Here's a myspace site I found about
Lortondale (//%22http://www.myspace.com/lortondale%22).
I have a policy of not viewing any web page that plays music to me... unless its a website for a band.
sorry cannon fodder the music is topical for the site, I like the Tornadoes that is why I put the music on there. There is a pause button.
Love the site! I wanna live there. People seem to be enjoying the living there. There seems to be a quite a community. Any chance I could strip down the detail on my gingerbread and make it a Lortondale modern?[:D]
quote:
Originally posted by Dana431
Love the site! I wanna live there. People seem to be enjoying the living there. There seems to be a quite a community. Any chance I could strip down the detail on my gingerbread and make it a Lortondale modern?[:D]
We sure do enjoy Lortondale. I am a 20 year owner/resident. Sorry Dana431, but the modern aspect of our homes can not be replicated by stripping down an earlier style. I bought my Lortondale house in 1987, before I truly appreciated the architecture and historic aspects of the neighborhood, I just knew I loved the glass walls and vaulted ceilings. I have since obtained a much deeper knowledge and appreciation of Lortondale. Visit www.lortondale.com and check out the history pages for more info about the history and architecture of Lortondale. And by the way, the history pages on this website, www.lortondale.com were authored, conceived and written by yours truly Steve. I have seen my copy reproduced on many other websites, but no credit is given to me as author of this. Well, at least I am not bitter...
I hope I didn't step on your toes with that link. It really is a cool site! Thanks for providing the other links.
Some historic facts about the Lortondale subdivison in Tulsa:
1. The Lortondale subdivision, 26th St. to 27th Pl., Yale to Darlington, was built on the original Creek Indian allotment of Frances Perryman. The land in the mid 1920s-mid 1930s was the country estate of the Eugene Lorton family, the publisher of the Tulsa World, (hence the name Lortondale) and was later the original site of Meadowbrook Country Club. Meadowbrook sold the land to Tulsa homebuilder Howard Grubb in 1952, and he subdivided and built the Lortondale addition in 1954-1956.
2. Lortondale was the very first merchant builder (speculative) housing development in the United States where all homes were built with central air conditioning as a standard feature, built on slab foundations with in-slab forced air HVAC ducts. Builder Howard Grubb and the Chrysler Air-Temp Corporation featured Lortondale homes in their national magazine ads at the time, and Lortondale made national homebuilding news for this "luxury" feature. An historic homebuilding fact, right here in Tulsa.
3. The Lortondale subdivision was the first subdivision in Tulsa to have a private, developer-built neighborhood swimming pool. The Lortondale pool at 4941 E. 26th St. opened in the summer of 1956, and is still in continuous operation today, thanks to the hard work and dedicated labor of volunteers. It is still a private pool, but is open to residents outside of Lortondale for the paid membership fees. A real Tulsa gem.
4. Lortondale received more than a dozen architectural and neighborhood planning awards from 1954-1962. Lortondale was featured at least 3 times in "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine, 2 times in "Parents" magazine, 2 times in "House & Home" (a builder's trade publication) magazine, and other magazines of the period such as "Living for Young Homemakers."
5. Lortondale modern homes are all professionally architect designed. Builder Howard Grubb employed architect Donald Honn to design Lortondale homes. Builders today rarely, if ever, employ professional architects to design "tract" homes, as Lortondale homes may be called. Builder Grubb wanted to offer the middle-class home buyer the ultimate in luxury and contemporary home design at the time.
Lortondale was built by Tulsa homebuilder Howard Grubb in 1954-1956, and all Lortondale modern homes were designed by famed midwest architect Donald Honn. Donald Honn is noted for Lortondale, many similar residential developments in Lubbock TX, Ft. Wayne IN, many custom private homes in Tulsa, Park Elementary School in Tulsa, Esplanade Condominiums in Tulsa, Tulsa Country Club, Meadowbrook Country Club on 81st St.
The Lortondale subdivision at 26th & Yale has much to be proud of.
You know, I really enjoy these threads about Tulsa neighborhoods. The TulsaNow Site needs a forum dedicated just to the all different neighborhoods in Tulsa.
quote:
Originally posted by Double A
You know, I really enjoy these threads about Tulsa neighborhoods. The TulsaNow Site needs a forum dedicated just to the all different neighborhoods in Tulsa.
Yes, as you can see from my above posts about Lortondale, I am quite passionate and love the history of my neighborhood, Lortondale. Much of what I know I learned just by checking out and pouring over the property abstract of my house in Lortondale. I learned all about the former Indian ownership of the land, the subsequent ownership of the Lorton family and Meadowbrook Country Club, etc. and about the former residents of my house. I am glad Oklahoma is one of the few states left that requires abstract maintenance; without that I would not know the complete history of my property that I now know.
For those wanting to research their own property, here is what I did. I called Guaranty Abstract, and told them the legal description of my house: Lot X, Block X, Lortondale Subdivision to the City of Tulsa. They looked up on the computer system and told me instantly where my property abstract was housed, in my case at Tulsa Abstract & Title on Denver Ave. I went down there and checked it out, free of charge, for after all, the property owner owns the abstract. The abstract is a treasure trove of historical information about the ownership and development of the land.
I am glad to see that Lortondale has prospered. My first home was on the South side of 27th place. The north side of the street are the contemporary Lortondale, while the north side is the more traditional Grandview Manor edition. Lortondale was not a popular buy in 1974. I loved the style and could have bought one for 20% less than the traditional but alas my wife was not as enthusiastic about the styling. We also worried, as everyone did then, about the cost of heating and cooling the glass walled, slab built homes with no attic space. We called them California style. Great neighborhood.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
Some historic facts about the Lortondale subdivison in Tulsa:
1. The Lortondale subdivision, 26th St. to 27th Pl., Yale to Darlington, was built on the original Creek Indian allotment of Frances Perryman. The land in the mid 1920s-mid 1930s was the country estate of the Eugene Lorton family, the publisher of the Tulsa World, (hence the name Lortondale) and was later the original site of Meadowbrook Country Club. Meadowbrook sold the land to Tulsa homebuilder Howard Grubb in 1952, and he subdivided and built the Lortondale addition in 1954-1956.
2. Lortondale was the very first merchant builder (speculative) housing development in the United States where all homes were built with central air conditioning as a standard feature, built on slab foundations with in-slab forced air HVAC ducts. Builder Howard Grubb and the Chrysler Air-Temp Corporation featured Lortondale homes in their national magazine ads at the time, and Lortondale made national homebuilding news for this "luxury" feature. An historic homebuilding fact, right here in Tulsa.
3. The Lortondale subdivision was the first subdivision in Tulsa to have a private, developer-built neighborhood swimming pool. The Lortondale pool at 4941 E. 26th St. opened in the summer of 1956, and is still in continuous operation today, thanks to the hard work and dedicated labor of volunteers. It is still a private pool, but is open to residents outside of Lortondale for the paid membership fees. A real Tulsa gem.
4. Lortondale received more than a dozen architectural and neighborhood planning awards from 1954-1962. Lortondale was featured at least 3 times in "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine, 2 times in "Parents" magazine, 2 times in "House & Home" (a builder's trade publication) magazine, and other magazines of the period such as "Living for Young Homemakers."
5. Lortondale modern homes are all professionally architect designed. Builder Howard Grubb employed architect Donald Honn to design Lortondale homes. Builders today rarely, if ever, employ professional architects to design "tract" homes, as Lortondale homes may be called. Builder Grubb wanted to offer the middle-class home buyer the ultimate in luxury and contemporary home design at the time.
Lortondale was built by Tulsa homebuilder Howard Grubb in 1954-1956, and all Lortondale modern homes were designed by famed midwest architect Donald Honn. Donald Honn is noted for Lortondale, many similar residential developments in Lubbock TX, Ft. Wayne IN, many custom private homes in Tulsa, Park Elementary School in Tulsa, Esplanade Condominiums in Tulsa, Tulsa Country Club, Meadowbrook Country Club on 81st St.
The Lortondale subdivision at 26th & Yale has much to be proud of.
It's funny how your tastes change over time. My parents bought their first house around 1975 or so, right before I was born...it wasn't in Lortondale, not even in this state, but it was VERY similar styling. I remember that the whole house had vaulted ceilings, walls between the family room, living room, dining, and kitchen didn't extend fully up, so you could see over into the next room (I always thought it was fun to try and throw things over these walls) and there were huge panes of glass. In fact, the end of the galley kitchen was a solid sheet of floor to ceiling glass, but mom had it taken out because she was afraid that my little brother and i would run into it, causing a disaster. Anyway, as a child, I HATED the house. I thought it was so ugly. Probably because all the other houses in our neighborhood were more traditional. Anyway, when we moved to a more cookie-cutter situation in the 1980's, I was relieved, but in retrospect, I think that first house was pretty damn cool.
