TULSA – Work is underway to polish the Pearl District.
It’s one of Tulsa’s oldest neighborhoods and it could soon join the ranks of the Blue Dome, Brady and Brookside as an entertainment district.
The area being developed sits on 6th Street just east of Peoria.
Several business owners want to revitalize the area and the city is cutting away some of the red tape so that can happen.
“We’re trying to be a place where you can live, work and play without having to drive anywhere,” Vanessa Somerville said.
She’s just about ready to start construction on her new art gallery and bar.
The Phoenix Cafe will also be opening soon, along with a recording studio.
Somerville says it’s been a long process to get here.
“Our building needs a lot of work and we’re just waiting on all of our permits and licensing to come through so that we can start working,” she said.
The city’s zoning restrictions have created a lot of red tape.
But the Tulsa Metropolitan Planning Commission started cutting away at that on Wednesday.
“With the new zoning I wouldn’t have had to do any of those things and I would have saved a little bit of money in the long process,” Somerville said.
The board approved a pilot program that will be tested on just this area of town.
Commissioners hope it will spur more growth.
“Eventually you’re going to see a more sustainable, more walkable urban environment,” Chairman Bill Leighty said.
Councilors still have to approve the pilot zoning program.
If the zoning adjustments are successful, officials expect it to be used citywide.
Somerville is hoping to open up her business in May.
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TYPros to host Street CReD
What happens when community redevelopment meets urban revitalization?
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Tulsa’s Young Professionals will host its inaugural Street CReD event April 15-16 in the Pearl District to give the intersection on Sixth Street between Peoria and Quincy a “weekend makeover.” The annual event was created to visually articulate the potential any area has of becoming a dense, transit-oriented neighborhood with a diverse mix of people and culture.
This approach to development benefits shop owners and local merchants whose products and services can more easily be observed. TYPros presents the initiative to offer citizens a clear vision of what Tulsa could become through community redevelopment and urban revitalization. Each year, TYPros will choose a different part of the city to highlight.
TYPros is currently seeking vendors, performers and community organizations to get involved. The following opportunities are free, but space is limited:
• Community Organizations
Organizations interested in promoting their services and support for community redevelopment and urban revitalization can reserve a spot in the “Community Village.”
• Vendors
Entrepreneurs, business owners and restaurateurs are invited to set up shop along Sixth Street for the weekend.
• Entertainers
Street performers of all kinds are encouraged to join the festivities. A diverse cross-section of entertainers is needed, including musicians, break-dancers, mariachi bands, performance artists and glee clubs.
When no area of Tulsa is neglected, the entire city benefits. Join TYPros for the kickoff 5-9 p.m., Friday, April 15 and the day of the event, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday, April 16. The event is free and open to the public. For more information or to reserve a vendor/partner/entertainer spot, contact Brian Paschal at 918.560.0286 or brianpaschal@typros.org.
The next Pearl District General Meeting is on April 12th, 2011. It is open to the public and it is at the “boat house” at Centennial Park at 6th & Peoria.
If you are interested in joining the Pearl, becoming an active member and getting involved, attend a general meeting and get acquainted! Hope to see you there!
