Shop Quest: Best Worst Idea

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
09/10/2018 at 10:39 • Filed to: shop quest

I’ll get this out of the way in the lede: I am 99% sure I’m not going to buy this. It would be financially ruinous in almost every possible scenario. That out of the way, there is a “#lifegoals” garage for sale in my price range in the form of a 1933 art deco fire station.

The specific fire station is the old Tulsa Fire Station #13. Built in 1933, decommissioned in 1964 and sold to the current owners in 1966, this thing is beautiful and shockingly intact.

From a garage standpoint it is a terrible choice. The one bay garage could probably hold two, maybe three cars. The lot is smaller than the one my house is on, though the two adjacent lots are vacant so it seems like they could be acquired on the cheap.

The area of town is between “don’t walk there at night” and “don’t drive there at night,” but it is only a 10 min drive from my house. But yeah, the area is really, really not good. Houses go for between $30k and $50k. Lots usually for around $5k.

The building itself is in better shape than some I’ve looked at, but clearly needs a new (flat) roof and a fair amount of repair from the years of water intrusion. Being it is from the 30s, I assume this thing is also loaded with asbestos but how bad can that be? The word “best” is right there in the name! (Credit to Cave Johnson.)

Further, being a semi-derelict commercial property, the types of loans available for something like this exist, but would be unfavorable terms. Paying “cash” is an option, though an unpleasant one, but that would leave me overextended and without money to make repairs.

Someone braver (or wealthier) than I could absolutely pull this off or, even better, turn it into a profit making venture. The building has a lot of potential to be something cool. Oklahoma just passed medical marijuana. Can you think of a better location for a dispensary? Yeah... me too... but it would be a funny joke!

If I were more shameless, I’m sure this is also the type resto you could do with a shower of crowdfunding cash but that really isn’t my thing either.

So anyway, tl;dr is: so cool, not for me.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

DISCUSSION (39)

Stef Schrader > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:44

Wowowowowowow. I like this building, even if it’d be a meh garage.

fintail > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:47

Wow, original fixtures, windows, finishes - too bad about the decay, but remarkable preservation no less.

I never knew OK had so many sketchy areas until “First 48" decided to film every third episode there, must be the proximity to TX.

functionoverfashion > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:48

That looks amazing, and yes, also full of asbestos.

Milky > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:50

Art Deco fire station? S ay no more fam.

Hell, that’d cost so much more even in Detroit.

LongbowMkII > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:50

Fire station dispensery.

Amazing

facw > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:52

That would be an extremely cool garage. Any chance the city has any programs providing money/loans/tax breaks for historic preservation?

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:53

can you please transport this building to a 20 acre lot in Northern Wi. I’d like to make it my home.

The Dummy Gummy > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:55

That building is sweet. It has a Wes Anderson vibe to it. Any chance the area improves in the next decade or is that bad?

I’m kicking myself for not buying into an area that was really bad a decade ago, but now is the ‘premier’ spot to go. Homes have gone from the mid $100k price rang e to $600k and up.

financially ruinous

N ice carry over from the trump article.

DipodomysDeserti > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:55

I’m surprised it hasn’t been turned into a heroine den. Unless they just cleaned it out for the photos.

I say go for it and keep a large dog inside for a while.

someassemblyrequired > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:55

I’d wager a significant amount that you could get this for $40K or less, despite the 120K ask. Does it have a historical designation? If it does, you can qualify for i ncentives if you rehab it for commerical/rental purposes .

Given the modernish drop ceilings it may have already been remediated , but there’s no pictures of the mechanical spaces which would give some idea on that status.

It does look to be in fairly decent shape, but all the moneys would be made on the purchase. If you bought it for $120K, good luck with that.

Nice historic buildings like that are a #@$$ to insure, which is another cost factor before you sign on the dotted line.

Party-vi > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 10:55

I’m guessing ACM in those walls and all up in that mastic under the floor tiles. Damn. Such a gorgeous building.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > fintail
09/10/2018 at 10:57

Yeah Oklahoma is cool in a lot of ways, but has a lot of problems. All solvable , but our legislator is more interested in setting up a day of prayer for the oilfield industry than like ... fixing shit.