And kudos to you for doing all the research on your neighborhood. I live in Florence Park, and while I have the complete history of my house, including photos going back to the late 1920's when it was new, I have had a hard time finding out anything else about the development.
quote:
Originally posted by Double A
You know, I really enjoy these threads about Tulsa neighborhoods. The TulsaNow Site needs a forum dedicated just to the all different neighborhoods in Tulsa.
I think that's a great idea. I don't have the foggiest idea about my own neighborhood, except for that of my own house.
quote:
Originally posted by waterboy
I am glad to see that Lortondale has prospered. My first home was on the South side of 27th place. The north side of the street are the contemporary Lortondale, while the north side is the more traditional Grandview Manor edition. Lortondale was not a popular buy in 1974. I loved the style and could have bought one for 20% less than the traditional but alas my wife was not as enthusiastic about the styling. We also worried, as everyone did then, about the cost of heating and cooling the glass walled, slab built homes with no attic space. We called them California style. Great neighborhood.
Lortondale modern homes are still a bargain today. For the lover of modern architecture, as I am, the trick is to wait it out and find one that has been reasonably well maintained with no drastic architectural alterations. I was lucky enough in 1987 to find my house, pretty much unchanged from 1954 except for the conversion of the 2-car garage to living space and the addition of a carport. I still have all the original glass window walls, wood tile flooring, original mahogany living room paneling, all original mahogany woodwork & door/window trim, original kitchen cabinets with sliding masonite doors, etc. My house even had the original 1954 Chrysler Air Temp furnace when I bought it; that has since been replaced. Paid $50,000 for my house in 1987. The house next door to me which is very similar to mine but about 30% smaller in living area, sold for $97,000 2 months ago.
Lortondale modern homes certainly have their own unique maintenance issues, specifically the roofs, but overall they do not require any more maintenance than any other home of the era. For me, utility costs have not been a big issue. I have 1900 sq. feet (including the garage conversion). So far this winter, my highest gas bill was $180 and that was the bill I received in January. I am on average payment for electric, and I curently pay $60 AMP on electric. Not bad I think; I have heard of much worse.
quote:
Originally posted by tulsa1603
It's funny how your tastes change over time. My parents bought their first house around 1975 or so, right before I was born...it wasn't in Lortondale, not even in this state, but it was VERY similar styling. I remember that the whole house had vaulted ceilings, walls between the family room, living room, dining, and kitchen didn't extend fully up, so you could see over into the next room (I always thought it was fun to try and throw things over these walls) and there were huge panes of glass. In fact, the end of the galley kitchen was a solid sheet of floor to ceiling glass, but mom had it taken out because she was afraid that my little brother and i would run into it, causing a disaster. Anyway, as a child, I HATED the house. I thought it was so ugly. Probably because all the other houses in our neighborhood were more traditional. Anyway, when we moved to a more cookie-cutter situation in the 1980's, I was relieved, but in retrospect, I think that first house was pretty damn cool.
And kudos to you for doing all the research on your neighborhood. I live in Florence Park, and while I have the complete history of my house, including photos going back to the late 1920's when it was new, I have had a hard time finding out anything else about the development.
Check out your property abstract, it can be a wealth of historical information about your home and the neighborhood. Lortondale was lucky to be featured in so many national magazines in the 1950s. Myself and many of my like-minded neighbors have original copies of these magazines and the articles and period color and b/w photos are priceless to us. Lortondale did suffer from lack of interest in the 1970s-1980s, but is slowly on the rebound from new owners in their 20s-30s that have a new appreciation for 20th century modern design, can recognize a housing bargain, and are interested in restoration/preservation.
Tastes certainly do change, my own included, but I loved the modern design of Lortondale ever since I was a kid in the 1960s. I remember seing these houses back then and wishing I lived in one; today I do, for 20 years now! I have slowly tried to furnish my house over the years with period modern design furnishings (Bertoia, Saarinen, Eames, Noguchi, etc.) buying one piece at a time as I could afford it. I wouldn't live anywhere else.
