Cherry Street Lofts (for real.... honest)

[TheArtist]

Ok, to blunt our let down of yet another midsize to large project being defunct and not happening, I have decided to post what actually IS being built along Cherry Street.  I know we will eventually see some larger projects as Tulsas infill development curve hits its stride, but as many have pointed out before,,, If you keep on trucking along with small projects, pretty soon they add up. Cherry street is moving right along with smaller developments and it looks like there will definitely be more coming for there are numerous lots that have been cleared out next to many of these current developments. So do not despair lol.

I actually think that having lots of different developments with lots of different styles is going to create a more interesting, fun and funky, neighborhood than if the developments were half a block long and all the buildings looked the same.

Here is some of what is going on right now along Cherry Street.

[Gaspar]

Great pics!  In the first image, the little blue house between the two loft projects is still for sale I think.  

Not the lot, just the house!  The developer will move it if you want it.  It's really cute inside!  If no one buys it, he's just going to demolish it.

I don't think he's sold it to anyone yet, so if any of you are interested in a great little house, let me know and I'll get you his #.

[MichaelBates]

Is that (3rd picture) what you'd call an Inverse Craftsman?

Where's the rainwater going to go?

[waterboy]

The inverse craftsman looks horrid in real life. Sits very near a well done rehab of a bungalow.

Sigh.... Is anyone else disturbed by the new look of this neighborhood? Its like they are remaking it in the image of a contemporary South Tulsa of the 1980's. Cherry Sreet ain't Cherry Street anymore. Its the vision of some folks who don't live near it.

If it makes you happy, it must not be all bad.

[TheArtist]

Good question on the rainwater thing lol. Perhaps they have a big pipe that goes down through the wall under the  house, then out to the side? If not its likely to end up running down through the walls anyway lol. I do like the little bungalo columns though. On one street there was a little house between 2 developments and in the yard was this feeble looking "Preserve Midtown!" sign. As much as I love the old neighborhoods and want to keep and enhance their character... I think this one is a lost cause on that front. If they were to stop now it would look like crap. Plus like I always say, good to have different areas develop differently for different tastes and types of people. I love areas that preserve a certain "look and feel" and also love areas that have a mix of styles. Will be interesting to see how far they go with these new developments. I hope they are able to keep some of the older 2 and 3 story apartments in the area and just mix in lots more new ones. Would be neat to go through this neighborhood and see a huge variety, "eyecandy" of 2 and 3 story apartments of every; style, shape, color and design.

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates

Is that (3rd picture) what you'd call an Inverse Craftsman?

Where's the rainwater going to go?

Heh.  Betcha that center column is holler.  That one, and the top one, are good examples of infill because they respect the established form of the neighborhood (street width and setback) and have their functional elements in the right places (front facing entrances and porches, rear-loaded garages and garage apartments).  If this neighborhood ever decided to adopt conservation districts, they'd blend right in.

The skinny ones that are crammed in there sideways (Metro lofts?) violate these established patterns and really aren't a very good fit in the neighborhood.  I think they could be much improved if they simply treated the street facade like a street facade and put entrances and substantial porches on the front.

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

The inverse craftsman looks horrid in real life. Sits very near a well done rehab of a bungalow.

Sigh.... Is anyone else disturbed by the new look of this neighborhood? Its like they are remaking it in the image of a contemporary South Tulsa of the 1980's. Cherry Sreet ain't Cherry Street anymore. Its the vision of some folks who don't live near it.

If it makes you happy, it must not be all bad.

Staring at the side of a building where you intuitively know there should be a "front" is far more jarring than an inverted roofline.  Rooflines have always varied greatly in this neighborhood.  In fact, it was originally built with a combination of bungalows with low-pitched roofs and flat-roofed apartments.  It may be "horrid" to you, but there's really nothing wrong about it.  Overall, it's very consistent with the neighborhood vernacular.

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

The inverse craftsman looks horrid in real life. Sits very near a well done rehab of a bungalow.

Sigh.... Is anyone else disturbed by the new look of this neighborhood? Its like they are remaking it in the image of a contemporary South Tulsa of the 1980's. Cherry Sreet ain't Cherry Street anymore. Its the vision of some folks who don't live near it.

If it makes you happy, it must not be all bad.

I love that new home and really like the new look this neighborhood is taking on. Just glad Tulsa actually has at least one budding, contemporary neighborhood. I was aginst this type of infill in this location at first. Would have preferred downtown of course, but now that there are so many in this one area, I say go for it and finish the job. Will look better with more of them at this point than if you tried to freeze things as they are now and save the others. Its already "too far gone". So just finish it off and hopefully other neighborhoods that want to preserve their older characer will do so. Like it or not, this is now a big part of what Cherry Street is about... Next.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates

Is that (3rd picture) what you'd call an Inverse Craftsman?

Where's the rainwater going to go?

To me it just looks grumpy.

I'm guessing they put in drains like a flat roof.

[Renaissance]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

The inverse craftsman looks horrid in real life. Sits very near a well done rehab of a bungalow.

