Saturday, Kimberly and I visited the Tribune Lofts downtown. One of Tulsa’s first and still, one of Tulsa’s only Urban living, loft-style living environments available. I phoned the offices of American Realty Group last week to discuss the oppurtunity to live in one of their available lofts. They said they had some availability and I could check them out. This was a wonderful surprise, considering when I spoke to them in November and December of last year, they were planning to sell the building outright.

I guess the Historical Society has a hold on the selling process and is forcing ARG to hold onto it for a bit longer. This is great, because it is going to give me an oppurtunity to get into the building and set myself on the line for first right to purchase the loft, I think. Either way, I am happy. Saturday we visit the building and got a feel for the environment. Its an absolutely gorgeous building and the interior has been remodeled and is really classy.

I initially wanted to see a floorplan that is only available on the first floor, but currently has a resident. The broker was unable to allow me to see the model and therefore showed me a few others. On the third floor was a nice loft, however tiny and odd in shape. I was not very enthused about this floor plan because to me, it still felt like an apartment style environment. I then was showed model 504, and I knew I found what I had been looking for. Its ~1000 square feet and is a very long rectangle. The kitching is a nook style with an island offset from the main room, and the loft has a 1.5 bath seperating the two adjoining spaces. There is a long hall, of course no doors, along the north end, which is highlighted with large windows spanning the entire wall!

The view is pretty nice too, probably one of the nicest in the building. No matter where I am in the loft, I have a complete view of the Brady Arts district. There are small ledges along the windows which will allow me to put a plant or something if I so choose. However, I am going to re-visit the floor plan this week to take some measurements. I am totally moving into it though! The cost of living will increase about 15% but I am okay, I think.

Kimberly and I took a few looks at some other models available and weren’t impressed. Another model on the fifth floor was a corner, adjacent to the parking lot and overlooking the old train station and downtown, wasn’t pretty. I don’t think I even want to see the first floor model any longer.

Tribune Interior

Kimberly was great to take along, she had some questions about the place that I was glad she came up with. Parking was a big issue downtown and we got it all figured out. Its more of a drive to work, in fact its about six times the distance if not more that I drive now for almost anything. There are no grocery stores, no convenience stores, nothing. At first I thought Kimberly was trying to talk me out of the loft for those reasons, but I now think she was just reminding me.

I thought about it all weekend and I am sure I will think some more, but I am pretty prepared. I am happy to finally move downtown, something I have been wanting to do for quite some time!