Towerview Apartments

[MichaelC]

That is good news about the Coney Island.

Something that I find interesting about the World article, is that the owner of the Towerview is the same Oregon based owner who allowed Towerview to be a weekly rental location.  The same owner that let the place go down the tubes.  That sounds more like an ordinary slum lord, than a person who would convert this into a high-end property.

I also find it interesting, that since the Towerview closed, there has been an increase in the sale value of the closed property.  Also, its interesting to note that all this activity around the Towerview is very recent.  It sounds like the owner is trying to jack up the price.

I'm not convinced of this guys motives.  I'm not convinced that this guy actually wants to be responsible for this property.

[MichaelC]

quote:Originally posted by DM

Does anyone have a photo of the apts? I think there is plenty of open space DT for hotels and other new construction. But if its an old building that is in need of some serious repair, then I would have no problem with tearing it down for a hotel. Just as long as it is not torn down for another surface parking lot.

Also, as long as its daylight, you can see the back of the building from

http://www.vision2025.info/camera.php?camera=arenacamera

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelC

That is good news about the Coney Island.

Something that I find interesting about the World article, is that the owner of the Towerview is the same Oregon based owner who allowed Towerview to be a weekly rental location.  The same owner that let the place go down the tubes.  That sounds more like an ordinary slum lord, than a person who would convert this into a high-end property.

I also find it interesting, that since the Towerview closed, there has been an increase in the sale value of the closed property.  Also, its interesting to note that all this activity around the Towerview is very recent.  It sounds like the owner is trying to jack up the price.

I'm not convinced of this guys motives.  I'm not convinced that this guy actually wants to be responsible for this property.

well, now that may well be true too. Same guy huh?

Who said there was work going on there?

[MichaelC]

Yeah, its the same guy that when the city told him he had to correct these problems with the building, he sent everyone out and shut the Towerview down.

I think pmcalk mentioned the possibility that it was being gutted, if true that still may be a part of "getting a bigger check" from the City.

[D.Schuttler]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelC

Yeah, its the same guy that when the city told him he had to correct these problems with the building, he sent everyone out and shut the Towerview down.

I think pmcalk mentioned the possibility that it was being gutted, if true that still may be a part of "getting a bigger check" from the City.

It was the county sccording to KOTV

quote:The apartment managers were given 10 days to fix those violations, but instead, posted a letter telling residents to find other places to live.Tulsa County officials say they gave the Towerview a reasonable amount of time to make the necessary building improvements.

Urban Tulsa Story http://www.urbantulsa.com/article.asp?id=2695

quote:The Towerview Quartet
 
Last October, the Tulsa World reported that a law firm located in the Wright Building just across the street from the much-maligned Towerview Apartments near 2nd and Cheyenne had aimed a security camera on the front entrance of the dilapidated structure to capture evidence of potential criminal activity and turn it over to police.
 
The Towerview had become the center of attention after World reporter Michael Overall stayed at one of the apartments for two weeks and later wrote about its substandard conditions.
 
The pay-by-the-week SRO sits annoyingly in the midst an almost perfect line that extends from the Williams Towers, where the Metro Chamber's offices are located and the Tulsa World's building, to the Tulsa Vision Builders' offices, where a partnership of two powerful local construction firms conducts the brainwork for the arena's construction and the planned site of the events center itself.
 
After Overall's story ran, building and fire inspectors appeared at the Towerview and found numerous violations. The Towerview was eventually shut down and its tenants were forced to leave. The city said at the time that the tenants would be provided with assistance.
 
The owner of the building has since allowed it to sit stubbornly, its windows boarded up. We were unable to identify and reach the law firm, but Overall told us it's unlikely the camera is still up considering the building is empty.
 
Deputy Chief Mark Andrus said he was unaware of the police department receiving any videotapes from the firm containing evidence of a crime.
 

Channel 8 stories
http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1004/180226.html

quote:"It seems like whoever did this inspection did not come in and say I want to make this place correct," Aljamal says. "I want to make this place right. He came in to say I want to demolish this building. They were sent for a purpose."

He believes it was to get rid of his property to pave the way for posh development near the newly planned arena, but he says there's a bigger issue.

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1004/180552.html

quote:"The code violations don't restrict him from being able to sell the property," says Mayoral Aide Clay Bird.

Bird says, as a matter of fact, Thursday, Aljamal approached the City of Tulsa to take Towerview off his hands. And, the number changed again.

"He paid 750 thousand dollars for the property," says Property Manager Linda Williams. "He asked for that amount, asked for no more than what he paid."

Aljamal gave the city 24 hours to make up its mind. But, Bird isn't bowing to Aljamal's pressure.

"Government doesn't move that quickly," he says.

[sportyart]

New and current hotels only need to take up about ¼ or a 1/3 of a block. I think LaFortune is trying to find an excuse to get ride of this building. As I am all for converting old building into great living spaces, I am very hesitant on this owner of Towerview. He has run the building into the ground. Now that something is going in, I bet he wants to get his hands on some of that V2025 or the future 3rd penny. If a new owner took hold of the property then I would be fine with public funds going to help the project, or just to keep the building. It's a cool building, what the photo does not show is that along the south side of the building it has these cool niches.