Lortondale is without a doubt Tulsa's best real estate value. But don't mess up and go overboard remodeling. If you have a mint condition Lortondale home you have something of real value.
quote:
Originally posted by Hometown
Lortondale is without a doubt Tulsa's best real estate value. But don't mess up and go overboard remodeling. If you have a mint condition Lortondale home you have something of real value.
Right. The more original, and well maintained, a Lortondale home is, the more valuable it is today. People that have a true interest and passion about these homes want original features such as flooring, woodwork, the "boomerang Formica" countertops, the original glass window walls, and the original architecture. That is what makes our homes unique and historical today. When Lortondale was originally developed in 1954, it was outside of the Tulsa city limits. City ordinance brought Lortondale into the city limits on 12-31-54. Far southeast Tulsa then, right smack in the middle of town now. IMO, you couldn't ask for a better location today.
Another interesting bit of Lortondale history:
In 1953, before builder Howard Grubb and architect Donald Honn commenced construction of Lortondale proper at 26th & Yale, they built 4 test/model homes on 21st Place & Pittsburgh Ave. in the Mayo Meadow subdivision. They used these homes to test public opinion of the designs, and make design/feature changes they deemed necessary. From published accounts, the homes were a huge hit and they were mobbed with lookers for weeks on end. These model homes were featured in the January 1954 edition of builders magazine "House & Home," along with a full page ad from Chrysler Air Temp touting central air condidioning in Lortondale. I have a copy of this magazine. All of these test homes were 1 bath, 1 car garage models. As a result of public feedback, they offered 1 1/2 and 2 bath models, and 2 car garage models in Lortondale. They also moved the laundry facilities from the kitchens in the original test homes, to the garage in Lortondale homes at 26th & Yale, which freed up kitchen space and lessened the load on the central A/C units. The original selling prices for Lortondale homes at 26th & Yale were $13,500 - $16,500 (including lot and a share of ownership in the Lortondale pool), depending upon size and options selected. In addition to central A/C, all Lortondale homes came with a built-in Hotpoint dishwasher, another rare luxury for 1954!
These original model homes still stand today on 21st Place and Pittsburgh, directly south of the "golden driller" statue. They have been modified over the years, but you can still see the original features, and for the most part, they look like the homes built in Lortondale. I wonder if the owners of these houses know of their historic significance?
This is very interesting stuff. I had wondered about those two Mayo Meadow homes.
The picture on your MySpace page with the toy tractor parked in the driveway looks straight out of The Incredibles.
Telstar is exactly the right tune for your neighborhood.
Does Lortondale qualify for HP zoning?
quote:
Originally posted by Double A
Does Lortondale qualify for HP zoning?
Neighborhood has to request that zoning from the city.
Thank you captain obvious, I realize that. It does not answer my question though, does it? You have the makings of a superb government bureaucrat.
quote:
Originally posted by Double A
Thank you captain obvious, I realize that. It does not answer my question though, does it? You have the makings of a superb government bureaucrat.
You're welcome, Pvt. Petulance. Sorry I tried to help.
Looking at the Tulsa ordinance on such things (//%22http://tulsapreservationcommission.org/zoning/ordinance/1054/%22), Lortondale is eligible. It's more than 50 years old and would likely meet the criteria if the neighborhood wanted to pursue it.
quote:
Originally posted by Double A
Does Lortondale qualify for HP zoning?
Yes, we do, but the way I understand it is inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places is the first step. This is just an honorary designation and does not stop property modification. After that, HP zoning can be implemented with a majority approval by the property owners.
I understand the Tulsa Preservation Commission is currently doing an architectural survey of Lortondale to survey each house and record architectural changes over the years. They expect this survey to be finished by May 2007. If results are favorable, they intend to apply for National Historic Register status for Lortondale. They are currently doing the same thing for Ranch Acres. As a 20 year resident of Lortondale, I think HP zoning will be a tough sell, but is not out of the question. I sincerely hope we eventually have HP zoning, but due to the current high number of rental properties and residents that don't care, or just "don't get it" regarding the architectural significance, HP zoning is not in the near future IMO. I can hope, though.
quote:
Originally posted by MichaelBates
This is very interesting stuff. I had wondered about those two Mayo Meadow homes.
People that have seen those homes may have wondered about them, because they look so different from the surrounding neighborhood. That's what they are, the original model homes for Lortondale. 4 houses, from the corner of 21st Place & Pittsburgh Ave. to the east, on the south side of the street. Only 2 different floor plans, but original roof designs were either N/S pitch or E/W pitch. Different exterior masonry and windows. They showed how you could have basically the same home, but they could each look quite unique.
