St. Francis Breaks Ground on $200 Million Tower
St. Francis Health System broke ground on an eight-story, $200 million patient tower and trauma center at its main campus in Tulsa. The 500,000 square-foot project on the west side of the campus is 10 percent renovation and remainder new construction. It will include an emergency center, intensive care and surgery rooms and two helicopter pads. The construction will also replace the chapel and renovate the main lobby. Up to 800 jobs could be created after completion, which is expected in the summer of 2014.
Two Tulsa Area Companies Announce Expansions
Two Tulsa-area companies have announced plans to add a combined 248 jobs over the next 10 years as part of the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program. Serva Group LLC, a Catoosa-based manufacturer of oil and natural gas equipment, plans to add 148 jobs and receive up to $2.8 million in incentive payments. Tulsa-based Dover Fluid Management, a sucker rod manufacturer plans to hire 100 people and receive up to $2.1 million in benefit payments.
Dish Network To Grow with 150 Additional Workers
Dish Network Corp. says it plans to boost employment at its Tulsa customer service center by 150 new hires. Dish Network is estimated to currently employ around 850 people in Tulsa. The center was established in 2004. Company officials expect the hiring to be complete by late fall.
Mid-America Industrial Park in Pryor Celebrates Opening of Google Data Center
After years of anticipation, Google finally activated its massive server farm at Pryor’s Mid-America Industrial Park. Google spent millions to build a 130,000-square-foot complex on an 800-acre tract of land. The facility will employ more than 100 people. Google has already begun planning a third building at the site to support the facility. Ultimately, Google plans to invest up to $600 million at Mid-America.
One Place Downtown Development Holds Second Groundbreaking
One Place held its second groundbreaking ceremony in late September for its new five-story office building that will house Northwestern Mutual Financial Network’s operations on two floors. The bottom two floors of the building will be used for commercial space and the third floor will be used as a conference center. In June, work was begun on the 18-story One Place Tower which will be home to Cimarex Energy along with retail space.
Owasso’s Tulsa Tech Campus Moving Forward
About 60 percent of the 255,909 square-foot Tulsa Tech structure is up. When complete in the Fall of 2013, the Owasso campus will be the newest addition to Tulsa Tech’s existing five locations scattered across the Tulsa metro area. The city of Owasso spent roughly $3 million to buy 25.3 acres for donation to TTC, whose Owasso campus will sit between 106th and 116th streets north. At least 500 full-time students are expected to be enrolled upon opening.
OU-Tulsa Dedicates New Library
The dedication of the $8.5 million, 22,000-square-foot, Schusterman Library marks the end of a decade of major construction since the Tulsa campus was formed in 2000. The library combines the collection of 70,000 books on the campus into one building for the first time. The library features an art gallery, exhibition room, computer lab, group and individual study rooms, a grand staircase and glass façade.
Downtown Apartment Building Closer to Opening
A 71-unit downtown apartment building with first-floor commercial space should be open before the end of the year. The Metro at Brady Arts District is being built on the southeast corner of Archer and Main streets. The $12 million development is being built by American Residential Group, which also owns the adjacent Tribune Lofts. The complex will include a two-story parking garage, a swimming pool, an outdoor kitchen with gas grills, a 2,000-square-foot clubhouse and an exercise room.
Hillcrest Acquires Two Local Hospitals
Hillcrest HealthCare System’s purchase of SouthCrest Hospital in Tulsa and Claremore Regional Hospital was completed in early September. Hillcrest now owns six hospitals and has more than 5,000 employees. Additionally, cardiology services at SouthCrest are being expanded in a $3.2 million project that includes two new heart catheterization labs.
Bass Pro Responsible for Broken Arrow Growth
Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World has consistently paid the minimum amount agreed upon to Broken Arrow for its lease since it opened nearly six years ago. The return on the city’s investment has been further enhanced by the windfall of new hotels, restaurants and retail stores that have located in the vicinity of Bass Pro. The $20 million Outdoor World store opened in October 2005. To draw the retailer to BA, the city contributed $4 million in infrastructure and a loan to pay for the store’s construction.
State Revenue Shows Big Gains
Gross revenue collections in Oklahoma grew at a double-digit pace, coming in 15.2 percent higher than August 2010. Collections in June were 15.5 percent higher than the same month last year, and collections in July showed a 6.8 percent growth. Gross collections for the past 12 months have totaled $10.37 billion, the highest level since July 2009 when collections totaled $10.4 billion.
TEDC and The Forge Receive Grant
A $600,000 federal grant will help establish a permanent site for The Forge, a downtown center that has provided support for entrepreneurs since it was announced last year by Tulsa’s Young Professionals. The U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration’s grant will allow the two groups to purchase a building together, renovate it and purchase equipment necessary to run the facility.
Tulsa Ranks Among Top 10 Real Estate Markets
Zillow, an online real estate database, put Tulsa in fourth place on a list of metro areas whose real estate values gained the most over the past five years. The 10-city list showed Tulsa having an average value gain of 9.4 percent. The rankings are an estimate of home values over the past five years and the Zillow Home Value Index. Tulsa’s median home value was listed at $111,737.
Jenks Village on Main Begins Retail Construction
Construction on the first retail building has begun thanks to financing from Tom Self, CEO of Air Cooled Exchangers. Tom Self and his family are helping fund construction of the $80 million project. The first multi-tenant retail building encompasses 24,000 square feet and will be home to GreenAcres Market, a growing organic and natural foods market chain based in Kansas City, Mo. When the store opens early next year, it will employ 25 people and be the third building in the Village on Main development.
Tulsa Sales Tax Revenue up 5.4 Percent
Tulsa sales-tax revenue for September jumped 5.4 percent over the same month last year. The city’s check from the Oklahoma Tax Commission was for $17,160,220, compared with $16,275,943 in September 2010. For the first quarter, sales-tax growth stands at 3.3 percent which is above the budgeted 2.5 percent growth.
Tulsa Ranks Third Best in Hiring Outlook
Tulsa area employers are expected to hire during the fourth quarter at a pace that’s the third-best in the nation according to the latest survey by Manpower Inc. During the last quarter, 23 percent of the companies’ surveyed plan to hire more employees, while 10 percent expects to reduce staff. An additional 64 percent plan to maintain current staff levels.
Tulsa Economy Among Nation’s Top 20
Tulsa was among the 20 strongest-performing metros based on its economic performance during the recovery from the recession, according to a report released by the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute. The oil and gas industry has contributed to the strong recovery of Tulsa along with places such as Dallas and Houston. Tulsa was also noted for its strong manufacturing recovery which grew 3.2 percent between the first and second quarter.
Central Library Chooses Architect Firm for Renovation
The Minneapolis-based architectural firm Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle will lead the multi-million dollar upgrade of the downtown Central Library. A local architectural firm will work with MS&R on the project. The renovation will cost at least $12 million, which will be paid from the capital fund. The fund was set aside for facilities improvements from savings through the years. Most of the cost will be used for infrastructure and mechanical systems, especially lighting. The exterior signs will change, and access to the drive-through and drop-off areas may be improved.