Downtown Development Overview

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

So Guthrie Green is a good excuse to let them nearly destroy other parks downtown?

I'll just appeal to the good sense of the other readers here. Is that what I said?

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I'll just appeal to the good sense of the other readers here. Is that what I said?

After defending the addon removing a huge chunk of the landscaped/grassy area, you said:

And yeah it's good for mayfest but that's one weekend a year.  Many of events and activities that would make use of a downtown outdoor space have shifted to another "Green" a few blocks north.

Just because currently Guthrie Green might have become the most popular park for events right now doesn't mean there won't be more demand for another outdoor green space in the future. They are each like neighborhood parks. With more population density, they'll both be used more and some events will need to be held at Williams Green. Williams Green needs all the grass it has or it'll look pretty much like a brick park with a little bit of landscaping around the edges.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Food truck court opens this weekend:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/tulsa-s-first-food-truck-court-gets-ready-for-grand/article_8194b968-a233-50c9-83c5-9439323204b7.html

Food truck court
Park in the Pearl
What: Opening weekend
Where: 418 S. Peoria Ave
When: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday
For information, www.theparkinthepearl.com or the park's Facebook page.

Will be interesting to see what it looks like completed and to see if Tulsans support it. There is another pop-up food truck court at 11th and Atlanta which will be open for all TU home football games this year: Fuel 66 www.fuel66tulsa.com/
It is a great setup for taligating witih 3 huge screens, gazebo, a few quality food trucks (including my favorites Lone Wolf and Bohemian Feast) and they had Marshall beer. Will the Park in the Pearl create sort of a Bier Garten atmosphere or will it feel kind of bland in a weird spot? I went to the trial and it was bare but had a neat downtown view. They've added more stuff to make it permanent.

[carltonplace]

Combined with what they previously took to build the Westby Pavilion addition, it appears we will be left with about 1/2 of the original Williams Green.

I got the impression from the KWGS interview with the PAC principles that the Westby pavilion would either be removed or greatly altered in the new plan (and it seemed implied that the Westby Pavilion was a mistake). I don't think they are taking much of the William's Green. Putting additional space adjacent to the current footprint removes the need for a skywalk across Cincy Ave.

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

Vision 2025 sparked $921 million in downtown Tulsa real estate development, report says

There's no way around it. Vision 2025 is responsible for the surge in downtown development projects.

Approximately $254 million of Vision 2025 funds went to downtown Tulsa. That was in September 2003.

Since the BOK Center arena and other projects were finished in 2008, they have been joined by an additional $921 million in planned or completed private real estate developments that are bringing living options, shops, restaurants, bars and other attractions to the area, according to a new report from CB Richard Ellis.

Of that $921 million, $400 million are completed projects, $321 million are projects that have been announced or are currently under construction and $200 million are in the conceptual stages.

The report stated these unannounced projects are "large mixed-use projects in conceptual stages, not yet announced publicly, that will dramatically alter the landscape of downtown."
Cody Brandt, author of the report, said Vision 2025 was largely responsible for all these new developments.

"I think it would have been a lot more difficult for many of these projects to get off the ground," he said. "They were a changing point for Tulsa and put the focus back downtown."
The report noted there are 30 different projects currently under construction or announced. These run the gamut of offices, hotels, multi-tenant dwellings, retail or combinations of the four.

The biggest of these by far is the recently announced Santa Fe Square, which Brandt called the largest construction project for downtown since the Williams Tower in the 1970s. That $180 million development in the Blue Dome District would bring 600,000 square feet of retail, office and apartments, along with a 105-room hotel.

Other especially large projects include the $25 million Edge at East Village, a collection of 162 apartments; the $20 million Hartford Building redevelopment, which is set to include 90 apartment units and 20,000 square feet of retail in the East Village; and the $25 million The View, which includes 200 apartment units and 13,000 square feet of retail by ONEOK Field.

All told, there have been 450 apartment units created in downtown Tulsa since 2008, with 1,100 more under construction or announced.

Brandt said the units under development won't have any problem finding tenants.

"Demand for living downtown has been extraordinary," he said. "Nearly all the places downtown have long waiting lists."

Most of the development has been focused on residential or retail, but there's even been a smattering of office development. Hogan Assessments is building new headquarters in the East Village, Ross Group is converting an old car dealership into its headquarters and KSQ Architects is building its new home office by ONEOK Field.

Other than the renovation of the 810 Building in the south of downtown and the office space at Santa Fe Square, there hasn't been any speculative office creation in the area, Brandt said.

