Update on buildings hit by tornado a year later

TULSA -- One year after the 2017 tornado in Tulsa, some of the businesses that were damaged are back to normal, while others still need work. 

The area of 41st street in Midtown Tulsa had dozens of buildings damaged Aug. 6, 2017. 

TGIFridays still has shattered glass lying next to the restaurant and the 19-story Remington Tower has dozens of boarded up windows. 

"We know that it is an eye sore, so we can kind of stipulate that.," Dwain Midget with the City of Tulsa said. 

Midget said TGIFridays is working through a permit process to rebuild that is moving slowly. 

One of the owners of the Remington Tower said he did not have any updates when we reached out to him Monday. When we asked him if it was because of insurance, he said he could not comment further. 

"We haven't dealt with the Remington Towers any more than trying to keep up with the status of where they are," Midget said. "I think they are making progress with their insurer."

Midget said they do not know the owners plans for the building but that it was declared structurally sound last year. 

He said the city wants to work with businesses to keep them in Tulsa and many have chosen that route.

The strip center where the AT&T was once located is now under construction. The building was torn down months ago. 

The La Quinta Hotel is undergoing renovations now to come back better than before. The owner said they are building a separate building with a lobby and bar inside. They are also updating electrical, tiles and walls. He expects it to be done in four to six months. 

Ferguson HVAC just re-opened in June after being closed for nine months. The roof was ripped off their building and all of their inventory was ruined.

"We went into survival mode," Rolsch Cooper, area manager of Oklahoma for Ferguson HVAC, said. "We went into 'what do we do next' mode and here we are a year later thankfully."

Monday, they had a cake to celebrate the progress they made over the last year. 

"It's such a new spirit now that we are back," Cooper said. "It feels so good to be back in our old facility. Like I said, it's like coming home." 

Cooper said they lost sales over the last year when they were forced to temporarily relocate but they are hopeful they will pick back up. 

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