Brady Village Infill Plan

[PonderInc]

Want to learn more about the future of the Brady Arts District, but don't own a crystal ball? Then don't miss this week's TulsaNow meeting. Stephen Carr from the City of Tulsa Planning Department will give a presentation on the Brady Village Infill Plan.

What: TulsaNow Meeting - Focus on Brady
When: Wednesday, Feb 21, 6:00 PM
Where: Harwelden, 2210 S. Main

[deinstein]

Is that a residential address? I wouldn't mind attending this.

[sgrizzle]

It's the Harwelden mansion.

So.. yeah.

[Double A]

Anybody else see the story on News Chamber 8 about the new housing being built in the Brady Area?

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Double A

Anybody else see the story on News Chamber 8 about the new housing being built in the Brady Area?

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0207/398863.html

Tulsa - Big news for North Tulsa and the OSU-Tulsa campus. The area may be getting its first gated community, which could help meet some of the housing needs of the university. Thirty-three new homes are planned for the area along Cincinnati near Pine. NewsChannel 8's Yvonne Harris has more on the plans.

Residents of the area are already seeing it. OSU-Tulsa is expanding with a new technology center. The school already has 27-hundred students, so it only makes sense that the areas surrounding the campus are growing as well.

It's located at the corner of East Oklahoma Street and North Cincinnati and is in the shadows of downtown Tulsa. This is the site of Brady Village, a gated community in North Tulsa. Developer Don Oltman says people are often suprised when he tells them what he's doing.

"Yeah a little. But, especially since it's a gated community, the first time in North Tulsa, we're excited to be able to do it in an area that needs revitalization," Oltman says.

A nearby neighborhood is a mixture of brand new homes to boarded up ones and everything in between. Neighbors we spoke with welcome the changes.

"It's improved property values, that's why I think it's such a good idea."

"It's a lot of land. They should build something back there, put something extra on the northside."

Thirty-three homes are planned, starting in the low 100-thousands. They'll be three-bedroom, two-bath and two car garages in the back, a feature you'd normally see in cities like Dallas.

OSU-Tulsa President Dr. Gary Trennepohl sees a need for more housing near the campus.

"As we get that engineering building and are recruiting students from all over the world, it's a lot better to recruit people if we have campus housing," Trennepohl says.

The Brady Village project will be done in three phases. The first phase starts in four weeks with construction of a model home. The gated community will also include a park. The project is the result of two years of work with the Tulsa Development Authority.

[cannon_fodder]

wOOt, "Developer Don Oltman" was my neighbor, did my roof, and our kids are friends.

He built several infill houses in my area (28th and Harvard) on empty lots and was working on a couple others.  Sadly, after people saw what nice houses he was building in the area they upped the lot prices.  Anyway, he has been trying to do this for sometime now... glad it has gotten squared away.

As far as I know, about 85% of what he builds is infill or redevelopment of an area.  This should be a great development.

[Double A]

This sounds like a good development, though I don't like the fact it will be a gated community.

[cannon_fodder]

Sad to say that the first infill project in what may be perceived as a high risk area will probably need to be gated to sell.  As the article states, it will be adjacent to neighborhood where there are tons of abandon houses and the ones that are there sell for the low 50's instead of the low 100's.  The gates will allow people some comfort until they either realize the neighborhood isnt dangerous or make it so.

[NCTulsan]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by Double A

Anybody else see the story on News Chamber 8 about the new housing being built in the Brady Area?

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0207/398863.html

Tulsa - Big news for North Tulsa and the OSU-Tulsa campus. The area may be getting its first gated community, which could help meet some of the housing needs of the university. Thirty-three new homes are planned for the area along Cincinnati near Pine. NewsChannel 8's Yvonne Harris has more on the plans.

Residents of the area are already seeing it. OSU-Tulsa is expanding with a new technology center. The school already has 27-hundred students, so it only makes sense that the areas surrounding the campus are growing as well.

It's located at the corner of East Oklahoma Street and North Cincinnati and is in the shadows of downtown Tulsa. This is the site of Brady Village, a gated community in North Tulsa. Developer Don Oltman says people are often suprised when he tells them what he's doing.

