Iron Gate

[RecycleMichael]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/iron-gate-executive-director-steps-down-amid-relocation-fight-interim/article_c1e95537-5b4f-595a-adf6-64bcfe4af25c.html?_dc=792265154124.1466


Iron Gate Executive Director Connie Cronley has stepped down as head of the downtown soup kitchen and grocery pantry. The organization announced Monday that it has selected former board member Mark Barcus to serve as interim director. Officials with Iron Gate said Cronley made the decision to step down."I am exhausted," Cronley told the Tulsa World in an interview Monday. "Working with Iron Gate for the last 14 years has been one of the great, great joys of my life."

Cronley took the helm of the organization in 2008. Before that she was a volunteer and board member of the nonprofit.
Iron Gate is in the middle of a struggle to relocate from the basement of Trinity Episcopal Church and build a 20,000-square-foot facility on vacant property between Seventh and Eighth streets and Kenosha and Elgin avenues. Cronley said she remains convinced that Iron Gate will prevail and the facility will be built. "Since Iron Gate outgrew the space at the church, my dream has been to build a beautiful, stand-alone facility to feed hungry people, but I never imagined it would result in such rancor and opposition," she said. "That animosity has been unimaginable and very tiring."
Barcus, an attorney and former district judge, takes over immediately and will remain as interim director until a replacement is found.

No time frame was given for the search for a new executive director.

"We are delighted Mark chose to take this role," said Iron Gate board Chairwoman Mary Ann Hille. "He has served on our board for five years, including leadership positions as vice president and secretary. Mark clearly embraces our mission with great passion and he will provide excellent leadership as we continue our mission of serving Tulsa's hungry every day and as we continue our commitment to moving to our new location."

Iron Gate took its fight to build a new downtown facility to Tulsa County District Court last week. A special exception request and an appeal of the nonprofit's government service status were both denied by the Tulsa City Board of Adjustment at a Nov. 17 special meeting. Appeals of those decisions have been filed in district court. No court date has been set. The Board of Adjustment's denial of a special exception request was the second time in 14 months that the board has struck down an attempted move by Iron Gate.

In September 2015, the board denied several exceptions that would have allowed the organization to build a facility near Third Street and Peoria Avenue in the Pearl District. That proposal faced stiff opposition from area businesses and residents. Iron Gate provides daily meals to nearly 250 people through its soup kitchen and groceries to 300 households each week through its food pantry. It has been located since its inception in 1978 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 501 S. Cincinnati Ave. Iron Gate legally separated from the church and became a 501c(3) organization in 1984, according to its website. It remains located in the basement of the church. A capital campaign has raised more than $9 million to buy land, build the new facility and create an operating reserve. Construction is expected to cost $3.2 million.

[patric]

Stockholm owned the property on which the old furniture and lumber company occupied, but sold it to Michael Sager.
Sager, who sits on the Downtown Coordinating Council, is best known for his company Blue Dome Properties LLC, which has invested heavily in downtown. He purchased the proposed soup kitchen site from Stockholm through a different company, Bricks and Mortar LLC.
He defended the Iron Gate move Monday, saying the new building would be a positive for the neighborhood.
"I think it is a fabulous use of the property." he said. "The architecture, the investment. ... I think it is fabulous."
He called those who would use the city's most vulnerable population to spread fear "terribly petty."
"I think there is plenty of crime that is not attributable to the homeless and the people in need," Sager said.

Backtracking a bit to the OP.  The site burned to the ground Saturday morning.
http://www.fox23.com/news/firefighters-battle-midtown-tulsa-fire/472698791

May belong in a different thread now.

[Conan71]

Backtracking a bit to the OP.  The site burned to the ground Saturday morning.
http://www.fox23.com/news/firefighters-battle-midtown-tulsa-fire/472698791

May belong in a different thread now.

Well that's convenient er misfortunate.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Backtracking a bit to the OP.  The site burned to the ground Saturday morning.
http://www.fox23.com/news/firefighters-battle-midtown-tulsa-fire/472698791

May belong in a different thread now.

And their drone is registered with the FAA, N617PR.

