TULSA, Okla. — Over the last several months, numerous local businesses have flocked to the area at 11th and Lewis. This comes after a years-long revitalization project to bring local businesses to the Mother Road.
"We've become a community. All of us because everybody is a small business, so we all have the same mentality and the same, just wanting to make this a fun Tulsa place," said Christy Satarawala.
She works at Anybody's Guest, one of the new businesses housed at the bottom of the new NOMA Apartments.
In April, 2 News walked through the nearly 260-unit complex. At that time, the building was trying to fill the retail spaces having some interest as the apartments opened.
Local News
ROUTE 66 REVAMP: Revitalization efforts at 11th and Lewis bring new businesses
"What we want to bring here to NOMA is we do have eight retail spots and six of those are leased at this time," said Heather Shipman the community director of the NOMA apartments in April.
Eight months later, those spaces are active. There's an ice cream shop, gift store, nail salon, and hair lounge.
"It’s such a young and new place. There’s a lot of new energy," Satarawala said.
She said this growth is only the beginning. She's watched as the area's turned over becoming a destination for people in the nearby neighborhoods.
Satarawala said the area was designed to be walkable, and she said that was accomplished by having many people living in the NOMA or a nearby neighborhood stop into the shop.
"Been here for a really long time really excited to see the new fun things. Like we’re just plugging life back into this corner and it’s really changed. It’s gonna be totally different even five more years from now," said Satarawala.
The 11th and Lewis corridor was an area pinpointed by the city to increase economic opportunity.
The city’s original project plan outlined goals for the area.
Those included reinvesting in the corridor bringing back economic drivers and boosting tourism around Route 66.
That was reason enough for Jesse Cuyan to move his hair lounge.
"I've spoken to the people, you know, in charge of the Mother Road. The background behind that is to support locals and being part of that also, definitely means a lot," he said.
Cuyan said he knew of the corridor’s value being one of the first to jump at the opportunity to expand his shop in a new location. he said many of his clients also followed him to the new shop where he went from six to 12 hair-cutting stations.
Cuyan said he's watched this area grow over the years and he's ready to grow with it.
"To be able to set grounds now, it’s definitely big. And we’re definitely going to be here for a while to so be able to see how it continues to grow it’s just going to be huge and to be part of it you know," said Cuyan.
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