Downtown Tulsa Building Gets New Lease On Life

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- An historic downtown Tulsa building is getting a new lease on life.

Renovation started Monday on the Mathews Warehouse in the Brady District. With help from the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the 1922 building is being turned into a center for the arts.

It'll house collections from the Philbrook and Gilcrease Museums and The University of Tulsa's Zarrow Center for Arts and Education.

"20 to 30 years from now when our children, grandchildren, etc are able to look outside and wonder 'how'd this place come together?', because so many things are going to happen in the downtown area.. because this really is the heart of our city," said Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett.

The Kaiser Foundation is also building an $8-million public park across from the Mathews Building, and paying for several blocks of street-scaping.