| City/Town: • Tulsa |
| Location Class: • Commercial |
| Built: • 1927 | Abandoned: • 1994 |
| Historic Designation: • Abandoned Atlas Foundation Contribution to POK Most Endangered List (2011) |
| Status: • Restored (2019) |
| Photojournalist: • David Linde |
The Tulsa Club Building at East Fifth Street and South Cincinnati Avenue was designed by Bruce Goff a creative American architect. His work was distinguished by his unique and eccentric designs in buildings throughout Oklahoma and other Midwest states. In 1927 the 11-floor, 92,000 sq. ft. building that would become The Tulsa Club Building was constructed through the joint efforts of The Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and the Tulsa Club.
Known for its elite members, businessmen often used the Club Building for many business deals, elaborate dinners, and being an urban escape for Tulsans. Club members enjoyed all the perks including elaborate mosaic fireplaces, and most famously, the grand ballroom located on the ninth floor. Featuring two-story ceilings, velvet drape curtains, and endless partying. The building has 11 floors, which were dedicated to giant dining halls, smaller dining rooms, dormitories for men staying overnight, dozens of small lounges and libraries. It was also home to the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce on floors two-five for many years. The club also featured an athletic facility and barbershop to keep their members looking in tiptop shape. The top floor of the Club Building was known as the Sky Terrace, it had seating for a hundred guests to enjoy lunches and dinners.
Club members were made to pay a $50 initiation fee and $19 in monthly dues, and $119 for club amenities. But with the fluctuation of the economy in the late nineties club members struggled to pay dues and eventually The Tulsa Club dissolved. For many years after that, the building changed hands several times and was even repossessed by the City of Tulsa in 2010. Eventually, the building was officially abandoned and started to fall into disarray. Soon people started to make a temporary home out of the building, drug activity and kids wanting a thrill made cops frequent the area and install cameras to deter them.
With the unwelcomed visitors and activity came a numerous amount of fires. Within its first year of abandonment, there were four fires that Tulsa Fire Department was called to put out over the years. On October 15, 2010 a significant blaze ravaged its way through the upper floor of the derelict Tulsa Club Building. One firefighter who had suffered from heat exhaustion was taken by ambulance to a hospital.
Restoration
In 2015, The Ross Group started a hefty $36 million renovation on the almost century-old building. The cost was offset by state and federal historic tax credits and helped to keep the Tulsa Club Building in almost the same design as it was previously. It was fully restored into a 96-room hotel that opened in April of 2019. Take a look at the construction and newly renovated hotel in the video below and then the gallery of when it was abandoned after that.
Article by AOK Photojournalists Emily Cowan and David Linde.
Gallery Below of Tulsa Club Building
https://www.asianhospitality.com/the-tulsa-club-gives-landmark-building-new-life/
https://oklahoman.com/article/3504659/fire-brought-under-control-in-historic-tulsa-club-building
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When I bought the building in 2013 (sold in 2015), I had never been inside. The AO pictures were the only ones I had. Keep up the good work.
Your article is very good. Thanks for sharing
Fantastic – a few years ago I spoke with someone at Ross Group about the building’s history and some form of display in tribute to the birth of the Barbershop Harmony Society who held their very first meeting on the roof garden April 11, 1938. I’m hopeful someone remembers and we are a part of the plan – happy to help – Grady Kerr –BHS Historian.
Would love the opportunity to be a part of the renovations to such a beautiful and historical structure!
On a quite Sunday I captured some video with my drone of the Tulsa Club. https://youtu.be/UbhaXfE8YH4
**DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK**If you want to get into the building thwre is 2 ways in. #1. Go into the the ally on the left side of the building, you will see a wooden door that leads into the area that is between the tulsa club building and the parking garage. It is locked so hop it. Once you hop the fence you will see this concrete thing with a red tarp on it and a ladder going down. Climb up the ladder and go thru the hole and then walk thru the door and you are in! #2. If you cant get in there find a way into the parking garage and and go to the top. Go by the airncondishner and find a way past the fence. Go up the fire escape and you are in! Please do this at your own risk. Hmu on facebook at facebook.com/anonsoftulsa
Way #1 has been blocked
We are currently trying to recreate the chandeliers for the renovation, so if anyone has any photos of the chandeliers please forward them to me at:
jengel@cammanlighting.com
Thank you!!!
Joan
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Is this building open for exploration? Would love to take pictures in it.
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This is just a bunch of words that make no sense at all
Hello, me and my airsoft team have been looking for places to call home base for awhile now and was wondering if anyone knows where a good condemned building is that someone would donate to the airsoft community for use. We live and work in the tulsa area and have been looking for quite some time, just happen to stumble upon this webite so please comment thanks!
jesse aka jester
I purchased this building. Please do not attempt to enter it. If you would like to sell or donate original fixtures for the restoration please contact me at josh at vestatulsa dot com – thanks for the pictures
Would you be willing to let someone explore this building?
Are u still the owner or no?
THANK YOU for posting these. I have always wanted to get in the Tulsa Club building someday. I wish I were wealthy so I could do something amazing and positive to it.
Does anyone know how I can get into the building?
Could anyone tell me how to get in?
You did an awesome job presenting this site. I thouroughly enjoyed it.