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N617PR

[saintnicster]

And their drone is registered with the FAA, N617PR.

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N617PR

Yep http://www.fox23.com/news/local/fox23-becomes-first-tulsa-station-fly-drone-newsca/19652749

[davideinstein]

Backtracking a bit to the OP.  The site burned to the ground Saturday morning.
http://www.fox23.com/news/firefighters-battle-midtown-tulsa-fire/472698791

May belong in a different thread now.

Weird.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

THE SAGA CONTINUES:

Iron gate could be interested in site next to Day Center for the Homeless

County lists parcel adjacent to jail as surplus; soup kitchen seeks specifics



The Iron Gate soup kitchen and food pantry might be interested in a parcel of land recently listed as surplus by Tulsa County, officials with the nonprofit said Monday.

"Right now, we're trying to get a handle on how (the county) bidding process works and trying to understand the specifics of the property," Iron Gate Chairman Shane Saunders said in an email. "To the eye, it looks big enough for our purposes, but we want to see if we can fit our existing design on the property."

The property is in the northwest sector of downtown, where an advisory planning board opposed to the agency's proposed relocation to the east edge of downtown advised Iron Gate to move last year.

The 1.8-acre parcel at Archer Street and Frisco Avenue adjoins property occupied by the Day Center for the Homeless and the Tulsa Jail and is across the street from the construction site for the new juvenile and family justice center.

The property was listed as surplus last week at the request of County Commissioner Karen Keith.

Iron Gate has been trying for several years to move from its home in the basement of Trinity Episcopal Church, 501 S. Cincinnati Ave.

Two years ago, Iron Gate's proposal to relocate to 302 S. Peoria Ave. in the Pearl District, just east of downtown, was shot down when the agency's application for rezoning was rejected by the Board of Adjustment.

Its attempt last year to move to a 1.5-acre site between Seventh and Eighth streets and Elgin and Frankfort avenues touched off a legal dispute that remains unresolved.

Property owners in that area objected to Iron Gate's plans to build a 20,000-square-foot facility at that location, and in November Iron Gate was denied a zoning variance it would have needed to operate there.

Iron Gate's appeal of that decision continues to languish in Tulsa County District Court.

Saunders said the Archer Street location could make "a good backup plan" but noted that Iron Gate still has a contract on the land on downtown's east side.

"Another unanswered question is what will the regulatory and/or environmental hurdles look like," Saunders wrote. "We're already in the midst of an appeal with our current site regarding zoning. If we can get a handle on all of this, Iron Gate will likely be a bidder."

County officials said they don't know how long the legal process for disposing of the property will take or whether it will be sold by auction or sealed bid. In either event, there is no guarantee that Iron Gate would submit the best bid.

[hello]

Guess we're just losing that side of Downtown. It's already sketchy walking from the Brady to Crosbie and Owen Park.

[Conan71]

I think we can all agree that social services play a vital role in any city, Tulsa is no different.  Since Iron Gate's move and expansion has thus far been thwarted by NIMBYism, this seems to be a good turn of events for them.  On the one hand, I hate this development pretty much cements the western part of the Brady District as a homeless and correctional ghetto, but at the same time, that area can pretty much provide all services to someone struggling to stay afloat or to get back on their feet.

As far as transiting that area by foot, bike, (or golf cart...long story) I've never personally had issues with being accosted along Archer in that section of The Brady.  I was always more likely to get hit up outside the IDL at one of the mid-town QT's.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Guess we're just losing that side of Downtown. It's already sketchy walking from the Brady to Crosbie and Owen Park.

It was already "lost" in that it was never going to be developed in any good urban kind of way. It is part of the city's plan to make that area for corrections and rehab type places. They even recommended that area for Iron Gate at some point. All of that stuff needs to be somewhere and connected to both north and NW Tulsa is ideal. Lots of people who need help in those areas. Also, it keeps all those services in an area close by so they don't have to walk all over downtown.

