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Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: we vs us on January 04, 2008, 10:49:51 am Where are all the single, professional 26 yr olds who want to throw their disposable income around? Why aren't they joining gyms, drinking more Starbucks, demanding condos nearer where they work? Why aren't they going to plays, to comedy and improv nights, to dive bars to hear DJs spin, or to all night dance clubs, and then eating at local taquerias till the sun comes up? Why aren't they eating more sushi, more tapas, more chicken wraps? Why aren't they buying casual professional wear from Banana Republic, or J Crew, or Ann Taylor Loft; why aren't they plunking down cash on one-off purses and shoes; getting their hair cut in ridiculous ways that require buckets of product; getting facial peels and hot stone treatments. In short, where are the insufferable youngsters who will slather their money all over this city, just because they can?
Is this entire town married, with two kids, and puttering around on woodworking projects in the garage? What gives? Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: cannon_fodder on January 04, 2008, 11:07:19 am Hi, I'm a 20 something professional in Tulsa.
I throw some of my disposable income around - this year I bought new floors for my house, a dishwasher, a sail boat, a new phone, ipod, digital camera for my boy, ate at some fine restaurants, bought fine wines, and all the normal things. I don;t join gyms because I do not enjoy stationary exercise. Give me a basketball game or a bike ride any day. Starbucks fails to impress me. Doubleshot coffee was my morning ritual when I worked downtown. Now I hired Java Daves for my office coffee service. I live within 5 miles of downtown, condo life is not for me as I have 140 pounds worth of dog and a boy who loves to play outside. I very much enjoy going to plays (Tulsa's Rocky Horror will be an annual event, I have friends coming down from Iowa City for the ubiquitous Phantom this spring), too often comedy shows are painful instead of funny, I frequent the "dive bar" the Colony near my house, don't really enjoy dance clubs, and on account of work (mine and wife's) and children don't get a chance to go out as often as I used to (oh for the law school days). I eat Sushi or other interesting food (read not fast good and usually non-chain, though I have a weakness for the melting pot) a few times a month. Most of my casual wear is from Express, which I contend is a step above those listed. I don't really care for named fashions so I'm admittedly lacking in this area - if your polo has the Armani Exchange logo on it I pretty much think you paid $85 for a $25 shirt. I am also not one of the eccentrics you point out with wild hair nor facial peels. I am married, with one kid, and spent entirely too much time puttering around with projects in my garage (boat, house, helping friends with projects). Other free time is spent hiking, boating (I also have a fishing boat), going to college athletics, or maybe just sitting on my donkey with a good book or some crap on TV. I guess in that light, I'm part of the problem. Unless... it's Oktoberfest, St. Patricks, New Years, or some random occasion where I am let off my leash. - - - But as a whole, this town does lack the youthful feel. The 20 somethings seem to either be into the "thug life" or more straight laced - little in between. You see few of the ravers, punk rockers or other eccentrics. But the going out for Sushi and getting drunk at Brookside/Cherry street/Blue Dome crowd is never lacking in my experience. Could just be all my friends are alcoholic attorneys... actually, that's probably it. I agree, it lacks the youthful feel. I turned a 7 word response into a short novel. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: cannon_fodder on January 04, 2008, 11:08:26 am and PS Wevus, give us the story. If you have told it I'm sorry... but who, what where?
What do you do? Where did you go to school? Where did you move here from? Why? Know anyone or just randomly moved to Tulsa? Just curious, I promise I'm not a stalker. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: inteller on January 04, 2008, 01:01:15 pm well, I think your first mistake is assuming these people have disposable income to throw around. Let's face it....with the sorry shape this country is in all of the SMART 20 somethings are probably socking back every penny they can get so they can retire with -something- and not live like a pauper.
