we were thinking about renting a unit in) over 10 years ago, and there just wasn't anything going on north of the tracks. Walking around in the area now is just amazing considering what I remembered it to be like. Brady Street has turned into one of the best city streets in the state to walk, and it's only really a few blocks long.

The project @ Elgin & 2nd will also completely change the feel of that part of town. The Blue Dome still feels rather parking lotish when we go. This will help bookend the primary intersection in the neighborhood.

That is one thing we really missed about Tulsa this last year was the festivals.  BDAF and Mayfest were "musts" and we were in event management on Tulsa Tough and Oktoberfest the last few years we lived in Tulsa. 

We have plenty of things to do out here and there are all sorts of festivals between Raton and Taos and we are creating some new ones to be announced, but still miss the big ones in Tulsa.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Maybe I just never noticed before, but at the moment, the satalite shots on Google of downtown Tulsa are during Mayfest. So you've got festivals all over downtown.

Also shows the Residence Inn, Hampton Inn, new OneOK plaza, Hogan, The Edge completed and those townhouses next door. Can also see dirt work at Archer & Boston, work on the Warehouse on Archer between Cincinnati & Detroit, and the lot cleared for the hotel @ Archer & Elgin. If they could somehow talk BOK out of those two blocks of parking, or maybe just the 50 feet up front, Archer would be happening. Honestly the view from the sky doesn't do it justice.

I'm not seeing mayfest or some of the newer buildings on satellite via desktop computer. What are you using to look at the google satellite shots?

Link I'm using not showing Mayfest or new townhouses:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1513389,-95.9901515,2216a,35y,333.75h/data=!3m1!1e3

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

I'm not seeing mayfest or some of the newer buildings on satellite via desktop computer. What are you using to look at the google satellite shots?

You have to turn 3D off.

[BKDotCom]

You have to turn 3D off.

upper left "hamburger menu"
option is at the top under Satelite

[erfalf]

You have to turn 3D off.

That's probably the case. Just using Chrome on my desktop.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

upper left "hamburger menu"
option is at the top under Satelite

That was it. Thank you!

It is neat to see downtown from above during mayfest

[hello]

Anyone know what is going in the old Mod's space?

[MostSeriousness]

A Topeca location

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/realestate/topeca-trifecta-local-coffeehouse-establishing-what-will-be-third-location/article_2ce4205a-b652-5635-94d8-18a7cde2c2d7.html

It is remodeling a space at 507 S. Boston Ave. that was formerly occupied by Mod's Coffee and Crepes, which closed in December...

Topeca...plans to open its Boston location as early as next week, Pavlik said.

[hello]

A Topeca location

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/realestate/topeca-trifecta-local-coffeehouse-establishing-what-will-be-third-location/article_2ce4205a-b652-5635-94d8-18a7cde2c2d7.html

It is remodeling a space at 507 S. Boston Ave. that was formerly occupied by Mod's Coffee and Crepes, which closed in December...

Topeca...plans to open its Boston location as early as next week, Pavlik said.

That's what I was hoping it was. Thanks!

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

2 affordable housing projects downtown to get Tulsa Development Authority loans

Two downtown affordable housing projects are scheduled to move forward after the Tulsa Development Authority voted Thursday to award $500,000 low-interest loans to each.

Following a roughly a 100-minute executive session during which commissioners also discussed other business, the TDA approved going into contract talks with the backers of Hartford Crossing and the redevelopment of the Adams Building. A total of $1 million had been up for grabs among three projects, including Carpathia, which would have revamped the Cheyenne Arms and Denver Apartments.

Commissioner Nancy Roberts, who originated Thursday's motion to lend the money, said each "had established wonderful plans and a total commitment to changing some significant locations in downtown Tulsa."


Hartford Crossing will be roughly an $8 million mixed-used development at First Street and Greenwood Avenue. The first floor of the five-story building would be reserved for a large restaurant and other retail space, with the remaining floors encompassing 55 residential units.

"I'm very grateful for what they have done," Hartford Crossing developer Neal Bhow said following the meeting. "This is going to make my financing easier. I'm moving forward. I'm truly moving forward."

The development is the second phase of about a $7 million refurbishing of the adjacent Hartford Building (110 S. Hartford Ave.), which is near completion. The base rate for the 525-square-foot residential units would be $789. Construction on the project could begin in the third quarter and be completed by 2020, Bhow said.

The Adams Building is a mixed-used project that would breathe life into a vacant high-rise at 403 S. Cheyenne Ave. Developers of the 13-story building want to re-establish a restaurant on the ground floor — Casa Laredo vacated that spot last year — and install 60 residential units on the remaining floors.

Partners on the nearly $10.4 million project are Tulsa-based Addax Development, Newmark Grubb Levy Strange Beffort and J&R Investments. Monthly rents would be less than $800 on average, the partners said.

"I'm very happy," Steven Watts, president of Addax Development, said after the meeting. "It will help us lower our rents. So that's the main thing.

"We can offer more affordable units targeted toward workforce housing: teachers, firefighters, policemen, restaurant workers, those who maybe can't afford to be in downtown. That benefit we're going to pass on down."

Originally constructed as a hotel in 1928, the building is detailed in ornate terra-cotta and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The redux could start this summer and take about a year, Watts said.

Citing a statewide housing study, analyst David Puckett last April told the TDA about a year ago that Tulsa County continues to fall well short of the demand for affordable housing.

"Really, the main takeaway is that we're not even getting close to meeting the needs," Puckett told commissioners. "That's especially pronounced in the Tulsa area, where we are getting about 10 percent of our needs met."

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/realestate/affordable-housing-projects-downtown-to-get-tulsa-development-authority-loans/article_76866bc9-0461-5fd7-a226-68108caab663.html

[cannon_fodder]

The caption on the TW photo saws the SE Corner of 1st and Greenwood.  That would be the parking lot in front of the Hartford building.  Another surface lot bites the dust. 

[MostSeriousness]

Vintage 1740, a mainstay in the "SoBo" area, is opening a second location in the Blue Dome District.

Probably the worst kept secret from other bar reps I've talked to, but should be a good spot for them. Residential right next door, a couple restaurants close by.