The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

So there have been a few whisperings of various companies/organizations moving to cityplex in the near future. I have yet to get a business card or hear about a business actually moving there, but am curious if anybody knows of any changes that have been occurring. Did they remodel everything, or are they developing the area around it to support business people? I know the BRT will be turning around somewhere there, but I can't imagine that moving from downtown to 81st and lewis because of public transit.

Am I missing something that others are seeing?!

I have heard some rumors as well. One of them about a company currently located downtown that has, if the rumors are true, looked to move to CityPlex.

There is/was this:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/religion/oru-gets-million-federal-contract-for-cityplex-towers-lease/article_3b34b15b-1913-590a-9142-9096132b34fb.html

They recently completed some significant work to the towers and downtown remains largely filled for top level office space. ORU is probably "B" level space, but as a well known complex with free parking, recent renovations, and as I heard it an available build out budget, it appears to be very competitive.

Now, since we are on an anonymous internet message board... can we perhaps name these rumored companies?

The one I heard a rumor about is currently in the old Amerada Hess Building at 6th & Denver.

CommunityCare makes sense.

It seems like a good place to move to, it beats being in downtown Tulsa and you have free parking.

Yeah, being across from ORU is a helluva lot better than being near a good night life.

Well, you know, no vagrants, no homeless, no sidewalks, plenty of parking and the police department is nearby. Is that what you mean Sauer?

I was going to ask if you thought the building might be cursed, but then I see ORU still owns it, so that sort of explains things. (no thunder or lightning and my phone didn't ring so I must be safe) It seems a little odd that they are leasing 86,500 square feet, but only 60 parking spaces, sound like more room than people. Are there still floors in the main building that have not been built out? I remember that place leaked badly inside when it would rain.

Community Care building has a dedicated parking garage.  The only advantage I can see is if it is getting a substantial rent reduction.

Are you being sarcastic? Downtown is far better than 81st and Lewis in just about every way. 81st and Lewis has one of the busiest and highest crime rate Walmarts around, tons of run-down apartments and an outdated unsightly college along with very little to do. Downtown is thriving with tons of restaurants, coffee shops and things to do along with hundreds of millions more development to come.

“81st & Lewis sucks.”

(http://www.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/210/847/7/S2108477/slug/l/dustin-hoffman-rain-man-1.jpg)

But the people that work there don't live there.

I hope you didn’t think that was a swipe at you, I’m right there with you. Considering the poster you were answering, I thought Rain Man was rather appropriate.

Sorry I thought you were poking fun at me saying downtown is a better location and trash talking 81st and Lewis a bit.

Oh hell no, spot-on observation!  I thought your reply was funny anyhow.

Just saying, a case could be made that with Margaritaville right there, there is more nightlife/restaurants/entertainment within spitting distance of the towers than the area of downtown they were in. It's not like any of them are going to walk to Blue Dome or Brady from there anyway. The things you mention are all draws to live there, not lease office space.

Besides, how much of that building do they currently lease? Are they looking to expand. There are a ton of reasons to move south.

Go gamble, speak in tongues or steal from Wal-Mart. Sounds fun.

I hear cooking meth in that Wal-Mart is a fun afternoon activity as well.....

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/03/16/meth_labs_in_walmart_pretty_common.html

You do realize society is not a bunch of clones of you right. You mocking someone else's choices is not a particularly good way to win the day.

I could do the same for downtown, but I won't. You all know downtown has some less than savory aspects, but I'm not going to dwelll on them. Without south Tulsa, there is no downtown. And vice versa.

And for those that dog on Walmart (there are good reasons too i agree), there are 10 of us that literally cannot live without it.

Downtown would and did exist just fine without 81st and Lewis. Many small towns, like Sapulpa and Sand Springs have lovely, thriving downtown areas. People travel long distances for their unique flavor.

You may have noticed that downtown support around this forum is bordering on chauvinism. There is no need to fight it, anymore than the suburbs need defending. Walmart however......

I get it for sure. Just gets nauseating and bordering insulting sometimes. Like they can't see the forest for the trees. Tulsa never survived without all kinds of habitats. Urban, suburban. I live in Bartlesville that has probably one of the better downtown areas this side of the state. It's nothing if not for the people that frequent the shops that live in the burbs. That's my point. Downtown doesn't need the shops @ 81st. They need the people of 81st & Lewis. And those people go to Walmart, gamble, and go to the world class river parks. Why insult their choices? They also visit establishments downtown. Without them they really wouldn't survive (collectively I mean more than just 81st & Lewis, Jenks, Bixby, etc.).

I would like to live in a truly urban area, but really with the size of my family that is just not really an option.

And yes, Walmart is impossible. But in many cases it has kept me from driving 50 miles to Tulsa for something I truly needed. Which opens up a whole 'nother discussion I am sure.

Yeah, sometimes the passion for urban living can blind folks to the fact that not everyone wants that lifestyle even if it is the most efficient use of resources etc. I really like visiting my friends who live on acres and have adjusted to it. I like the beauty of the castles built in Jenks and I like the style of old midtown homes. Ranch Acres is period cool. But it takes all kinds to stay interesting.

Being relatively young empty-nesters, MC and I would be great candidates for the urban lifestyle. We love the downtown area and we even enjoy walking and biking as much as we can when it is practical.  However, living there is just not in the cards for us.  I've always loved having and maintaining a yard and being able to have a large vegetable garden.  MC loves to plant and tend flowers and between my beer making, our bicycles, motorcycles, and a few other space-consuming hobbies we could never downsize enough to accomplish that.  Well, unless we had 3/4 of a mil to buy a place at Urban8, which we don't.

Don't go downtown then. I think psychotic people, stealing and taking advatange of the poor is wrong. Thus I avoid the area.

Are you referring to the casino, Wal-Mart, or the tweakers stealing and taking advantage of the poor?  :o

I have heard a few different federal agencies are looking at it. Pretty sure USACE is moving, but also heard that IRS/ICE are not. A few engineers were talking about their companies looking at the spaces and figured they had to have done recent renovations or something.