Photos by Nathan Harmon
Downtown Tulsa’s Summit Club – perched on the top three floors of the Bank of America Center – is in the midst of a transformation so dazzling you’ll need to see it to believe. Over the last several months, the team has been hard at work renovating the space to draw more members and stay competitive in the city’s ever-changing culinary market.
At the helm, general manager Jared Jordan has been pivotal in the process of the renovations, and has been preparing for this type of major responsibility since his early days in the restaurant business. After graduating from college in Louisiana, Jordan moved to Oklahoma and waited tables at Miss Addie’s in Muskogee. He then moved to Tulsa, where he’s been deeply involved in the city’s restaurant business since 2001. In 2017, he was named general manager of The Summit Club. His early jobs in the business were all he needed to assure him this was his true calling.
The Pinnacle Room is another special meeting area on the 31st floor. The wood paneling on the walls is original to the 1960s design. Globe lights, a granite countertop bar and mosaic tile cabinetry make this a perfect gathering place for having a drink before dining or meeting friends. The Pinnacle Room Views of downtown Tulsa abound at the Summit Club.
“I’ve been in it ever since,” he says.
The Summit, opened in 1967, is now celebrating its 53rd year in business. It’s been over a decade since the club has been renovated, and Jordan says it was time for a rebirth, both for the Summit’s members and for the hardworking and diligent employees.
“I have a wonderful staff that gives great care and attention to our members,” he says.
The bulk of the remodeling work done thus far has been on the 30th and 31st floors.
“The latest attention involves the renovation of the ballroom on the 30th floor, with updated audio and visual amenities,” says Jordan. “Recently completed is a total renovation for the always elegant grand ballroom on the 31st floor, which reopened in late July. We took the 31st floor down to the studs and updated it completely with more pleasing aesthetics.”
Up next? The top floor. Still in progress, this area will be stunning once completed. The 32nd floor includes the penthouse and formal dining room and is scheduled for remodeling starting in January.
“It has always been a beautiful space,” says Jordan. “When all the re-styling is complete, the Summit Club will look like a private club you would see in New York City.”
The team at the Summit collaborated with several firms to redesign this beloved piece of Tulsa’s history. PHX Architecture, headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., led the team through the important nuts and bolts of the renovation, with help from Club Design Associates in Fort Worth, Texas, who spearheaded the interior design choices for this stunning 3-story project. Both firms specialize in upscale private membership clubs. For local help, Summit joined forces with Flintco for all construction needs from start to finish. Another important team addition was Salt Food Group – a premier hospitality design firm that created the club’s sleek kitchen and bar design.
The arched art deco ceiling was redesigned in the 1960s and makes an elegant entrance to the fine dining experience to come. The board room is the perfect space for planning events and weddings.
Despite the excitement of the renovations, Jordan and the team are equally as attentive to the club’s menus and quality dining experiences. Whether members are enjoying a top-of-the-line juicy sirloin or fresh seafood, Jordan believes that high quality experience all around is vital for a private club.
“Our members do a lot of work to help us live up to their expectations,” says Jordan. “Our new members are also really excited about everything that’s going on right now with all the changes and improvements at The Summit Club.”
