Crossland Construction Takes Over For Manhattan On The Gathering Place

The Gathering Place construction is being handed off to another construction company. This new announcement comes nearly eight months after the first construction phase started.

The Gathering Place initial pre-construction phase had been overseen by Manhattan Construction. The construction will now be handed over to Crossland Construction.

Representatives for the park say although the torch will be passed, citizens and donors shouldn't see any noticeable changes.

It's going to take a few years to turn the piles of dirt behind the gates into The Gathering Place.

"I'm looking forward to it because it's something new and there's not a whole lot of things in Tulsa to take your family to," Marcus Diaz said.

When it's done, downtown will serve as a nice backdrop for the 100 acre 350 million dollar project that will include a lodge, boathouse, nature walks and two land bridges among other things.

"I think it looked pretty cool,” Randy Baker said. “We went to that Fourth of July deal and they had the little virtual tour. Looks like it was going to be pretty cool and be pretty big, too."

Manhattan Construction has done a lot during the pre-construction -- tearing down an apartment complex and doing the initial utility and dirt work. The building phase of the project will be transitioned to Crossland Construction.

There's no clear reason why, but The Gathering Place executive director says "building a park of this stature requires a team effort and community-wide support."

He added that the general public and donors shouldn't see any changes. But some Tulsans are skeptical about that.

"I don't think it will add a whole lot of time, but I think it will take more time,” Baker said.

Baker works in construction, but not for The Gathering Place. He's seen how shifts in construction management can delay work.

“Changing hands you have people that haven't' been doing the project this whole time and now they've got to get into it figure out where it's at what hasn't been done and what's been done and they got to keep going with the progress as it is."

Whether the process slows down or stays on track, many are just looking forward to seeing it done.

"If you want to have progress, you're going to have to have construction,” Diaz said.