"Yeah a little. But, especially since it's a gated community, the first time in North Tulsa, we're excited to be able to do it in an area that needs revitalization," Oltman says.

A nearby neighborhood is a mixture of brand new homes to boarded up ones and everything in between. Neighbors we spoke with welcome the changes.

"It's improved property values, that's why I think it's such a good idea."

"It's a lot of land. They should build something back there, put something extra on the northside."

Thirty-three homes are planned, starting in the low 100-thousands. They'll be three-bedroom, two-bath and two car garages in the back, a feature you'd normally see in cities like Dallas.

OSU-Tulsa President Dr. Gary Trennepohl sees a need for more housing near the campus.

"As we get that engineering building and are recruiting students from all over the world, it's a lot better to recruit people if we have campus housing," Trennepohl says.

The Brady Village project will be done in three phases. The first phase starts in four weeks with construction of a model home. The gated community will also include a park. The project is the result of two years of work with the Tulsa Development Authority.

The ignorance is so pervasive.  Why even mention having a park in this gated community .... it won't be accessible to anyone on the outside.  In fact, this "community" will be of no use to anyone ..... not even noteworthy on the news ..... unless it spurs-on other development in the area that is "open" and truly a part of the community.  Gates do nothing more than tell others that they are not worthy.

[deinstein]

NCTulsan - Are you from North Carolina?

[cannon_fodder]

NCTulsan:

Per my post above, would you move into that area and pay over $100,000 for a house if it wasnt in a gated community?  I probably wouldnt, nor would I feel comfortable with my kid in a park in the areas nearby.

The developer has to give the people what they want, and security is MANDATORY when buying a new house.  It is apparent the city cannot or will not keep vandalism and other crime down in that area nor is it willing to put in any public amenities.   Why arent you damn glad that someone else is willing to do it?

[Double A]

All you have to do is drive by 15th and Peoria just past Listeria John Salmonella's and Slaughterburger to Westervelt's gated community to find a great example of why these segreGATED compounds should not be allowed in walkable historic areas. They don't create a unified sense of civic pride and community, all they do is create a divisive bunker mentality. These walled enclaves look like glamorized detention centers to me. It's like building a cheap strip mall on one of the State's Main Street Programs. BTW, isn't Brady looking to become part of the Main Street Program?

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by Double A
BTW, isn't Brady looking to become part of the Main Street Program?

A few years ago I looked into Main Street and found a lot of involvement (and funding) by a certain lighting manufacturer that was looking for a way to interest municipalities into converting to their lights.  Since they seem to have a lot of recommendations for a lot of different goods I tend to wonder how much of the program is really just product placement.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by patric

quote:Originally posted by Double A
BTW, isn't Brady looking to become part of the Main Street Program?

A few years ago I looked into Main Street and found a lot of involvement (and funding) by a certain lighting manufacturer that was looking for a way to interest municipalities into converting to their lights.  Since they seem to have a lot of recommendations for a lot of different goods I tend to wonder how much of the program is really just product placement.

I assume you've reviewed this:
http://www.tulsadevelopmentauthority.org/brady_infill_pdf/appendix_n_roadway_lighting_plan.pdf

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle
I assume you've reviewed this:
http://www.tulsadevelopmentauthority.org/brady_infill_pdf/appendix_n_roadway_lighting_plan.pdf

Yup.  
I wrote Tim Lovell of Brady Heights in 2003 with some concerns, proposed a variety of alternative fixtures that would meet their aesthetic needs (and yet be less glare-prone and energy greedy),objected to the trippling (and sometimes quadrupling) of fixtures required to put enough light down on the street, but they have their hearts set on keeping up with the Jonses'.

"We will replace the existing farm-style street lights with historically appropriate lighting. Our plan is to use Holophane acorn globes on 12' Washington style poles to provide under-canopy lighting. These are similar to the new lamps installed on the University of Tulsa campus. We will also increase the number of lamps in the district. Fixtures will be supplied and maintained by Public Service of Oklahoma."  

...and paid for by everyone, in perpetuity.

Nancy Apgar and Jamie Jamison also echoed those concerns to Brady Heights, and aired their objections to the Tulsa Midtown Coalition of Neighborhoods in 2003.

So much for public input.