TULSA, Okla. — Court records show the vacant Brookside Baptist Church, located at 36th and Peoria, has been sold.
The building has been vacant since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the Brookside Business Association told 2 News the building would likely be demolished.
WATCH: Free OKMRC Seminars to Focus on Summer Safety
NEW OWNERS FOR VACANT CHURCH: Records show Brookside church purchased in March
“Armstrong Bank now owns it, and we know at this point that it’s going to be a multi-use facility. It’s going to be high-end retail and restaurant,” Matt Morgan, vice president of the Brookside Business Association, said.
Armstrong Bank is based in Muskogee and, according to its website, has been in operation since 1909.
2 News obtained court records showing the building was purchased on March 26, 2026, by Armstrong Bank for nearly $5 million in March. The seller is listed as 36 Peoria Development, LLC.
Previous Coverage>>> What’s next for vacant Brookside Baptist Church? Neighbors still waiting for answers
A fence line is already up around the property, and demolition has already started on the inside.
“Dangerous chemicals are inside the building. So with these buildings that were built in the 40s and 50s, a lot of times, there’s asbestos around the piping. I think that they’re working to remediate that now,” Morgan said.
The church has stood vacant since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the building sustained damage from storms, including the 2023 Father’s Day windstorm, as well as vandalism. The Brookside congregation now meets off Harvard Avenue and East Skelly Drive.
Neighbors and business leaders have mixed feelings about the change.
“I’d rather it turn back into a church, honestly, but it’s a great corner lot that’s going to be utilized on this busy street,” Tulsa resident Tommy Lowe said.
Morgan acknowledged the bittersweet nature of the redevelopment.
“It’s both a great and a sad thing… so many people have been baptized and married there, but the good news is it’s going to be vital again, something that fits with Brookside,” Morgan said.
Lowe said the project will bring new energy to the area but expressed concern about parking in the already-busy neighborhood.
“Looking forward to it, other than, again, same as Cherry Street. It’s the parking situation that becomes a real drag sometimes. Brookside’s definitely a lot better than Cherry Street in my opinion, as far as having that parking, but hopefully with the size of the lot that they got there, they can develop enough parking to facilitate, you know, the new businesses,” Lowe said.
Morgan said parking concerns may be addressed by city requirements.
“Any new development built today will meet or exceed the city’s parking requirements,” Morgan said.
Armstrong Bank has not responded to a request for comment.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere —
