Developers
Making a Difference

Two changemakers in Oklahoma’s development sector work to make downtown more liveable. 

The future burns bright for Oklahoma’s two largest downtown city centers, despite pandemic challenges. 

Jackie Price Johannsen, president of Tulsa’s Price Family Properties, has an up-close view of the action.

“Downtown Tulsa changes daily – just drive around and you see cranes and construction,” she says. “It’s exciting to see, in real time, especially the addition of more residential opportunities making downtown a 24/7 lifestyle. To see developers and restaurateurs take the risk and continue downtown progress is inspiring. Fortunately, we’ve had restaurants open in the building we sold, Kai Vietnamese and Eerie Abbey Ales. We’re about to finish a build out of Cherry Street Kitchen that moved downtown and is in the bottom of 111 Lofts. It opens in April.”

Oklahoma native Marva Ellard, a downtown Oklahoma City developer, is busier than ever. She’s currently immersed in the rehabilitation of the First National Building, an almost-million-square-foot, mixed-use project that formerly stood 85% empty. 

“It was a void in downtown,” she says, “and this is one of the changes that will bring even more vitality to the city center. Yes, last year was tough, but we’re impressed with the quality of life here, with the direction downtown OKC is going.” 

Ellard and partners are also currently working on a 17-unit luxury condo project on the old Villa Teresa campus with a summer opening planned. There’s also “Villa Teresa Hotel” – a working name for a historic building hospitality project that, “thankfully, got support from our lender, and we’re close to starting,” says Ellard. “There’s always more to do. Down the road, I’m interested in affordable housing, senior housing. My niche is projects that complete neighborhoods and do infill of what’s needed. There’s no reason to tear down and replace as many buildings were better made, so why take it down?”

Ellard observes the projects of downtown Oklahoma City peers with excitement and shares a peek at her next project.

“It takes all kinds of developers to make vibrant, engaging environments,” she says. “Urban developers like me, we may have moments of ‘wish I’d thought of that,’ but we’re generally supportive and excited when someone comes up with a great idea for a property. Like near downtown, there’s the old armory on 23rd street, and just a great plan for that 23rd street corridor. The Pivot Group does very clever commercial and restaurant concepts, and several of them are downtown. Bank First is taking on the old Liberty Bank Tower. Everyone has their role to play, and of course, you have the Fred Jones family – the list goes on. Everyone is respectful of other people’s work and it just keeps raising the bar.” 

Downtown Tulsa upcoming changes include Price Properties’ Oil Capital Building residential project, creating 47 affordable apartments with first floor commercial space.  Also planned is the Arco Building conversion at 119 E. Sixth St. into 80 luxury lofts and, for senior housing, conversion of the IBM Building at Sixth and Boston. 

“A decade from now, when driving into downtown from any direction, you will see new, big, beautiful, shiny apartment buildings – 30 stories high, housing people from all walks of life to shop, eat, enjoy the parks, show their children where they work, get lunch or candy and just be part of the thriving urban center,” says Johannsen. “And I’m pumped for awesome projects like Steve Watts’ apartment conversion of the Reunion Building with a great lobby right on Boston.

“It was a difficult 2020, but now it’s inspiring to see people wanting to invest in downtown, and that growth is
happening.”  

Downtown Listing