southerngirl
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Posts: 34
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« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2007, 09:00:42 pm » |
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According to a recent Urban Tulsa story, the owner and another young developer of downtown will be revamping the space:
One young mogul trying to change that is independent developer Micha Alexander. The owner of 8 One Eight Lounge, 818 E. 3rd St., has decided to close his bar and focus on affordable residential development in an effort to bring people downtown--not just to work and play, but also to live.
He's already filled his Virginia Lofts, at 3rd and Lansing, as well as the few lofts he opened above his bar, and now he's focusing on building urban, loft-style houses that people can buy rather than rent, so they're investing their money and planting their seeds in downtown.
Alexander said he isn't closing his business for any financial reasons; it just took up a lot of his time, and he "recognize the fact that I need to bring more people down here to live, so I'm going to focus my energy on my manufacturing company [Maverick Machine] and building housing."
As of yet, he plans to build a three-story house on what is currently 8 One Eight's patio and two other houses next door. When asked for his opinion on what he calls the "never ending chicken and egg discussion," Alexander said, "My feeling is that once more people are living down here, more businesses will be attracted to the area."
Alexander also owns a handful of retail spaces, currently leasing them to the owners of Elements Salon, the Pearl Gallery, Fringe! Knit Café, a doggy daycare and a barbershop. (From the "Wildflowers" cover story, 4/25/07)
I hope he keeps the mural on the patio wall...
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