The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

I saw in the TW yesterday that the Kaiser Foundation is helping the city buy properties in the area in between Lewis and Atlanta, 5th Pl. and 4th St. by Kendall-Whittier Elementary.  There are several rundown apartment complexes there currently, along with a few vacant lots.  I believe the intent is to sell the land to developers and build new homes.  Hopefully this expands south to the neighborhood directly west of TU.  I can see that area being similar to Renaissance if some of the apartments and blight are removed.  I have a few friends in their mid-late 20's that have bought homes in this area and it seems to be revitalizing.  A streetscape along 6th could do wonders as well.  Your thoughts?

(http://www.tulsaworld.com//articleimages/2010/A12kaiser0907.jpg)

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20100907_11_A11_TheGeo886076&archive=yes (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20100907_11_A11_TheGeo886076&archive=yes)

Not to be negative but "owned by the city" doesn't exactly scream development to me.


Edited to add:  Thank you Kaiser foundation for every effort.

Kendall Whittier improvements on KTUL

http://www.ktul.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6602668 (http://www.ktul.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6602668)

Kendall Whittier feels like a seperate small town inside of Tulsa. I love watching it slowly improve.

I'd really love seeing the improvements happen more quickly!

Unfortunately the Kendall-Whittier advocate and mouthpiece (and former councilor) is also one of developer's bigger hurdles.

Did they buy "The Dollhouse"...??

You'd be out a place?

  Why on earth couldn't they have made that clinic be pedestrian friendly?  If there is any area that has potential to be a pedestrian friendly neighborhood around an area where there are a lot of people who need it to be for they often use transit, this is one of them. 

Agree, same for Pearl District Dentistry at 6th & Utica.  The buildings are nice though.  I'd like to see more sidewalk facing buildings along Lewis, especially north of 3rd and south of 244 in "Whittier Square".

Developers seem to be short sighted, they only build the structure for its current use and not for what it might be used for once the current need expires or fails.

Kendall-Whittier FB post:


(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/35440_478558842204210_100778794_n.jpg)

I was at the Circle Cinema recently and it looked like some work was going on inside the old Sweeney Hardware store.  Anyone know if something is planned or under way?

The new brick building on the east side of Lewis at about 5th St is striking. Is this part of the new neighborhood that KFF is building?

yes

From the Tulsa World:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/education/tulsa-public-schools-forum-to-gather-input-on-sale-of/article_a4f3e812-dbf4-5623-806e-abae00bb30a9.html (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/education/tulsa-public-schools-forum-to-gather-input-on-sale-of/article_a4f3e812-dbf4-5623-806e-abae00bb30a9.html)

Tulsa Public Schools forum to gather input on sale of Whittier school site

Two potential buyers are expected to share their plans.

The school district has received offers for the site at 68 N. Lewis Ave. from two prospective buyers — QuikTrip Corp., which would like to build a store on the property, and Vintage Housing Inc., with plans to construct an apartment building for senior citizens.

The forum is set for 5:30 p.m. Monday in the auditorium of Sequoyah Elementary School, 724 N. Birmingham Ave. Representatives of both potential buyers are expected to share details about their plans with interested community members.

It seems like QT is just looking for main streets that they can insert car oriented stores into.

And QT back out after the neighbors put their support behind the housing development.

I'm glad to hear that QT has backed out, I live south of TU and the last thing we need is another QT around here. Dont get me wrong, I love QT but we currently have four with in a mile and a half of my house. I would much rather a housing development  go in and hopefully  they will tie in some of the architectural features from Whittier Square.

There is much to like about QT: they are good to their employees and they are local and they give to Tulsa

But there are things they can do better: 1. Stop leaving discarded husks behind when they move locations 2. Work with neighborhoods rather than against them 3. Develop an urban design to blend into the streetscape (Brookside, Pearl District, if they build downtown) rather than detract from it.

They do all of those things when required to by other cities (see Phoenix) where they're not perceived as a darling corporate citizen. They build nice things in other cities because they're not entrenched in other cities' politics. Here, because of their political ($) pull, they do as they wish, unchecked. The money they donate to causes in Tulsa DOES NOT outweigh the way they deal with neighborhoods, the BOA, TMAPC and City Council. Kum & Go (an Iowa corporation, by the way) is a much better corporate citizen than QuikTrip because it is respectful of local ordinances, neighborhoods and design requirements, and they are generally more thoughtful in designing their stores to begin with.

Thanks for saying that. I just didn't want to be perceived as dumping on the local darling.

Someone needs to, so I'll gladly do it. I don't spend money at companies who demonstrate the kinds of bullying tactics and qualities QT exhibits. I get told often I'm not a real Oklahoman because I don't support QT, but I believe as much as QT does that money talks, and I'd rather support a company who treats my community and neighbors with respect.

---

Now let's look at the plans for senior housing. Has anyone seen renderings or maps? I hope what Vintage Housing (LIFE Senior Services) is proposing is better than what they've built in Skiatook, Jenks, Coweta, West Tulsa, East Tulsa, North Tulsa, Collinsville, Sapulpa, Bixby, Owasso, and Broken Arrow.

