DTP Celebrates Its Earliest Successes, Welcomes Leader of International Downtown Association
TULSA, OKLA. (Sept. 13, 2023) — Downtown Tulsa Partnership (DTP) celebrated a year of accomplishments Wednesday by hosting David Downey, President and CEO of the International Downtown Association (IDA), as keynote speaker at DTP’s first annual meeting at the University of Tulsa’s Oklahoma Center for the Humanities, 101 E. Archer St.
Downey is responsible for the overall strategic positioning of IDA as a world leader and champion for vital and livable urban centers. With an education and background in architecture and urban design, Downey has been a city advocate since the 1980s and speaks all over the world on behalf of IDA. Prior to joining IDA, he served as the Managing Director for the American Institute of Architects’ Urban Design Center and as Executive Director for the Michigan Chapter of the American Planning Association.
During his presentation at DTP’s Annual Meeting, Downey underscored that city building takes many years, even decades, and sustained vision will be the hallmark of great places. “The future of downtowns will require leadership and, most importantly, civic partnership at all levels,” Downey said. “The era of single-use urban centers is no longer, and cities of diverse mixed-use — with inclusive housing serving all residents, visitors, and businesses at every level — will succeed.”
DTP, a member of IDA, used the meeting as an opportunity to highlight its impact since the organization’s incorporation in 2021 as detailed in the organization’s first annual report.
“As we enter our third year of operations, DTP’s Board of Directors and staff are taking a moment to celebrate the progress made across all of our program areas,” said Brian Kurtz, DTP’s President and CEO. “While we reflect on the accomplishments and achievements of the past year, we also look to the future with new programs and services that recognize and address the growing needs of an evolving neighborhood.”
One new DTP initiative is the addition of an Outreach Coordinator to its Ambassador Team in a pilot program funded by Ascension St. John. The Outreach Coordinator will work more directly with individuals who are experiencing homelessness and in mental health crises in coordination with other members of A Way Home for Tulsa.
In the coming months, DTP will also work closely with the City of Tulsa Parks, Culture & Recreation Department on a revitalization plan for Chapman Green, 600 S. Main St., focused on increasing utilization of this neighborhood amenity. DTP is piloting a Downtown Tulsa Midweek Market in the 2-acre green space from 4-7 p.m. on Wednesdays from Sept. 13-Nov. 15.
After a successful pilot in FY23, DTP’s popular holiday pop-up shop program will return with a stronger focus on supporting local minority and non-traditional entrepreneurs with greater emphasis on training and support services, made possible with financial support from The Commemoration Fund.
Between now and May 2024, DTP will engage with community partners on a Strategic Investment Plan to establish a capital improvements framework for public realm investments and to identify priority/targeted investment areas for future developments. Future community meetings and engagement opportunities will be announced to the public.
Finally, DTP has launched a perception and satisfaction survey to help inform organizational efforts, services and programs moving forward. The survey can be accessed at DowntownTulsa.com/Survey and will be live until Oct. 13.
“These are just a few of the upcoming initiatives our team is working on to create a more vibrant, inclusive Downtown Tulsa,” Kurtz said. “We appreciate our corporate, civic, and community partners now more than ever, and we invite others to play a key role in supporting DTP’s mission and vision.”
This summer DTP launched its membership program, which provides members new opportunities to engage with Downtown businesses and stakeholders while increasing the organization’s capacity to enhance Downtown programs, events and experiences, including expanded Clean & Safe programs and business support services. Initial corporate members include Bank of Oklahoma, BAM Properties, McNellie’s Group, PSO, Cyntergy, GH2 Architects, Promise Hotels, Topeca Coffee, Amtra Capital Partners, and TulsaPeople Magazine. For more information on membership, visit DowntownTulsa.com/Membership.
DTP’s full annual report can be found at DowntownTulsa.com/AnnualReport.
For more information about Downtown Tulsa Partnership, visit DowntownTulsa.com.