Art Deco Lofts and Apartments
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electric utility |
| Founded | 1913 |
| Founder | Frederick William "Fred" Insull |
| Fate | Acquired by Central & Southwest Corporation (CSC), later integrated into American Electric Power Company |
| Headquarters | Tulsa , United States |
The Public Service Co. of Oklahoma Building, finalized in 1929, originally functioned as the main office for the electric utility company Public Service Co. of Oklahoma (PSO) located in Tulsa. PSO was established in 1913 through the merger of several independent firms, with its founder and inaugural president, Frederick William "Fred" Insull, moving the company's headquarters to Tulsa in 1916. Following PSO's acquisition by Central & Southwest Corporation (CSC)—which was subsequently integrated into American Electric Power Company—the building was designated the PSO Building, continuing to serve as the base for PSO’s operations in Oklahoma.
Recognized on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984 and included within the Oil Capital Historic District from 2010 onward, the property was sold by PSO to an investor from California in 2005 as PSO transitioned its offices to downtown Tulsa by 2007. In 2012, Stuart Price purchased the site and converted it from corporate use into upscale residential accommodations under the new name Art Deco Lofts and Apartments. Renovation efforts concluded by mid-2016, resulting in 37 apartments distributed over a total area of 66,047 square feet.
Building history
Arthur M. Atkinson served as the lead architect for this structure built between 1928 and 1929, with Joseph R. Koberling Jr. contributing as designer. The total expenditure for construction amounted to roughly $425,000 based on 1929 currency values.
Structure
Constructed with reinforced concrete supported by a steel framework, the building is clad in light gray Bedford limestone—the same material featured on landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. The steel-framed windows include expansive display windows on the ground floor, which PSO originally utilized to showcase electric appliances alongside their energy sales efforts. These window openings are topped with Gothic-inspired arches that foreshadow Art Deco aesthetics. Atkinson and Koberling were instructed by PSO to integrate exterior lighting elements into the design, a pioneering feature for that era in 1929.
Repurposing the building
Following its acquisition in 2005 by California-based investor Maurice Kanbar, PSO moved its headquarters to the former Tulsa Central High School Building. Kanbar retained ownership of the mostly unoccupied building until selling it to Stuart Price in 2012. Subsequent plans involved transforming the upper stories into 37 luxury studio apartments ranging between 500 and 1,150 square feet. By July 2016, under its new identity as Art Deco Lofts and Apartments, the building began housing residents.
Due to restructuring within the energy sector during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Tulsa experienced an excess supply of office space as companies reduced their footprints or relocated—often moving operations to Houston—resulting in numerous vacant landmark buildings. This situation opened avenues for developers interested in acquiring and revitalizing distressed commercial real estate.