Above is a rendering of the Buffalo Roam Studios & Academy to be located at the former First Christian Church facility, 520 S. Osage Ave. Photo courtesy of Buffalo Roam.
Council OKs transfer of church facility to Buffalo Roam
The former First Christian Church property, located at 520 S. Osage Ave. in downtown Bartlesville, will soon have a new owner: The Buffalo Roam Studios & Academy will take over the facility thanks to actions taken by the Bartlesville City Council this week.
During its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, the council voted in support of measures regarding the transfer of ownership of the property. As a result, the City will accept donation of the building from the FCC organization and then transfer the property to Buffalo Roam, a local company that plans to open a film studio and academy at the former church.
The deal also involves incentive funds for a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $2 million in economic development funds. The incentive was outlined when the City first issued Requests for Proposals regarding potential use for the facility last year. The RFP was issued after a feasibility study indicated the site was not economically feasible for a conference center, as had been initially proposed.
The City received six proposals in response to the RFP, but the one favored by the review committee was Buffalo Roam, which proposed to convert the FCC building into a film studio and film institute with a minimum private investment of $2 million. The council heard the recommendation from the review committee at its May 1 meeting, and negotiations have been ongoing since.
The terms approved Tuesday:
- Requires the City to provide $2 million to Buffalo Roam for development.
- The funds will be provided through the Economic Development Fund ($1 million) and from the Tax Increment Finance District No. 1 ($1 million). TIF districts are areas in which tax increments generated by development are captured to help fund infrastructure needs and/or further development.
- The funding is subject to approval from the Bartlesville Film Authority, which will be created by the council at a later date.
- Per the agreement, Buffalo Roam must also provide $2 million in private investment, rehabilitate the FCC building, and construct a new building to house a sound stage.
- Terms of the agreement also allow Buffalo Roam early access to the property so the company can begin construction on a new roof immediately. The company will have access to $280,000 of its $2 million property allowance during the early access period.
“It was initially thought that we would seek this $2 million through a General Obligation Bond,” said City Manager Mike Bailey. “For several reasons, we felt using economic development funds was more appropriate for this project. And this allows us to complete more street repairs/improvements with those funds, should voters approve the GO Bond proposed in October.”
Buffalo Roam hopes to complete construction on the film academy 14 months after the start date. A sound stage will also be constructed north of the existing facility. Completion on the sound stages is targeted for January 2025.
“This is a great addition to Bartlesville and our downtown, and it was made possible through the generous gift of this facility from the First Christian Church organization,” Bailey said. “We are grateful to FCC for making the project possible, and we can’t wait to see the impact Buffalo Roam Studios and Academy has on our arts district and community.”