The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture’s Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Coleman in 2004. Joe was a beloved benefactor of our organization and especially of its Archives.  He donated hundreds of bound periodicals, books, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and related materials to the Archives and is remembered for his love of public service, dedication to his community, and understanding of the importance of repurposing existing buildings.

Coleman suffered from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and passed away July 4, 2011.

Here’s a link to the full article…

Goodbye Tulsa

Bowling is not required, but if you’re so inclined we’ll cover the cost of your lane and a pair of those awesome shoes. We’ll also put out a spread of bowling-appropriate nosh, munchies, and finger food. Full bar is available, but that’s on your dime.

This event is free for current members of TFA.  Non-members, er… I mean future members, can join the fun for the special membership rate of only $35. That’s a savings of fifteen bucks!

So dust off your best bowling shirt, practice your favorite line from the Big Lebowski and make plans to bowl like crazy! No wagering please.

TFA MEMBER APPRECIATION PARTY
OCT 13, 2011 – 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
The Dust Bowl Lanes and Lounge
211 South Elgin Avenue
Tulsa, OK

July 4, 2011
7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
1502 S. Boulder Ave
Tulsa

Spaces are limited!
Tickets are $25 for Modern Tulsa and TFA members, or $60 for non-members (you must purchase a one-year membership- but we’re offering it at the special first-time rate of only $35).

SOLD OUT

Take advantage of the incredible views from the top floor penthouse during the Tulsa FreedomFest fireworks and show your support for Modern Tulsa. This urban treehouse is currently undergoing renovations. We’ll be treated to a first-hand preview of this exclusive space atop the Tulsa skyline.

In addition to the fireworks, we will also have BBQ, Beer, Doorprizes and a brief overview of some of the modern buildings visible from the balcony of the penthouse.

Food and beverages are provided (including vegetarian options), but we’ll all need to bring our own chairs. Parking is available near 15th and Boulder at lots adjacent to the building.

So come join in a celebration of Liberty as well as Modern Tulsa this Fourth of July.

• Tuesday, June 7th:  Modern Tulsa @ Aloft. Join us for our monthly Modern Tulsa get together.  This month we’ll be meeting at Oklahoma’s only Aloft Hotel for happy hour and half-priced appetizers in the sleek W XYZ bar.  We will also touring the facility and guest rooms. Read more…
• Wednesday, June 15th:  MAD MAN: An Evening of John Cheever. Modern Tulsa is excited to team up with Booksmart Tulsa to bring you “MAD MAN: An Evening of John Cheever.” No fiction writer epitomized the mid-century era better than John Cheever. We will be joined by native Oklahoman, Blake Bailey, author of the acclaimed biography, “Cheever: A Life”, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award.  Read more…
• Sunday, June 19th: Modern Tulsa Mod of the Moment.  moderntulsa is excited to announce the latest in its Mod of the Moment series.  Join us Sunday, June 19th from 4 – 6 PM for drinks, refreshments, music and modern design at a mid-century modern home located at 5367 East 26th Place.  Read more…
• Thursday, June 30th: 5:01 Historic Pub Crawl at the Cellar Dweller. Tulsa is rich with historic buildings that today house some of our favorite bars and restaurants, each with its own story to tell. The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture invites you to join us for a series of informative happy hours, each dedicated to celebrating the colorful history behind one of these unique structures.  Read more…

For those not familiar with Donald McCormick, he is responsible for a large number of iconic Tulsa buildings and residences.  From the traditional (Grace Lutheran Church, Southern Hills Country Club, Cascia Hall) to the modern (the Page Belcher Federal Building, the Flint Steel Building, and the demolished Dowell/Helmerich & Payne Building), McCormick’s work in Tulsa spanned six decades and included over 200 residences, with the J.L. Gartner Residence being his first commission.

Originally from Pennsylvania, McCormick was in Tulsa supervising the construction of the First Methodist Church, which McCormick’s employer, the architectural firm of Charles W. Bolton, designed.  McCormick decided to stay in Tulsa and establish his own architectural practice after Mr. & Mrs. J.L. Gartner commissioned him to design their home on East 21st Place in 1926.  One of the interesting things about the design of the house is its unique and unusual floor plan that is still extremely functional.

Because the McCormick Collection is one of our major collections in the archives, we have all the original drawings for the Gartner House.  Here are a couple images of the home’s unique floor plan.

But, what does “art deco” really mean?  What are some examples of art deco in Tulsa?  Why is it important?

The term Art Deco (coined in the mid-60s) is used to describe three separate but related movements of the popular modern architecture common in the 20s and 30s:

The first movement is referred to as Zigzag:  this term is derived from the 1923 Exposition of the Decorative Arts in Paris and is an essential ingredient of the American Perpendicular Skyscraper Style–most popular in the 20s.

Existing examples in Tulsa include:

• Boston Avenue United Methodist Church,
• Oklahoma Natural Gas Building,
• Gillette-Tyrell Building (as originally designed with 13 floors),
• Philcade Building (considered by many to be one of the best lobbies anywhere),
• Warehouse Market,
• Christ the King Church, and the
• Tulsa Club, now vacant and potentially at risk.

