Modern Tulsa

The urban Tulsa lifestyle is beginning to come into focus with the introduction of development project 119 Downtown. At the corner of 6th and Cincinnati, downtown Tulsa, this urban project will combine the historic class of the renowned ARCO Building (formerly, the Service Pipeline Building), built in 1949, with modern design elements, materials and technology.

The project will include residences as well as retail spaces with the anchor charted to be a restaurant/market, possibly the first place to buy groceries downtown. The project was designed by The McIntosh Group, will be LEED certified and feature Pohlenz kitchens, extreme sound deadening between units, underground parking, workout facility, common patio with bocce court and living rooftops to name a few. The units will range from approximately 600 sq. ft. studios to 2,600 ft. penthouses. Prices start at $135k.

The demo unit is under construction currently and will be available for viewing in the next 2-3 weeks. The sales office is open daily and several units have already sold. The building is open for visitors and has a lot to see already with the beautiful stone and historic charm.

Visit their website at www.119downtown.com

Below are a few photos I took while touring the property.

The Robert Lawton  Jones house, built in 1959, will be having an open house Thursday, June 24th. Bob Jones was a principal of Murray Jones Murray which was responsible for some of Oklahoma’s most iconic modern structures. Join the folks from Modern Tulsa at the event.

Pohlenz Cucine Moderne and Valcucine present a lecture by Dan Rockhill Design and Construction: Hand and Mind the work of Rockhill & Associates and Studio 804. Rockhill, a distinquished professor of architecture  at the University of Kansas, will present a lecture at 5:00 pm on June 17th at the Schusterman Learning Center located at OU- Tulsa.  A reception will follow at Pohlenz Cucine Moderne starting at 7:00 pm.  The reception will allow guests to speak with Rockhill, enjoy appetizers with fresh ingredients from local Oklahoma farms and Girouard Vines wine, plus view Invitrum, the first 100% recyclable all glass kitchen from Valcucine.  We are pleased to host Professor Rockhill and look forward to the Tulsa community learning more about the sustainable architectural ideals Rockhill puts forth in his design and studio 804.

This lecture will be the first in an ongoing series to promote discussion about sustainability, ethics, and modern design.

To attend this event, please RSVP as seating is limited.

Dan Rockhill is the J L Constant Distinguished Professor of Architecture at the University of Kansas and Executive Director of Studio 804. He and his students have recently completed two LEED Platinum buildings in Kansas; a sustainable prototype for tornado ravaged Greensburg, KS, and a LEED for Homes in Kansas City, KS. Both are first time Platinum’s in Kansas. They will have completed their third LEED Platinum this summer and their first Passive House Certification as well. Their other awards include three American Institute of Architect’s Honor Awards, two Wood Design Awards, along with Steel Design, Global Housing, Sustainable Design, National Affordable Housing, two time winner of the NCARB Prize,  two time winner of Architecture Magazine’s  “Home of the Year”  and multiple awards from Residential Architect for their modular houses in Kansas City. Their recent Greensburg project appeared in the Venice Architecture Biennale, commissioned by the U.S. State Department for inclusion in the 2008 installation.

The work of the firm, Rockhill and Associates, is tightly bound to the natural milieu and culture of the Kansas region. In the spirit of regionalism, the areas archetypal forms, Spartan aesthetics, frugal methods, and relationship to nature permeate the results. They are the recipients of numerous awards, most recently; Residential Architect magazine’s Firm of the Year, one of Natural Home magazine’s Top Ten Green Architecture Firms, and Architecture magazine’s “Home of the Year.”  In all, the work has appeared in nearly two hundred international books and journals and was recognized for the 2006 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award.

As you may or may not know, up until now, the State of Oklahoma provides income tax credits for certified rehabilitations on investments in designated historic buildings statewide. This state credit has generated millions of dollars of reinvestement to revitalize vacant and underdeveloped buildings, generating jobs and increased tax revenues. However, the state legislature has recently put a moratorium on this tax credit via SB 1267. If this tax credit is not reinstated, it could have a huge impact on the future development of downtown Tulsa. The restoration of these historic buildings might not have been possible without the use of historic tax credits:

• The Mayo Hotel;
• The Mayo Building;
• The Philtower Lofts;
• The Atlas Courtyard by Marriott;
• The Tribune Lofts; and
• The Hotel Ambassador.

There are at least seven additional projects currently in the works in downtown Tulsa that may cease to happen due to the suspension of Historic Tax Credits. I ask that you please either write an original email or simply copy and paste the form letter below and contact Governor Brad Henry. For more information on the impact of historic tax credits, visit Preservation Oklahoma. Please feel free to forward this to a friend.

The reinstatement of these tax credits is vital to the revitalization of our downtown!

Sincerely,

Lee Anne Zeigler
Executive Director & CEO

• Governor Henry,I am writing to express my opposition to the recent suspension of the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, via Senate Bill 1267. I feel that a reinstatement of this credit is vital to the preservation and revitalization of not only downtown Tulsa, but to the Tulsa Community as a whole. The incentive to preserve our historic structures is imperative for many reasons. The unique architecture of Tulsa is a testament to our rich and diverse heritage. To see these buildings sitting empty strikes me as both a waste of history and resources. In an environmental context, we need to emphasize the importance of reusing and repurposing our existing resources. To let these buildings decay is a waste of man power, materials, and not to mention, architectural ingenuity and integrity. I can confidently say that a thriving downtown community is important to me. It is not only important to those of us who grew up here and continue to live here now, but also to the intellectual and creative talent from elsewhere that so many local organizations and businesses are striving to attract and retain in the Tulsa community. I urge you to reconsider the suspension of the Oklahoma Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit.

moderntulsa is excited to announce its second mod of the moment. Join us Sunday March, 28th from  5 – 7 pm for drinks, refreshments, music and modern design at a 1956 Jack Hudson designed mid-century modern home located at the 1546 East 60th street.  Located in Tulsa’s Southern Gardens, the house is the sister house of the 1956 Parade of Homes house”The Haven”, just a few doors down. Designed by Jack Hudson and built by Doran Johnson, “The Haven” offered more than comfortable and easy living, it offered safety from bombs and storms as well. The home was built with a reinforced concrete bomb-shelter that served as the hallway from the family and living rooms to the three bedrooms. Sound intriguing join us this Sunday to see it for yourself!

Modern Tulsa would like to thank Aberson Exhibits and Center 1 Market for their generous sponsorship of this event.

Offer Made for Ex-City Hall

The Tulsa City-Hall, located at the historic civic center plaza, has had an offer made on the property by Tori and Macy Snyder of Brickhugger LLC. One can only hope the Snyder Family, who attended Preservation Oklahoma’s unveiling of the 11 Most Endangered Properties in Oklahoma in which the Tulsa Civic Center was highlighted, have plans for a sensitive and modern appropriate renovation of the property.

Pics to come…..