The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

TULSA - A Dallas developer has big plans for Tulsa and surrounding cities.
A new shopping center is in the works for land along Highway 75, located just south of the current Tulsa Hills shopping center

http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/new-shopping-center-planned-for-tulsa (http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/new-shopping-center-planned-for-tulsa)

http://garrettmoorecompany.com/OklahomaProjects.html

I think it's funny that they want to call it "The Walk."

I always enjoy driving 10 miles out of my way to walk through a parking lot...

It's "the walk" from their cars to the electric front doors.  "This asphalt is so hot out here with no trees anywhere in view.  Wish they had a shuttle service from my car...or a Rascal."

I agree, 10 miles is too far.  It will only be about 2 miles from work for me to walk through the parking lot.  Besides, you have plenty of parking lots downtown to walk through.  I would have to drive at least 10 miles to walk through them.

Maybe we could start a "Parking Lot Walking Club".  It's so much fun. (I was going to say Parking Lot Walkers but decided some around here would have a field day with that name.)

 ;D

Building in that area exempts them from a lot of building and design codes, doesnt it?

Tulsa World story: http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=32&articleid=20101208_32_E1_WestTu741976


My best guess for the grocer: Sunflower Farmers Market http://www.sfmarkets.com/locations
Or else Trader Joes.

I thought I saw in a previous thread that Trader Joes had issues with OK rules and regulations. 

As far as I know, a subdivision is planned for that exact plot of land, featuring patio homes for older Tulsans.

Or is that next door?

That's already under construction. I think it's behind where this is going.

no its going to be an Earth Fare...it should be an awesome place for old people living in patio homes on a fixed income to go buy overpriced food.


do you want Tulsa to become Plano?  That's what happening with these Dallas developers invading with their Dallas sprawl sized ideas.

These older people certainly aren't on any kind of fixed income--I know some of the people buying lots there, and they don't need to clip coupons. Most are just downsizing because 3,000 sf is a lot of house for two people to take care of (or use).

Never been to Earth Fare.  Looks like they're primarily in the southeast  Sunflower is a southwest and Texas company; I figure they're a better bet given the location of the developers.

As for your second question, are you asking me this?  I really don't know what the alternative is.  I mean, this is the face of American development in 2010.  This is not 1995 big box.  It's a kinder, gentler supercenter, complete with clock tower, amphitheater, wind turbines, and golf cart-friendly parking lot.

I too chuckled at the name. It's as if suburban developers have a dart board of nouns to fill in the blanks. Everything is "The ____ at ___" with nouns that don't actually apply to the development in the slightest.

I tried to walk from the tire place at Tulsa Hills during a long wait to eat lunch and do a bit of shopping. It was not at all pleasant. Intermittent sidewalks. Giant parking lots. No trees. People gawking at you like you're an elephant at a drive-thru animal park.

THIS.  Of course, the okie cows staring at you probably do see walking as an alien activity.

Is there any more development that can go in near 101st and Memorial? Preferably east of that intersection. :)

You just had to...

(http://www.thenewstyle.org/hernandez/blogstuff/toilet_doo.jpg)

there is plenty of development east of 101st/memorial.  there is some sort of volleyball complex going up at 101st/garnett and a small sub division is being built just to the west of that.  Of course, our county still hasn't figured out how to widen 101st/garnett with that 4 to fix money they are taking from us.  I'm sure that will get "deferred" when they pitch their next taxing scam....er scheme.

tee hee.

People say that but TJ operates in other states with similar regulations.

It's not just suburban developers. Deco district, anyone?

that's true....TJ is getting ready to open up in Leawood, KS.....so if they can deal with Kansas' blue laws I think they can deal with OK.
But TJ isn't strictly an organic store, so don't get your hopes up.

 ;D

Here's the movie theater: (http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110106006610/en/Carmike-Cinemas-Build-12-Plex-Tulsa) a Carmike's 12 plex with some sort of new technology they're hawking called the "Big D Digital Experience."

Personally, I'm a fan of the "big O"

http://www.ktul.com/Global/story.asp?S=13795456 (http://www.ktul.com/Global/story.asp?S=13795456)

Carmike Cinemas unveiled plans Thursday for a new 12-screen theatre scheduled to be built in the Tulsa Hills Development.

The company said the theatre will seat 2,330 and feature a new state-of-the-art entertainment complex. Tulsa Hills is located on Highway 75 at 71st street south.

Amenities for the new 45,300 square ft facility includes stadium style, high-back plush seating along with 3-D capability.

In addition to the movie going experience for the community, Carmike's use of DIGITAL technology will also enable the theatre to show live and recorded sporting events and concerts, with most being shown in Real-D 3-D.

