City of Tulsa

Tulsa Awarded $3 Million to Continue Efforts to Establish Greenwood Entrepreneurship Hub at Moton

5/15/2024

This article was archived on 6/15/2024

Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the Tulsa Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) was awarded $3 million to continue construction and the development of Greenwood Entrepreneurship at Moton (GEM) - a new entrepreneurship hub in North Tulsa.

The funding will be layered with other local funding sources to finance the cost of the rehabilitation of the historic Moton Hospital.

"I am thankful for additional investment by our federal partners as we seek to bring this entrepreneurship hub to life in North Tulsa,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “This historic space will soon provide additional opportunities for so many Tulsans and I’m eager to see how it impacts those who live and work in this part of our city.”

Following schematic design approval in February of 2023, GEM broke ground in August of 2023, starting with the removal of non-historic structures at the site.

“TEDC is thrilled to receive support from the EDA to bring GEM, a valuable, community asset, back online," said Rose Washington, TEDC's Chief Executive Officer. "We are grateful for EDA's support coupled with both City of Tulsa and Tulsa County awards to bring such an important redevelopment plan to life."

Additional project funding includes $4 million that was previously approved by the Tulsa Council in 2021:

$2.5 million to redevelop the historic Moton Health Center (later renamed to Morton Comprehensive Health Services) at Pine St. and N. Greenwood Ave. into an entrepreneurship hub where North Tulsa entrepreneurs and small businesses can turn their vision into a reality.
$500,000 to support the launch of business accelerator programming and courses that leverage the expertise and talent of the local community through a 15-week course where entrepreneur cohorts develop their ideas into successful businesses.
$1 million to seed the Build Tulsa Fund, a pool of financial resources for businesses and under-resourced entrepreneurs building in North Tulsa.

“This is a great step forward as we work to provide North Tulsans with the essential support they need to build opportunity and a legacy for Black Wall Street,” District 1 City Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper said. “GEM will be a space that provides an opportunity for Black small businesses and entrepreneurs, and I share in the excitement that so many people have for this transformative project.”

To make way for the hub, TDA completed demolition on non-historic buildings at the site in December 2022 and approved the Contract for Sale of Land and Redevelopment with TEDC in January 2023.

“We are incredibly excited to see this investment into the historic Moton Hospital by EDA, which emphasizes the value and role of place-based investments in economic development," PartnerTulsa Executive Director Kian Kamas said. "We look forward to building upon the investment in the coming months and years as we look to envision the future of the remainder of the Moton site.”

"This project is again result of a community-based collaborative effort with our partners at EDA and the Tulsa community, Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG) Executive Director Rich Brierre said. "INCOG is again pleased to be a part of this effort and looks forward to bring new life to this important community asset."

For more information about the project, visit: https://partnertulsa.org/building-wealth-for-our-community/community-revitalization-projects/historic-moton-hospital/

Tulsa Awarded $3 Million to Continue Efforts to Establish Greenwood Entrepreneurship Hub at Moton

5/15/2024

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