Three have been drastically modified over the years with roof/carport/additions, but the 3rd house east from the corner is basically original. That was the house featured in the Chrysler Air Temp ad in Jan. 1954 that I have, and it still looks pretty much the same as the big picture in the ad.
Some more Lortondale trivia, some of the awards granted to builder Howard Grubb, architect Donald Honn, and the Lortondale neighborhood in the 1950s:
Homebuilder Howard C. Grubb was recognized as one of the nation's 8 most progressive homebuilders in 1954 by the National Association of Home Builders. By 1954, Grubb had built over 3,000 homes in the Tulsa area. He was Tulsa's highest volume home builder in the late 1940s through mid 1950s. From what I can tell from historical documents, he was still active in Tulsa homebuilding into the 1970s, but switched his focus to custom homes rather than large "tract" or spec. developments.
PARENT'S Magazine 1954 Award for Lortondale - Best Homes for Families With Children
LIFE Magazine 1954 Award for Lortondale - Best Builder's House of the Year for Design and Liveability
National Association of Home Builders 1954 Award for Lortondale for Design & Liveability, one of 4 granted that year.
Lortondale in Tulsa, as originally announced in 1953, was to be approximately 540 homes built on 4, 40-acre tracts between 26th St. and 31st St., Yale to Hudson Ave. Each of the 4 40-acre tracts was to be built around a resident-owned swimming pool recreation facility. Phase 1 and its swimming pool were completed as planned. Phase 2, from 26th St to 27th Pl., Darlington to Hudson, was about 2/3 completed with swimming pool at 27th & Hudson. At that point in late 1956, demand for Lortondale modern homes diminished, and builder Grubb sold off any of his remaining land to other developers.
Original Lortondale homeowners included architects, engineers, and young professionals, many of which could well afford a more expensive home, but loved the unique progressive architecture and innovations of Lortondale. The same seems to hold today. Funny how modern architecture has always been embraced in the U.S. for office and commercial buildings, but residential construction remains a stronghold of past designs, with little vision and ideas of the future. Tulsa is very lucky to have Lortondale and the unique period of time it embodies.
What's the energy efficiency of the Lortondale homes?
quote:
Originally posted by rwarn17588
What's the energy efficiency of the Lortondale homes?
Average by the construction standards of the early 1950s when our homes were built. As originally constructed, the houses are on slab foundations with in-slab HVAC ducting. No insulation was put in exterior walls, and the ceilings have 4" of "rock wool" insulation bats. All original windows were single glazed plate glass. Barely minimal by today's standards, but normal for 1954, when you could run the A/C or heat 24/7 and still only receive a $30-$40 utility bill.
My house is about 1900 sq. ft. (with garage converted to living space with its own A/C and gas wall furnace.) The exterior of my house was resided in the late 1960s and I think some exterior wall insulation was added at that time. I still have the original ceiling insulation and original single glazed windows. The highest gas bill I have received this winter was $180. (For Dec. 2005, I received my highest gas bill ever, $240, when natural gas prices had hit a peak.) I am on average pay electric, my AMP amount is currently $60. Not too bad today for 1900 sq. ft.
One thing I have really noticed over the years is the passive solar heating effects I get. My house is on the south side of the street and the large 26-foot, floor-to-ceiling glass window wall faces south, with a 3-foot roof overhang over this glass wall. In the summertime, the sun is high and the roof overhang shades the windows and prevents excessive interior heat. In the winter, the sun is lower in the sky and I get lots of direct sunlight on these south windows and this noticeably helps to heat the interior of my house. My furnace runs far less on sunny winter days.
i think my energy bills are slightly higher than yours steve, probably because my wall of windows face towards the north and not south. Overall our utility bills are about the same as any other house we have lived in, however the layout and natural light far outweigh any energy inefficiency
-shane
Thanks for the info, Steve.
What do you keep your thermostat in the wintertime? We have a programmable one, which drops the temp down to 63 when we're sleeping at night. Day thermo ranges from 68 to 70. We've never had a gas bill higher than $80 in our 1,000-square-foot home.
But I admit the average $60 electric bill is pretty good.
quote:
Originally posted by rwarn17588
Thanks for the info, Steve.
