Historic Greenwood District, East Tulsa Main Street Selected As 2020 Oklahoma Main Street Urban Communities

6/8/2020

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce has selected Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District and East Tulsa Main Street as 2020 Oklahoma Main Street Communities.

These newly designated Main Streets will join Kendall-Whittier Main Street and Route 66 Main Street as Destination Districts. Managed by the Tulsa Planning Office, the Destination Districts Program is a commercial revitalization program that aims to promote entrepreneurship and small businesses, and to enhance public spaces to create a vibrant, welcoming community.

“One of our greatest assets in Tulsa has always been our diversity,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “I’m thankful for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the team at the Tulsa Planning Office for putting these districts on the map so our residents and visitors can see all that Tulsa has to offer.”

The goals of the Destination Districts Program are to stimulate economic development, foster authentic cultural expression, develop civic pride, and deepen the connections to places that will allow Tulsa to retain talent, attract new residents and increase tourism opportunities.

Located in the northeast corner (and beyond) of the IDL, the Historic Greenwood District has a long history of African American entrepreneurship and prosperity, earning it the nickname “Black Wall Street.” Despite the destruction of the area during the 1921 Race Massacre and again during Urban Renewal programs and the construction of Interstate 244, this area continues to be a hub for black-owned businesses. The Main Street program will support the culture and history of this district.

East Tulsa Main Street is located at the intersection of 21st Street and South Garnett. It’s a diverse and rapidly growing area of Tulsa, primarily due to immigration. Though the largest growth has come from Hispanic, Vietnamese, and Hmong populations, there are many other cultural and ethnic groups represented in the area. The Main Street program celebrates this multicultural diversity.

As part of the Main Street UrbanMain program, all districts will receive training and technical assistance for preservation-based commercial district revitalization, as well as specialized training for urban districts that includes topics such as security, transportation and gentrification.

For more information on Destination Districts, visit: www.tulsaplanning.org/destination-districts.