Over the past two years, tremendous progress has been made toward bringing the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan (KHGMP) to life.

In early 2023, the Community Governance Working Group, partnering with national experts and PartnerTulsa, recommended forming a Community Development Corporation (CDC) to lead implementation of the Master Plan. By January 2024, the Tulsa Development Authority Board of Commissioners passed a resolution supporting the creation of an Advisory Committee to guide the CDC’s formation.

Following a public application process that yielded 41 submissions, a nine-member Advisory Committee was announced in April 2024. Members were selected by a community-led selection committee based on neighborhood residency, relevant skills and demonstrated commitment to the Master Plan’s implementation.

Throughout the year, the Advisory Committee engaged with national leaders in community development, explored best practices for CDC governance and started the necessary legal steps toward incorporation.

In October 2024, the formation of the Greenwood Legacy Corporation (GLC) was officially announced. This new CDC has been established to lead and support implementation of the KHGMP. Its founding Board of Directors was selected from among the Advisory Committee members.

The formal incorporation of the Greenwood Legacy Corporation represents a pivotal milestone in the realization of a long-term, community-led vision for future development in the Kirkpatrick Heights and Greenwood neighborhoods.

The Greenwood Legacy Corporation is now focused on developing bylaws, building out its team, and creating an operational plan to lead the implementation of the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan. Learn more here.

Greenwood Legacy Corporation, which is the name for the Community Development Corporation (CDC) that has been formed with the support of a community Advisory Committee formed in April of this year, is made up of North Tulsa residents and community stakeholders who will support and lead the implementation of the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan.

Greenwood Legacy Corporation was formed based upon recommendations made by a Community Governance Working Group that met throughout 2023. Following those meetings, the Tulsa Development Authority (TDA) approved a nine-member Advisory Committee in April to assist in the creation of a CDC.

More information on each of the Advisory Committee members and the community-driven process to get to this point, can be found  here.

On April 25, 2024, the Tulsa Development Authority (TDA) approved a nine-member Advisory Committee to assist in the creation of a Community Development Corporation (CDC) for 56 acres of public land in the Kirkpatrick Heights and Greenwood areas of North Tulsa. 

The Advisory Committee will have sole responsibility to work with TDA to assist with the following:

• Facilitation of the creation of Articles of Incorporation for a CDC
• Creation of bylaws for the CDC
• Creation of policies and procedures for CDC operations
• Recruitment and recommendation of volunteers to serve on the CDC Board of Directors
• Identification of funding necessary for establishment and operation of the CDC from incubation to independence
• Identification and recruitment of available resources (i.e. grants, credits, donors, public funds, etc.) to provide funding for CDC operations

As the new organization takes shape, some Advisory Committee members might transition to CDC board positions, but it is expected that the Committee will disband once the organization is fully established. The full press release is available here.

Members of the Advisory Committee, which were selected following an open application process, are as follows:

Lana Turner-Addison: Dr. Turner-Addison was born and has lived in Tulsa all her life. She owns and operates a business, Pine Premiere Childcare, located within the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan boundaries and served as a Co-Chairperson of the Master Plan Leadership Committee, and as a member of the Community Working Group. She currently serves as a member of the Planning Commission and previously served as the Human Rights Director for the City of Tulsa. She is also a former member of the Tulsa Public Schools Board and is the founder of the North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative.

Shella Bowlin: Ms. Bowlin was born and raised in Tulsa and is the current Secretary of State for the Cherokee Nation. She has led innovative growth strategies, leveraging competitive advantages to generate sustainable returns. She has a unique blend of skills in aligning initiatives with social justice objectives and promoting inclusive Economic Development.

Eugene Harris: Mr. Harris was born and raised in Tulsa and is a resident within the Kirkpatrick Heights- Greenwood Master Plan footprint. Mr. Harris retired after working for ONEOK/ONE Gas for over 25 years. He has served on numerous boards and authorities and represented the University Park Homeowners Association as a member of the Community Working Group. Mr. Harris brings his skills in nonprofit leadership and employee development to the committee.

Scott Moore y Medina: Mr. Moore has lived in Tulsa since 2016, and lives within the Kirkpatrick Heights- Greenwood Master Plan boundaries. Mr. Moore is a company founder, registered architect, and community builder. He has experience as a HUD grant technical writer, architect, Community Development Corporation and most recently participated as a lead planning team member for the Envision Comanche CHOICE Grant with the Housing Authority of the City of Tulsa. Mr. Moore has received numerous planning awards and participated in community visioning for numerous projects and collaborations that support the sustainability of people and places.

Joshua Roby: Mr. Roby has lived in Tulsa for the past 20 years. Mr. Roby has over 20 years of experience in banking and is the current Senior Vice President for Grand Bank Tulsa. He has served on various boards in Tulsa and is one of the founding members of the Chamber of Commerce led Tulsa Young Professionals. In addition to his two decades in banking, Mr. Roby has extensive experience in management, business development, financial and credit risk analysis, and community involvement. He is also a North Tulsa resident.

Kiana Smith: Dr. Smith has lived in Tulsa for the past 15 years and is a local real estate developer in the area with homes in the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan footprint. She is also an accomplished educator, school leader and former executive director of Tulsa Legacy Charter School and serves on various boards. Dr. Smith is dedicated to driving equity-centered initiatives and achieving impactful outcomes. She has a vast range of experiences and skills in research, organizational management and development, real estate, community development, communications and nonprofit leadership.

