After teasing its citizens on Wednesday with a Facebook post of just the Whataburger logo, the City of Sand Springs officially announced the arrival of the fast food franchise with a press release on Thursday.
Read MoreThe Sand Springs City Council passed a unanimous resolution Monday renaming the former downtown Triangle District as the “Box District” in honor of Montie Box.
Read MoreThe latest addition to the Sand Springs RiverWest development is counting down the days till its grand opening. Chili’s Grill & Bar is scheduled to open to the public on Monday, December 18th at 11:00 a.m.
Read MoreThe latest addition to the Sand Springs RiverWest development is counting down the days till its grand opening. Chili’s Grill & Bar is scheduled to open to the public on Monday, December 18th at 11:00 a.m.
Read MoreResidents of Sand Springs will soon have a new dining option with the grand opening of Tropical Smoothie Cafe on Friday, May 26th. The national fast-casual cafe concept, known for its healthy eating options including smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, and flatbreads, is set to open its doors at 502 West Morrow Road.
Read MoreThe City of Sand Springs and League Capital, LLC announced on Tuesday the latest addition to the Riverwest Development.
A newly constructed 20,000 square foot Planet Fitness being developed by Tulsa-based League Capital, LLC, will be operated by Excel Fitness Holdings, a leading franchisee of Planet Fitness from Austin, TX.
The state-of-art fitness facility will be located at 100 W. Morrow Rd, within the Riverwest Development, in the heart of Sand Springs’ rapidly growing retail, commercial, and entertainment corridor.
“Sand Springs is excited to welcome Planet Fitness to our community and their inclusion puts an exclamation mark on the end of the Riverwest project that has been one of the most impactful projects funded by Vision 2025,” said Mayor James O. Spoon.
“When our City Manager approached us with the possibility of having a Planet Fitness in Sand Springs, I visited one of their locations in Tulsa,” said Councilman Mike Burdge. “I was very impressed with their dedication to being part of the community; especially to the health of our students.”
Construction on the approximately $8,000,000 project will commence this summer with hopes to achieve completion this calendar year. The facility will add another key quality of life component servicing Sand Springs and the surrounding communities by providing a high-quality fitness experience at an exceptional value, in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment.
The Sand Springs Planet Fitness will include brand new cardio machines and strength equipment, a 30-Minute Express Circuit, 60” HDTVs spanning the length of the gym, and fully equipped locker rooms with day lockers and showers, all geared toward promoting an active lifestyle.
“This marks the 12th location from our franchisee group in the state and, as one of the largest franchisees in Oklahoma, we’re excited to become a part of the Sand Springs community,” said Excel Fitness CEO CJ Bouchard.
“We are focused on each individual community where we have a club and thrilled to create a workout environment where everyone in Sand Springs feels accepted and respected.”
“Our Sand Springs club will have the best of the best when it comes to fitness, with plenty of cardio to make sure you can get in and out for a workout on any schedule,” said Bouchard.
Excel Fitness Holdings is a leading Planet Fitness franchise group based in the Austin area with over 125 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and Utah. Excel Fitness has built a team culture that focuses on elevating the member experience by developing exceptional health clubs and delivering world-class customer service. The team is passionate about building communities through fitness and supporting their local markets through employment and memberships opportunities that positively impact lives.
League Capital, LLC is a private equity firm specializing in commercial real estate. Founded in 2009 in Tulsa, OK. Roy Brashears with Orion Real Estate represented the Seller (City of Sand Springs) and Paine & Associates, LLC represented the Buyer (League Capital, LLC).
“We are pleased to play a meaningful role in developing this project in conjunction with our long-standing and valued client -Excel Fitness Holdings,” said League Capital Managing Member Matthew C. Mardis.
“We would like to thank all of the representatives with the city of Sand Springs, as they have been a pleasure to work with throughout this process.”
“We would like to thank our design team - GS Helms, Cedar Creek Consultants, and Wallace Design Collective; our legal representatives Eller & Detrich, and our lending partner American Bank & Trust, for assisting us in bringing this project to fruition.”
The City of Sand Springs and Dallas-based Brinker International, today announced a new Chili's Grill & Bar is coming to Sand Springs and will be located in the City-owned RiverWest project. Construction is projected to begin in July 2023 on the now vacant corner at Main Street and Alexander Blvd., just east of El Maguey restaurant and Aldi.
