Commercial Activity Booming At Tulsa's Brady Arts District

The revival of the Brady Arts District continues. Commercial activity is booming with the announcement of the Brady Hotel Center, the Hardesty Arts Center, Woody Guthrie Museum and more.

Sixty percent of the retail ground floor of the Brady Hotel Center is under negotiations for leasing contracts, according to Tulsa realtor Will Wilkins. Plans call for new restaurants, retail and entertainment venues.

2/4/2012 Related Story: Oklahoma's Own: Exhibit Celebrates Folk Singer Woody Guthrie

New tenants have been found to occupy the Ward Building at 107 N. Boulder.

"Two years ago if somebody had said that this is going to be the next up and coming district of Tulsa people would have looked at you funny. Now, they're really taking notice and we're quickly running out of room here in the Brady Arts District," Wilkins said.

The Brady Arts District covers close to 12 city blocks from Detroit to Denver, east to west, and I-244 to the railroad tracks, north to south.

"You know, you can go back a hundred years to see who occupied these buildings and it's just really interesting to see that," Wilkins said.

Of course, a look at the development in the Brady District wouldn't be complete without a checkup on the future home of News On 6.

The steel frame is coming together and plans are for us to move into the Griffin Communication Center by late January 2013.

Scott Moore has enjoyed the growth here. He opened his restaurant, Hey Mambo, 17 months ago and is looking forward to what's in store for the Brady's future

"I really believe that by the end of this year this district will be a totally different district. The streetscaping, the buildings done...it's just going to look totally different," Moore said.

As for our new building, steel work continues and they're about ready to top it out. And crews are also getting the second floor ready to pour concrete.

1/20/2012 Related Story: News On 6 Gets Closer To New Home

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