Work Progressing On TU's New Look

Demolition work is well underway near the University of Tulsa campus. Crews are making way for a new look for TU. <br/><br/>News on 6 anchor Craig Day says property is being cleared for a new multi million

Thursday, July 13th 2006, 10:15 am

By: News On 6

Demolition work is well underway near the University of Tulsa campus. Crews are making way for a new look for TU.

News on 6 anchor Craig Day says property is being cleared for a new multi million dollar entryway along 11th Street near Harvard.

Drive along 11th Street near TU and you can't help but notice there is a big demolition job underway. Crews and machinery are making quick work of the boards and bricks and whatever else is left of these buildings near TU. "Right here was the old Carter's Dry Cleaners. Right here was the pest control I guess." TU alum Gary Szabo hates to see so many of the old landmarks from his college days go. But he thinks the new entryway to TU will be a nice addition to the campus. "It's nice in some ways. It does seem to be important for the university to have a public face and make it look good for everybody."

The new $4-million entrance will create a formal boundary to the TU campus. It will have an oval drive, new plaza and green space. A handful of businesses will have to make way for the project.

Szabo says he'll really miss the Metro Diner, where he goes as much for the atmosphere as the bacon and eggs. Others agree, like Sarah Bricken who has been coming to the Metro for years. "Yeah. It's an historic landmark to Tulsa and I love it here. I just don't want them to take it away."

The owner of the Metro Diner has accepted a buyout from TU, but the owner of the Diner that leases the property isn't satisfied with the offer made to buy out his business. While that issue still must be resolved.

Work is well underway on other parts of the project, which should be finished by the fall of 2008. There are other major construction projects underway right now on the TU campus, including construction of Collins Hall and the Case Athletic Complex.

TU also has plans to build apartments in three different locations on campus.