Iconic restaurant reopens in downtown Tulsa's Blue Dome District

TULSA - The downtown Tulsa building that will house the First Street Lofts has a new tenant.

S&J Oyster Bar opened its doors near 1st and Elgin this week.

The opening comes as construction moves along for the rest of the building in the Blue Dome District.

The restaurant was an institution in Brookside for more than 20 years before the owner decided to retire several years ago.

The bar area is almost a replica of the original bar when S&J was located in the current Leon's location in Brookside.  

The new owners told 2NEWS they chose the Blue Dome District because it's an up and coming area with potential to grow.

Michael Sager is the owner of the building and hopes the restaurant's notoriety will help sell the building.

The lofts have been in the works for years and tax dollars have been used to help with construction.

Sager says the economy slowed the progress, but he expects the building will be ready for residential tenants by the summer of 2013.

"It's going to to be $5.5 million by the time we are done," said Sager.  "It grew from a small number of residential units to 23 residential units and it grew from one retail user to three retail users. Every time you touch it keeps moving on up."

The restaurant has hired about 40 people, six of whom worked at the original location.