Read MoreOil, Gas, and Industrial Process Equipment (OGI) celebrated its 30th year in business with speakers at the Sand Springs, Oklahoma location.
Read MoreSchlotzsky’s, a fast-casual restaurant brand known for its made-to-order sandwiches, specialty pizzas and flatbreads, fresh salads, soups and more, has officially broken ground in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. The new restaurant will be located at 141 Alexander Blvd., Sand Springs, OK and is planning to open in the winter.
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Sand Springs Home Trustee Erik Stuckey (left) shakes hands with former Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce President Kyle Smith outside The Link small business incubator in downtown Sand Springs.
Business incubators nurture the development of entrepreneurial companies, helping them survive and grow during the start-up period, when they are most vulnerable. These programs provide client companies with business support services and resources tailored to young firms. The most common goals of incubation programs are creating jobs in a community, enhancing a community’s entrepreneurial climate, retaining businesses in a community, building or accelerating growth in a local industry, and diversifying local economies.
The role of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce in the incubator process is to certify the incubators and to ensure the incubators meet certain standards of excellence.
Two core principles that characterize effective business incubation include:
The incubator aspires to have a positive impact on its community’s economic health by maximizing emerging companies’ successes.
The incubator itself is a dynamic model of a sustainable, efficient business operation.
These incubators provide:
Flexible space and leases
Access to office services and equipment
An on-site incubator manager as a resource for business advice
Exposure to a network of outside business and technical consultants, often providing accounting, marketing, engineering and legal advice; and assistance with financing and marketing.
Currently, 31 certified small business incubators are operating in Oklahoma, with tenants ranging from small service companies to high-tech research and development operations and manufacturing entities.
During 2020, Oklahoma incubator managers were asked to complete a questionnaire to document their activities for the current reporting period. The following statistics are based on the information received from the responding incubator managers:
Currently 1,165 jobs are provided by 109 small business located in incubators.
More than 1,000 small businesses have located in a small business incubator throughout the life of Oklahoma’s Certified Small Business Incubator Program.
More than 500 of those have graduated from the program or relocated to a larger facility.
1,373 people are currently employed by 259 of the graduated businesses that remained in the state.
Here are just a few success stories from those business throughout 2020:
Aircraft Logistics Group, LLC Acorn Growth Companies Oklahoma City, Okla.
The success of Aircraft Logistics Group, LLC continues to be a compelling story for incubators. In 2017, the company completed the sale of a significant portion of its loan portfolio to a strategic buyer in the aerospace and defense sector that carried forward the mission of airborne intelligence missions in support of the global war on terror. The sale represented an 8x return on invested capital and a 46% gross internal rate of return.
Generation FSH Hemphill Create Tulsa, Okla.
Generation FSH is a new tenant of Hemphill Create, specializing in welding and fabrication service. The owners of the company saw an opportunity to start their family business at Hemphill in October 2020. The husband and wife duo wanted to leave the shuffle and control of the corporate grind and bet on themselves. Duane Grundy is a welder and fabricator, while his wife Shavonne Grundy handles corporate affairs. Gaining perspective from Hemphill’s successful family business has helped further the Grundy’s outlook on success and provided historical data and industry knowledge to add to their repertoire of talent.
Flexibility and support are key to success in these unprecedented times. Hemphill has offered companies a safe haven to grow and explore business strategy and growth in spite of the on-going global pandemic.
Mortgage Solutions Financial The LINK Sand Springs, Okla.
Mortgage Solutions Financial started at The LINK by occupying two private desk spaces. The company has flourished, doubling the initial number of employees. They have outgrown their work space three times and now occupy three office suites. Their growth and financial standing has far exceeded their expectations. They anticipate graduating from The LINK incubator soon.
Indigo Technology Group The Forge Tulsa, Okla.
Indigo Technology Group, a Tulsa based software company, uses their scalable technologies as a platform to launch other startups alongside industry veterans. As a technology platform, they become a multiplier when coupled with domain experts, cutting the costs and shortening ramp-up time to profitability. Indigo has successfully helped launch several growth-oriented companies and highlights their achievements through Indigo’s annual “Technology Showcase” each spring.
