Planned 128-acre social/healthy-living neighborhood in Osage Hills (NW Tulsa)

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Planned 128-acre neighborhood in northwest Tulsa will encourage healthy, social living, developers say

Plans for a 128-acre neighborhood in northwest Tulsa that will feature lots of green space, a range of housing options and a possible charter school are nearing completion.

Land for the neighborhood, named Evolving Communities, is located in the Osage Hills near West Edison Street and North 33rd West Avenue. Its design follows a model called "new urbanism," which promotes environmentally friendly practices while encouraging residents to walk, shop and interact in the neighborhood.

Developers say a range of housing options, including townhouses, multi-family units for rent and homes ranging from small to large will allow families with household incomes of $40,000 to $50,000 to live in a well-rounded community while remaining close to downtown.


City Councilor Blake Ewing, a supporter of the neighborhood, said he thinks it will change the way subdivisions in Tulsa are planned.

"I believe firmly that Tulsans want to be able to live close to downtown in a neighborhood where every house doesn't look the same," Ewing said. "Where they can have access to healthy food and have a social setting in the neighborhood that facilitates relationships."

Since Tuesday, designers, architects and civil engineers from Tulsa and other states have met to participate in a charette — a meeting in which the stakeholders of a project brainstorm, test design plans and make adjustments where necessary.

Nature is a key component of Evolving Communities, which will feature a 7-acre organic farm and 40 acres of conservation easements, green spaces, nature walks and a promontory plaza, according to Scott Pardee, the project's primary Tulsa-based designer.

The neighborhood's houses will feature parking in the back instead of garages.

"Basically, instead of that really, really large house, we want people to hang out in the front of their house where their lights are on and people can see and walk by and wave to your neighbor ... because their extra bedroom is actually that outdoor living space," Pardee said.

Tom Low, of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Civic By Design, is a master planner who was subcontracted for the project. He has worked on more than 400 neighborhoods that follow the model of Evolving Communities.

"Once you live in a place where you're not shackled to a car for everything, you ... realize how much freedom you have and how much quality time you have," Low said.

Another anchoring feature of the community would be a charter school, an independently run public school with flexibility in how it operates.

Plans for the Evolving Communities school are still in the drafting process. Caleb Starr, former principal of Nathan Hale High School who is working on the application, said he continues to seek local input.

"We didn't want to say, 'Here's what this community needs,' " Starr said. "We wanted to go to the community and say, 'What do you need?' "

Charter schools require an authorizer — a body that evaluates the initial application and monitors performance. The vast majority of authorizers in the U.S. are public school districts, though some universities and nonprofit groups fulfill the role.

Starr said organizers plan to submit an application to Tulsa Public Schools by August so that the school could begin operating in August 2019. By the school's fifth year, organizers hope to offer pre-K through sixth-grade classes.

Evolving Communities would be the first neighborhood of its kind in Tulsa, though similar communities have been built nearby. Carlton Landing near Lake Eufaula was officially incorporated in 2013. It features many amenities that the Tulsa site plans to include, such as a general store, small neighborhood gardens and a farm that supplies a weekly farmers market.

Planning for Evolving Communities began about four years ago. Once the design is finalized, developers plan to work with the city to obtain tax increment financing to build necessary infrastructure, like sewage.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/planned--acre-neighborhood-in-northwest-tulsa-will-encourage-healthy/article_2f877d23-e225-5516-aef1-8b441bb1e487.html

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

If this is anything like Carlton Landing on Lake Eufala, that could potentially be really neat:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Carlton+Landing+near+Lake+Eufaula&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiInKqgu-fbAhUk44MKHeapAeQQ_AUICygC&biw=1060&bih=861&dpr=0.75#imgrc=ngQ6lyIP07pUJM:

The homes are very nice, very pricey and very available with 23 listed for sale right now of 47 known to be built and listed:
https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/35.207841,-95.539582,35.201635,-95.550247_rect/16_zm/1_fr/'

Just about 50% of homes there are for sale! To put that in perspective, that's exactly how many homes are for sale in the Renaissance and Florence Park Neighborhoods right now which include about 700 and 500 homes respectively (Less than 2% of homes are for sale).

While some of the homes are brand new, it looks like most were built between 2014-2016.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I can see that type of community emerging more and more although it does feel a bit Truman-Show/"Housewives"-esque and some can be a bit elite/exclusive but this one is aiming for residents near the $40-$50k income range.

It at least aims to sort of start a community from scratch rather than just another suburbia development. They seem to want some more interaction and maybe even a local food place/store so there's some element of walkability. If they can make the area a bit of a little town that can draw in from other areas, it could be a nice mini-tourist spot that helps make it more economically feasible.