William Tisdale: Mr. Tisdale was born and raised in Tulsa, grew up within the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan footprint, and has served as a senior pastor and a business owner. Mr. Tisdale is a principal with Twenty20 Management and brings a wealth of experience in racial equity, social and economic justice, economic and community development and real estate. Mr. Tisdale serves on various boards.

Brentom Todd: Mr. Todd was born and raised in Tulsa and lives within the Kirkpatrick Heights- Greenwood Master Plan area. Mr. Todd has a vested interest and passion for his community and is committed to this area in which he chooses to live and raise his family. Mr. Todd is a volunteer with the Terence Crutcher Foundation and serves on various boards. He brings skills in economic development through his work at Atento Capital, where he assists entrepreneurs in elevating their businesses and increasing the connectivity of the community. He also brings skills in the areas of community development, nonprofit leadership, project management and marketing.

Daquet Wilson: Ms. Wilson was born and raised in Tulsa, lives within the Kirkpatrick Heights- Greenwood Master Plan footprint, and is a member of the Community Working Group. She is the Manager of the Be Well Community Development Corporation and a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Ms. Wilson is an experienced community development, community engagement, and nonprofit leadership professional.

After more than 40 community meetings and events, connecting with 1,000 residents and 16 months of community-led planning, the Kirkpatrick Heights & Greenwood Master Plan was unanimously approved by the Tulsa City Council in December 2022. Learn more about the planning process and see the final plan, here.

Here are a few of our favorite headlines on the project:

• 2024: A Year of Progress, Vision and Commitment
• Greenwood Legacy Corporation to Implement Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan
• Advisory Council for Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan host first meeting, share progress
• Kirkpatrick Heights/Greenwood Master Plan Wins National Planning Award
• What’s Next for the Kirkpatrick Heights & Greenwood Master Plan: June 2023 Update
• Tulsa Selected to Participate in Opportunity Accelerator Program to Help Create Governance Model for Greenwood, Kirkpatrick Heights Area
• Nonprofit will help Tulsa create governance model for north Tulsa site redevelopment
• Tulsa City Council adopts master plan for Greenwood, Kirkpatrick Heights
• City councilors unanimously approve Kirkpatrick Heights Master plan
• Video: Master plan for Kirkpatrick Heights and Greenwood area unveiled – FOX23 News
• City Of Tulsa Releases Final Plan For Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood

Results for America:
Results for America is helping decision-makers at all levels of government harness evidence and data to make progress on our greatest challenges. Their mission is to make investing in what works as the “new normal,” so that government decision-makers regularly and effectively use evidence and data to increase the impact of the over $2 trillion that governments spend each year to open opportunities and advance economic mobility.

Opportunity Accelerator:
Led by Results for America, the Opportunity Accelerator (OA) initiative is a new collaboration with the Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University, Code for America, the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab, and the W. Haywood Burns Institute that supports government in promoting economic mobility, reducing racial disparities and improving the wellbeing of their residents. Tulsa is one of four cities working with the Opportunity Accelerator, with our work focused on working alongside community to evaluate and select a governance model for redevelopment of publicly-owned land in the Master Plan.

Haywood Burns Institute:
The W. Haywood Burns Institute (BI) is a black-led national, non-profit with a diverse team of bold visionaries. Always challenging racial hierarchy and the social control of communities of color by the justice sector and other public systems, BI employs strategies and tactics to establish a community-centered approach to transformation that is anchored in structural well-being. BI serves as the lead technical assistance provider to PartnerTulsa as a part of the Opportunity Accelerator program.

Accelerator for America/i3:
Accelerator for America finds and develops local solutions to economic insecurity and shares them with cities across the country, and supports initiatives that connect people with existing jobs, create new opportunities and foster infrastructure development. They are led by an Advisory Council consisting of mayors and leaders from the labor, business and non-profit sectors. 

Launched in 2023 as a project of Accelerator for America, i3 convenes a network of policymakers, technologists, investors, and thought leaders to help communities leverage new funding and technology, foster innovation, and deliver on infrastructure that tackles old problems with new solutions. PartnerTulsa is leveraging the i3 program to pursue catalytic funding opportunities and strategies that will support critical infrastructure necessary for the development envisioned in the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan.

Leadership Committee

This 11-member body was formed by Mayor G.T. Bynum, and oversaw the development of the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan. Members of the Leadership Committee included the below Tulsa leaders; additional information on each can be found here. 

• Reuben Gant
• Vanessa Hall-Harper (District 1 City Councilor)
• Jack Henderson
• Brandon Jackson
• Dr. Delia Kimbrel
• Dwain Midget
• Ashley Philippsen
• Burlinda Radney
• Dr. Lana Turner Addison
• Joe Williams
• Dr. La Verne Ford Wimberly

Working Group

Following Tulsa’s acceptance into the Opportunity Accelerator program, PartnerTulsa sought to expand the group of community leaders engaged in ongoing efforts and established a broader Working Group to support efforts to evaluate and co-design governance models for implementation of the Master Plan. This body included the original Leadership Committee, plus the following community members:

• Andy McMillan
• Ashley Phlipsen
• Bill White- Dunbar
• Brandon Jackson
• Brandon Oldham
• Burlinda Radney
• Chris Benge
• Daquet Wilson
• Delia Kimbrel
• Demauri Meyers
• Dr. Lana Turner Addison
• Dr. Laverne Ford Wimberly
• Greg Robinson
• Jack Henderson
• James Wagner
• Joe Williams
• Kandi Whitely -White
• Phil Armstrong
• Reuben Gant
• Rodrigo Rojas
• Vanessa Hall- Harper
• Ariel Humphrey

Listed working group members participated in at least two workshops.