Commerce will be highlighting incubator business success stories in upcoming issues of the New Pioneer – signup for our E-Newsletter. Find out more about certified Incubators or locate an Incubator near you.
KKT Architects and L.D. Kerns Contractors were recently awarded the Excellence in Construction Eagle Award by the Associated Builders and Contractors of Oklahoma for their work on the new Freshman Academy and STEM Center at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs. The project was entered in the Institutional $10-25 million category.
The 58,000 square foot addition to the high school unified the district’s high school students for the first time in decades, replacing the old Central Ninth Grade Center in downtown. The project included 24 classrooms (including four STEM classrooms), a cafeteria/commons space, administrative offices, and a grand lobby and entrance.
KKT previously shared an Eagle Award with Flintco LLC for their $1.3 million renovation at the Ed Dubie Field House in 2011, and won an AIA Oklahoma Award of Excellence Merit Award for their work at Charles Page Library in 2003.
Sand Springs Public Schools officials, students, and community leaders gathered Friday afternoon for a ground-breaking ceremony on a new gymnasium at Angus Valley Elementary. The gym will also serve as a hardened storm shelter.
Sand Springs voters overwhelmingly approved the project in March of 2019 as part of a $32.85 million bond proposition. Of the nearly 2,000 votes cast, 92.83% were in favor of the proposal, which also funded the recently-completed Freshman Academy and STEM center at Charles Page High School.
“This is the last elementary school that has yet to have a separate cafeteria and gym in our district,” said Superintendent Sherry Durkee. “They’ve been having to share a space as a place to eat, a place to do assemblies, and a place to hold P.E. classes. Now we have the versatility of having different schedules, so that P.E. can be held in a separate place.”
Construction will officially begin next week, and the project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2021, before the new school year. Part of the construction will be to include a reinforced grass surface that will be able to support fire trucks, while still maintaining a natural look, instead of a paved fire lane.
The gym will be large enough to hold the entire school, both students and staff, in the event of a serious weather event.
The project is expected to cost approximately $2 million, with half coming from the 2019 bond election, and half coming from existing building funds.
Sand Springs, OK - The City of Sand Springs announces the latest Community Survey, now being made available for residents of Sand Springs. The 2020 survey is an update of a previous survey completed five years ago which identified citizen feedback on items ranging from public safety to park priorities. City officials experienced a strong response from the public then, and incorporated those survey results into the City’s comprehensive plan- a major planning tool which aides in policy and decision making for the city.
“The community survey is an important tool for engaging our citizens. It provides vital feedback on the wants, desires and preferences of the community. Results from this survey will be used to help create long term goals and actions plans that will improve the city in the future”, stated the City’s Planning Director Brad Bates.
The Community Survey can be accessed in several ways for citizens to participate. The survey can be found online at: www.sandspringsok.org/556/community-survey-2020 A link to the survey will also be shown on the City’s Facebook page. Citizens can also request a printed hard copy M-F at the office of the City Planner at 100 E. Broadway in downtown Sand Springs, and simply return the completed survey to that office.
“Information gathered from this important survey will be incorporated into our comprehensive plan by creating priorities and action plans that can be carried out by staff and council to improve our entire community”, added Bates.
To add interest, the City will be conducting door prize drawings from survey respondents. Three randomly selected winners will receive prizes including a Canyons at Blackjack Ridge golf experience and gift cards in the Sand Springs community for great food and shopping.
The deadline to submit your Community Survey is Monday, November 23, 2020.
The Sand Springs City Council held a lunchtime meeting Wednesday to hear updates regarding ongoing and upcoming projects in the public works and parks departments.
Council held a Zoom call with representatives from the University of Oklahoma’s Institute for Quality Communities on ways to improve the City’s downtown streetscape. The IQC is a program within the University’s Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture that partners with local communities to create concepts and suggestions for helping cities reach goals like improving safety, aesthetic, and economic development.
The IQC has previously worked with the towns of Pryor, Luther, Hooker, Waurika, Chickasha, Altus, Wewoka, and Oklahoma City. They also hold a biennial Placemaking Conference with students, advocates, and civic leaders to learn from leading experts. Councilman Beau Wilson was appointed to be the Council’s representative at the November conference, along with City Planner Brad Bates, and Community Development Director Grant Gerondale. Participation in the conference is free to the city.
