TULSA, Okla. — A major disagreement between the City of Tulsa and Tulsa County Commissioners is putting $18 million on the line.
Owned by Tulsa County, the former juvenile detention center (315 S. Gilcrease Museum Road), has sat empty for years. It was briefly used during the COVID-19 pandemic as a temporary emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
With help from a donation from the Zarrow Foundation, the City of Tulsa approached Tulsa County with a plan to take over and renovate the center. The plan included capacity to service 176 people, plus animal shelter space and a 24/7 operation.
However, the two sides disagreed on the building’s value, with a difference of millions of dollars.
Tulsa County Commissioner Lonnie Sims tells 2 News the county also had a lot of concerns about security for the adjacent social services building, run by the county.
Sims said when they approached Mayor Monroe Nichols with their plan for security upgrades, the negotiations stopped.
“Our only ask is that we don’t create something here that’s going to compromise a very successful shelter already underway and been here a long time,” said Sims.
Sims thinks the city should have other options to pursue.
“The adult detention center that Tulsa owns is 1/10th of a mile from here,” said Sims. “I guess my first question is why wouldn’t they not use that site?”
Sims said just in the last few days, the two sides have met again and had a positive conversation. He does not believe negotiations are completely off the table.
“I do think this will happen; sometimes it’s the darkest before the dawn, but we have concerns we want to have addressed,” he said.
2 News was not able to talk with city officials on camera, but sent a statement, saying, in part:
“If this project proceeded, it would not have been the first time the City and County partnered on homelessness. In 2020, both entities came together to fund an emergency shelter in response to the pandemic. The City approached this new project with the same spirit of collaboration, hoping to build on that successful partnership. Despite months of good-faith discussions and diligent planning, the City has made the difficult decision to discontinue efforts to acquire the former Juvenile Detention Center. This outcome is not a reflection of the City’s commitment or effort, but rather a recognition that Tulsa County does not currently share our vision for how this facility could best serve our residents.
“While this particular facility will not be utilized, identifying low-barrier shelter space in Tulsa remains a key priority for the mayor and his administration. We will continue working with partners across the city to identify and pursue other viable opportunities to provide critical shelter and support to our most vulnerable neighbors.”
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