Jenks and Tulsa Share Smart Futures
PROGRESSIVE DESIGN: An artists rendering of Jenks’ Village on Main demonstrates how the progressive design will greet visitors to downtown Jenks.
Tulsa’s downtown urban core and Jenks’ thriving suburban community share common ground through smart growth principles. Tulsa’s One Place development will lead the way in the metropolis’ urban renaissance, while Jenks’ Village on Main redefines suburban living. Private developers Bob Eggleston and Duane Phillips share similarities in their building design but with a different lifestyle focus.
One Place, the $40 million project proposed to replace a current parking lot across from the new Events Center, will feature an urban hotel, residential flats and lofts, retail, restaurants, commercial and entertainment venues. One Developer’s Bob Eggleston has joined Miles Associates’ architectural vision for the property with his construction capabilities, and his partnership’s financial agility to expand Tulsa’s opportunity for “feet on the street.” Eggleston, former construction director for the Center, believes “Tulsa’s downtown should retain the thousands of visitors that the world-class venue attracts versus having them drive somewhere else, while the residential component provides diversified lifestyle and entertainment options that are attractive to young professionals.”
The Village on Main seeks to strengthen the sense of community and identity found in Jenks. The nearly $100 million project at Jenks’ riverfront gateway, will feature a mixed-use of retail, restaurants, high-density residential living, office space, hotel, healthcare facility and a civic building. The development seeks to create a family-friendly atmosphere for those that desire the enhanced quality of living within walking distance to all daily amenities and interaction with neighbors. “Jenks has been a great place to raise my family,” states Village on Main’s developer Duane Phillips. “I want to give back to the community that has been so good to me by providing a development that enhances the quality of life of residents, sustains the city’s tax base and provides an enduring legacy for future generations.”
The two scenarios showcase the regional need for more of this type of development in metropolitans. The goal of smart growth is to provide more choices to individuals and families by envisioning a future, which encourages development focused on lifestyle rather than a zoning approach of limitations. Smart growth takes a long-term perspective and sets goals for managing the growth of a community. The concept helps utilize a limited amount of land in the most efficient way possible and inclines the development toward a visualization of what a community should be as a goal for growth. Some benefits of pedestrian-friendly communities include lower transportation costs, more efficiency for city infrastructure maintenance, greater social interaction, improved personal health and wellness and expanded consumer choice. For more information about smart growth, visit www.smartgrowth.org.
Updated 07-20-2009
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