Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame
Allocation: $4,000,000.00
Summary Update:
This Vision 2025 project was completed in June 2007. Follow-up projects, such as roof replacement, were funded by building tenant revenues and were completed in July 2009.
Former Commissioner Randi Miller and Steve Alter, 2007 Chairman of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, officially cut the ribbon on June 19, 2007 to open the new home of the OJHF. Mayor Kathy Taylor issued a proclamation that officially made June 19, 2007, the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame Day in the City of Tulsa.
On June 23, 2007, the Jazzfest was celebrated as the first public event at the new location.
Background:
Tulsa County Commissioners approved on January 12, 2004 the purchase of the Tulsa Union Depot, the historic Tulsa train station, for use by the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame to be developed with Vision 2025 funds.
Chuck Cissel, former Executive Director of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, said, “This is an exciting opportunity for the Jazz Hall of Fame. As do so many other Tulsans, I have personal stories of being in that building when it was a train station and we are delighted to help return it to public use. We have pursued this building since it came on the market.
“Our plans for the building include a performance hall, rehearsal studio, gift shop, and meeting space for seminars, corporate and private functions, all with video conferencing capability. Ongoing programs include youth arts music educational efforts, spring and autumn jazz concert series, jazz keyboard concert, master class series, summer arts institute, holiday jazz concert as well as the Juneteenth Festival, the Hall of Fame Induction Banquet Gala and African American History Month celebrations,” Cissel said.