They're all the same cookie-cutter suburban-style apartment complexes.
Same floorplan, same number of units, same number of parking spaces.
Nearly identical down to the windows.
Not walkable.
Not exactly the type of homes where a person can age in place.

Senior apartments we're likely to get (Kenosha Landing in Broken Arrow):
(http://www.assessor.tulsacounty.org/rwpictures/8404/83654840417920001AA.jpg)


Senior apartments we should ask for (Geneva Place in Geneva, Illinois):
(http://communities.covenantretirement.org/filephotos/17/photogallery/items/gallery02.jpg)

An official with GKFF told me months ago they had an interest in housing on this block...no idea if this was the housing he intended.  That said, if GKFF is involved I would think it'll be quality and could be similar to what they built a few blocks south.

Is Ed Sharrer involved in this planning at all as ED of the KW Association?

Looks like a good decision for all involved. I only regret that the label "Kendall-Whittier" has stuck with this area. I grew up at 4th and Lewis in a housing addition built in the 1920's and named Hillcrest after the nearby hospital. We spent much time around Whittier Square (Tulsa's first suburban shopping center!). It was Whittier grade school for nearly 90 years and Kendall was a separate school associated with Kendall College a few years later.

Only about a decade ago did TPS combine the two and build a newer school. I still think of it as Whittier Square not Kendall/Whittier Square.

I have a cousin who grew up in that area (well, partly in that area) at the 700 block of South Yorktown.  Just a stone's throw from Marshall Brewing.

See what I did there?

 ;D

He lived on my paper route. Tulsa Tribune. There was a neat little drugstore nearby that still had a fountain and snake oil package drugs from the 20's. 6th street was the main drag to downtown from the new TU neighborhoods.

Yeah, his house was built exactly like the home I lived in up until I was about six at 1430 S Elgin (no longer there because of the IDL).  Only home I ever lived in with a basement.  Floor plan on their house was exactly the same.  Guessing they were built in similar eras.

(http://communities.covenantretirement.org/filephotos/17/photogallery/items/gallery02.jpg)

Hmmm, awnings, sidewalks, obvious crosswalks with no cars parked on them, no Walmart parking or place for a QT in front of it.  This can't be built legally in Tulsa.

In March, Hoot Owl Coffee opened on the northeast corner of Lewis Avenue and Admiral Boulevard in the Kendall Whittier neighborhood.

Since opening six months ago, Calaveras Mexican Restaurant is already planning to expand its restaurant, which sits on the southwest corner of Lewis Avenue and Admiral Boulevard, into the adjoining storefront to its south. The expansion will allow for additional seating and a larger kitchen.

“We’re taking meetings with prospective tenants every day,” says Ed Sharrer, executive director of Kendall Whittier Main Street, “sometimes several meetings a day,” due to the growing popularity of the area.

Sharrer attributes the renewed interest in the district to the resurgence of downtown Tulsa.

In particular, the area has seen a recent influx of creative businesses, including artists, photographers, filmmakers and architects. “Generally speaking, if you make or create something, the emerging creative corridor between downtown and the University of Tulsa is where you want to locate,” he says.

Sharrer promises a number of soon-to-come development announcements (up to 12 projects are currently under discussion). Some of those businesses are expected to occupy the storefronts south of Circle Cinema, including the southernmost storefront at the corner of Lewis Avenue and 1st Street, which was the longtime home of Swinney Hardware.

“In another year, this area is going to look entirely different,” he says.


http://gtrnews.com/greater-tulsa-reporter/13447/area-districts-see-development

wow, a real life example of a revitalized urban core becoming the engine for growth in surrounding neighborhoods. I've heard somewhere on the interwebs that this could happen.




TulsaNow’s Mission is to help Tulsa become the most vibrant, diverse, sustainable and prosperous city of our size. We achieve this by focusing on the development of Tulsa’s distinctive identity and economic growth around a dynamic, urban core, complemented by a constellation of livable, thriving communities

We finally tried Calvera’s last night, then walked down to the Mexican bakery on the east side of Lewis.  It’s really super what is happening in this area.

I drive by there quite a bit on my trips to Marshall's for growler fills.  I thought the same thing but haven't stopped to check it out.  Might have to do so now.

Do it Hoss, you won’t regret it. Either that, or there needs to be another summit at lunch time!

 I had the Guisado De Puerco.  Mighty fine tribute to a dead pig.  Apparently there is nothing on the menu which sucks.

Looks like a lot of great reviews.  I'll make that a priority on Friday for post-growler fill for dinner.

The restaurant is owned by the family that started El Rio Verde.

That explains it.

There is a sign up at El Rio Verde that contests this. Not sure what the real story is.

Dunno.  I was told by someone in the food business that the current ownership of El Rio Verde is not the founding group.  The founding group now owns the KW place.  No idea what's true...

I've heard its good that is all that matters!

Here's the story I've seen. 

"Molina sold El Rio Verde to his aunt years ago and has owned or been a part of several other Mexican restaurants around town over the years. His latest is Calaveras Mexican Grill."

http://www.tulsapeople.com/Tulsa-People/April-2015/Caliente-at-Calaveras/