All the new development has made it more expensive to rent space in the area, as the average rates have gone up from $12 per square foot to $22 per square foot over the past six years, said Ben Ganzkow, a commercial retail property specialist with CB Richard Ellis. The increases have been especially high in the Brady District and Blue Dome areas.

Even with all the development that's come out of Vision 2025, Brandt said real estate professionals and developers are hoping voters have the opportunity to approve a new Vision 2025 package with even more civic development in the area.

"I would hope that we'd continue to see these big civic investments to help drive development into different parts of downtown," he said. "If we could do something in the south part of downtown, that would help drive development there."

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/realestate/vision-sparked-million-in-downtown-tulsa-real-estate-development-report/article_2cd7edf1-ae74-5e33-8d24-0ff556dbf460.html

The report stated these unannounced projects are "large mixed-use projects in conceptual stages, not yet announced publicly, that will dramatically alter the landscape of downtown."

[AquaMan]

Sounds sort Trump-ish. "It going to be big, and great and we're going to be impressed!"

I hear old people are still being allowed to frequent, purchase and even live in the Brady District, though. Got to stop that nonsense.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I hear old people are still being allowed to frequent, purchase and even live in the Brady District, though. Got to stop that nonsense.

Yeah....get them outa there !  Who do they think they are, trying to enjoy life at their age!!  Everyone knows they can no longer contribute in any meaningful way!  What is the world coming to....?

[swake]

Sounds sort Trump-ish. "It going to be big, and great and we're going to be impressed!"

I hear old people are still being allowed to frequent, purchase and even live in the Brady District, though. Got to stop that nonsense.

[Red Arrow]

I hear old people are still being allowed to frequent, purchase and even live in the Brady District, though. Got to stop that nonsense.

The older I get, the older old gets.  I guess I can show up if I want.

[saintnicster]

Another addition to The Boxyard -
http://www.stemcelltulsa.com/

The STEMcell will be a hands-on scientific store located in a repurposed shipping container in The Boxyard in downtown Tulsa, OK.
Part store, part laboratory, The STEMcell will provide a unique shopping/learning experience–the first of its kind in the region.

They've currently got an indiegogo campaign up to help raise some of the initial funds

Why Crowdfunding?
We want to know what you think. When opening an entirely new type of business in an area it's important to determine if the business is even wanted in the area. By contributing and sharing this campaign, not only are you voting in favor of The STEMcell, but also in favor of:

• A more educated Tulsa.
• Keeping scientific dollars local.
• Establishing Tulsa as a regional pillar in the STEM community.

Keep in mind, we aren't asking for a hand-out. Your money is not a donation. Rather, you'll be purchasing quality products–the same products which you can expect to find at The STEMcell–at a one-time discounted rate.

[Conan71]

Another addition to The Boxyard -
http://www.stemcelltulsa.com/
They've currently got an indiegogo campaign up to help raise some of the initial funds

What exactly is a scientific store?  Will they sell beakers or body parts?

[Townsend]

What exactly is a scientific store?  Will they sell beakers or body parts?

Hotdog guy might stand outside yelling about Jesus

[stemcelltulsa]

What exactly is a scientific store?  Will they sell beakers or body parts?

Beakers, of course! A scientific store is where anyone can get professional research and experimentation equipment–from beakers to telescopes. While technically it will be a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) store, that acronym still isn't universally known, so I went with the more familiar descriptor.

Opening a store like this has been something I've wanted to do for years now, and The BoxYard provided the perfect opportunity.

[Conan71]

Beakers, of course! A scientific store is where anyone can get professional research and experimentation equipment–from beakers to telescopes. While technically it will be a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) store, that acronym still isn't universally known, so I went with the more familiar descriptor.

Opening a store like this has been something I've wanted to do for years now, and The BoxYard provided the perfect opportunity.

I dig the concept, give it a shot!

Oh, and thanks for signing up and posting.  Welcome aboard!

[cannon_fodder]

Beakers, of course! A scientific store is where anyone can get professional research and experimentation equipment–from beakers to telescopes. While technically it will be a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) store, that acronym still isn't universally known, so I went with the more familiar descriptor.

Opening a store like this has been something I've wanted to do for years now, and The BoxYard provided the perfect opportunity.

Welcome!

My son goes to Riverfield (Sophomore) and is addicted to science and engineering (technology and math are just tools he has to learn to get to the science and engineering).  We are looking forward to your store for easy gift ideas for him!