[MostSeriousness]

I don't think anyone active in the Brady Arts District is open to claiming that portion as strictly Brady. I've even seen a few business/property owners correct maps and point out that that area is the "Justice District"

Don't see it as an impact on the Brady, but do see it as a positive for both Iron Gate and the NIMBY types around the current Iron Gate location

[AdamsHall]

I don't think anyone active in the Brady Arts District is open to claiming that portion as strictly Brady. I've even seen a few business/property owners correct maps and point out that that area is the "Justice District"

Don't see it as an impact on the Brady, but do see it as a positive for both Iron Gate and the NIMBY types around the current Iron Gate location

Agree.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Final chapter of this home-search saga for Iron Gate?

Judge's ruling clears the way for Iron Gate to build new facility in southeast downtown



A nonprofit feeding program has the right to construct a new downtown soup kitchen and food pantry without jumping through any city zoning hoops, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Tulsa District Judge Rebecca Nightingale ruled in favor of Iron Gate's motion for summary judgment following a hearing, clearing the way for the nonprofit to go forward with its plans for a new facility on the southeast side of downtown.

Nightingale, in her ruling, determined that the city of Tulsa erred when it required the nonprofit to receive Board of Adjustment approval before it could construct its new facility.

Nightingale found in favor of Iron Gate's contention that the use for new facility more closely fit within the description of a restaurant, which under the zoning code does not require a special exception from the Board of Adjustment for locations within the Central Business District.

"The only one that fits is restaurant (use) and it is square on," Nightingale said, while posing questions to an attorney for the city of Tulsa.

City officials contended the facility fit more in the zoning category of government services, which did require a special exception.

Iron Gate attorney Lou Reynolds said afterwards that "obviously we're pleased with it," referring to the judge's decision.

"It's really the first opportunity Iron Gate has had a chance to have its case heard, because there weren't enough Board of Adjustment officials to hear it," Reynolds said. "Judge Nightingale has fully heard both sides of the story and we believe she has made the correct ruling.

"We'll go forward on this property," Reynolds said. "We just need a building permit."

An attorney for the city of Tulsa declined to comment on the ruling immediately after the hearing.

The nonprofit filed a lawsuit Nov. 23 after a week prior it failed to win approval from the Tulsa Board of Adjustment for their proposed new facility.

At issue was whether or not the nonprofit could operate at the proposed site either by right or by special exception.

To operate by right, the nonprofit had to convince Nightingale of its claim that the proposed downtown soup kitchen and food pantry for the needy more closely resembles in use a restaurant, rather than a government service as alleged by the city of Tulsa.

Officials with Iron Gate are planning to build a 20,000-square-foot facility on vacant property between Seventh and Eighth streets and Kenosha and Elgin avenues. The new facility would house food storage and kitchen space, a dining hall and administrative offices. An enclosed courtyard where people could wait to get into the building also is part of the plan.

The property for the proposed Iron Gate development is owned by William C. Schillinger. The sale of the property to Iron Gate is pending "subject to a determination that the property is suitable for its proposed development," according to Iron Gate's appeal.

A capital campaign has raised more than $9 million to buy land, build the facility and create an operating reserve. Construction is expected to cost $3.2 million.

Iron Gate currently provides daily meals to nearly 250 people through its soup kitchen and groceries to an additional 300 households each week through its food pantry. It has been located since its inception in 1978 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 501 S. Cincinnati Ave.

Iron Gate legally separated from the church and became its own 501(c)(3) organization in 1984, according to its website. It remains located in the basement of the church.

Iron Gate went to court after two of five Board of Adjustment members cast votes in favor of the request. Three votes are required to approve a measure before the Board of Adjustment. Two of the members recused from the vote and a third member abstained.

Iron Gate maintained that its proposed facility is not affiliated with a government entity or that it provides a government function. Rather, the nonprofit claimed its project fits more in the zoning category of a restaurant, office or warehouse — uses that don't require Board of Adjustment approval.

City officials, in court filings, note that the government service designation was under the larger umbrella grouping of a public, quasi-public and private uses that provide unique services that are a benefit to the public.

"Iron Gate's own documents show that it is a private entity that provides unique services that are of benefit to the public at large," the city wrote in a court filing.