I hope someone restores this!
I?m not certain the place you’re getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend a while learning much more or understanding more. Thank you for wonderful info I was searching for this information for my mission.
Hopefully your mission is to learn to read and write
Remarkable things here. I’m very happy to peer your article. Thanks so much and I’m taking a look forward to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
This is a cool building, too bad I don’t have any money. It would be the kind of place that needs to be brought back.
hi john, i really agree with you…..it would be nice to restore it
I can't even count how many times I've walked/driven by this building.. and had no idea if was designed by Goff! What a gem!
I will never ever understand vandalism, especially after seeing those old photographs. Thank you so much for sharing!
great job!
Wow!! What a good job you've done on this site!!! I am so, sad to see a Goff building sit and go to waste,and to read on your messages that a fire has now damaged it!! It would have made great flats for people to live in….do you know if it is worth saving now? Keep up the good work I enjoy the photos you share!!! Take care Tery
Such a shame, even U.S. Presidents ate there,or future presidents,remember George Bush 41 attended a luncheon there
The old Tulsa Club Building played a bigger role in the development of downtown Tulsa, and the the community generally, than many realize. It began life as the headquarters of the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber signed a 99-year lease on the corner property and planned a 3-story building. That was in 1922. Then the just-formed Tulsa Club bought in and the building started to grow. It became the "Tulsa Building" when construction of an 11-story structure began in 1926. What has been little noted is that the building was not just to house the Chamber and the Tulsa Club, for many other organizations also moved in with their offices. They included: the Retail Merchants' Assn., Junior Chamber, Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Assn., Natural Gas Assn of America, American Assn. of Petroleum Geologists, Better Business Bureau, State Chamber of Commerce, Community Fund (forerunner of the Community Chest), Automobile Club of Oklahoma (now AAA Oklahoma, with state headquarters still in Tulsa), the Girl Scouts, and the Tulsa Art Assn. (I should point out that I was retained in 2004 to write a 100th anniversary history of the Tulsa Chamber, and my research of old Chamber material disclosed the information contained herein.) The Chamber held 40 percent of the stock ownership of the building, and the Tulsa Club 60 percent. This partnership in ownership of the building continued until 1952 when the Chamber sold its interest to the Tulsa Club and built a new building at 616 South Boston.
I have many fond memories of the Tulsa Club growing up. My grandfather's father-in-law F. Lee Kennedy had a membership there. So we spent many Thanksgivings and Christmas' there till my great grandfather passed in 1974. Then in 1983 my senior class had our prom there in the ball room.
It is so sad to see the building in such disrepair.
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. My grandfather would be turning over in his grave, at the condition of the place now. He retired, from The Tulsa Club, after 32 years of service, as Sous Chef(right under the Head Chef, a really nice Italian fellow and good friend of the family), from the early 1950's to mid 1980's. Lots of good memories of him bringing home food and confectioneries from there. They had some of the best of the best chef's, in Oklahoma, working for them and the food was amazing. Of course, in order to get through the front doors, you had to be a member, with proof, that you had to have at least 7 figures(i.e. $$) in the bank to join. In the early days of The Club, it had to be mid to high 6 figures. Very exclusive Club. I, my self worked there, for a brief time, like 6 months, but it was a fun, although brief employment. Any ways, thanks for the pics and I hope some one gets the place fixed up to is former and greater glory.
Can you enter this building today? It would make for fantastic pictures'
There has been a fire recently. The building is heavily damaged. There is a court battle between the city of Tulsa and the curent owner. He has had several prospects but after the recent damage, the future of this buiding is in question.
Another one you should try to explore in the Vandiver building. It is at 16 E. 5th st, just up from the Tulsa club. It has been abandoned every bit of 12 to 15 years.
Wonderful,wonderful site, keep up the great work.
Oh I've had my eye on Vendevers for awhile now. Its sealed up tight and its got electric on inside which could mean alarms. So I may be forced to contact the owner…
Fiend,
When I get to work Tuesday, I will see if I can get the owners name, ownership is connected with some other buildings on that block.
Wonderful! You can contact me in the forum if you get any info. Other wise (sigh) I would have to contact a county clerk or someone and thats always a hassle…
Apparently HTML is not allowed. Link to photo below.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrew_saliga/141271…
Thanks for all the great photos and background info. I went in the building a few years ago with some of my friends. What struck me was how everything was just abandoned, almost in a hurry it seemed. Quite different at night, especially when pigeons swoop at you as you enter on the roof.
Anyways, here was my favorite shot I got from the place.
Thanks for putting together this site. I've been looking for one like this for quite awhile now.
this really is an awesome old building…
here is the link for a youtube video that also has the Tulsa Club being explored
and those old photos of the Tulsa Club are really a good find, thank you.
keep up the good work man
Hey, you should join the forum…
WOW!!
haha well i am thinking about buying it, just looking for investors
Do you know if it is still for sale?
Yes, it is. I read an article in the Tulsa World from Feb of this year stating that the current owner is trying to sell it. Anyone want to buy it, it would be a nice little weeked fixer upper hahaha.
Friggin amazing! One of the best one’s yet (with the exception of the power plant)
I love the wooden lobby desk area!
Thanx Fiend!