200-room Aloft Hotel coming to downtown

[Urban Enthusiast]

According to this article in the Urban Tulsa Weekly. The site of the former City hall, which was recently sold to Brickhugger LLC (owned by the Snyder's, the ones who redid the Mayo) for $1.2 million, will be turned into an Aloft Hotel. This will be Tulsa's second Aloft and will be adjacent to the convention center. They also want to extend 5th street into the site. It currently stops at Denver.

Should be an interesting development. I think an Aloft will work well on that site. It has lots of unique mid-century qualities.

[Spartan]

Hahaha, that's cool. We're becoming an Aloft state. I am glad they finally sold that site to the Snyders...couldn't believe it got delayed. Extending 5th Street tells me that Tori Snyder gets it and is a true urbanist.

[NickFiggins]

The biggest boon is that a property is being put back on the rolls, OTC (city hall) being taking off the rolls had to have an impact on tax collections especially since it still has private tenants like BOk in it. The main thing that give me hope that this will actually be completed is the Manhattan part of the development team, they are top notch. The views from the Aloft though is fun (its completely surrounded by 1960's: convention center, library, Post Office, and court house)

[Swake2]

This is solid, it's the Snyder family behind this project as a company called Brickhugger. They are the ones that reopened the Mayo (so much for the statement on here that the Mayo is failing). And of course Manhattan is the construction company, Brickhugger is a mother/daughter team, and the husband/father to these women is the president of Manhattan Construction. I'm sure with the full support of the Rooney family who own Manhattan and are big Tulsa boosters.

The other hotel going in by the BOk Center is solid too, The One Place Hilton is being done by the Construction Director of the BOk Center with former Mayor Kathy Taylor's son in law. The two projects together will take downtown Tulsa to eight hotels with some 1700 rooms.

[Spartan]

Is One Place going to happen though? I know Eggleston was assuring people it would, but that's what developers always do. I heard there was some doubt on that deal.

[Urban Enthusiast]

Is One Place going to happen though? I know Eggleston was assuring people it would, but that's what developers always do. I heard there was some doubt on that deal.

I haven't heard a peep about the One Place development. I really hope it's still going to happen, but I have this attitude now where I won't believe it until I see it.

[BG918]

That is a good attitude to have in a recession.

[Spartan]

I haven't heard a peep about the One Place development. I really hope it's still going to happen, but I have this attitude now where I won't believe it until I see it.

Not hearing a peep about a project is generally a bad thing.

[TulsaRobert]

My understanding is that One Place is still a "go", just slowly moving through approval process.

[Swake2]

The project is approved and not delayed. But, they didn't come to an agreement with TDA until March of this year and don't expect to close on the sale of the land until fall, currently they are in the design and environmental impact study phase of the project.

Here's an article from March and another from just two months ago. There's no delay at all on this except what TDA created by not coming to terms for almost a year.

http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=29575

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/a...4_Howdoe471234

Eggleston's other project is The Village on Main in Jenks and it's fully under construction. The first building is done and they are starting site work on the rest of the project.

[Urban Enthusiast]

Well, I'm encouraged by your posting Swake. Development in downtown is certainly picking up steam. I hope it continues and even accelerates.

[Spartan]

The project is approved and not delayed. But, they didn't come to an agreement with TDA until March of this year and don't expect to close on the sale of the land until fall, currently they are in the design and environmental impact study phase of the project.

Here's an article from March and another from just two months ago. There's no delay at all on this except what TDA created by not coming to terms for almost a year.

http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=29575

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/a...4_Howdoe471234

Eggleston's other project is The Village on Main in Jenks and it's fully under construction. The first building is done and they are starting site work on the rest of the project.

Yeah, I read that article when it came out, which prompted me to do a downtown Tulsa project rundown intended for OKC eyes, which you may remember. That was such a great article because of Eggleston's quote about the difference between dealing with the TDA and Jenks.

[Swake2]

Another new downtown Hotel, this time a Fairfield Inn and Suites in the Brady District. That makes an ALoft, a Hilton and a Fairfield all to be open in the next two years.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/artic...0_TheAtl666216

[Spartan]

What Hilton are you talking about? Did a project get rebranded or something?

Is there a rendering yet for this project, or any structural details? Or are they just announcing a deal, and haven't finalized architectural plans yet?

[Floyd]

The One Place project is to be a Hilton.

No rendering yet. The deal is done, architecture is not. It's kind of the opposite of "pretty pictures, no financing" that we so often see. They own the land, have the cash, and were awarded a franchise. Just a matter of moving dirt and laying brick.

[Spartan]

Oh, right. For some reason I keep forgetting about One Place. Shame on me, because it's such a great project.

[Urban Enthusiast]

This rendering of the new Fairfield Inn and Suites was in a Tulsa World article.

[Spartan]

Smaller than I expected, but I like it--goes to show how you don't have to make a lot of modifications to a very generic design in order to make it appropriate downtown. The no-setback thing is key though. I think the building does a good job of abutting the street on the main side, though it could do more to reinforce the street corner.

[Urban Enthusiast]

Yeah, the developer wants to use as much brick as possible. Little to no EFIS, he says. I think the architecture fits well within the Brady. Glad to see a parking lot being converted to a much higher and better use and glad to see this thing abutting the sidewalk. I agree with you Spartan, they could do more to reinforce the street corner. Having a retail entrance there and/or maybe some outdoor seating.

[Spartan]

Well it appears that the corner on the other end is well defined (with a last row of windows, rather than blank wall, and with the street level awning projecting out toward the cross street), so why does this one in front of this particular perspective lack any distinguishing elements?

[Swake2]

According to the developer who is posting on TulsaNow, this is not a final design, from Will Wilkens:

The rendering doesn't show well and it is at the concept stage, the chosen architect will further refine the exterior elevation during the A/E services phase, but it has been important to all involved that the exterior reflect the existing architecture in the Brady District and that it be predominantly brick and mortar, not much EFIS, if any.

The hotel will feature the standard Fairfield Inn & Suites amenities such as in-ground pool and workout facility. Other features may be added once the design portion of the A/E services kicks in, depending on space.

To either side of the first floor porte-cochère, there will be approximately 5,300sf (North end) and 5,700sf (South end) that could be divided further into commercial/retail/restaurant space.

We will be looking for a coffee/pastry shop, restaurant/entertainment concepts and others that will contribute not only to the hotel guest's stay, but the District as a whole.

If anyone is interested in space, feel free to give Cecilia Wilkins a call at 918-902-8959

Also released today, four blocks away from the Fairfield and right across the street from Oneok Field, is Greenarch, a 63 unit mixed use development




http://www.tulsabusiness.com/article.asp?aID=51398

[HOT ROD]

Tulsa's looking good!

[Chautauqua]

Also released today, four blocks away from the Fairfield and right across the street from Oneok Field, is Greenarch, a 63 unit mixed use development




http://www.tulsabusiness.com/article.asp?aID=51398

Those are nice looking buildings....

[metro]

cool, hope it comes to fruition.

[mheaton76]

These look great, but for anyone planning a visit to Tulsa - I would personally recommend the Ambassador. Had the opportunity for a Tulsa evening recently to catch Swan Lake, grab dinner at the Stonehorse Cafe, and spent the night there. It almost didn't feel like a hotel room in terms of the layout, aesthetics and the quality of the whole experience. I also liked being able to experience so much in one evening, and drive so little, once in town. Was hoping to stay longer to get in a visit to the Philbrook but had to come back early. Oh well, next time I guess.