The theatre is scheduled to be open in late 2011.

-------------------

According to the Carmike website, this is what Real-D is:
“The BigD –Large Format Digital Experience will feature Bigger Screens, Bigger Sound and Bigger, more Luxurious Seats providing the Ultimate Entertainment Experience”, said David Passman, Carmike’s President and CEO. The auditorium will include a wall to wall giant screen measuring 78 feet wide and 35 feet tall, custom luxury seating, the latest in 7.1 surround sound and DIGITAL projection for both 2D and 3D features.

Way back in the day, I was told by someone that Tulsa has more movie theatre's than Houston Texas.
And the more that keep being built. We may have a huge distinction going on here.
I can only attribute this possibility to the lack of nothing really to do around here.

One other side note. Is it just me or do we also have a huge abundance of Sports Bars in our City ?

Several years ago we were in the top 5 of liquor licenses per capita.  Not sure where we stand now.

13 years ago Movies 8 was the premier movie theater in Tulsa.  Theaters in this city have come a long way since then, and there are probably twice as many now with the Woodland Hills Cinema the only one shutting down (that I can remember). 

If it's an all digital theater this will do well.  Sounds similar to the Warren in Moore which is hugely popular.  SW Tulsa/NW Jenks will be the next boom area in the 10's just as Owasso and south BA were in the 00's.  Lots of new housing will likely follow these commercial developments, especially around 71st/81st & Elwood. 

It's a very similar experience walking from the tire place on Memorial in Bixby two doors down to Chili's. Only with more traffic. Or from the tire place on Memorial in Tulsa to one of the restaurants at 91st.

It's more than mildly annoying there are no sidewalks on Olympia in Tulsa Hills.

Well at least there is no Cartridge Word, UPS store or Shoe Store look going on here...

There are sidewalks on both sides of Olympia through the entire length of phase 1

no those will be going in next to the "quality development" at Cell Phone Corner.  Because you know, transcribing text onto wood pulp is the way of the future and you can never be without ink!  And of course, then you are going to need to overnight those stacks of wood pulp because that email thing is a passing fad.  And all that running around wears out a pair of shoes fast so....

That's good news. Somehow I missed them. We still need to require that when a street is built, sidewalks go in at the same time and not wait on future development. That just leads to a disconnected mess of sidewalks like what is going on south of Phase I.

there should also be a rule that you can't add fake meanders to sidewalks to make it look "natural" or whatever...just look at those on the east side of that center.  It looks like a drunk built them.

I live in midtown and I rarely go out south, but I don't mind Tulsa Hills because it is at least much more accessible than the 71st and Memorial area, and I like Buffalo Wild Wings and it is closer than the one in BA.  What I don't like about the development is that all of the major stores are on the outside of the development, and the center seems to be the parking lots.  The stores I most often visit are Target and Best Buy and sometimes Lowes.  They are all on opposite ends of the development, which means it makes more sense to get in my car three times to get to stores in the same shopping area.  And no, I'm not a person who is opposed to walking, but it's not like Utica Square or Brookside or Cherry Street which is walker friendly.  I don't mind walking all over Utica Square because I like the area.  But to walk from Target to Best Buy to Lowes and back to Target, you're crossing nothing but parking lot.  Not really worth it.  For what it is though, a big box chain development, it is the only one I don't dread in the southern parts of town.

You may not have realized this, but some of us have to overnight things that aren't made of wood pulp. I fairly regularly overnight these thin black rectangular or squarish shaped things made of glass, plastic, magnesium, and lithium, for example. Fedex is cheaper of late, though.

And it's OK that the sidewalk was built by a drunk. The road also looks like it was built by a drunk. I prefer trees to curves, but I think that's just me.

I hope there will be some square towers on the corners of each building.  We need to remind everyone of the "Tulsa Architect's Keyboard."
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3053/3101999963_a77304bc40.jpg)

your keyboard is outdated.  It is missing the cornice facade and low pitch roof buttons.  You need to upgrade to TulArc 2010.  It comes in a special 10 key size now so you don't have to waste any desk space.  If you buy before Febuary you get GeneriTenant Standard for free.

You do realize we have all those stores in Mid-town?...

thats actually the west side....the reason it meanders is because thats where tulsa transit busses pull over to drop off passengers that use those sidewalks.  If you are looking at the picture, to the left of the intersection you can see the tops of the red umbrellas at smashburger.  There is also that same meander near the AT&T store in front of Lowes on the east side that isnt in the picture above.