The second movement is called Streamline Art Deco:  the rhythm of the 30s with automobiles and jazz propelled everyone forward and was reflected in horizontally streamlined architecture.

The line was the parabolic curve; building materials that could be smoothly molded such as stucco and glass block were extensively used.

Nice examples include:

• City Veterinary Hospital at 36^th & Peoria
• Lerner Shop at 5^th &Main, as well as
• some extraordinary homes sprinkled in our historic neighborhoods (Ungerman, McGay, Forsythe) .

The third movement is the PWA Style:  The early 30s were marked with the Great Depression.  Although oil price dropped, oilmen continued to make money during the Depression.  In response to the national situation, Franklin Delano Roosevelt provided a “New Deal” for the country under the auspices of two “New Deal” agencies:

• the Public Works Administration (PWA) and later, the
• Works Progress Administration (WPA).

PWA Art Deco is considered a “transitional architecture” as it incorporates elements of the Zigzag art deco of the 20s and the Streamline art deco of the 30s.  Buildings in this style are characterized mainly by their public use and massive or monumental scale.

Existing examples include:

• Tulsa Union Depot,
• Fairgrounds Pavilion,
• Tulsa Fire Alarm Building, and both
• Daniel Webster and Will Rogers High Schools.

Referring to the WPA and PWA programs, Will Rogers is quoted as saying, “Never was a country more in the throes of more capital letters than the old U.S.A., but still we haven’t sent out the S.O.S.”

As Tulsa continues to grapple with its identity, we must continue to educate Tulsans about our rich architectural heritage so that it will continue to be recognized, loved, and cared for by future generations.

Tulsa is known worldwide as an art deco destination; in fact, Tulsa was the host city to the 6^th World Congress on Art Deco in 2001.  We had the opportunity in October of 2008 to dazzle thousands of participants with our art deco architecture as Tulsa hosts the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual conference.

We cannot afford to be complacent about preservation in Tulsa.   You are a part of the preservation success story in Tulsa. Preservation begins at home—it happens on the local level.

You now understand the term “art deco” and the three styles associated with it.  I invite you to look at Tulsa – especially downtown Tulsa—with new eyes!  Share that knowledge with a friend and share the importance of preservation for our city.

Art Deco is fun, art deco is cool, art deco is Tulsa!

All products are now listed online and checkout is not only secure- it’s integrated with Amazon!

Browse the entire collection…

We preservationists clearly love old buildings because of their fine craftsmanship and sense of history.  But, there are other reasons why they should be preserved:

1.     To bring life to downtown in the form of housing;

2.     To make good use of existing infrastructure;

3.     To increase tourism;

4.     To provide an alternative to sprawling development; and

5.     To prevent more farmland and open space from being covered by surface parking lots.

Who Does the Work?

Preservation takes place in both the public and private sectors and at the federal, state, and local level.

A.  Private Sector Examples:

1.     National Trust for Historic Preservation:  works to preserve resources at national level.  Founded in 1949, it is a membership organization that acts as a clearinghouse for information on all aspects of preservation, provides professional advice and training, owns and operates 28 historic house museums, and administers grant and loan programs.

2.     Statewide Preservation organizations like Preservation Oklahoma in OKC carries out a variety of activities within Oklahoma:  newsletter with SHPO, advocate for preservation-friendly legislature in state government, own and operate the Overholser Mansion, and offer training and educational programs to the public.

3.     Local nonprofit groups like the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture operate in very much the same way with the added mission of preserving more than 35,000 architectural drawings and related materials

4.     Statewide and local Main Street programs are abundant in Oklahoma.  Their mission is to restore prosperity and vitality to downtowns and neighborhood business districts like Redfork in Southwest Tulsa.

B.  Public Sector Examples:

1.     National Park Service, Dept. of the Interior:  principal federal agency responsible for preservation law and activities.  The Park Service administers three programs of particular interest to preservationists:

2.     National Register of Historic Places through

• Grant programs; and

• federal rehabilitation tax incentives;

3.     State Historic Preservation Offices.

4.     Indian Tribes;

5.     Local preservation commissions like the Tulsa Preservation Commission act as an architectural review board in five historic-preservation zoned neighborhoods in Tulsa.  It was established through the adoption of a local preservation ordinance; and

6.     Certified Local Governments:  administered by the NPS and SHPO to promote preservation at the grassroots level.

What Makes It Happen?

• Direct acquisition of properties by organizations and governmental agencies;
• Land-use and preservation regulations at the federal, state, and local level;
• Private investment in historic resources spurred by incentive programs.

And of course, YOU make it happen. Please  support your local preservation organization with your time, talent, and treasure!  History is in our hands.

P.S.  If you’d like a copy of our brochure that explains incentives for using historic buildings, provides a list of Tulsa properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and contact information for all of the entities listed above, please email me at:  laz@tulsaarchitecture.com