A Riverside eyesore.

[Conan71]

The mobile home park out south isn't near as obvious and doesn't look near as bad as most of the houses which are still right on Riverside between 41st & 51st.

[TulsaSooner]

That's the Employee Housing Initiative by the casino.

[]

[Wrinkle]

That little mobile home park has some clout. They tried to oust them with r-o-w for the Riverside Drive extension and failed. Got a new bridge IIRC and RD goes around.

Wonder if someone could conjur up the actual owner?

In any case, they're not hurting anyone, leave 'em alone. Economics will eventually rule.

[Wrinkle]

Should seem fairly obvious Mr. Roberts might have some say in the matter.

[dbacks fan]

I think someone pointed this out earlier that this trailer parkhas been there longer than River Lanes Bowling, the apartments behind the bowling alley and I think may even pre-date ORU. I can remember as a kid in the mid 60's going by there to go to the Skyline amusement park for company picnics when my dad worked for McDonnell Douglas.

[Wrinkle]

quote:Originally posted by dbacks fan

I think someone pointed this out earlier that this trailer parkhas been there longer than River Lanes Bowling, the apartments behind the bowling alley and I think may even pre-date ORU. I can remember as a kid in the mid 60's going by there to go to the Skyline amusement park for company picnics when my dad worked for McDonnell Douglas.

I'm thinking you're right, it does predate ORU. And, anyone 'driving by' it back then did so on Peoria Avenue, since RD didn't exist then. The park was tucked back into the trees so far all you ever saw was the creek bridge and, if you looked hard enough to cause a wreck, a couple of homes.

This isn't your average park, most residents there have been around for decades. And, I seem to be recalling an association with the Creek Tribe, which is why the ROW couldn't be forced upon them.

Which brings up the question if the person who 'redesigned' Peoria is still living? If so, we need to punish them.

[tulsascoot]

Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but I bet the people who live there think it's a fine use of the land. Just because another Kohl's would bring in more revenue is no reason to uproot people from their homes.

We have enough boring chain stores here.

Now if you had recommended some sort of Brothel themed burlesque amusement park, I'd say kick 'em out, we need your land!

[TurismoDreamin]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/creek-nation-closing-trailer-park-near-tulsa-casino-to-make/article_44a7e18a-b018-5a7c-8747-cafab7c8b9f0.html

[BKDotCom]

Apparently that bridge to the trailer park has some history... (was relocated from somewhere else)...   odds of it being repurposed again?

[swake]

That mobile home park is like a little Hispanic village in the middle of south Tulsa. I drive down Lewis sometimes when the Jenks school buses are dropping off or picking up and there are a ton of children that live there. There's a pretty good taco truck and until recently there was a little Hispanic grocery store in an old QT both located right by the entrance to the  park.

[Weatherdemon]

Apparently that bridge to the trailer park has some history... (was relocated from somewhere else)...   odds of it being repurposed again?

I believe it was a part of the original bridge into Jenks.

[BKDotCom]

I believe it was a part of the original bridge into Jenks.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/michael-overall-historic-bridge-might-survive-development-plans-near-tulsa/article_159d0e5e-151b-56d9-87b1-5be879e94feb.html

Michael Overall: Historic bridge might survive development plans near Tulsa casino

Oblivious to the adult drama playing out on the road above, half a dozen kids were playing soccer last week in the dry creek bed that separates Southern Villa Mobile Home Park from Lewis Avenue. Their little soccer field, no bigger than a basketball court, floods pretty much every time it rains. But the water usually recedes in a day or two and the games resume.

The creek didn't have a bridge back when the area was a dairy farm, leaving the cattle stranded after every rain storm. Farm workers used a swinging rope to get across, according to an old account in the Tulsa World archives.

When the farm closed and the trailer park opened, more than 50 years ago, residents needed a more reliable way to get home. So the park bought and relocated a single 165-foot span from the original Jenks bridge, which crossed the Arkansas River nearby. Built either in 1909, 1910 or 1913, depending on which records you believe, the truss bridge was wide enough for only one car at a time, driving across a pair of wooden "tracks."

It was replaced in 1948 by what is now called the Old Jenks Bridge south of 91st Street.

Today, what's left of the original Jenks bridge serves as the only way in or out of Southern Villa, where the kids were joyfully playing ball while their parents frantically tried to figure out where to move.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation, which bought the trailer park last year, served eviction notices last Wednesday, giving everyone 60 days to relocate. Rampant crime, including six recent break-ins, two stolen vehicles and multiple cases of vandalism and alleged drug trafficking, made the property difficult to manage, the tribe said.

Besides, the trailer park happens to sit within easy walking distance of the tribe's gigantic River Spirit Casino and resort complex, making it an ideal location for a major retail development. The tribe has no specific plans yet, officials say. But don't be surprised to see construction starting within a couple of years.

Of course, the old single-lane bridge will hardly be adequate for the kind of traffic that such a development will bring. And it connects to Lewis Avenue while the Creek Nation's new development will likely want to open onto Riverside Drive, making it more convenient to go back and forth from the casino

he bridge, in other words, will be useless.

Nonetheless, as one of the oldest bridges in Oklahoma, it will still have plenty of historic value and old-fashioned charm. And that's why the tribe plans to save the bridge and move it to a walking trail, although exactly where it will end up hasn't been decided, officials say.

It survived obsolescence once before, when the other 10 spans from the original Jenks bridge were dismantled 70 years ago. Now the bridge seems likely to survive again.

[SXSW]

Nonetheless, as one of the oldest bridges in Oklahoma, it will still have plenty of historic value and old-fashioned charm. And that's why the tribe plans to save the bridge and move it to a walking trail, although exactly where it will end up hasn't been decided, officials say.

Over Joe Creek would be a good spot instead of having the trail use the existing Riverside bridge

[cannon_fodder]

The bridge in question is about 145 feet long.  Joe Creek where it crosses the Arkansas is about 220 feet.  I like the idea, but after doing the work required to make the span short enough, I'm not sure it would save money.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

The bridge in question is about 145 feet long.  Joe Creek where it crosses the Arkansas is about 220 feet.  I like the idea, but after doing the work required to make the span short enough, I'm not sure it would save money.

It's about preservation of  a neat looking bridge, not saving money. I'm glad the Creek Nation plans to preserve it. It will likely add a lot of character to where ever they put it.

One of the things that makes Cincinnati memorable is all of the old truss bridges. Definitely remains a memorable highlight for the old jenks bridge and it was a memorable part of going to Owasso before they destroyed those. It adds a bit of charm to an area. Even if it's just used as a pedestrian bridge and even if it costs a bit more, I'm all for preserving and repurposing it.