First Tulsa Mod of the Moment Event

Modern Tulsa has announced an open house event this Sunday, January 17, 2009. This Mod of the Moment event is the first of what we hope will be many!

Modern Tulsa's first Mod of the Moment open house

I think this is a really great idea. During the 2008 National Preservation Conference we were fortunate enough to catch a presentation about Houston Mod presented by Anna Mod (and yes, that is her real name). This non-profit group has accomplished some pretty impressive feats. One that really resonated with me was their "Mod of the Month" program.

The idea is not just to connect buyers and sellers- it's also about educating real estate professionals to recognize there is a market for these "unusual" houses. Homes are often needlessly "improved" to increase their mass-market appeal. This type of relationship with local realtors is a win-win for our community. It's been a huge success for Houston, hopefully we can capture a little of that magic!

To learn more about Houston Mod visit www.houstonmod.org

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The Recent Past

The Bruce Goff House in Vinita

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On the Trail of Julius Shulman: Stop 2 "This is a bank," the sign outside the futuristic building read. According to legend a prankster added a strategic question mark and echoed the sentiment of many passers-by: "This is a bank?" That was back in 1964 when it opened. Today the Arvest on Lincoln Boulevard looks a bit less Jetsonian, mostly due to replacement of structural glass below the "saucers," but it's still an unusual bank. Designed by Robert Roloff of the architectural firm Bailey, Bozalis, Dickinson & Roloff, the State Capitol Bank caused quite a stir in Oklahoma City when it opened. Heck, it's still pretty shocking today! Originally the flying saucers appeared to hover above the building (as seen in this vintage postcard). All the glass that made that effect possible also made heating and cooling an expensive proposition. Security concerns also mandated replacement of those windows with solid materials and small square portholes

Oklahoma Modern

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