The owner of a self-storage facility immediately west of the proposed site opposed the Iron Gate request to relocate its operations.

SS Downtown Tulsa LLC claimed that Iron Gate was a not a restaurant and therefore did not qualify for a use by right to utilize the proposed site for its soup kitchen and food warehouse.

So downtown, business owners and the City of Tulsa all lose. I guess all the homeless who get hit crossing the highway exit ramp will also lose but that's for another day. That is a pretty whacky ruling, calling it a "restaurant". Like calling a brothel a chiropractor. At least the "restaurant" is moving away from the CBD to the edge next to the highway and home depot, so not a great locale to begin with.

[cannon_fodder]

I did not see that soup kitchens or food pantries are specifically addressed in the zoning code.  I didn't spend a ton of time looking, so here's the link to the 2016 zoning code for others to try (doubtless the attorneys involved did try):
http://www.incog.org/Land_Development/Documents/Tulsa%20Zoning%20Code%206.30.17%20Updates%20with%20bookmarks.pdf

The case, Tulsa CV-2016-1571
http://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=tulsa&cmid=3004337

Iron Gates argument (Summary Judgment):
http://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetDocument.aspx?ct=tulsa&bc=1036558719&cn=CV-2016-1571&fmt=pdf

City's argument (response to Summary Judgment):
http://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetDocument.aspx?ct=tulsa&bc=1037239547&cn=CV-2016-1571&fmt=pdf


Basically, the Board of Adjustments/City stated that Iron gate is a Public, Civic or Institutional Use for zoning purposes (and therefore needs a special exception) and denied the special exception.  Iron Gate sued and argued that they are a Commercial Use, specifically a restaurant (and can therefore move into most non-R zones, including CBD), and they are not a government entity and so don't fit into any of the subcatagories of Public, Civic and Institutional use.  The City countered that Iron Gate can't be a restaurant because it isn't providing a business service and isn't selling, leasing or renting merchandise but rather providing a service to the community.   The Court sided with Iron Gate (there usually is no published opinion spelling out the "why" in District Court cases).

Here are the relevant categories and sub category from the zoning code:

35.040 Public, Civic and Institutional Use Category
This category includes public, quasi-public and private uses that provide unique services that are of
benefit to the public at-large. The public, civic and institutional subcategories are as follows.
. . .
35.040-G Governmental Service
Local, state or federal government services or functions that are not otherwise
classified.

Section 35.050 Commercial Use Category
The commercial use category includes uses that provide a business service or involve the selling,
leasing or renting of merchandise to the general public. The commercial use subcategories are as
follows.
. . .
35.050-K Restaurants and Bars
. . .
2. Restaurant
An establishment that serves food or beverages for on- or off-premise consumption
as its principal business. The preparation and processing of food or
beverages to be served or sold on-site directly to consumers is permitted as an
accessory use to a restaurant, including on-site coffee roasting with a maximum
capacity of 3 kilos. Typical examples of restaurant uses include principal
use restaurants, cafés, cafeterias, ice cream/yogurt shops, donut shops and
coffee shops.
a. Principal Use Restaurant
A restaurant that employs at least one full-time cook, has a menu, a fully
equipped kitchen for cooking and preparation of meals and in which dining,
kitchen and non-service areas occupy at least 75% of the floor area of
the business. A principal use restaurant may include an accessory use bar,
but any bar area that does not meet the definition of an accessory use bar
(Section 95.040) is classified and regulated as a bar.

An appeal to the District Court is basically a do-over (de novo review).  The Court sits in place of the Board and tries to apply the Board's rules along with eh zoning code.  As opposed to trying to find fault with the process (reversible error).   I do not know if/how a District Court ruling on this matter would be appealed to Civ App or otherwise.

Discuss!  

[Townsend]

So if I'm reading that right they'll be baiting homeless people to cross 7th street right where people are coming off of highway 75 at 60 MPH...

Those drivers are looking to merge...not looking for pedestrians.

Those using Iron Gate and driving will be turning into the new property...Carnac the Magnificent sees many collisions.

There's going to be some deaths occurring there.