What do you keep your thermostat in the wintertime? We have a programmable one, which drops the temp down to 63 when we're sleeping at night. Day thermo ranges from 68 to 70. We've never had a gas bill higher than $80 in our 1,000-square-foot home.
But I admit the average $60 electric bill is pretty good.
I too have a programmable thermostat in my Lortondale house; I have had one since 1988 (a Honeywell Chronotherm III), before they came into widespread use. For winter heating, mine is set for 70 degrees from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM and 65 degrees from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM. I can also program a daytime "away and return" function, but since I have been semi-retired for the past 3 years and I am home during most days, I don't use that function. I have a natural gas central furnace, gas 40-gal. water heater, gas kitchen range, and gas gravity wall furnace in the converted garage (den). I leave the den furnace on all winter, but turn it down at night or when I am away from home. I called ONG about 3 weeks ago and asked them what my monthly payment would be if I went on the AMP plan for gas. They said approximately $75. I chose not to, to stay pay-as-you-go for gas. I guess I can stomach paying $60 for a winter PSO bill much more than I could paying $75 for a summer ONG bill! Must be mysterious psychological factors involved!
I have a 2.5 "ton" A/C for the central air, and a room A/C unit built into the wall of the den for the 400 sq. ft. in the converted garage. In summer A/C season, I set the central air at 80 degrees in the day, 76 degrees at night after 11:00 PM. I can tolerate summer heat much more than winter cold. As long as the A/C is doing its job to remove humidity, 80 is a comfortable summer setting for me. I like it a little cooler at night during sleeping hours. I use the den A/C unit as needed, when I am in that room for extended periods of time. I always turn off the den A/C when going to bed.
I could significantly lower my utilities if I were to add insulation in the exterior walls, blown-in cellulose or foam type. I rented a Lortondale home on 27th St. for about a year before I bought mine, and it had blown in foam in the outside walls that worked very well. I could also install new double glazing for the window glass and that would really help too, but that would be very expensive for me because it would have to be an expensive custom job; I want to preserve the 1950s modern look and large glass areas of my home at all costs. For now, I choose to just live with the original windows because I value the architecture and modern feel of my home over any additional costs I have to pay the utility companies.
Here's some Lortondale photos Steve sent me.
First there's the cover of the original Lortondale brochure.
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t174/9lalo9/Lortondale/LortondaleBrochureCover.jpg)
Looking into a Lortondale home from the backyard.
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t174/9lalo9/Lortondale/backyardatnight2.jpg)
And finally a aerial view. Here's what Steve says about it. "You can see the Tulsa 1954 downtown skyline in the background, the old water towers that used to be by Bell's Amusement Park, and the railroad tracks through midtown, before the Broken Arrow Expressway was built. The street in the foreground of the photo is Darlington Ave. This photo was taken before Lortondale Second Addition was even paved and plotted, and prior to the construction of the original Lortondale pool. You can see the vacant lots where the Lortondale pool was built. My house is clearly there in the photo. My guess is it was taken in the fall of 1954 or spring of 1955."
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t174/9lalo9/Lortondale/LortondaleAerial.jpg)
what you can also see in that bottom photo is the only butterfly roof house in all of lortondale during initial construction. That home belonged to the guy who did all of them plumbing in the neighborhood.
Thanks Hometown for posting those pics for me. The second picture is my own house, looking into my living room from the back yard. (Photo was taken by hoodlum about 2 years ago.)
I have often wondered why there is only 1 butterfly roof house, the one on 27th Street. It must have been a custom request by the original owner, or an experiment by the architect & builder. I think they look really cool, but I can see some potential water problems since it seems to drain all roof rainwater into 2 small spots, one front and one in back. They were probably too unusual to catch on with the buying public.
(For those that don't know, a "butterfly" roof is higher on each end and lower in the middle, shaped like a "V" when viewed from the front.)
the butterfly house was specifically designed and built for the plumber of lortondale.
sorry for the use of "them plumbing", sounded very bad
I should also give credit for picture #3, the aerial shot of Lortondale phase 1, circa 1954. This photo, and many other great vintage photos, was given to our neighborhood association by Sharon Honn, daughter of Lortondale architect Donald Honn.
