Two more stops on our 2014 Dwell in the IDL tour will be the Aloft Hotel and the Mayo 420 Building. Both of these properties are existing structures that were converted to residential, and they’re both great examples of re-purposing existing buildings.
ALOFT HOTEL
Constructed in 1969, the old City Hall building in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma had sat vacant for many years. Many residents and city officials wanted it torn down, but thanks to the vision of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and developer TOCH LLC, the 11-story structure has been given new life as the Aloft Tulsa Downtown Hotel.
The hotel has 184 rooms, but because it was created in an existing building, there are six different room layouts. The top floor, which is where the mayor’s offices were located before City Hall’s move to One Technology Center at Second Street and Cincinnati Avenue, was converted into suites with full kitchens and state-of-the-art amenities, even down to the bathroom mechanics.
Because the building has historic preservation status, the floors, ceilings and marble walls in common spaces, as well as the exterior, couldn’t be altered. It has actually become a defining landmark in the city’s skyscape. By illuminating this mid-century municipal building with Elation LEDs it gave the exterior an instant update, without altering the many time-honored features that have earned it historic preservation status.
Another unique aspect of this project: this is one of the only Aloft Hotels in the nation created from an existing building. Aloft Hotels are known for their sleek, modern design- and they are almost exclusively new construction.
For more information visit www.alofttulsadowntown.com
MAYO 420 BUILDING
The Mayo brothers, John and Cass, were early Tulsa entrepreneurs that helped create our vibrant downtown architecture and culture as we were coming to be the oil capital of the world. They started constructing the Mayo building in 1909 as a five story building, adding on to the building in 1914 and 1917 making it a 10 story building providing offices for many great oil companies that were coming to Tulsa. They continued their real estate interested in downtown for many years.
Another great historic tax credit project, Wiggins Properties received the 2012 J. Timothy Anderson Award for Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation from the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association in the category of Best Historic Rehab Utilizing New Markets Tax Credits.
After being placed on the National Register of Historic Places and a 30 million dollar renovation by Wiggin Properties, the Mayo 420 building now boasts one and two bedroom apartments on floors 3-10 and the downtown YMCA on the ground floor. Tenants enjoy hardwood floors, stained concrete floors and tile and terrazzo floors with 10-12 foot ceilings, beautiful views of downtown Tulsa, a parking garage connected by a private walk way, a rooftop terrace, common room and too many other features to mention.
For more information visit www.mayo420.com.
The 2014 edition will showcase downtown living within the ring of expressways known as the Inner Dispersal Loop, or IDL. Eight properties will be on display November 9, 2014 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 PM so participants can get a glimpse of the revitalization that is happening in the downtown core.
Passports are required to access tour stops and are $20 per person (children under 12 are free if accompanied by a paying adult). You can purchase online by clicking here to buy now or the day of the event at Dwelling Spaces.
All passports must be picked up at Dwelling Spaces, 119 S. Detroit, by 3:00 PM on November 9th .
