City of Tulsa to present plans for brownfield sites
BY KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
1/22/13 at 6:05 AM
See the recommendations for
rehabilitating six Tulsa brownfield
sites.
The site of the former Evans-Fintube industrial complex should be developed into a large-scale retail and industrial district that would include restaurants, according to public input compiled by the city in a recently completed strategic action plan for the area.
The results of the North Tulsa Brownfields Strategic Action Plan - which also includes suggested uses for five other targeted properties - will be presented to the public at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the City Council chamber.
"These are visions and suggestions for what can be placed on those sites. That's it," said Adrienne Russ, who manages the city's brownfields program.
Russ said the report also details the process the city used to reach its findings.
The plan was funded with a $175,000 Environmental Protection Agency grant and includes six targeted properties, including the city-owned Evans-Fintube complex in the 100 block of North Lansing Avenue.
The others are the city's former Morton Health Center, 636 E. Pine St.; and four privately owned properties: former gas stations at 3519 N. Hartford Ave. and 1047 E. Apache St., the Apache Circle commercial property in the 500 block of East Apache St., and a shopping center in the 2100 block of North Cincinnati Avenue.
Tulsa was one of 23 cities nationwide and the only one in Oklahoma to be part of the EPA pilot program.
Brownfields are industrial or commercial properties that are abandoned or underused and have or potentially have environmental contamination that makes redevelopment difficult.
Russ said suggested uses for the Morton site, once cleaned up, include a cultural museum and amphitheater and a library expansion.
Tulsa's strategic action plan area encompasses the area from Interstate 244 to 36th Street North between Cincinnati and Peoria avenues and has been limited to a half-dozen sites to keep it manageable.
The sites were selected by the city, working with Denver-based EFG Brownfield Partners, after a lengthy process of reviewing public records and gathering input at public meetings from the people who live around them.
The city has obtained federal grants to clean up the Morton site, with work expected to be competed late this year. Remediation of the Evans-Fintube site has not begun because of a lack of funding, but the city has applied for $600,000 in EPA grants to begin the process.
The city has yet to determine how the publicly owned lands would be developed.
Assessments have yet to be done to determine whether the four private sites are contaminated.
Clay Bird, chief economic development officer for the city of Tulsa, said the development suggestions generated through the strategic plan are intended to spur the imagination of potential developers.
If they see there is a perceived desire for something, "then maybe all of a sudden it (the site) does look good," Bird said.
Suggested property uses
The North Tulsa Brownfields Strategic Action Plan recommends the following uses for the six sites included in the action plan. The list does not include all suggestions.
1: Former Morton Health Center, 636 E. Pine St. - Cultural museum, amphitheater and library expansion
2: Evans-Fintube site, 100 block of North Lansing Ave. - Large-scale retail and industrial district that would include restaurants
3: Former gas station, 3519 N. Hartford Ave. - Convenience store and medical office building
4: Apache Circle, 500 block of East Apache St. - Commercial kitchen with rental space, bakery, cafe
5: Shopping center, 2100 block of North Cincinnati Avenue - Cafe or restaurant with outdoor area, fresh food market
6: Former gas station, 1047 E. Apache St. - Free-standing office, storage unit and drive-through ATM
Source: City of Tulsa
Public meeting
What: City presentation of the final report from its recently completed North Tulsa Brownfields Strategic Action Plan
When: 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: City Council chamber, City Hall, 175 E. Second St.
Original Print Headline: City to present plans for brownfield sites
Kevin Canfield 918-581-8313
kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.com
