Revitalization of SW Tulsa moves forward

TULSA - The revitalization of southwest Tulsa is gaining momentum.

The area's Route 66 landmarks have become an anchor to its past and future.

For the first time in decades, carnival rides fill Crystal City off of Southwest Boulevard in Tulsa. The carnival is bringing families together again in the area.

"We're kind of like a little tight community. We keep each other in tune, you know what I mean. It's pretty nice to live out here," said west Tulsa resident Tandi Taylor.

20 percent of the carnival's proceeds will go to projects aimed at revitalizing the area, like the Route 66 Village just down the street. People travel from far and wide to visit it and see the large oil derrick.

"Everybody's proud of their sections of Route 66. Anywhere you go, anywhere in the world, people are going to know about our Route 66," said Route 66 Village project manager Roy Heim.

Thanks to Vision 2025 money and donations, historic trains will soon sit on its lot. Plans also call for a teaching facility, a retro gas station and an airport hangar.

"Texas will have their cadillacs, we're going to have our oil derricks, a steam engine and a lot of other things for them to see," Heim said.

Residents also hope Crystal City will draw people to southwest Tulsa again.

"When you cross the river, we're like a little city within a city," said Jeannie Cue, chairwoman of the Route 66 Village.

The Crystal City amusement park opened in 1921 and faded away after World War II. Now a shopping center, it could bring customers and revenue back to the area.

"The main thing is to get people over here to enjoy our community, that is our main goal," Cue said.

Work on the Route 66 Village should begin in a few weeks. The carnival continues Sunday off of Southwest Boulevard from 1-11 p.m.