But the issue that was found before even the demolition of the arena site is, Tulsa is ether going to need to make some grand walkway between the new arena and the blue dome area, or they are going to have to build a whole new district on that side of town. I would hate to see the later happen. Tulsa should support small business owners, and those being the ones who have already spent the money to have what is already there.

[MichaelC]

County is probably right.

This was a "rent by the week" apartment complex.  The owner was given the opportunity to bring the building up to code, he chose to kick people out and board it up over a year ago.  Before Towerview closed, this block was labeled a potential development sight for the new Arena, and now all of the sudden he's trying to develop this into lofts that sell for 200K?  Not six months ago, not over a year ago when he shut it down; he claims to be getting his plans together right now.  At least he sounds like an opportunistic slum lord.  He certainly doesn't sound like a developer.  If he is a developer, why didn't he bring the place up to code?

There may very well have been a "plan" to help Towerview shut down.  But the slum lord from Oregon is the one that let the building fall apart, not the World.  He may have a lot to complain about, but I don't really sympathize.

[MichaelC]

quote:Originally posted by sportyart

Tulsa is ether going to need to make some grand walkway between the new arena and the blue dome area

I think the Centennial Walk is suppose to address part of this.  That should connect Blue Dome and Brady to the Arena via lighted paths/landscaping/etc.  But the blocks around the Arena site are also expected to be developed.

[sportyart]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelC

quote:Originally posted by sportyart

Tulsa is ether going to need to make some grand walkway between the new arena and the blue dome area

I think the Centennial Walk is suppose to address part of this.  That should connect Blue Dome and Brady to the Arena via lighted paths/landscaping/etc.  But the blocks around the Arena site are also expected to be developed.

They SAY its going to work.............we shall see.

[MichaelC]

quote:Originally posted by sportyart

They SAY its going to work.............we shall see.

Hey, that is about as optimistic as I feel about the Centennial Walk.

[sportyart]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelC

quote:Originally posted by sportyart

They SAY its going to work.............we shall see.

Hey, that is about as optimistic as I feel about the Centennial Walk.

[]

[D.Schuttler]

From what I read he only owned it for 6 months before it was shut down. Supposedly bought it without looking at it...

[sportyart]

quote:Originally posted by D.Schuttler

From what I read he only owned it for 6 months before it was shut down. Supposedly bought it without looking at it...

Buyer Beware!

[pmcalk]

Again, the point is not whether the building was or was not dilapidated.  I am sure it had problems.  And maybe the guy is a real sleaze and is trying to get more money for the building than its worth.  I have noticed for several months now that the building seems to have been emptied out--nothing left but the shell.  I was concerned that it meant demolition.

I, too, like the building.  I see no reason to tear it down simply based on speculation that a hotel, who wouldn't need the entire area, might be willing to locate there.

However sleazy this guy might be, I am sure he ultimately wants to make money.  He isn't going to let the building sit empty.

I am still puzzled why we need to use taxpayer's money to buy it.  First, do we really need a Hardrock cafe hotel right there, when we have the Mayo down the block?  And second, if we do, why can't private investment take care of it?  


Whatever company believes it could earn the most money is likely to buy the property--sometimes the free market does work (OMG--I sound like my libertarian friends).

[sportyart]

quote:Originally posted by pmcalk

Again, the point is not whether the building was or was not dilapidated.  I am sure it had problems.  And maybe the guy is a real sleaze and is trying to get more money for the building than its worth.  I have noticed for several months now that the building seems to have been emptied out--nothing left but the shell.  I was concerned that it meant demolition.

I, too, like the building.  I see no reason to tear it down simply based on speculation that a hotel, who wouldn't need the entire area, might be willing to locate there.

However sleazy this guy might be, I am sure he ultimately wants to make money.  He isn't going to let the building sit empty.

I am still puzzled why we need to use taxpayer's money to buy it.  First, do we really need a Hardrock cafe hotel right there, when we have the Mayo down the block?  And second, if we do, why can't private investment take care of it?  


Whatever company believes it could earn the most money is likely to buy the property--sometimes the free market does work (OMG--I sound like my libertarian friends).

You can thank the Supreme Court for anything that the city may do. Tulsa can condemn any property they want if its view to be blighted (and will find it very easy to do with this property), then they turn around and sell it to what ever company wants it. So yes, public funds are used to by the property, but get our money back when they sell it to who ever, its not like city is giving it away. Also the only way that this is legal is if they DON'T know who is going to buy. The city CANNOT condemn a property if they know who the future buyer will be, but they can do so if they say the area is a planed development area with hotel, shops and business.

The city at most will give this developer for a new hotel no more then a TIF if anything. The Mayo hotel should try to get in on the funding from Vision 2025 and the 3rd penny if it goes around. I for one would hate to see the Towerview to go, but I would rather see those funds go into the Mayo then it.