Representatives from the University will study downtown Sand Springs and take input from City and community leaders on ways to improve the community space, including landscaping, and improving safety on sidewalks and crosswalks.
Wilson expressed a desire to try and create a downtown atmosphere where people will shop, eat, and actually spend time hanging out. He cited Broken Arrow’s success in the Rose District as an inspiration.
Councilman Mike Burdge expressed a desire to look at more than just the downtown area and to try and tie downtown into River West and the areas beyond. An ongoing Main Street expansion project will connect the downtown and River West areas to Sheffield Crossing and Case Community Park when it is complete. “Let the landscape show that’s the future… we need to do something to direct growth,” said Burdge. “We need to do something that will help everybody know we’re going that direction.”
“More than anything, we’ve got to make our sidewalks walkable,” added Councilwoman Nancy Riley. “We can’t do anything with our downtown if people are not able to walk on our sidewalks without falling over.” Councilman Brian Jackson wants the City to make safety upgrades to crosswalks across heavy traffic areas like the intersection of Morrow Road and Highway 97.
According to Bates, the City has a sidewalk inventory list that includes current sidewalk conditions across the city and prioritizes them. Bates also talked about the different sidewalk possibilities that Council could consider when it comes time to improve or replace downtown paths. Decorative, stamped, sidewalks offer aesthetic appeal, but can be difficult for disabled citizens to navigate.
Bates also talked about the possibility of creating gateway entry points to the Triangle District, with signage and maps located along Katy Trail, historical markers, and other ways to push people towards downtown. Gerondale challenged the IQC to create a design that would tie in River West with downtown so the two districts feed off each other.
According to Bates, next summer the City will be looking into shaving down road levels that have grown too high from past overlays. “If you look at the street levels right now, they’ve kind of been built up and built up in their arch, and kind of created slopes everywhere in downtown. So a lot of that’s going to get milled out and they’re going to try and lower that base level back down to a useable level that doesn’t have a crown to it.”
Public Works Projects Administrator T.J. Davis gave an update on long term project plans to improve downtown drainage. According to Davis, a 2009 study on the City drainage systems identified 55 needed projects that need to be completed at at an estimated cost of $78 million, and the top ten most-needed projects totaled $39 million.
The City recently began a project to address downtown flooding issues that have affected many businesses. Phase 1A was tied into the ongoing Main Street renovation project, and is replacing a 1920s-era 48-inch storm sewer from Highway 412 south to the Arkansas River, and 80% of it is being funded by federal grants. That drain pipe is being replaced by a new 96-inch pipe and levee penetration. The $8.5 million Main Street project is expected to be completed several months ahead of schedule by the Spring of 2020.
Phase 1B will add additional piping improvements on First Street from Garfield to Main, and northbound on Garfield. That project will cost an additional $1 million to complete, and that area is not eligible for federal grants, meaning the City will have to come up with local funding.
Phase Two would create a second trunk line on the eastern half of downtown that would add an additional levee penetration at an estimated cost of $7.5 million.
One of the recurring themes of the meeting was how to fund the various projects that the City is interested in, and how to balance growth improvements with standard maintenance and repairs. Drainage improvements are typically funded via storm-water utility fees, which generate about $1 million per year for construction revenue. Compare that $1 million in annual revenue to the $78 million needed to complete the 2009 project list, which doesn’t even account for unforeseen issues like the section of 10th Street that collapsed during a July flash flood.
Any downtown beautification/safety/economic development projects that the City chooses to take on based on the IQC’s recommendations would likely need to be funded by a General Obligation Bond election, but the City has committed to capping their millage rate at 13 and voters already passed more than $18 million in bond measures less than three years ago.
Gerondale gave a presentation on the Keystone Ancient Forest tower project. The City plans to purchase and relocate a disused 100-foot 1950s-era fire lookout tower from the Oklahoma Forestry Service that is currently located in Cookson. The tower will eventually be erected on the KAF hiking trails and will have a new observation platform at the top.
The City currently has $118,000 available for the tower project, and needs an additional $54,000 to move the tower. They need an additional $330,117 to fully fund the project, which would pay for the relocation, painting, new wooden planks, concrete footing, and hand railing, as well as design and construction of a new observation deck.
