Downtown Development Overview

[SXSW]

I've had this same thought too - would love to see the old Forum space knocked down and reconnect some of the street grid and pedestrian access. The old Forum creates a huge pedestrian barrier between the CBD and the Arts district north.

If Williams was able to consolidate in the tower and then redevelop the Forum and parking lots they own too next door that'd be pretty great for downtown. Not sure if that will ever happen though.

I hope to see Main restored from 1st to 3rd sometime in my lifetime.  The section between 2nd & 3rd will be challenging but is doable if the hotel is reconfigured.  How awesome would it be though to see Main with its stellar streetscape between 3rd and 6th continue all the way through downtown from Cain's all the way down to Veterans Park?

[shavethewhales]

111 Greenwood looks pretty sharp now. Just about finished.

[patric]

111 Greenwood looks pretty sharp now. Just about finished.

The uplighting on it and the building behind, is an outdated trend that is neither practical nor environmentally responsible.  On the other hand, the city's Domus shielded streetlights are a much welcome improvement over the glare-prone acorn lights.

[SXSW]

111 Greenwood looks pretty sharp now. Just about finished.

Not quite like their original rendering    Nice infill though, are there any future plans for the parking lot on the NE corner of 2nd & Greenwood?

[Urban Enthusiast]

Yes, 111 Greenwood is nice infill, but I can't help but think it looks like a hotel.  It along with Hogan Assessment adds some nice density to that section of 1st street.

[tulsabug]

Yes, 111 Greenwood is nice infill, but I can't help but think it looks like a hotel.  It along with Hogan Assessment adds some nice density to that section of 1st street.

wait - it's not a hotel? I'm not a rocket scientist but I did stay at a 111 Greenwood last night....

anyhoo - the lights add a little to a fairly blah building but the original brick facade rendering was a lot nicer. I mean it's nicer than a parking lot but just barely. I suppose if they can't move the apartments it can always be a nice climate-controlled mini-storage.

[Urban Enthusiast]

wait - it's not a hotel? I'm not a rocket scientist but I did stay at a 111 Greenwood last night...

LOL, name on the side of the building aside. . . it does kind of have a hotel vibe, to me anyway.  Probably because a lot of new build urban type apartments have at least some balconies. 

[SXSW]

OSU Extension planning 16k sf new facility on one of the parking lots on Greenwood.  The article doesn't specify the exact site, possibly the lot east of Langston near the Osage Prairie trailhead?

The new Extension Center building is being paid for with $4.5 million in surplus Vision 2025 funding. The approximately 16,000-square-foot structure will be built on land that is now used for parking on the east side of Greenwood Avenue between the Langston University building and the OSU-Tulsa campus to the south.

The design and location of the new building were selected with the district's history in mind, Keith said. County officials hope to begin construction later this year.

"This building will be designed to replicate historic Greenwood, hoping it would be a catalyst to begin rebuilding the historic Greenwood block, ultimately connecting to Vernon AME (Church) and Greenwood Rising," Keith said.

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/plan-to-move-osu-extension-center-to-greenwood-draws-opposition-from-city-councilor/article_5dd4f684-5ff1-11eb-911b-13fef7f52a39.html

[LandArchPoke]

OSU Extension planning 16k sf new facility on one of the parking lots on Greenwood.  The article doesn't specify the exact site, possibly the lot east of Langston near the Osage Prairie trailhead?

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/plan-to-move-osu-extension-center-to-greenwood-draws-opposition-from-city-councilor/article_5dd4f684-5ff1-11eb-911b-13fef7f52a39.html

Hard to tell where they are talking about.. could be a good thing given they are talking about designing it to resemble historic Greenwood with the idea that they'd eventually want additional development to connect down toward Greenwood south of 244.

I'm completely confused by Hall-Harpers argument that this is bad... maybe I'm missing it. I don't really see what she thinks should be done? Not sure keeping it as a parking lot is really helpful for black owned businesses either. I do think OSU should do more to donate the land along Greenwood and rebuild the street with a focus toward black owned businesses. Seems like this would be an opportunity to kick start that versus just making it out as something bad.

Having the extension built north of 36th because there's 'lots of land up there' doesn't make any sense either. Is any development gentrification now I'm guessing? Isn't the point to build back the neighborhood... not all development is bad and/or gentrification. If OSU was selling off land for luxury apartments, condos, etc. I can totally see that argument that it should be geared more toward something else.

[Vision 2025]

OSU Extension planning 16k sf new facility on one of the parking lots on Greenwood.  The article doesn't specify the exact site, possibly the lot east of Langston near the Osage Prairie trailhead?

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/plan-to-move-osu-extension-center-to-greenwood-draws-opposition-from-city-councilor/article_5dd4f684-5ff1-11eb-911b-13fef7f52a39.html

The proposed site is on the East side of Greenwood, and immediately South of the storm water detention pond which is located just South of the Osage Prairie trailhead.

[shavethewhales]

The new extension plan sounds like a win-win to me. Good for OSU, Greenwood, and the city at large. Hall-harpers comments aren't made in good faith, she just wants to complain to stay relevant and look like she is "fighting the man". It's a parking lot now and will still be a parking lot if this plan is abandoned. Building this takes nothing away from anyone. Calling a new extension building a "monument to OSU" is ridiculous. I guess every new school is a "monument" to TPS?

The arguments for putting it there are kind of dumb. The true reason is that they already have the land there and it's the cheapest option.

[ComeOnBenjals]

Seems like the Council member is trying to get some press time, don't understand her argument at all. Exciting to see OSU growing in Tulsa. This and the medical school/complex expansion is a great thing!

[SXSW]

From Crossland's social media earlier this week - construction progress 21 North Greenwood and Greenwood Rising




I know they decided to move Greenwood Rising to Archer & Greenwood but I would still like to see some kind of development next to the Cultural Center like what they originally proposed to continue the "street wall" north of 244 to OSU.  Maybe this could be some kind of OSU expansion in the future.

[shavethewhales]

Strange that they closed off the whole damn street for this, but whatever.




In other news, Dos Banditos pulled out of the downtown location:

[Oil Capital]

Just to update the status of the downtown Tulsa office market.

per CBRE, as of year-end 2020, downtown Tulsa had about 1.8 million square feet of vacant office space, vacancy rate up to 15.6%.  Negative absorption of 383,484 square feet for the year, negative absorption of about 98,000 square feet (I think) in the second half. We know of about 160,000 square feet being vacated by WPX... another 368,000 square feet to be added to the market in about a year...  Those two items alone would increase the vacant space to about 2.3 million square feet and the vacancy rate to 19.6%.