The aerial shows Darlington Ave in the foreground, 26th St, 26th Terrace, 26th Place, 27th St, and part of 27th Place, all of Lortondale phase 1. Lortondale phase 2 was built in the big open field at the bottom of the picture in 1955-1956. Yale Avenue, still just a 2-lane road, runs across the center of the picture horizontally. North is to the right.
Here's another one from Steve.
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t174/9lalo9/Lortondale/Chrysler_Ad.jpg)
This photo is a full page ad from the January 1954 "House & Home" magazine for the Chrysler Air Temp air conditioning company. The house feaured in the ad was one of the original Lortondale model homes constructed at 21st Place & Pittsburgh Ave.
Thanks for posting that great ad pic for me Hometown. I love the quote at the bottom of the page, "The Truly Modern Home Must Be Air Conditioned." And Lortondale/Chryler Air Conditioning received the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval!"
quote:
Originally posted by teddy jack eddy
My house is the at the bottom and all the way to the left. It's the southernmost house that's completed; the one with the big patio on the North side.
Great! My house is on 26th Street by where 26th St. and 26th Terrace intersect, south side of the street, very close to the Lortondale Pool. I remember that your house sold within the past year or two.
Are you going to the neighborhood meeting tonight 4-5-07? We are meeting with Ed Sharrer of the City planning department/Historic Preservation Commission. He is going to discuss the recent architecture survey that has been made of Lortondale and the efforts to place Lortondale on the National Historic Register. He will answer question from homeowners and explain the process. I am also going to ask him about the recent controversy with the City BOA and the Preservation Commission. Should be a very interesting and worthwhile meeting for all Lortondale owners to attend.
My sister and brother n law owned one of those homes back in the early 1970's. I know a few folks that still reside in that neighborhood.
Interesting architecture, nice neighborhood, had a big swimming pool private culb back then, pool is still there not sure if it operated today.
Great photos, the logos and graphics are pure 50's. Brings back lots of memories.
quote:
Originally posted by AMP
Interesting architecture, nice neighborhood, had a big swimming pool private culb back then, pool is still there not sure if it operated today.
Great photos, the logos and graphics are pure 50's. Brings back lots of memories.
Yep AMP, the Lortondale Pool at 4941 E 26th St. is still in operation today. It is still a private neighborhood pool for dues-paying members and guests only. It was Tulsa's very first private neighborhood pool and has been open every summer since 1956. Clean-up, preparation and maintenance is underway for the 2007 season.
There is also a second neighborhood pool at the corner of 27th & Hudson for the Lortondale Second Addition. It opened later after the Lortondale Pool. This pool was open last year but there were rumors that it was being shut down permanently after 2006; I don't know what the status of that one is today.
does anyone know of any lortondale homes on the market right now?
quote:
Originally posted by colemandavid
does anyone know of any lortondale homes on the market right now?
The last one I know about was in Lortondale Second, at the corner of 26th St. & Hudson; that house recently sold.
There are 2 houses in Lortondale that I know are vacant, but no signs or indication that they are for sale. Do a frequent search at www.realtor.com and search in zip code 74114. Homes that are realtor-listed usually show up there. It only takes about 15 minutes or less to just drive through Lortondale or Lortondale Second to check for "sale by owner" signs too.
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Originally posted by Hometown
Here's another one from Steve.
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t174/9lalo9/Lortondale/Chrysler_Ad.jpg)
This photo is a full page ad from the January 1954 "House & Home" magazine for the Chrysler Air Temp air conditioning company. The house feaured in the ad was one of the original Lortondale model homes constructed at 21st Place & Pittsburgh Ave.
for those of you that want to stay historically accurate when you have to replace a unit, Fedders is the spiritual successor to Airtemp.
A different viewing ang of current Lortondale.
(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p309/kallsop2/lortondale2.jpg)
The address is the pool.
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Originally posted by inteller
for those of you that want to stay historically accurate when you have to replace a unit, Fedders is the spiritual successor to Airtemp.
That's interesting to know. When I bought my Lortondale home in April 1987, it still had the original Chrysler furnace. The outside A/C unit was a round Freidrich unit. I replaced the old Chrysler furnace in 1988 with a Carrier. I still have the same Freidrich outside A/C unit to this day; I have never even had to have it recharged with coolant! It is located on the east side of the house under the wide roof overhang, and is shielded from sun and rain pretty well. I just make sure every year it is kept clean of debris (that damn cottonwood crap mostly) and it has been running strong for me for 20 years and counting. Preventative maintenance is the key.