The Keystone Ancient Forest is already a popular tourist destination that attracts hundreds of visitors every weekend it is open. A visitor center is currently under construction, and when the center and the tower are open to the public, the City will begin branding and marketing the park.
The Sand Springs City Council met in a regular meeting Monday evening at the City Municipal Building to approve city contracts and discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Councilman Brian Jackson requested that Council discuss a resolution concerning a COVID-19 Emergency Plan. At the July 27 meeting Council instructed City staff to prepare a detailed plan of safeguards that should be considered by Council if the Oklahoma State Department of Health designates either the city or county as being in the “High Risk Phase,” or if the city should reach 500 active cases.
That plan was presented at the August 24 meeting, but no action was taken by Council to approve it. The proposal would have included the following guidelines:
Mandate the wearing of masks for all citizens in public business establishments.
Close all dining areas of restaurants, limit purchases to take-out or curbside services.
Close all bars and clubs.
Close schools to on-site instruction.
Close hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, exercise facilities, tattoo parlors, etc.
Close entertainment venues.
Hold a virtual meeting with local religious leaders regarding the current dangers of public gatherings.
Council once again took no-action on the resolution, but could do so at a future meeting should case numbers continue to rise in the city. Police Chief Mike Carter stated that his people are monitoring infection levels at the city, county, and ZIP-code level.
As of Wednesday, there are 70 active cases in Sand Springs. That number reflects an increase of 14 over the past four days, but is still below the all-time peak of 74 on September 8th. Five Sand Springs residents have died from the virus.
There are 1,583 active cases in Tulsa County. It holds an Orange Alert Level from the OSDH with 18.3 cases per 100,000 citizens. However, Sand Springs only accounts for 4.3% of those cases.
“I think this is very important to keep in front of us,” said Jackson. “Our chief responsibility is to protect the citizens.” Mayor Jim Spoon expressed a desire to revisit the topic monthly for however long the pandemic continues.
In other news:
Council unanimously approved the Sand Springs Pogue Airport Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan. The Federal Aviation Administration requests a five-year plan each year in order to receive FAA and Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission grants.
Council unanimously approved a Vacation of Deed and Release of Restrictive Covenants for a property that was recently sold to WEBCO.
Council unanimously approved a Right-of-Way contract with Phillips 66 for a new pipeline project. An existing 12-inch pipeline that predates - and is located beneath - the Keystone Lake needs to be replaced and relocated. The City of Sand Springs has agreed to grant an easement through undeveloped park property in the Country Meadows Estates subdivision. The easement will total 1.27 acres, and the total park property is nine acres. The parks department believes that the easement will not interfere with any future park development.
Council unanimously approved a Professional Services Agreement with Craig and Keithline, Inc. for infrastructure design on a nine-acre lot in the Sheffield Crossing development. The City purchased the land from OmniTRAX and recently completed demolition of an old Sheffield Steel Mill building to make room for commercial development and a new roadway over the Arkansas River levee into Case Community Park.
Council also approved an amendment to an existing agreement with Craig and Keithline for the original 18-acre tract of the Sheffield Crossing Development that has already seen roadwork and the construction of a Chick-fil-A. They recently completed preliminary infrastructure designs for the area along Morrow Road, west of the Ascension Medical Clinic. The new amendment will focus on two parcels of land along Highway 97, north of Chick-fil-A, as well as a 2.5-acre plot south of Chick-fil-A but north of the railroad tracks.
Council unanimously approved the acceptance of $101,994.52 in Tulsa County Community Development Block Grant funds for the replacement of a water line along the west side of North Lincoln Avenue between 6th Street and 8th Street. The deteriorated line will be upgraded from 4” cast iron to 8” PVC, and will cost an estimated $168,021.
Council unanimously approved a 15-day extension to the deadline for awarding a contract on the Keystone Ancient Forest Tower project. The City is looking to relocate an existing 100-foot fire lookout tower from Cookson, Oklahoma to the KAF hiking trails.
Council unanimously approved a supplemental appropriation of $20,720 for Parks Maintenance Facility Security. The Parks Department has reported increased criminal activities at the maintenance facility, with multiple break-ins of vehicles and storage containers, stolen vehicles and equipment, and broken windows on vehicles and equipment. The funds will be used to purchase security cameras, perimeter fencing, and a gate.
