City of Tulsa

Today, Tulsa officials celebrated the next steps we are taking to become the Drone Capital of the World. ? Led by the Blue Ribbon Commission, a set of recommendations was created that outline the steps we can take to further lead the nation in drone and aerial technology. ? You can read the recommendations and see the work online at?https://lnkd.in/gxYST5rh

Today, the City of Tulsa is recognizing GIS Day and the incredible work of our GIS team in leveraging technology to better share information with Tulsa residents and help leadership make informed decisions! GIS, or Graphic Information System, is a way to visualize and analyze data on a map, allowing connections and insights to emerge and providing a better picture to help guide decisions. At the City of Tulsa, our GIS team is responsible for maps like the True Reads project map, the water line break map, and more! In their latest project, the team created the Spavinaw Centennial Story Map, which shares the history of Tulsa's water system and shows the impressive engineering from 1924 compared to the systems we have today. Check out this interactive map to see the power of GIS in action! https://lnkd.in/gKp7qqiu

After a quarter of a century, Swan Lake's fountain has brought back new life to its neighborhood. Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and Tulsa Parks Director Anna America spoke about over a year's long work of renovations at Swan Lake. The comprehensive rehabilitation of this historical fountain is a part of the Improve our Tulsa package that was budgeted for $2.2 million. $1.7 million was allocated from the IOT2 package and $500,000 from IOT3. Swan Lake earned its name back in the 1920s when swans were introduced to the pond and that enhanced appeal to Tulsa residents. Swan Lake's fountain has been out of operation for 25 years, today that has come to an end after unveiling the new and improved fountain near Utica Ave.

Join us in making a difference this holiday season! The City of Tulsa is launching its 14th Annual Stock the Station Food Drive, from November 18 to December 18. Drop off non-perishable food items at any Tulsa Fire station, Tulsa Police station (8 a.m.-4 p.m.), or the City of Tulsa Municipal Court (8 a.m.-5 p.m.). Your donations will help stock The Market at Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma, supporting families in need. Every can and box counts! You can also donate online at https://lnkd.in/gw_BtW2c Let's ensure that no family goes hungry this holiday season! Thank you for your generosity!

Mayor G.T. Bynum presented his final State of the City address to over 1,300 guests during the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s 2024 State of the City at the Cox Convention Center on November 12, 2024. You can read his full speech and watch the video online at www.cityoftulsa.org/mayor

If you are a nonprofit arts organization in the Tulsa area, this is your chance to receive funding through Vision Arts 6 for innovative projects and creative endeavors that will enrich our community and drive economic growth in Tulsa. To apply, you must attend one of two remaining virtual information sessions. The sessions are scheduled for Nov. 15, and Dec. 14, 2024. You can register now by emailing [email protected]. Learn more about the program, important dates, and optional grant workshops by visiting https://lnkd.in/gftQEczd Pictured: Past project recipient Tulsa Map Works.

Did you recently recieve one of these letters in the mail? As part of a required effort of every city and/or water utility in the United States, approximately 130,000 Tulsa utility customers are receiving Lead Service Line Notification Letters this month from the City of Tulsa. Receiving this letter is NOT an indication that your service line contains lead. You should not be alarmed and no further action is required. To date, the City has found zero lead service lines requiring replacement. Approximately 130,000 services lines remain that have not been identified. Residents with unknown service line material are receiving a notification letter that their service line is of an “Unknown” material. As the City works through meter replacement as part of the True Reads Program, all service lines will be inspected, and if lead is detected you will be notified. To see a list of FAQs about lead services lines and learn more about the True Reads Program, please visit https://lnkd.in/g5V-8pES

Oaklawn Cemetery is back open to the public after a memorial service this morning honored the individuals who were found as part of the 1921 Graves Investigation. During the memorial service, a monument was erected and is now in place in the southwest portion of the cemetery to honor the individuals who were found and/or exhumed during the 2022-2024 phases of the 1921 Graves Investigation. As part of the ceremony, C. L. Daniel – the first identified Tulsa Race Massacre victim from the Investigation - and other currently unknown burials were honored. C. L. was honored during a special recognition portion of the ceremony by members of the Oklahoma National Guard, VFW Post 577, and Booker T. Washington JROTC. A?formal letter?written by the family of C. L. Daniel has been released and can be found at?https://lnkd.in/eNfpZWK.?? The memorial service and monument mark an inflection point in the City's search for answers. Genetic genealogical and DNA analyses are ongoing for every currently unidentified individual whose identities may yet be reclaimed. Geophysical work continues to be a focus in other areas of Tulsa, and work is underway on the City's Community Engagement Genealogy Project as part of the Emmett Till Grant. In the coming weeks, headstones will be formally installed for all of the found and exhumed burials as part of the 1921 Graves Investigation at Oaklawn Cemetery. While Oaklawn Cemetery may not be the final resting place for C. L. Daniel and others who are yet to be identified, the monument and headstones installed as part of this process will remain to mark the sacred ground where they were found.

Today, the City of Tulsa released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify and select a qualified hotel developer to develop a headquarters hotel adjacent and connected to the Cox Business Convention Center. The hotel will be located in what will be the former spot of the current Police Headquarters building following its move to the City’s new Public Safety Center, which was announced earlier this week. “The future of Tulsans’ investment in the Cox Business Convention Center, BOK Center, and surrounding Tulsa Arena District centers on our ability to attract major conventions to Tulsa in this area,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “We are excited to see what the response will be from the development community as we seek to realize additional opportunities in Downtown Tulsa.” The RFQ, which is ultimately a result of the Vision Tulsa Arena District Master Plan that was adopted in 2019, calls for a 650-room Convention Center Hotel with 54,000 sq. ft. of function space. The developer will be responsible for fully managing the development process, which includes the design, construction, financing, and operation of the hotel. As it stands now, construction could start as soon as mid-2026 following the City’s full move from its former Police Headquarters building. It is the intent for the Cox Business Convention Center to remain open during the hotel’s construction. Developer submissions are due December 18, 2024. Based on responses, the City will select a short list of developers for further consideration in the second step of its Competitive Sealed Bidding (CSP) process. For more information on the RFQ and to see more details, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/bids

Mayor G.T. Bynum and Mayor-Elect Monroe Nichols held a joint news conference this afternoon to talk about the upcoming mayoral transition. Mayor-Elect Nichols will be sworn in as Tulsa’s 41st mayor on Dec. 2 and take office on the same day at 2 p.m. Over the next 25 days, Mayor-Elect Nichols will work to meet with City of Tulsa staff and build his administration that will serve Tulsa for the next four years.