200 room Aloft Hotel coming to downtown Tulsa

[Markk]

http://newsok.com/plaza-will-get-a-facelift-as-improvements-made/article/3792239



Plaza will get a facelift as improvements made

TULSA -- There's a transformation under way in downtown Tulsa and there's much more to come.
 
The Greater Tulsa Reporter's account talks about the transformation of old City Hall into an Aloft hotel nearing completion, but other projects just beginning.

Among the work scheduled are improvements to Tulsa’s historic downtown plaza.
 
That will include extending 5th Street from Denver Avenue to Frisco Avenue in front of the convention center.
 
Officials say the hotel is expected to be finished in mid-May. It will have 190 rooms. There will be expansive views of the BOK Center to the north.
 
The 5th Street project will cut through the middle of the plaza and will have drop-off areas for the library and Tulsa County building, as well as an access area to the hotel.

"Historic downtown plaza"?  The plaza deserves to be gutted and tossed in history's dustbin, just like the old Soviet Union (which undoubtedly was the inspiration for the plaza)

[Townsend]

"Historic downtown plaza"?  The plaza deserves to be gutted and tossed in history's dustbin, just like the old Soviet Union (which undoubtedly was the inspiration for the plaza)

...in your opinion.

[carltonplace]

"Historic downtown plaza"?  The plaza deserves to be gutted and tossed in history's dustbin, just like the old Soviet Union (which undoubtedly was the inspiration for the plaza)

This "facelift" is really more of gut and replace. There will be a frickin street where the plaza is now, if that helps your mental image.

[TheTed]

I've never seen an explanation for why no fire department access was apparently acceptable when it was city hall, but now that it's a hotel, an access road is needed.

Also, I can't be the only one disappointed in another road. Walk across downtown and it's all extra-wide roads and parking lots.

When they were showing videos of locked-down Boston the other day, the streets looked like downtown Tulsa's do most of the time.

[TheArtist]

I've never seen an explanation for why no fire department access was apparently acceptable when it was city hall, but now that it's a hotel, an access road is needed.

Change of use?

The space I am in would not have needed 2water fountains, an in ground mop sink, ADA compliant restrooms, etc. had its use stayed "restaurant" vrs being changed to "retail/gift shop". 

[Red Arrow]

I've never seen an explanation for why no fire department access was apparently acceptable when it was city hall, but now that it's a hotel, an access road is needed.

City Hall workers are expendable.  Paying guests are not.
 
 

[DowntownDan]

A nice, scenic, pretty plaza, flanked by maybe the ugliest muncipal building in America.  Seriously, it looks like someone glued some pebbles to a wall, then let it stain for 50 years.  I guess that's probably exactly what happened.

[RecycleMichael]

We have a banquet in the new place this Friday night. I am excited to see the changes.

[sgrizzle]

Also, I can't be the only one disappointed in another road. Walk across downtown and it's all extra-wide roads and parking lots.

When they were showing videos of locked-down Boston the other day, the streets looked like downtown Tulsa's do most of the time.

This is more of an access road than a road-road. And it's far from wide. It's basically just a way to pull up to Aloft and into the forthcoming library parking garage.

[Stone]

Are they ever going to put any signage on this? How are people driving through suppose to know its a hotel?

[davideinstein]

I've never seen an explanation for why no fire department access was apparently acceptable when it was city hall, but now that it's a hotel, an access road is needed.

Also, I can't be the only one disappointed in another road. Walk across downtown and it's all extra-wide roads and parking lots.

When they were showing videos of locked-down Boston the other day, the streets looked like downtown Tulsa's do most of the time.

Because it's the city of Tulsa.

[sgrizzle]

Are they ever going to put any signage on this? How are people driving through suppose to know its a hotel?

There is signage all around it, at or above car level.

[dsjeffries]

Are they ever going to put any signage on this? How are people driving through suppose to know its a hotel?

They used historic tax credits for some of the restoration, so they can't significantly alter the exterior until a certain timeframe (a couple of years? 5 years?) ends. At least, that's what I heard from someone who used to work there. Same with the salvageable single-paned windows at the Mayo.

[Stone]

They added signage at the top of the east and north sides of the building. Visitors driving through Tulsa can now tell what the building is if coming in from those directions. Coming in from the west, not so much. Big improvement non the less.

[cannon_fodder]

Watched them install that form my office. Nice sign, back lit at night. Tall buildings need signs identifying them.