Council unanimously approved final acceptance of golf course renovations at the Canyons at Blackjack Ridge. While the clubhouse renovations are ongoing, the course itself has been completed and will host the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce annual tournament this Friday as its first event. The course is not yet open to public play, and the Chamber event has sold out. The $2 million renovation project was approved by Sand Springs voters in a 2018 General Obligation Bond election.
Council unanimously voted to appoint Justin Sean Tockey to serve the remainder of Merle Parson’s unexpired term on the Sand Springs Board of Adjustment through May 2021. Tockey previously served on the Sand Springs Development Authority and was required to vacate that seat.
Council unanimously approved an update to the Floodplain Management Plan. The plan is required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for participation in the Community Rating System program. Because of the City’s participation in the program, residents are provided a 15% discount toward the purchase of flood insurance. The Meadow Valley neighborhood in particular has been designated as a Repetitive Loss Community due to multiple floods within a 10-year period, but the Town West and Candlestick Beach neighborhoods are also at-risk and suffered damage during last year’s spring flooding.
Council unanimously approved an update to the Emergency Operations Plan. The plan is required for State and Local Assistance (SLA) grants from the State Office of Emergency Management.
Council unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tulsa Community College Campus Police. The Sand Springs Police Department has agreed to investigate any serious offenses that occur on TCC property, as well as any officer-involved shootings or in-custody deaths where a campus officer is a suspect.
Council unanimously voted to approve a zoning amendment for Sullivan’s Body Shop at 20 West 41st Street. The property was previously zoned Commercial Shopping, but was changed to Commercial General to allow for automotive painting.
Council unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing the transfer of real property from the City of Sand Springs for the purpose of economic development and redevelopment. A Charter Compliance for Disposition of Property ordinance is required for the City to sell any real estate. This ordinance applies to a 14-acre plot of land along Wekiwa Road that was purchased from the Sand Springs Home in 2013 as a potential site for the Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center, as well as the nine acres recently purchased from OmniTRAX in the Sheffield Crossing Development. The ordinance does not necessarily indicate that the City is currently negotiating the sale of either property, only that they now have the freedom to do so if an opportunity should arise.
SOUTHBURY, Conn., Sept. 24, 2020 -- Sterling Auxiliaries Pvt. Ltd. and its parent company, Artek Surfin Chemicals Ltd., a leading producer of specialty chemicals with manufacturing capabilities across four continents, have agreed to acquire the land and assets associated with Baker Hughes' Sand Springs, Oklahoma, chemicals manufacturing facility.
The Sand Springs facility, which includes approximately 120 employees who will transfer with the sale to Sterling, manufactures oilfield specialty chemicals. As part of the transaction, Baker Hughes will enter into a long-term toll manufacturing agreement with Sterling at the Sand Springs manufacturing site. The new Sand Springs entity will be called Sterling Specialty Chemicals LLC.
"The purchase of Baker Hughes' Sand Springs chemicals manufacturing assets is another key step in our global vision and growth strategy as we continue to pursue additional strategic acquisitions such as this," said Vishal Goenka, director, Artek Surfin Chemicals Ltd., parent company of U.S.-based Galata Chemicals and India-based Sterling Auxiliaries. "Sterling and Baker Hughes have worked together globally for nearly 10 years. This transaction is a testament of our deep relationship, and we look forward to continue this partnership in the years ahead."
The transaction is expected to close by September 30, 2020.
About Sterling Auxiliaries Pvt. Ltd.:
Formed in 1984, Sterling Auxiliaries has grown to become a leading manufacturer and supplier of Surfactants, Ethanol Amines, Antioxidants, Esters & Specialty Chemicals. With exports spanning over 65 countries, Sterling caters to various industries including Home & Personal Care, Oil Field and Gas Treatment Plants, Metal Finishing, Agro Chemicals, Textile Industries, Leather Chemicals, Pharmaceutical, Paint & Pigments, Construction Chemicals etc. For more information, please visit www.sterlingaux.com.
SOURCE Artek Surfin Chemicals Ltd.
Pictured left-to-right: Brian Smejkal, Terry Young, Lt. Zachary Good, Lt. Breann Good, Mary Bechtold, Maj. Mark Harwell, Eddie Dunham, Charlie Durham, Ryan Quattrocchi, Brian Jackson, Richard White.
