In Progress

Bringing Life to a Historic Site

Located on E. 8th Street and S. Rockford Avenue, the Laura Dester site – once home to the Tulsa Boys Home – faced years of uncertainty following its acquisition by the City of Tulsa to support long-term stormwater facility planning in the Pearl District. Following multiple failed development proposals, PartnerTulsa, along with the Tulsa Development Authority, partnered with Amenome, LLC. and developer Kevin Rice to breathe life back into a site that will anchor one of the largest developments in the Pearl District.

nighttime skyline of Tulsa, OK.
Explore the Project

Laura Dester Redevelopment

Upon completion, the $14 million development will include 72 apartment units in the five existing buildings, as well as a new, three-story, 18,000-square-foot retail/office building and 10-15 townhomes.

Project Overview

A historic redevelopment of the former site of the Tulsa Boys Home will yield 72 affordable apartment units.
Phase 1
Negotiation and Sale
Partner Tulsa and Amenome Development have completed contract negotiations on the Redevelopment Agreementand the property has transferred ownership.
Phase 2
Construction
The site is currently under construction/redevelopment with an expected completion date in early 2023.
Phase 3
Pre-leasing and Project Completion
The property will be conducting pre-leasing beginning in late 2022 and expects to move in its first tenants beginning in March of 2023.

The Stories That Inspire Us

June 3, 2025

Building a Stronger Tulsa: A Conversation with PartnerTulsa’s Interim Executive Director

As the Interim Executive Director of PartnerTulsa, Ronita is dedicated to driving economic growth and community development. As she steps into her new role, she shares the key initiatives driving her passion and how PartnerTulsa is…
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May 12, 2025

Where Policy Meets Progress: A Q&A with Mike Dickerson

Mike Dickerson didn’t set out to build a career in public service, but after nearly 20 years with the City of Tulsa and now as SVP of Incentives and Municipal Relations at PartnerTulsa, he’s played…
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KHGMP
April 30, 2025

Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan (KHGMP) | April 2025 Update

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…
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