Tulsa City–County Library and private developer present PUD and TIF request for downtown library-lofts project

City planners described a proposed public-private mixed-use project at 103 West Broadway that would place a new Tulsa City–County Library branch on the ground floor and roughly 59 apartment units on the upper three floors, and they asked Council to consider related actions including a PUD overlay, rezoning, a right-of-way (alley) closure and tax-increment financing assistance.

The developer’s plan was presented as OPUD25-01 and OZ25-01. Staff said the 1.83-acre parcel in the Red Bud District is currently zoned Downtown Mixed (DM) and Public Facilities, and the request would rezoning the whole property to Downtown Mixed to accommodate both the public library and the private residential component. Because multifamily projects over six units within the downtown overlay require a PUD overlay, staff proposed OPUD25-01 and outlined requested adjustments to landscaping and parking standards, including a reduction in parking-island width, smaller individual parking-island area, and a narrower street yard width. Staff also proposed provisions to allow street trees to be placed in the city right of way under a maintenance agreement.

Conceptual site plans included three points of access and a mix of private off-street parking and public on-street parking. The PUD document proposes 116 parking spaces and notes the development would be required by code to provide at least 102 spaces; staff said the PUD sets the parking total at 116 and that the final configuration will be established at site plan. Staff explained the library portion would be subject to the code’s parking calculation of one space per 500 square feet (library roughly 21,000 square feet → 43 spaces) and that apartments would require one space per unit (59 spaces).

Staff described a proposed right-of-way closure for an alley within Block 14 of the original town plat so the building can be oriented toward North Main Street; utilities would be relocated before the ordinance is executed. Staff advised the council that state statute requires vacated right-of-way to be split equally between adjacent property owners and that the applicant intends to combine the vacated right-of-way with adjacent parcels through a lot-combination application. "Staff will recommend a contingency on approval to allow for the utilities to be fully relocated before the actual filing of the ordinance," planning staff said.

On financing, staff presented an application from West Family Development seeking tax-increment financing (TIF) assistance for the private portion of the project. The developer would be eligible for reimbursement of 10% of actual hard construction costs (per the project-plan policy) paid through 90% of ad valorem taxes generated by the private portion; staff estimated private hard costs at about $11,130,000 and 10% would equal about $1,113,000 (staff corrected a typographical error during the meeting). The city also proposed a joint resolution in which the OPWA would reimburse the Tulsa City–County Library Commission up to $150,000 of the cost to relocate a sanitary sewer line; staff said relocation is necessary before construction can begin and that total sewer relocation costs are estimated to be closer to $250,000.

Staff said the private portion of the project would be subject to a development-and-financing agreement that requires construction to begin no later than Nov. 1, 2025, and to be completed by Oct. 31, 2027. The agreement would also include a covenant filed with the county obligating the developer to make a minimum annual ad valorem payment (staff said the minimum is $108,512) to protect reimbursement projections and ensure predictable revenue for the OPWA TIF fund.

Planning staff recommended approval of the PUD overlay and rezoning and said the items (PUD, rezoning, right-of-way closure and related OPWA/TIF documentation) are slated for City Council action on July 15. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the PUD and rezoning at their meeting; staff said no citizens attended the Planning Commission meeting and staff had not received public comment.

The council discussion clarified that the development will be a mixed public/private project (library public; apartments private); that the private apartments are expected to be rental units (not condos for sale); and that site-plan, SUP and lot-combination steps will follow PUD approval to resolve the final parking, access and utility-relocation details. Staff also said the library will ultimately own the public portion and that the private developer will enter a ground lease with the county for the land under the private portion.

No formal council action was taken at this meeting; staff expects to present ordinances and agreements to the council at the July 15 meeting.