The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Sand Springs will be getting a fresh parking lot next month thanks to generous community donors. Dunham’s Asphalt Services will be covering half the cost of a new overlay project, and other local organizations and philanthropists have stepped up to pay for the remainder.
Montie and Betty Box (Montie Box Realty), Brian and Cary Smejkal (BubbleTown Carwashes), the Sand Springs Home, and BancFirst Sand Springs have all made contributions to help improve the safety and aesthetic appeal of the Salvation Army branch at 4403 South 129th West Avenue.
The Salvation Army offers after-school care, summer day camp, youth athletics, swimming lessons, and water aerobics, but the current parking lot has been a safety issue for the children and elderly clientele who struggle with navigating the uneven surface and potholes.
Donors and Salvation Army officials gathered Thursday for a ceremonial ground-breaking event, but the actual construction will begin in October. Angus Church, next-door to Salvation Army, has volunteered to make their parking lot available while the Salvation Army’s is under construction.
“I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work with City Councilman Brian Jackson, as well as all of the other key players involved in spearheading this donation for The Salvation Army Sand Springs Corps,” said Ryan Quattrocchi, Project Manager for Dunham’s Asphalt Services, Inc. “As a former Sandite, playing football on those same fields I see today just 15 years ago, it’s gratifying to be with a company that places importance on taking care of their community and surreal to be in the position I am today to be able to give back to this non-profit in the hometown where I grew up. The Salvation Army will always hold a special place in my heart and we hope they’ll be more than pleased with their new parking lot and trust our donation will pave the way for a bigger and brighter future for the youth of Sand Springs and the community as a whole.”
“We take pride in serving this great community and we are very grateful to the generous donors who are making it possible for us to move forward with a parking lot project at The Salvation Army Sand Springs Corps and Boys & Girls Club,” said Lieutenant Breann Good. “Our entire parking lot is getting a facelift and not only will this enhance the appearance of our facilities but it will make it safer for the seniors who come to swim and for everyone who attends our programs.”
For more information on the Salvation Army visit https://www.salarmytulsa.org/boys-girls-club-sand-springs/
Sand Springs, OK - The City of Sand Springs announced Wednesday the creation of a new downtown redevelopment program which can help commercial building owners improve their older, vacant facilities. The new “White Box” grant program kicks off this month with applications and instructions available online for interested commercial property owners whose site qualifies. The program will be administered by the City of Sand Springs Planning Department with approval process provided through the Sand Springs Development Authority (SSDA). The White Box grant program incentivizes rehabilitation work for sites located within a specific downtown revitalization area in Sand Springs.
“We’re excited to roll out this new program as an incentive for qualifying downtown commercial business owners”, stated Troy Cox, SSDA Chair. “Our goal is to use this public/private venture in the form of a reimbursable grant program to do work in the heart of downtown Sand Springs. We aim to help commercial property owners improve both the functionality of their building and keep improving the outward appearance of our community.”
The White Box grant program offers an 80% reimbursable grant award for work done on vacant buildings that fall inside the grant program area. The maximum grant award available is $10,000 (ten thousand dollars) and property owners are limited to one grant per year. For example a property owner might receive up to $8,000 back for expenses incurred on an approved maximum grant project of $10,000. Projects may exceed $10,000 to accomplish major work, but reimbursement amounts are capped at the $10,000 grant project amount.
Grant eligibility requirements include:
All work being done must be done on an existing, currently vacant, commercially-zoned building on property located within the program boundaries.
The program is available to business owners and property owners for work performed on the interior of currently vacant spaces.
Grant funds cannot be used to correct outstanding code violations, for property damage by collision, acts of nature or occurrences covered by insurance.
Only work begun after approval by the Sand Springs Development Authority (SSDA) will be eligible for grant funds.
All work must comply with the City of Sand Springs Building Department Code requirements and all relevant permits and inspections are required.
If a retail or commercial business is applying for the grant, only one white box grant will be awarded per business. If the property owner is applying for a grant, only one white box grant may be awarded within a calendar year.
Projects requesting funding for retail and restaurant commercial spaces is preferred over office uses and will be given preferential treatment in the event of funding shortages for awarding of grants.