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Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by inteller
for those of you that want to stay historically accurate when you have to replace a unit, Fedders is the spiritual successor to Airtemp.
That's interesting to know. When I bought my Lortondale home in April 1987, it still had the original Chrysler furnace. The outside A/C unit was a round Freidrich unit. I replaced the old Chrysler furnace in 1988 with a Carrier. I still have the same Freidrich outside A/C unit to this day; I have never even had to have it recharged with coolant! It is located on the east side of the house under the wide roof overhang, and is shielded from sun and rain pretty well. I just make sure every year it is kept clean of debris (that damn cottonwood crap mostly) and it has been running strong for me for 20 years and counting. Preventative maintenance is the key.
Fedders got Airtemp back in 1976. they buried the brand for the most part. however Airtemp had that Comfortzone model Fedders now has a model called Comforttech.
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Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by colemandavid
does anyone know of any lortondale homes on the market right now?
The last one I know about was in Lortondale Second, at the corner of 26th St. & Hudson; that house recently sold.
There are 2 houses in Lortondale that I know are vacant, but no signs or indication that they are for sale. Do a frequent search at www.realtor.com and search in zip code 74114. Homes that are realtor-listed usually show up there. It only takes about 15 minutes or less to just drive through Lortondale or Lortondale Second to check for "sale by owner" signs too.
I just got back from a drive around the 'hood, absolutely no "for sale" signs on any Lortondale or Lortondale Second houses! I guess that is a good thing from my perspective as a Lortondale owner.
The only sign was the "sold" sign on the house at the northwest corner of 26th St. & Hudson. From what I have heard about that house, it was sold by the original 1955 owner, and the interior of the house is like stepping back in time to 1955 modern Tulsa. The house does need some exterior maintenance and landscape cleanup/trimming back of overgrown shrubs, but I hope that whoever bought it appreciates Lortondale and intends to preserve the vintage jewel that this house currently is.
The Lortondale Pool, 4941 E 26th Street, is now open for the summer swimming season. Official opening will be on Saturday, June 2nd. The pool is open Tuesday through Sunday, 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM, closed Mondays for maintenance.
The Lortondale pool was Tulsa's very first private developer-built neighborhood swimming pool, opened in the summer of 1956. Join us for our 52nd consecutive year of swimming fun!!!
The Lortondale pool is on 2 residential lots with swings, volleyball court, teather ball, and the big Lortondale diving pool. Bathhouse with mens/womens showers and toilet facilities. Soda vending machines and charcoal grills onsite. Red Cross certified lifeguards on duty at all hours during normal pool operation.
Family memberships are $165 for the full summer season; single memberships are $100 for the full summer season through Labor Day. Escape the crowds and commercialization of more public facilities, and relax at the Lortondale Pool this summer!
Having been through the area you've mentioned, was Lortondale a working-class suburb in anyone's opinion?
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Originally posted by mr.jaynes
Having been through the area you've mentioned, was Lortondale a working-class suburb in anyone's opinion?
I suppose it depends on your definitions, but I do know that when originally constructed in 1954, the homes in Lortondale sold for $12,500 - $16,500, solidly in the mid price range for new homes at the time. All Lortondale modern homes are architect designed (Donald Honn) and not just plans from a builder's book of stock designs. It was rare for a tract builder such as Howard Grubb to employ an architect for his homes, and it is still very rare today. And all Lortondale homes featured central A/C (the first tract home development in the U.S. to do so) and luxuries such as built-in dishwashers. Not to mention the first coop-owned subdivision swimming pool in Tulsa. All pretty high-end amenities for 1954 Tulsa homes.
Lortondale originally attracted many professional people: architects, college professors, engineers, young professionals and families that could have afforded a more expensive home, but were drawn to Lortondale for the unique modern architecture, luxury amenities, and the foward thinking & planning of the builder Howard Grubb and architect Donald Honn.
No, I would not consider Lortondale a "working class" subdivision (I assume you mean "blue collar"), definately not originally, and not really today. It is a very unique historic piece of 1950s America, right here today in Tulsa OK. I am proud to be a 20+ year owner/resident of a Donald Honn modern Lortondale home. Many young people are realizing the value in these houses, appreciate the foward-thinking design, and are restoring them to former glory. For lovers of mid-twentieth century modern residential architecture, there is no better place to live than Lortondale.