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Pooling your resources: National retailer, tax incentives spur growth in Tulsa suburb



As suburban communities across the nation have struggled due to the downturn in the national economy, Glenpool appears to be one of the few exceptions. This Tulsa suburb has experienced unprecedented commercial growth over the past couple of years and is poised to see that growth continue at a steady pace for years to come.

According to Mendy Parrish, senior broker with CB Richard Ellis/Oklahoma, several factors are responsible for the recent growth in Glenpool, the most obvious simply being need.

“There was a tremendous need for services in that community,” said Parrish. “With Walmart being there and having done so well in spite of the economy, it says a lot about the growth and strength of that community.”

As has been the case with many Oklahoma communities, the opening of a Walmart Supercenter in 2008 proved to be a catalyst in spurring additional retail development. This 205,000-square-foot store located at the intersection of 146th Street and Highway 75 is not just any Walmart Supercenter and at the time of its construction served as a new prototype store for the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailing giant. It also serves as the anchor for Tapp Development’s Southwest Crossroads project.

“The entry of Walmart was really key for Glenpool,” said Mandy Vavrinak of Crossroads Communications LLC, who works closely with Glenpool economic development officials. “When it was completed, it opened up the eyes of a lot of retail tenants to Glenpool. They had to take another look at Glenpool.”

Since Walmart’s opening, Glenpool has experienced a domino effect with an influx of new retailers opening stores in the Southwest Crossroads development. Tenants that opened in the first phase of the project included Papa John’s Pizza, U.S. Cellular, Supercuts and South Country Wine and Spirits. The second phase of the development is also under way and is currently in the preleasing stage. When completed, the retail component of Southwest Crossroads will consist of almost 100,000 square feet.

The successful emergence of such a strong retail center in Glenpool has also stimulated other forms of development, including construction on two hotels near the Walmart Supercenter. Additionally, a 60,000-square-foot municipal building and conference center is being built on the site.

Vavrinak said the success of retail in Glenpool has developers of other commercial property types considering future projects in the city.

“We have had some interest from the industrial and manufacturing segments and for office space,” she explained. “We are not sure yet if those developments will get off the ground this year or in 2011.”

Vavrinak agreed with Parrish about the tremendous need for services in Glenpool being a catalyst for new development – stating more than a $552.8 million opportunity gap for retail and restaurant services exists in the city. An opportunity gap represents the difference where reported demand exceeds reported sales.


Another catalyst for the emergence of successful retail development in Glenpool is the city’s proactive plan in working with private developers to make these projects a reality, according to Rickey Hayes, president of Retail Attractions LLC, who consults with Glenpool city officials on their economic development initiatives.

“I think what sets Glenpool apart from other suburban communities is the ‘can-do’ attitude of the City Council and city manager in making it easy to develop here,” explained Hayes.

Hayes compared Glenpool city officials’ proactive attitude toward commercial development through a public-private partnership similar to the process that Owasso undertook in luring new retailers to the city. One of the primary ways Glenpool has been able to work so well with private developers is in offering various incentives for them to develop within their city limits. According to Vavrinak, city leaders enacted a carefully crafted plan in 2006 that is now paying off tremendous dividends in terms of increased tax revenue for the city.

“The city took the idea that development does not happen in a vacuum,” she noted. “No matter how strong your demographics are or how attractive your community is, if you are going to maximize the potential for development, you have to take a planned approach to it and execute those private-public partnerships wherever they make sense.”

In looking to the future, Hayes said Glenpool city leaders are planning for growth to move farther south down Highway 75.

“With its traffic flow, Highway 75 is the logical place for development and I think we will even see some residential and multifamily growth,” added Hayes. “That whole corridor is going to be very dynamic for years to come.”

Hayes said keen interest remains from junior anchor-type retailers and restaurants looking to capitalize off the synergy being created by Walmart and the Southwest Crossroads development; however, he did admit the downturn in the national retail market has slowed interest by retailers, especially among large big-box-type tenants.

“I think it all slowed down over the last two years as the big-box guys were not doing any new stores,” said Hayes. “I think we are beginning to see things turn just a bit. There are a lot of restaurants looking for new sites and we are seeing some junior anchors starting to move around.”

While Parrish believed retail growth will be a little sluggish for the remainder of 2010 going into 2012, she added that Glenpool is poised for growth once national retailers begin revisiting expansion plans.

“Retailers are looking at what they are going to do for 2012 and 2013, “she explained. “I don’t think we will see a huge amount of growth anywhere over the next couple of years. It will be slow and steady growth as the market catches up in absorbing vacant spaces.”

In analyzing the recent success of commercial development in Glenpool, Hayes pointed to a large school bond that was passed recently by residents as being a prime example of how the Glenpool community has worked together to create the synergy needed to stimulate the kind of growth the city has experienced over the past four years.

“Glenpool is an example of what happens when everyone starts pulling together in the same direction,” said Hayes. “It really does work.”