Eligible expenses include:
Interior plumbing in compliance with current building code
Electrical in compliance with current building code
HVAC in compliance with current building code
Fire Suppression measures including kitchens in compliance with current building code
“This is a very accessible and valuable tool for downtown commercial property owners,” said City Planner Brad Bates. “With this grant program now in place, investors and property owners have a clear path to receive sizeable incentives to do work on older or outdated properties to make them viable again in our downtown.”
The application is now available on the City’s website, including grant program details. Applicants should be prepared to provide enough documentation and research on their planned improvement project to aide in the review of their grant application. A design review committee from SSDA will determine the merits of all applications and direct the amount of the award to any applicant who meets the criteria.
To receive reimbursement following a grant award, projects must be completed within 120 calendar days (there are grant extensions possible of up to one year), must conform to the submitted grant application and must produce workmanship that is customary to the industry.
Sand Springs Public Schools officials and guests held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Charles Page High School freshman academy and STEM center Monday morning.
The $14.28 million addition was part of a $32.85 million bond package that Sand Springs residents voted 92.83% in favor of in March of 2019. The project reunified the district’s ninth grade students with the rest of the high school, relocating them from a century-old building downtown. In addition to 26 freshman classrooms, the project also included a lunch/commons area, new office space, and a new central lobby to connect the freshman wing with the existing high school.
“We cannot be a top ten state if it is not about making sure that we champion public education across 77 counties,” said Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell. “You all are a leader.”
“In our Department of Commerce, every day, what we are talking about is keeping business owners happy, trying to keep them in Oklahoma, and going around the world, and I mean the world because it is a global competition for talent now. We’re not just competing against 49 other states. It is a global competition for talent. If we don’t prioritize public education across the state, then it’s going to be very difficult to keep businesses happy and to recruit new business to the state. You all are in the economic development business.”
“This is world class in my opinion. For us to do public education the right way, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education has to be at the forefront…We want kids growing up in a state that they can be proud of. I think we have kids leaving this high school that are proud, because they see that the administration supports them, they see the teachers supported…So on behalf of the state of Oklahoma, I just want to tell you how proud we are of you, of the way that you are leading and you are a model for the state of Oklahoma.”
“In the midst of a year that’s just been filled with challenges and obstacles, we have so many really positive things that are happening in the district,” added State Representative Jadine Nollan. “That does not happen without great leadership. This leadership team is amazing. I just want to say how much I appreciate the hard work, but more than that I just really appreciate the can-do attitude…We innovate, we create, we think outside of the box.”
The City of Sand Springs has announced plans to improve a critical downtown waterline component beginning next month. The $479,000 construction project was awarded during last night’s Sand Springs City Council meeting and will replace an existing water line service along the northern alignment of East Broadway Street from North Main to North Washington Avenues.
“The new line will be upgraded from older two and four inch service lines to become an eight-inch water line. The old line had deteriorated, exhibited leaking issues and has been identified for replacement,” stated Jesse Vaverka, Engineer with the City. This waterline project is part of the City’s ongoing program to replace existing waterlines across the City which have surpassed their useful life.
To lessen impact on downtown business owners and visitors, the new line will be constructed below westbound asphalt lane portions of East Broadway Street and not within the sidewalk. The City’s goal is to help downtown merchants better maintain normal business operations during construction. The primary inconveniences during construction should include several phased road closures of the westbound lanes only, and some temporary displaced downtown parking.
The waterline contract calls for approximately 75 days of construction, but with potential weather delays the work may extend beyond that. Traffic cones, detour signage and message boards will be put in place to help vehicles navigate the impacted area.
Downtown businesses should not experience any water service disruptions throughout the project. Businesses should expect a short water service transfer lasting a few hours later on in the project schedule as the new water line is placed into service and the old line is abandoned.
Citizens with questions about the project may contact Community Development Director Grant Gerondale at grant@sandspringsok.org.
For more information about the City of Sand Springs, please visit www.sandspringsok.org and follow the City’s social media on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.
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What is Sandite Pride News?
Sandite Pride is the only locally owned and operated news source for Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Sandite Pride News was founded in 2014 by Scott Emigh. The site is primarily focused on Sandite sports, Sand Springs city development, events, and community news.
