Tulsa councilor criticizes Kirkpatrick Heights project calling it a “false front”

TULSA, OKLA (KTUL) — A Tulsa City Councilor is calling out project organizers for the Kirkpatrick Heights plan, calling the plan a “false front.”

NewsChannel 8 obtained a letter City Councilor Vanessa Hall Harper passed out to north Tulsa residents and Greenwood business owners Thursday night as they walked into a meeting for a Kirkpatrick Heights update. A project we’ve reported on for the past few years.

PartnerTulsa is leading the project. The organization said for 16 months, they’ve led community planning for the Master Plan to redevelop 56 acres in north Tulsa. This led to a Community Governance Working Group of almost 30 community volunteers who spent a year researching governance. This then led to the Greenwood Legacy Corporation in October 2024 to help with the plan’s vision. Thursday’s meeting was to establish board members for GLC and for community members to be involved.

As business owners walked in like Cleo Harris, who owns Black Wall Street T-Shirts and Souvenirs, he also received Hall Harper’s letter, which says she was warning people in her district saying, “PartnerTulsa has not worked in the best interests of District 1 but rather is working to further the ongoing destruction of it.”

She calls the GLC a “false front.”

Hall Harper said her concerns were ignored by PartnerTulsa, and she was told elected officials cannot serve on the board, saying those who were chosen “were selected behind closed doors.”

She goes on to say PartnerTulsa and GLC can’t be trusted and have tried to address her concerns, but says, “I have been consistently disregarded and disrespected.”

Partner Tulsa responded in a statement saying, “We applaud the GLC’s Board of Directors for its dedication and leadership as it now focuses on establishing governance structures, hiring staff, and developing an operational plan. As an independent entity, the GLC is well-positioned to steward this transformative work, and we wish the board continued success in advancing a bold, community-led future.”

Dr. Lana Turner with GLC said she appreciated Hall Harper’s passion and dedication, but she’s ensuring the community she’s committed to the project and says, “We are not a front.”

Dr. Turner goes on to say, “This has been a community-driven process in which the councilor participated since its inception! Creating GLC is a recommendation of a representative community workgroup, which the councilor participated in and where her recommendations were incorporated.”

Harris said this political divide hurts the Greenwood community that’s trying to rebuild.

“There’s a disconnect in this community of trust. The community doesn’t trust,” he said.

Harris adds, Greenwood isn’t a land grab.

“We don’t really have anything to grab,” he said.

We reached out to Hall Harper for an interview, but she was traveling.

Here are the full statements:

I appreciate Councilor Hall-Harper’s passion and dedication to our community, and I want to assure our community that I am committed to ensuring that the development efforts related to the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master (KHGMP) plan the genuinely serve the interests of Greenwood District and North Tulsa residents.While I may understand some of her frustrations, I respectfully differ on points related to the intentions and actions of Greenwood Legacy Corporation, ‘We are not a Front.’ I realize that community development must be grounded in transparency, accountability, and meaningful engagement with residents, partners, and stakeholders. I am committed to advocating for policies and projects that uphold these core principles and align with KHGMP and our purpose.It is crucial to consistently and thoroughly assess development initiatives to ensure they are equitable and truly serve the best interests of our community. By collaborating closely with residents, stakeholders, community members, and local organizations, Greenwood Legacy Corporation CDC will promote growth that uplift North Tulsa and generate wealth-building opportunities for Black Tulsans, descendants of 1921 Race Massacre victims, and north Tulsa residents alike.This has been a community driven process in which the councilor participated since its inception! Creating GLC is a recommendation of a representative community workgroup, which the councilor participated in and where her recommendations were incorporated. -Dr. Lana Turner-Addison, Board Chair, Greenwood Legacy Corporation.

PartnerTulsa’s statement:

After 16 months of community-led planning involving 40 meetings and 1,000 residents, the Tulsa City Council approved the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan, which outlines a vision for the equitable and inclusive redevelopment of 56 acres in north Tulsa’s Kirkpatrick Heights and Greenwood neighborhoods. A Community Governance Working Group consisting of nearly 30 community volunteers dedicated a full year researching national models for governance, as recommended in the Master Plan. This work led to the formation of the Greenwood Legacy Corporation (GLC), an independent Community Development Corporation established in October 2024 to guide and implement the plan’s vision.We applaud the GLC’s Board of Directors for its dedication and leadership as it now focuses on establishing governance structures, hiring staff and developing an operational plan. As an independent entity, the GLC is well-positioned to steward this transformative work, and we wish the board continued success in advancing a bold, community-led future.

More information about the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood Master Plan is available here and information about the Greenwood Legacy Corporation is available here.

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