Green Country Habitat for Humanity broke ground Thursday on a long-awaited multifamily project on the former site of Whittier Elementary.
The Whittier is a development consisting of 23 townhomes. It’s adjacent to a rental community for seniors that’s currently under construction. The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation is a major supporter of Green Country Habitat for Humanity. Foundation Executive Director Bill Major said the Whittier will help with Tulsa’s shortage of affordable housing.
"This particular development, when you have a cross between rental, homeownership, low-income, workforce housing all in one site with families and seniors is just kind of the ideal community that we hope would spring up all over Tulsa," Major said.
Boomtown Development Co. President Vicki Jordan said it’s taken years of procedural dealings to get work started on The Whittier, which is going up on the former site of Whittier Elementary at Lewis and Admiral, just north of I-244.
"We're going to be able to help so many families in this area, and it will be absolutely transformational for this neighborhood," Jordan said.
Green Country Habitat for Humanity announced in March a seven-year, $35 million plan to build 250 new homes in north Tulsa. President and CEO Cameron Walker said their focus is helping to spur development north of I-244.
"The highway is a dividing line. It is not always fair in the assessment of what goes on north or south of the highway. And so, for us, this is a very visual and tangible example of what can be done on the north side of Tulsa," Walker said.
Townhomes at The Whittier will be three-bed, two-bath, Energy Star–certified units with one-car garages, indoor laundry and covered porches.
Families making 30–80% of area median income will be able to purchase units through Habitat for Humanity’s homebuyer program, while affiliate and developer Boomtown will help households earning up to 120% of area median income.