Secondly, many of these 20-somethings are straddled with 10s of thousands of dollars in college debt (if they even went to college) so they are trying to pay it all back. These mythical people you hear about are created by the media. You just happen to see a few of the entitlement baby TYPOS that hang out down around the TMCC. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: we vs us on January 04, 2008, 01:26:49 pm quote: Well now, the mystery is half the fun of the interwebs, wouldn't you agree? I will say that I'm not a 20 something (older'n you, at least, CF), am married with no kids, just moved here from Chicago, where my wife and I lived for 8 years. Work brought her and I tagged along. I'm doing some internet consulting for my former employer but am looking for steadier local work as well. I spend most of my day on the computer, so that's why I'm hanging around all the time. I've got y'all on auto-refresh [;)] And yeah, grew up in Northwest Arkansas, so I'm familiar with the region, but don't know a soul in Tulsa except y'all. There're obviously huge differences between Tulsa and Chicago, but I've been trying to see past them to understand where Tulsa might be going. Tulsa's still a city, after all, and subject to the same forces that Chicago is. Much of Chicago is booming, and a lot of the gentrification going on there has to do with gainfully employed, single 20 somethings slinging their money around. And other smaller cities (Kansas City and Nashville are two examples I'm familiar with) are relying in part on that same group to fund a lot of the revitalization with their spending habits. So my list above, while I meant it kinda tongue-in-cheek, is still valid. My wife and I are still looking for a good and convenient gym, some good upscaley restaurants, and good local stores that are in a walkable area. And yeah, even a Starbucks wouldn't be awful. Brookside looks to be the sum total of what's available. Maybe Cherry Street. Anything else I'm missing? Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: Dana431 on January 04, 2008, 01:44:16 pm quote: Yes, and this is why it is difficult to find a date in this town when you are in your thirties.[}:)] I don't mean to to thread-jack.[:)] Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: we vs us on January 04, 2008, 02:11:29 pm quote: Wow. Thread-jack away. That just doesn't sound fun at all. Thought about joining a church? Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: inteller on January 04, 2008, 02:17:30 pm quote: yeah, you'll find the kinkiest sexually pent up hotties at church. You just have to put on holier than thou aires to get in their panties. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: Conan71 on January 04, 2008, 03:49:09 pm Wevus,
Used to be the Jaycees was a pretty good place to meet other YP's and do some worthwhile things in the community. I was very involved about 15-16 years ago. I wasn't aware their ranks had shrunk so much. According to a story in the World this morning, membership nationally has gone from a high of 350K down to about 1/10. My understanding is that TYPros and YPTulsa is the place to connect with other YP's. So far as I know they just sponsor cocktail hours and have a web site where you can join. One of the larger mega-churches like Asbury might be a good place to meet others like you and your wife. If church isn't your cup-o-tea then there's plenty of other community things which seem to attract a younger demographic. Hope all that helps. Welcome to T-Town! Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: Renaissance on January 04, 2008, 04:04:23 pm I'm one of them. 28, single, etc. I live in Dallas, not Tulsa, but when I visit, I know I can find my peers in five specific areas:
-Brookside: Peoria between 33rd and 36th -Cherry Street: 15th between Utica and Peoria -Utica Square: 21st between Yorktown and Utica -The intersection of 18th and Boston and immediate surroundings -Blue Dome: The intersection of 2nd and Elgin and immediate surroundings Each of these districts attracts the kiddos who are disposing of income on entertainment. Contrary to the typical characterization, most of them grew up in normal households, went to college, maybe went to grad school, and earned it the normal way. I lived in Chicago for three years, two of which were spent in Lincoln Park--yuppie ground zero. You're not going to find a neighborhood in Tulsa that is quite like Lincoln Park, but if you go to the places I just listed, you'll see the closest thing Tulsa has to offer. And if you go during certain times--the weekends surrounding holidays, especially--you'll see the huge potential for expanded shopping and entertainment zones in Tulsa. EDIT: I forgot the Brady district. Haven't been down there for a while but I understand it's pretty popping too. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: bluelake on January 04, 2008, 04:28:27 pm quote: Try being up here in Bartlesville and your definition of a bad dating environment will be redefined. [}:)] Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: perspicuity85 on January 04, 2008, 05:16:02 pm quote: You must live in suburban metro Tulsa, which is unfortunately about 80% or more of the city. I grew up in south Tulsa, and will soon be finishing college out of state. No offense to anyone on this board, but I don't think anyone truly understands the problems with Tulsa. It's not that the city is so devoid of a culture attractive to young professionals, it's the fact that Tulsa doesn't market any of its assets to young professionals. I knew SEVERAL people in high school who had never been to Downtown, Cherry st., or Brookside in their entire life, and had no desire to go there. The only saving grace was Cain's Ballroom. I