I wish Tulsa Hills could've been executed better but there is not a lot you can do when creating a big box shopping center.  Though they could've concentrated the big box in one area and creating more of a shopping village along Olympia, with stores facing the street, in another. 

I rarely go to Tulsa Hills so I'm not really bothered by it.  I do like that it is creating growth opportunities in the area and that all of the sales tax revenue is staying in Tulsa.  It is also helping to grow a section of Tulsa that was pretty empty for years, helping boost the city's population numbers (even if the kids go to Jenks..).

There is now BWW, Lowes and Best Buy are almost 3 miles apart and in a construction zone.

uh....smashburger is on the west side of olympia, north is on the top of the photo....horrible sidewalks are to the east of olympia.....i'm not talking about the bus lane that is along olympia.

  Ok, I am tired and not going to be very detailed.  But spoke to a city person a while back who mentioned that they had spoken to the developers of Tulsa Hills.  They mentioned how they had been showing the developers that with the new Comprehensive Plan, they could now (or I suppose once the plan passes) add a lot more retail on the same property and potentially make the area more pedestrian friendly.  Lets hope there will be some "infill" in the future.

I know smashburger is on the west side, thats what I just said in my post above.  I guess I have never noticed these "horrible sidewalks."  But again, people like yourself, grumble that we need sidewalks, and when they do finally put them in, you then grumble that they arent straight.  Wow.  Shouldnt you be bitching about quiktrip gas prices or something??

horrible recovery.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20110302_11_0_Zoning722538

He said "walkable," ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Anyway, this really is a fairly nice development considering it is a shopping center. I look forward to it opening.

Will 75 ever have access roads on both sides?  It doesn't appear they are doing that or they would've done it already.  Why I ask is because the plan for The Walk (stupid name btw) shows Olympia (the main thoroughfare through Tulsa Hills to the north, and between 71st and 81st in the area, ending at this shopping center.  I would think they would want to connect it all the way to 91st.

actually he said walkable destination.  Which means, a place that once you drive there you can walk around.....what a concept.  I think I want a sitable destination where drive my car to a point, at which point it enters a conveyor belt and I can just sit while I am pulled through Chilis, Best Buy, Ross, Marshalls, pet smart, etc.  That's the Okie way!

Ha ha! Love it! Perfect visual.

... ;)
(http://www.wataugawatch.net/uploaded_images/images-2-700156.jpg)

True picture of us Okies. 

And, don't forget church services or concerts. 

We want to park at the door five minutes before starting time, get to our seats in the front row-back row if it is church, enjoy the concert or service, be the first out of the lot with no waiting.....and God help the minister if the sermon is longer than the allowable time, he will be looking for another church next week.

I'll post a link to the site plan since y'all aren't reading it.

1. Olympia won't continue south because there is a housing development there.
2. It's called "The Walk" because of the walking and golf cart paths from the housing into the densest part of the shopping center on the south end

http://garrettmoorecompany.com/files/WALK_site_plan_colored_10_03_10.pdf.

That is a bunch of parking lot for a nice walk.

 Doesn't look bad considering.  Got any elevations?

What type of neighborhood is planned to the south?  I know the neighborhood going up at the NE corner of 81st & Olympia is a senior living community.  I have heard there are plans for a large neighborhood at the SW corner of 71st & Elwood as well.  Jenks will likely have to build a new elementary school in that area soon to keep up with the growth.  

Once there is a grocery store (which there will be one in this new center) and a new school is built I see the growth accelerating as this area becomes the most attractive "new" area to live in the metro because of its close access to the rest of the city via 75, Creek Tpke/44, and 71st.  It is good for the rest of the city, especially the retail, as it adds sales tax revenue for Tulsa.  Tulsa city limits extend to 91st to the south (west of the river), and to 33rd W. Ave. west of 75.  The majority of new growth in that area will be in Tulsa spilling over into north/west Jenks south of 91st.

I'm hoping the added growth gets the city thinking about extending the west bank trail along the river south of Turkey Mtn to Jenks.  It is the last missing link between the Jenks bridge and SW Blvd bridge.

The neighborhood to the south is the retirement community.

Jenks won’t likely be opening a new school in the area, JPS has schools right there already, Jenks West Elementary (PreK - 4) and Jenks West Intermediate (5th and 6th) are already both top rated and huge schools just one mile south of Tulsa Hills off of 91st between Elwood and 75. JPS does have plans to move the Intermediate (which is itself only 4 years old) to the north side of 91st and expand the elementary into the current intermediate school.

Ah, Hyde Park is the community going in south of this center.  Access will be via Maybelle Ave.  I was thinking the neighborhood north of 81st between Olympia and Elwood was senior living but apparently it's not.