Transforming Spaces: Benefits and Challenges of Downtown Renovations

The Hidden Value of Downtown Renovations

Downtown areas are often brimming with history, culture, and unique charm. Renovating downtown buildings can preserve a city’s history while making better use of existing infrastructure and reducing urban sprawl. However, there are often unique challenges to renovation projects in downtown areas, such as limited space for material storage, difficulty with equipment delivery, and the need to preserve architectural heritage. Join us as we explore some of the benefits and challenges of downtown renovations.

Renovations are more than just a facelift for buildings. These projects breathe new life into aging structures — making them more appealing and functional for modern use. By addressing the wear and tear that naturally occurs over time, renovations can restore the original charm and integrity of a building while incorporating contemporary design elements. This process often involves updating the interior layout to improve flow and usability, installing modern amenities, and enhancing accessibility features.

The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Historical Renovations

By updating and modernizing existing structures, renovations can also attract new businesses and residents. This, in turn, boosts the local economy and transforms an area into a more desirable place to work and conduct business. Renovating a building rather than demolishing it preserves the historical and cultural significance of the area, reduces waste, and minimizes the environmental impact associated with new construction. Additionally, renovations can often be completed quicker with less disruption to the surrounding community.

To better illustrate the benefits and challenges of renovations in a downtown setting, let’s look at a few example renovation projects that were completed in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Tulsa Club: Reviving an Architectural Treasure

The Tulsa Club Building, one of the oldest structures in downtown Tulsa, is an architectural gem and one of Tulsa's best examples of Art Deco architecture. 

Originally constructed in 1927, the building was later abandoned and became severely deteriorated, even suffering multiple fires.

In 2015, Ross Group teamed with public stakeholders and private developers to renovate the building—transforming it into a boutique hotel while maintaining as much of the original architectural integrity as possible. The first and second floors contain the hotel lobby, restaurant, and bar, while floors three through eight consist of 96 unique, modern hotel guest rooms with 30 different room configurations. 

The project preserved the building's historic charm while updating its facilities to meet modern standards. This renovation not only revitalized a historic landmark but also contributed to the economic and cultural vibrancy of downtown Tulsa. 

The Midland Building: Historic Renovation Meets Modern Sustainability

The Midland Building, another historic structure, was also renovated rather than demolished. Ross Group performed the complete renovation of a two-story, 44,930 sq. ft. structure originally constructed in the 1920s. The original structure consisted of four separate buildings that were built next to each other with shared walls. The renovation combined all four spaces into one facility.

All new mechanical systems were installed —including rooftop HVAC units and a variable refrigerant flow system —incorporating energy-efficient technologies to reduce environmental impact and operational costs.

This project focused on maintaining the building's architectural integrity while upgrading its infrastructure. The renovation provided modern office spaces and amenities, demonstrating how preserving historic buildings can offer functional and aesthetically pleasing environments.

Tulsa County Headquarters: Modernizing Community Infrastructure

The renovation of the Tulsa County Headquarters Building in downtown Tulsa exemplifies how thoughtful construction projects can enhance community infrastructure and services, despite the unique challenges often encountered in downtown renovations.

The Tulsa County Board of County Commissioners purchased this nine-story building in 2017 to consolidate county offices in one location. Originally constructed in the late 1950s and expanded in the 1960s, the building previously housed the offices of Community Care. In 2021, Tulsa County completed a substantial renovation of the building, leaving the third and sixth floors to be remodeled later. Over the last year, Ross Group updated the HVAC system on the third floor and fully renovated the majority of the sixth floor.

The challenges this project encountered included:

• Material Delivery: One challenge the project team faced was the lack of a freight elevator to the upper floors of the building. Large material, such as sheetrock, metal studs, and track had to be hoisted by crane through a window.

• Building access restrictions: Security was tight in this local government building, and access to the project floors was limited. Each subcontractor had to be met and badged into the parking lot, building, and elevator each day by a member of the Ross Group project team.

• Occupied building. During the renovation, the remaining floors of the building were fully occupied. In addition, to ensure employees could continue their vital work uninterrupted, all construction work that was dusty, noisy, or strong-smelling was completed after hours or on weekends. Some work, such as sanding and staining doors, was completed off-site.

Enhanced safety features and updated infrastructure improve the overall quality of life for the community, making downtown areas more vibrant, attractive, and sustainable for future generations. This renovation significantly improved safety for the building's occupants and visitors. Fire suppression and fire alarm systems were modified and extended throughout the sixth-floor spaces to ensure code-compliant life safety protection. The new headquarters for TCSO also enhances life safety oversight across all of Tulsa County.

With this project now complete, the renovated sixth-floor spaces now serve as the new headquarters for the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO). This central location supports TCSO’s daily operations and provides the public with a convenient place to go for TCSO-related needs. Additionally, a portion of the renovated spaces store county clerk books dating back to Oklahoma’s statehood in 1907.

Preserving the Past While Building into the Future

These examples highlight the importance of construction renovations in city landscapes transforming underutilized spaces. Such projects reveal how thoughtful renovations can transform once-forgotten spaces while preserving their charm and utility for the community.