Sigh.... Is anyone else disturbed by the new look of this neighborhood? Its like they are remaking it in the image of a contemporary South Tulsa of the 1980's. Cherry Sreet ain't Cherry Street anymore. Its the vision of some folks who don't live near it.

If it makes you happy, it must not be all bad.

Count me as one who found it at least a little shocking at first.  I was in Tulsa over Easter weekend and drove around those blocks and couldn't believe it.  

A couple of things mitigate, for me, whatever loss may be occurring.  First, that slice of Cherry St. has always had multi-family dwellings, and these developments will improve the value of the existing apartments and encourage upkeep.  Second, the houses that have been torn down have, by and large, been run-down and in need of serious repair.  Obvious foundation issues, rot, etc.  Their future was teardown, not "flip my house."  It was just a question of what was going in.  And third, if I owned a well-maintained home that remain in that neighborhood, I'd be jumping for joy as my property value skyrocketed.  There is a thin layer of remaining single-family homes between Cherry St. and these "lofts," and as long as their value remains high they won't be teardown candidates for economic reasons.

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

The inverse craftsman looks horrid in real life. Sits very near a well done rehab of a bungalow.

Sigh.... Is anyone else disturbed by the new look of this neighborhood? Its like they are remaking it in the image of a contemporary South Tulsa of the 1980's. Cherry Sreet ain't Cherry Street anymore. Its the vision of some folks who don't live near it.

If it makes you happy, it must not be all bad.

They are overpriced, out of scale, setback stealing, lot cramming, scrape and rapes. I hate them with a passion except for the NINE project(first picture on the left).

[Kenosha]

Whatever happened to "different strokes for different folks?"

You wouldn't dislike a person if they bought one, just based on the fact that you don't like their house, would you?

It seems we have placed an unbalanced importance on buildings, rather than the people who live in them.

[booWorld]

quote:Originally posted by Double A

They are overpriced, out of scale, setback stealing, lot cramming, scrape and rapes. I hate them with a passion except for the NINE project(first picture on the left).

If they are overpriced, then no one will purchase them or lease them.

What is setback stealing?  Either they meet the required setbacks for their district (most likely RM-2) or they don't.  

My guess is that most of these developments which are turned 90 degrees to the street and crammed onto their lots meet the RM-2 zoning requirements.  

EDIT:  Removed my guess about the garages for the NINE duplex dwelling because I'm not sure if the living space above the garages would be considered as dwellings or not.  

This is a prime example of how messed up our zoning code is.  For years I've suggested to the TMAPC that Tulsa needs to modify its zoning code.  Until recently, my letters and pleas have gone unacknowledged and unanswered.  It's supposed to be a participatory planning process, but when I try to participate, no one seems to want to listen.

The idea of Neighborhood Conservation Districts (NCDs) has been around for at least a decade.  I've made a few suggestions to those currently drafting the proposed ordinance, and the response from one Planning Commissioner has been good.  

Yet when I post my suggested revisions to the draft ordinance on this forum, they are criticized as unrealistic B.S.  I've spent many, many hours considering ways that we can create a better built environment in Tulsa.  Anyone who thinks otherwise is completely wrong.  

My suggestions for the proposed NCD draft ordinance are aimed at squelching the fears and misinformation of the opposition while allowing at least some self-imposed guidelines to be put in place for those who actually want them.  It's difficult for me to attend daytime meetings, but I've put some ideas on the table for consideration.  Councilor Barnes says we need to take a breath and slow down.  Perhaps she is correct.  Perhaps we should discuss the idea of NCDs for another 10 or 15 years.  Perhaps we should continue to villainize those with ideas different from our own.  Perhaps we should spend another 10 or 15 years arguing about 299/300 versus 300/300.  Perhaps.

Meanwhile, the bulldozers continue to roar through Midtown...

"Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above, don't fence me in."    ~Cole Porter

[booWorld]

quote:Originally posted by Kenosha

It seems we have placed an unbalanced importance on buildings, rather than the people who live in them.

I agree -- much like the over-emphasis placed on a single mode of transportation (rail) which will serve few people in the context of our zoning and land use policies.  Many Tulsans want to have plenty of space separating themselves from other people, from colorful buildings, etc.

"Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above, don't fence me in."    ~Cole Porter

[Steve]

Thanks Artist, those are great pics.  I am a big fan of modern architecture, and I love the development going on.  I suppose it is all a matter of personal taste.  I really like the butterfly roof units, from an aesthetic point of view.

I live in Lortondale, which was Tulsa's 1950's version of the ultimate in modern style, so I suppose I appreciate this new construction more than the average citizen.  But if the builders/developers did not think there would be a demand, they would not have constructed these.  I think your pics and the construction is great!

These pictures have also made me rethink my opinions on pending NCD ordinances for Tulsa.  I personally love the new construction in these pictures, but I have not viewed this in person or seen it in relation to the existing neighborhoods.  Thanks for the pics and insight Artist!