on the other hand have always had friends in Midtown, so I actually went to Brookside, Downtown, and Cherry St., and continue to do so just about every time I'm in town. Hopefully within a year I'll be landing a pretty decent job, and yes, the so-called young professional culture is something I'm looking for. Will most of my peers choose Tulsa? Probably not. Will I? Possibly, but I have to be honest, Tulsa is facing some serious competition. My degree choice(s) (real estate finance & marketing) and my career aspirations have caused me to take a unique interest in Tulsa. And yes, for what it's worth, I do wear clothes from Banana Republic and Diesel, even though I can't afford it. My Two Cents: Tulsa HAS to target market the suburbs. Period. The largest number of high school graduates in the metro area grow up in the suburbs. When people leave for college, their perception of their hometown is firmly imprinted, and the opportunity cost of not creating demand for Tulsa's urban culture is at its highest. Also let's not forget that a much higher percentage of suburban kids become traditional college students than the city schools' students. From a marketing perspective, the young professional market is unapologetically well-educated and upper-middle class. Demand must be created for the overall unique culture of Tulsa, and I'm not talking about Oklahoma! Tulsa must be perceived as an entity in and of itself: the confluence of the Midwest, Southwest and South (you can have that quote for free[;)]) The culture is what will draw in the young sexy folks. Tulsa needs to talk about its entertainment districts, art galleries, world-class museums, performing arts, cultural and music festivals, and architectural masterpieces! Talk about history that can be marketed: the Creeks, the roaring 20s, and Greenwood! Talk about how Tulsa STILL has more upscale shopping stores than OKC. I enjoy Downtown and Midtown greatly, as well as hanging out with the residents. You guys are frankly a lot more "down" than some of the suburbanites I grew up with. I have personally witnessed a tiny renaissance take place in Tulsa's entertainment districts in the past 5 years. Hopefully it will continue to grow, but I can't help but notice how a little marketing effort would help. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: dayzella on January 04, 2008, 05:44:48 pm quote: I apologize in advance in horning in on one small bit of vaulting rhetoric ... but what Tulsa needs is less talking, more doing. I can tell when I'm being marketed to, and it makes me Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: TheArtist on January 04, 2008, 05:55:31 pm Where are they? Lets see, most of my friends moved to Dallas, Austin and Denver. I stayed, hoping things would get better,,, now I am a single 40 something who hasn't had a decent date since,,,, well, when I too was in my 20s lol. Oh well perhaps the old axiom really is true, Life sucks, then you die. [:P] You think its tough dating in this town when your in your 20s, try fining someone decent and single when your in your 40s. Plus, I have noticed that there are sooo many poor people in this area. To try and find someone thats; bright, doesn't smoke, has a decent job, travels, good sense of self, is ambitious, in decent shape, aka a normal person,,,, is almost like asking for the impossible here. And YES I am bitter and jaded and have every right to be dang it lol. [8D]
But if you know anyone who is single.....[8)][:D] Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: TheArtist on January 04, 2008, 06:10:08 pm quote: Actually I think you are both right. We, Tulsans, need to not only sell Tulsa to the rest of the country. "They" dont even know we exist let alone what we have. Many Tulsans dont appreciate or often know what is here. But yes we also need to learn how to live, to have expectations for ourselves. Its almost as though we dont have the examples here to follow, and to get those examples its going to take those pioneers doing it and hanging in there long enough to build up enough different life options to make that "here it is" "here we are" "this is what it can be like" statement. And really importantly I think a lot of what we need is just an attitude change. To those who do know a bit about Tulsa, part of the perception has lately become, we are a city of negativiy and whiners. Yes, I occasionally fall into that myself. And I need to not drop the ball and keep looking at, and talking up, the great things we do have. Hope springs eternal. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: tulsa1603 on January 04, 2008, 09:44:20 pm quote: Bingo. I stayed thinking it would work out for me. Most of my peer group from college is gone. In larger cities, YP's are all running around making $100k plus. Here, $60k is about the average for a young professional in my estimation. We don't have the demand, we don't have the salaries, therefore, we don't have the yuppies. I agree with Inteller that a lot of YP's are in debt up to their eyeballs and don't really know how to handle their finances. Not everyone who makes $100k a year feels the need to blow every penny. I know what I make, and I know what a lot of my friends make. I honestly don't know how they can afford the $200 jeans, sushi nightly, bar three times a week, new BMWs, and higher rents in the big city. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: we vs us on January 05, 2008, 11:28:37 am Thanks for all the replies. I'm not really trying to find the actual 20 somethings in Tulsa, but was more asking after the demographics of the city. Looking around at the different growth initiatives being tossed around, I'm still not sure who exactly Tulsa's marketing to, and if those people even exist here.
I'm definitely aware of the foibles of marketing to the Yups of the world. They're notoriously fickle, tend to light out for the burbs after they start families, etc. And yeah, stupid spending practices (ie debt debt debt) is part of that. But they do what families don't, which is keep the cash flowing. Two of the other free-spending demographics I don't really see around here are Boomerang Boomers (retirees whose kids are gone and want to downsize, but are also looking for culture and excitement and stuff to do) and a strong contingent of gay folks. In Chicago, there're several predominantly gay neighborhoods, all of whom started off as gang territory and have ended up as some of the richest neighborhoods in the city. I understand there might be some obstacles to a demographic like that down here (*ahem* fundamentalism *ahem*), but I'm mostly just looking for the groups in Tulsa that have some cash and are looking to spend it on lifestyle. I mean, seriously, who is that? Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: TulsaSooner on January 05, 2008, 06:39:06 pm Do a survey at Utica Square, I think that's where all of them are mingling.
Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: Conan71 on January 07, 2008, 12:12:40 pm I'm growing weary of the assertion that Tulsa is full of boring people and has no place interesting to go. The people who are glass-half-full are out enjoying the city and all it has to offer and the people who are glass-half-empty sit at home and snipe about how there's nothing to do here. That mentality will never be satisfied. That's the same mentality which would say "Other than Beale St., Memphis sucks."
I'm a little older than the overly-vaunted "YP" demographic. I have had zero trouble filling two weekends full of dining, entertainment, and activities and saw lots of 20 somethings out enjoying life in Tulsa as well. Tulsa has several different concentrations of dining and entertainment districts which appeal to a younger to middle-age crowd. We are incredibly fortunate for that. It doesn't all have to be concentrated in one area. People go to a place like the French Quarter in New Orleans, Beale St. in Memphis, Bricktown in OKC, Lo-Do in Denver, etc. and assume that every city should have all arts/entertainment/dining/drinking in one four or six block area for it the city to have a meaningful life support system for YP's. Tulsa has the Brady District, Blue Dome, Cherry St., Brookside, SoBo, and Riverwalk Crossing. Our entertainment districts are diverse and that dilutes the choices into different geographical areas instead of one big district. If you are in one district, chances are, the other 5/6's of out-going YPs are hanging out in the other areas at that time. Walk around Riverwalk Crossing on any weekend night during the summer. The YP's are thick as can be. Same with any other area. There's no problem with Tulsa other than some people with social myopia and short attention spans. Countless concepts have come and gone that just didn't do well here. People hear about a trend on one coast or the other, some entrepreneur brings it here, it's a hit for a few months, people lose interest and move on to something else. It folds up and people say: "That didn't make it because Tulsa sucks". Most YP's are probably having too much fun exploring and enjoying what Tulsa does have to offer than sit around at home and muse about how there's nothing for YP's to do in this city. Make the most of it. Chances are if Tulsa sucks to you, eventually Denver, Chicago, NYC, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, LA, etc. ad nauseum will eventually suck to you as well. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: spoonbill on January 07, 2008, 01:00:53 pm quote: I agree, we have a very active mixed demographic in Tulsa. Go to 1740 Wine Bar on a Friday or Saturday evening and look at the buzz of young people. I mention that place because you can see all demographics mixing and mingling in the surrounding restaurants and clubs. RiverWalk Crossing is also an excellent example. You can see young professionals, families, and the pierced nipple and green hair crowd (future dependents). We have fun, exciting, environments for people from every walk of life. I am a people watcher, and I've lived in several large metropolitan cities. You can find everything you want in Tulsa. No, we don't have a weekly clothing optional gay pride parade or NAMBLA festival yet, but I'm sure it's coming soon. . . And we are sorely lacking in the $1,000 a month 200 sq/ft. stacked apartment living department, because we have plenty of land. Our public transportation system sucks because we have plenty of parking and our medium and low income families can afford a house with a garage or at least a front yard to park the Camero in. We have just about every type of community that a Young Professional could want to live in, however what we lack is the "excitement" of living in a community that creates the stress, both financial and emotional, that some young people seek. If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; and if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no head. -- Winston Churchill Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: dayzella on January 07, 2008, 01:47:22 pm I was playing with Zillow today and noticed this in a sidebar:
quote: The blurbs are based on modeling with the 2000 census. For Jenks, this is the result that appeared: quote: And for Broken Arrow, this: quote: It may be all the general metropolitan area ... but that doesn't mean all of the population swims through every part of the pool. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: we vs us on January 07, 2008, 04:09:25 pm quote: You and Spoonbill both have entirely convincing answers to someone else's thread. Whether or not Tulsa is interesting or full of boring people really doesn't have anything to do with my question. As I said, I'm not looking for a new cool sushi bar to hang out at, I'm trying to figure out who's driving development out there in the city. And I asked it because, I gotta tell ya, Tulsa's lagging a bit, and I'd like to know why. Other people have said it -- ar at least implied it --in the OKC thread, and in pretty much every development thread here. And to tell you the truth, I see it in comparison to other cities I've been to that mirror Tulsa's size and general culture. There's a sense that Tulsa's rejuvenation is behind by about 5 years. I don't know why that is, whether it's the local economy, the local politics, or the makeup of the city. So I'm trying to tease it out by bringing up demographics, which would be part of, but not the whole picture. I worry, too, because the country's economy is almost surely in a recession at this point, and that means that whatever belated renaissance Tulsa is on the cusp of, just got a lot harder to pull off. The recession may not hit here very hard -- heck, we've got the energy industry, and that's like a pipeline of gold right now -- but we're still very early and it will get nasty. And you're right, Spoonbill, it's totally true that I can't wait for NAMBLA and International Mr. Leather to take to the Tulsa streets. I love me some feathered headdresses and/or assless leather chaps. You completely busted me on that one. I'm hoping to make it a mandatory holiday, so that schoolkids and government workers can come join the Clothesless Gay Parade. Cool with you? Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: spoonbill on January 07, 2008, 05:01:13 pm quote: Sorry, I must have misunderstood your cryptic goals in this post. My apologies. You should have asked "Who's driving development in Tulsa?" Tulsa development is driven by a small handful of entrepreneurs that are not afraid to fight the city at every turn. Our city government has created an atmosphere of self destruction that will take time to overcome. Renewal, and in-fill projects have become too costly with very small economic gain except for a handful of jewels. As for new development, Tulsa has run out of developable land in the positive demographic growth zones in the South. This is why you see the South County branded projects and Broken Arrow expansion. The Tulsa Chamber has done a poor job of marketing the North and East sections of Tulsa that boast of an abundance of developable land. I can't blame them, because the people of Tulsa have branded these areas as "undesirable". That's almost impossible to recover from. For the city core, we have about another 30 years before the development pendulum swings and the redevelopment of downtown becomes attractive to investors again. For any downtown revitalization to take place, the first step is always to get people living there. Our obstacle is that it is still very affordable to live in South Tulsa, Jenks, Broken Arrow, or Bixby. . . and the drive is quick and painless to downtown from those areas. Once it becomes less affordable to live in the outskirts or the commute becomes too difficult, the inner city becomes an attractive option. 20 somethings drive very little when it comes to development. They make up the entry level work force, but their disposable income base does not represent enough to drive development in this city because our population density is so low. Perhaps in the next 30 years we will reach a density where they become a more formidable force, but not today. Currently Tulsa development is driven by the 35+ married with children demographic and higher. This is a healthy demo for a city to rely on because they are not transient, and they are for the most part politically stable. As for your recession agenda, that math doesn't work. Our national productivity numbers, GNP, and markets bear out that we are still in a healthy growth phase with minor slowing due to East and West coast housing markets and oil prices. Locally, development statistics still continue to grow with home building still on the rise and sales only dropping off modestly. I don't see us lagging. I see exactly what one can forecast with a little study. But that's just my opinion. I've only worked in the development field for a little over a decade so I could be wrong. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: Conan71 on January 07, 2008, 05:08:17 pm Wevus,
If you haven't lived in Tulsa a long time, it would be easy to think how much development is lagging here because your point of reference is other cities. That doesn't disqualify your opinion, however, your yardstick for growth doesn't really give Tulsa a fair shake compared to other cities. IMO, a fairer assessment of our development is comparing Tulsa to Tulsa: not OKC, not Dallas, not KC. The strides Tulsa has made in development and re-development in the last 10 to 20 years is stunning. If you didn't live here at the dawn of 1988, it would be hard to appreciate just how far development in Tulsa has come. 20 years ago, Whittier Square was still a pretty scary place- look at what Ziegler has done with surrounding properties and what a gem the once crumbling Circle Cinema has become. The Brady District was still a bunch of vacant warehouses. Blue Dome? Pawn Shops and empty buildings. Hell, that was the case recently as ten years ago. Cherry St.- it was just starting to become hip and upbeat after being non-descript for a number of years. Brookside- that was starting to attract a younger crowd. Long time anchors like The Brook and Crow Creek still weren't around yet. Stonehorse was (The Consortium or whatever it's called now). Riverwalk Crossing- That was still Junior Ramey's hay farm. SoBo- was already on track. It's hard to imagine how many hundreds of millions has been invested here just in the last 20 years by the city/county, building owners, and lease-holders if you don't have an idea what Tulsa was, instead of what it still doesn't have compared to other cities. The only thing Tulsa seems to be missing is enough people to appreciate what it's become and truly utilize the liveability. The 26 yo YPs are here, but if you have a paradigm that they don't exist, you won't see them around town. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: we vs us on January 07, 2008, 07:12:29 pm quote: Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: perspicuity85 on January 08, 2008, 12:24:11 am Ok, more perspectives from perspicuity:
Bullsh**t to whoever said they can tell when they're being marketed to. I personally have done a lot of market research, and statistically, no you can't. Do you people want to know what the 20-somethings are doing or not? I am a 20-something, and I can tell you, we're tired as hell of the bullsh**t in this town. We're sick and tired of the second-class mentality of this town, Tulsa needs to grow its proverbial balls and get f***ing moving! Ask anyone from the right demographic, people in my generation f***ing hate places like OKC with its general unprofessional, small-town attitude: we want something better for Tulsa. Tulsa as I know it is unapologetically Yuppie, better educated, and frankly, more liberal, yes LIBERAL, than the rest of Oklahoma. And that is the only thing I, as well as scores of other regional college students, like about this town. Politically, I'm not even very liberal at all, but every other part of Oklahoma I've been to besides Tulsa makes my nationally moderate viewpoints seem like the most radically liberal viewpoints they've ever heard. Newsflash: that drives me f***ing crazy!!! Marketing will bring in/keep the right people who will live fast and spend a lot of money in this city. Hire the right people, and get the job done! It doesn't matter what the facts are, it matters what the perception of the facts are. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: Conan71 on January 08, 2008, 12:45:54 am quote: PWI anyone? Sure, you can tell when you are being marketed to. Remember the old ads the Texas Dept. of Tourism used to run? How about any number of commercials you see on TV or hear on the radio every day. You are being marketed to if what they are selling appeals to you. You can also tell that our Metro Chamber does an abysmal job at truly marketing the area. If Tulsa doesn't meet your post-grad needs/wants, then don't move back after school. Do yourself a favor and look into other cities. Atlanta, St. Louis, NYC, KC, San Diego, Phoenix. Try somewhere else. Either you will find you fall in love with where you go which isn't a bad thing. I did it, many of my friends did it. I was back in about six months. One of my friends lives in Detroit due to needing his company insurance for a special needs child. Other than one in Phoenix, the rest have migrated back from Santa Monica, Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and others. Tulsa is a great place to be young and single, but so is just about any place on the face of the planet if you have the means and education to make it there. Tulsa is one of the better places to raise kids which is what got a lot of others to move back. What was exciting right out of college started becoming rat race in about five years. It happens. Do what works for you Perspicuity. I'm not saying don't let the door hit you in the donkey on your way out. You just sound like someone who owes it to themself to see what else is out there and live it while you can. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: perspicuity85 on January 08, 2008, 12:55:19 am Conan, I agree with you. Completely. Maybe you weren't expecting that. I am considering several places to live, but I truly want Tulsa to sway me back home. I challenge Tulsa because I care about Tulsa. If it were up to me, I would run for mayor or something. I can tell you that there are a lot of things Tulsa possesses that it should market to people. I stick up for Tulsa a lot, only because I actually know about some aspects of Tulsa that many people my age do not know exist. I'm the type of person that strives to motivate others, and I don't know how else to be.
Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: spoonbill on January 08, 2008, 07:24:50 am quote: You are quite welcome. Actually there are quite a few developments down-town that are available for young professionals (willing to live there). Many are quite nice! Blair Apartments 28 Historic remodeled apartments 7th & Elwood, 587-6178 or 585-5542 Central Park Condominiums 418 High-rise and townhouses 7th & Denver, 585-5516 Philtower Lofts 25 Luxury high-rise loft apartments 5th & Boston, 584-0331 Tribune Lofts 33 Adaptive reuse to loft style apartments Archer at Boston, 748-8636 Uptown Renaissance Apartments 159 New townhouse style apartments 10th & Denver, 587-8808 The Village At Central Park 108 New Urbanism townhomes 6th & Peoria, 582-7459 The problem is that we can't get enough people to live there, because the price does not bear out for the square footage, amenities and proximity to lifestyle. At the end of the day in Tulsa, everyone gets in their cars and drives South. Who wants to go home to an empty down-town condo? PS Does anyone know what's going on with The Village at Central Park? They sat vacant for a long time. The units are very nice, great architecture, and their website says that they are all sold, but when I drive through it looks like a ghost town. Few cars in the lots and no furnature in the many of the condos. I've looked up the MLS listings for the area and It looks like they may have been sold as a package to one of the big Tulsa corporations? Anyone got any info on this? Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: TURobY on January 08, 2008, 07:38:12 am quote: It's funny, because I was considering tossing my hat into the ring as well. LOL. But I have no idea what the eligibility requirements are. Anyone know where I can find that information, preferably online? Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: RecycleMichael on January 08, 2008, 07:46:27 am You can't run for Mayor for two years. But you can run for city council by filing next week.
Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: inteller on January 08, 2008, 10:43:33 am quote: and he is a perfect example of why there shouldn't be a 300 signature requirement. For someone who just got to town, it would not be easy. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: Renaissance on January 08, 2008, 10:56:46 am quote: Do we want someone who just got to town to run for city government? On a whim? Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: Conan71 on January 08, 2008, 11:19:16 am quote: There are some of us who have this coccoon-like obsession with Tulsa and might come off as stodgy. I hadn't given much thought lately till yesterday how much this city really has changed in the 21 years since I moved back from my six month stint in Kansas City. I couldn't wait to get out of Tulsa when I had the chance. I loved the vibe in KC, yet there was something constantly beckoning me back home. Yesterday, I was driving through the Brady District during the day and marveling at how many of those buildings were derelict 20 years ago and how vibrant many of them are now. There's also been an attractive mix of modern design put into existing shells which works aesthetically. I aspired to the urban lifestyle when I moved back to Tulsa and lived at Center Plaza for the next two years after I came back. When I moved from there it was to the TU area. I got to see the re-birth of Cherry St. happen in that time. I guess the only belly-ache (other than traffic) I've ever had with all the development at "retail hell" (71st St. from Memorial to Garnett) is I would have liked to have seen more of that money invested downtown. But we might have wound up complaining about how congested downtown is these days if that would have happened. [;)] I like to visit places like Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, or So-Cal, but I'm always so grateful at the end of the trip to come back to Tulsa. I like our relative lack of traffic congestion, being able to get from one end of town to the other in 30 minutes or less. There are things I see in other cities when I visit them that I'll think to myself "Wow, that would be cool in Tulsa." Then I realize, those are the things which motivate me to want to travel and get out of town. Ft. Lauderdale is one of my favorite destinations and there are things which are unique to it I love, yet we can't bring here, and I'm cool with that. I really mean it, take the chance to get out and spread your wings while you have the time and fewer obligations to others. There's a great world out there. You might find out Tulsa is a great place to "be from" or a great place to "be" as so many others have found. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: TURobY on January 08, 2008, 01:10:38 pm quote: I realize that. But I like my councilor, thus my interest in other governmental positions. Title: Where're all the 20 somethings? Post by: USRufnex on January 09, 2008, 12:38:38 am quote: Well, if you're a former Chicagoan... I'll put it this way. South Tulsa is a lot like Schaumburg. Jenks is becoming like Oak Park or maybe after the river developments, like Evanston w/o Northwestern U... I grew up here... but lived in Chicago off-an-on since 1990 (mostly in Rogers Park)... visited family in Tulsa a couple of times a year, moved here for family reasons from 2001 to 2002, and was really surprised to get re-acquainted with Tulsa... and like it. So, when the chance came and I thought there were 3 other midsized cities I had my eye on moving to, Tulsa moved to the front of the pack... because of job opportunities and cheap rents/housing... oh, and Vision2025 (not a big factor but definitely one of the factors)... For all that 20-something demographic, well... lots and lots of 20-somethings move to Chicago, LA, NYC, Atlanta, Dallas, etc, etc... they're a magnet for not just the rich YP's... but also for us young starving artists, actors, musicians, comedians, etc, etc... As for the gay neighborhood theory, I doubt Tulsa's much of a "gay destination" (understatement) but does have a few spots here and there... Club209 has a mixed crowd on weekends which has become part of that nice couple of blocks around the Brady District... and there seem to be attempts... http://www.gaybradyheightstulsa.com/ OKC has its own gay "strip" with its own gay hotel, The Habana, that seems to attract its share of hypocritical baptist ministers... http://www.abpnews.com/752.article See, the quest for those ecclectic, urban 20-somethings you seek is not going to be very apparent or easy... Tulsa has a couple of blocks around Brady... and Gypsie Coffeehouse is off Brady and Cincinnatti... a couple of blocks around to the Blue Dome... a couple of bars and such for a few blocks around 18th in south Downtown... a few blocks around Cherry Street... the traditional Brookside and Utica Square (Utica's looking a little old to me these days-- probably because it IS old)... And I really like the Riverwalk in Jenks, Nordaggios is nice and next door is an Italian place that actually offers Chicago hotdogs with the poppyseed buns if you're a little homesick... Freddie's on 71st by Woodland Hills Mall offers Chicago hotdogs--but they're served on texas toast... oh, the horror... the sacriledge... And I'd be irresponsible as a resident Tulsa soccer-nut not to mention a Tulsa 20-something who has put a pretty big chunka change into this... http://www.aisl.org/tu_index.php http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=196753699 As for development these days, evidently it's a very big secret if anything's going on in Tulsa, especially downtown..... shhh. be very quiet..... don't make a noise... you'll scare them away... [|)] |