We had a real nice day in Tulsa last week. I was supposed to have lunch with Sweetie, SuperPizzaBoy, and Nana (My Mother-in-Law) at Saint John’s Medical Center a couple miles from downtown where I work. I decided I was going to walk from my office downtown to lunch and bum a ride back with Sweetie. Worst case, I walk back.
So I headed out about an hour early. Below is a shot looking backwards to the building I work in.
A few blocks away is the old Chase Motor Bank. The “Midcentury Modern” fans in town swoon over this building. Used to be a motor bank, now its a combination parking lot, sometimes homeless hangout, and the site of one of my geocaches (“Boys Night Out – City Center”). I hate to see handsome old buildings go to ruin.
Went a few more blocks and cut across the back of the downtown Home Depot and come across this memorial done by the Home Depot employees in honor of a fellow deceased employee. I love stuff like this. You can tell this has been tended to and taken care of over time.
At the front of the Home Depot parking lot I took a shot of the tower from the old Warehouse Market. The tower was saved years ago when Home Depot came in. The tower was an art deco landmark in town and the store managed to save it. More details on a future post. Right now, I’m still going to lunch. Notice the redbud trees off to the right.
A little further on – more redbud trees. I love redbuds. They are a signature of Oklahoma . A few years ago we had a snow just at the peak of the redbud bloom. The redbud trees and snow were the prettiest thing I had seen in a long time. Unfortunately that was pre-blogging time for me and I didn’t have the habit of carrying a camera everywhere I went.
Hooked up with my running route for a little while – the Centennial Trail. Tulsa has trails all over the place. I love’em.
Backwards glance toward downtown. Haven’t got that far. Time to stop gawking and keep moving.
Cherry Street (aka 15th street). All sorts of interesting cafe’s, shops, and stores here. Not very many stretches like this in the Oil City.
New building going up. Looks like post ugly faux facade modernism. It seemed to get approved without any publicity. Other buildings nearby take forever to get approved. What’s the deal?
Bank building on Cherry Street built back in the 90’s. Big fights at city council and zoning board over it. Many complaints over the 1960’s style roofline and parking shades. Boy those citizens didn’t know what they were talking about. That was mid century modern. So I guess this building is a neo or retro mid century modern? I don’t know. My next door neighbor at the time was the architectural engineer on the project. He had no sense of humor about the criticism.
A glimpse of Swan Lake. Part of the what some in the city call the “midtown money belt” also includes Maple Ridge. Know how to make these folks simmer and swoon. Just say the words “street widening” or “halfway house”. They are the folks that put the Not in NIMBY. They don’t have much of a sense of humor either. Seriously, these folks live in a nice area of Tulsa and they want to keep it that way, I don’t blame them for being so curmudgeonly.
Arrived for lunch about 10 minutes early, so it only took about 50 minutes of walking. Not bad. I figure out 2.25 to 2.50 miles or so.
Lunch was great, Sweetie gave me a ride back.
I really appreciate accompanying you on your walk. Since I live in the Outback, sw of Henryetta, I rarely see that much of Tulsa on my predawn pick-ups and drop-off at the airport.
Someday I am going to convince the old man to spend an entire day and night in Tulsa Town with me.
You have some really nice photos here and i liked the tour of your trip to Home Depot and what a nice memorial site, don’t think i have ever seen a heart shaped before.
I love the downtown shot. What a great view.
I enjoy going to that Mazzios with my hubby on occasion that I might be downtown.
I am a fan of mid-century modern, so I really enjoyed the bank!
That is a serious walk before lunch. Is the food at St. John’s good enough to warrant that? Oh well, Sweetie is worth the walk even if the food is not.