Quadradeuce > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 11:02

Asbestos is probably limited to that vinyl floor tile in the last pic you posted. The usual remedy is to just cover it up (seriously). Unless there’s a boiler room with a bunch of asbestos on pipes or jacketing the boiler, there’s probably less hazards than you think.

Flat roofs are a pain to maintain, but if you learn to do it yourself, they don’t cost all that much. EPDM rubber has come a long way.

I would be concerned more about the plumbing and electrical. Depending on your local ordinances, that could be the most expensive part. Where I live, you can’t work on any commercial building yourself. Have to hire a contractor. I don’t see a service panel in any of the pics. I’m guessing you would have to start from scratch on the electrical system, and hopefully the service to the building is something normal, not like the open delta 3 phase that comes into my warehouse.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Stef Schrader
09/10/2018 at 11:04

Tulsa has a ton of cool old art deco buildings like this one from back when we were the oil capital of the world . Sadly after most of the oil companies relocated to Houston in the 80s, too many are in bad shape or were torn down completely.

Kinja'd!!!

shop-teacher > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 11:04

That is indeed a TERRIBLE freaking awesome idea!

This reminds me of the old fire station that was for sale near me a few years ago. It wasn’t as cool looking, but the shop space was freaking ENORMOUS. It had been remodeled into a reasonably nice two bedroom house, with an attached four bay garage (and a big four bays, too). To make it even better, when it was a township property, they had put their motorpool maintenance garage on the back of that same site. So, it came with that as a detached 6-bay garage. I’ve never wanted a house so bad in my life.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 11:04

Very cool space! But I agree, not enough garage-space for this to be ultimately worth it from a car-guy standpoint.

adamftw > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 11:09

Looks like a great place to build a brewery and kick- start the gentrification of the neighb orhood.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > The Dummy Gummy
09/10/2018 at 11:10

West Tulsa/ Sand Spring is unlikely to come up in the next 10 - 20 years, but there has been some uptick in the last 5 years close by... but yeah... it’d have a long way to go before these properties weren’t sketch.

CalzoneGolem > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 11:11

That last pic is absolutely beautiful.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > The Dummy Gummy
09/10/2018 at 11:13

Oh haha I don’t know the article you’re referencing . That is just a turn of phrase I use frequently to describe my projects.

The Dummy Gummy > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 11:15

Ha, perfectly timed article then with your post.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 11:24

I would love to buy an old fire station, that building is so cool. Do it! Because I want you to, not because it’s a financially smart decision.

Mercedes Streeter > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 11:57

OMG, I can fit so many smarts and motorcycles into that garage. I wish it were here in IL!

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Mercedes Streeter
09/10/2018 at 12:01

Oh yeah! I’d bet you could pack them in at least two abreast and like 4 deep for the smarts! And hell you could put the motorcycles inside the living areas.

That’d actually be awesome and now I wish I was into bikes...

Stef Schrader > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 12:16

This sounds like a lot of little towns in east Texas. The one my parents retired to was a boomtown in the thirties, but now...not so much.

I still wish I could find oil in their yard, with mineral rights that we probably don’t have.

“Nah, it’s okay to put an oil rig in the front yard. I’m sure.”

random001 > Mercedes Streeter
09/10/2018 at 12:24

Literally the first person I thought about...

Mercedes Streeter > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 12:26

My mom comes over:

“Is...is your dinner table sitting on top of a motorcycle?”

“YES! Figured an old bike with a blown engine would make great table legs!”

punkgoose17 > Mercedes Streeter
09/10/2018 at 12:26

An old fire house is a great idea for your future Smart Museum!

Mercedes Streeter > punkgoose17
09/10/2018 at 12:28

**GASP**

I never thought of that! “ Ms Mercedes’ Universal Japanese Motorcycle and S mart Museum” out of an old firehouse!

I think I now have a new life goal.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 12:39

I LOVE that building

ranwhenparked > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 12:41

I'm *pretty* sure you don't have to touch asbestos if the material isn't deteriorating and isn't going to be disturbed by renovations. Sometimes you can encapsulate it in place, too. I'd worry a bit about the wiring - almost certainly two wire, likely knob and tube, which can be serviceable if in good shape, but probably inadequate for modern loads.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/10/2018 at 13:12

That would be awesome, my uncle in MT bought an old gas station and it is his shop/man cave. There is a community center in SF made from an old firehouse and it is amazing.