Downtown Tulsa Partnership Reveals Roadmap For $28 Million In Future Investment Projects

Elliot Nelson has gone from a restaurant owner to one of Tulsa's major investors over the last 20 years.

Nelson's latest venture is Sante Fe Square, a development that includes offices, apartments, and retail in Tulsa's Blue Dome District.

“I think we have a real opportunity to build Tulsa as a cultural destination in the middle of the country that maybe rivals what Charleston or Portland have done on the East Coast, you know,” said Nelson.

Nelson is not only a business owner and investor in Tulsa; he's also chairman of the board for the Downtown Tulsa Partnership. The Partnership is made up of business owners and civic leaders who advocate for the city's future.

“I think it's just really important. We have these projects out there that people can look back and say, oh, OK, we have this amount of money now. Let's look at doing some of these things,'” said Nelson.

The goal is to attract and keep young people in Tulsa for the long haul because of the quality of life.

“If we don't continue to look at the catalytic things and do them every five or 10 years, we're going to lose the momentum, right?” said Nelson.

The vision of the new plan is about keeping the things that make Tulsa great and improving the things that the city lacks.

Some of those things include lighting and landscaping, removing the loop around downtown that divides the city, making it easier for people to walk and adding more housing.

“And to be one of these cities, that's not huge. It's not, you know, growing by millions of people, but it is really robust in its offerings. It attracts a lot of visitors and retains its residents. It has a lot of really happy residents. And I think that's the thing that I would like to see us continue to move toward.” said Nelson.

The creators of this plan hope it will be used as the framework for 28 million dollars in investment by 2030.

Read the Document Here