If the Carltons Landing were in the Tulsa area, there's a great chance it would sell like crazy and be some sort of draw just for visitors wanting to try the restaurants and see the village.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

If this is anything like Carlton Landing on Lake Eufala, that could potentially be really neat:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Carlton+Landing+near+Lake+Eufaula&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiInKqgu-fbAhUk44MKHeapAeQQ_AUICygC&biw=1060&bih=861&dpr=0.75#imgrc=ngQ6lyIP07pUJM:

The homes are very nice, very pricey and very available with 23 listed for sale right now of 47 known to be built and listed:
https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/35.207841,-95.539582,35.201635,-95.550247_rect/16_zm/1_fr/'

Just about 50% of homes there are for sale! To put that in perspective, that's exactly how many homes are for sale in the Renaissance and Florence Park Neighborhoods right now which include about 700 and 500 homes respectively (Less than 2% of homes are for sale).

While some of the homes are brand new, it looks like most were built between 2014-2016.

I had based my numbers on Zillow search. Apparently there's 28 for sale!
https://www.carltonlanding.com/live/property/

But also potentially more like 50-60 properties now.

[SXSW]

I've always envisioned such a neighborhood going in on the OSU property between Main and MLK to fit in with the adjacent Brady Heights neighborhood. 

In OKC they are developing a similar neighborhood near downtown called the Wheeler District: https://www.wheelerdistrict.com/

[swake]

I've always envisioned such a neighborhood going in on the OSU property between Main and MLK to fit in with the adjacent Brady Heights neighborhood. 

In OKC they are developing a similar neighborhood near downtown called the Wheeler District: https://www.wheelerdistrict.com/

That's where OSU is planning their research campus

[heironymouspasparagus]

So Blake was listening here to all the architecture rants I have been making about alleys, back of property access, no garage in front of house, etc.

Imagine that.  Well, Nathan Hale graduates ARE all above average...!

You're welcome!


Who is gonna 'do' the organic farm, I wonder?

[Breadburner]

So Blake was listening here to all the architecture rants I have been making about alleys, back of property access, no garage in front of house, etc.

Imagine that.  Well, Nathan Hale graduates ARE all above average...!

You're welcome!


Who is gonna 'do' the organic farm, I wonder?

Lol...

[Breadburner]

I doubt this will ever come to fruition...

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I doubt this will ever come to fruition...

Why not?


The Osage/Gilcrease hills seem ripe for development. The proximity to NW Tulsa slums is unfortunate but is a beautiful hilly area that has somehow remained virtually untouched by suburbanization.

[SXSW]

That's where OSU is planning their research campus

OSU has had 30 years to develop that land, their time is up and it should be turned over to private developers.  OSU can do everything they (won't) build east of MLK.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/tulsa-development-authority-wants-undeveloped-ucat-property-to-revert-to/article_26d8abec-eed1-5141-a0fb-37e663e86058.html

[swake]

OSU has had 30 years to develop that land, their time is up and it should be turned over to private developers.  OSU can do everything they (won't) build east of MLK.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/tulsa-development-authority-wants-undeveloped-ucat-property-to-revert-to/article_26d8abec-eed1-5141-a0fb-37e663e86058.html

I don't disagree. It's time to take OSU Tulsa from OSU and merge it with TCC into a third Oklahoma research university. OSU uses the Tulsa campus to keep anyone from hurting Stillwater.

[SXSW]

If people are buying these homes in Wheeler Park in OKC (and they are, the smaller homes are already sold out before they have been built) then people will buy a similar product here.  This is a scenic area surrounded by wooded hills but the same distance to downtown as most of midtown, for a much lower price point and new construction.  Once the Gilcrease Expressway is built there will be an interchange at Edison which gets you to the rest of the city pretty easily.  Wheeler Park would be similar to if this same neighborhood was being built at 41st & Elwood.

[swake]

If people are buying these homes in Wheeler Park in OKC (and they are, the smaller homes are already sold out before they have been built) then people will buy a similar product here.  This is a scenic area surrounded by wooded hills but the same distance to downtown as most of midtown, for a much lower price point and new construction.  Once the Gilcrease Expressway is built there will be an interchange at Edison which gets you to the rest of the city pretty easily.  Wheeler Park would be similar to if this same neighborhood was being built at 41st & Elwood.

This is what drives me crazy about the Gilcrease Loop. This site is half a mile from the 33rd W Ave exit on The Keystone Expressway which is just 1.5 miles from the IDL. How does the Gilcrease make this area any more accessible? And why on earth would anyone pay to use the Gilcrease when the free highways in the area have little to no congestion and can get you anywhere in basically the exact same amount of time?

[SXSW]

This is what drives me crazy about the Gilcrease Loop. This site is half a mile from the 33rd W Ave exit on The Keystone Expressway which is just 1.5 miles from the IDL. How does the Gilcrease make this area any more accessible? And why on earth would anyone pay to use the Gilcrease when the free highways in the area have little to no congestion and can get you anywhere in basically the exact same amount of time?

Very true but it definitely makes this area more connected to the rest of the city.  You actually would be in one of the most accessible locations within the city.  5 min to downtown, 10 min to the airport and 10 min to the I-44 corridor.