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Former Incinerator That’s Now a Live-Work Space Scorches Tulsa

A former incinerator-turned-live-work space in Tulsa, OK, recently scorched our listings. Listed in early February for $275,000, the radical residence was quickly snapped up, according to listing agent Tim Barnes.

Even though wider interest was snuffed by a speedy buyer, we still wanted to poke the embers surrounding the story behind this really hot home.

The brick building with four archways was built in 1939 as a city trash incinerator. However, the structure had long since been abandoned when artist Ron Fleming came across it in the late 1970s while working on a photo shoot.

He and his wife, Patti, also an artist, were looking for a unique space where they could create art and live. They paid the city about $5,000 for the property, which at the time was uninhabitable, overgrown with plant life, and missing a roof.

Another challenge? The old incinerator had been declared a local landmark, so they were unable to make any changes to the facade.

The couple began camping out on the land, spending a year’s worth of weekends to clean out the structure, shoveling out piles of soot. Out of the ashes, a new space rose, and the pair moved in in the early 1980s.

Now, the house burns only when the fireplace is lit. An atrium with skylight is enhanced by a garden with live trees. Fleming’s front doors hand-carved out of walnut match the original arches on the side of the building. A solarium was added for even more light and space. Once a place for burning trash, the space has transformed into an architectural marvel.

“They really turned it into a magical place,” Barnes says. “The majority of the walls and space are filled with art. It’s a delight.”

One of the smokestacks was converted into a spiral staircase to a lookout tower with 360-degree views.

The 4,500-square-foot layout includes a living space, dining room, kitchen, and lofted master suite. The lower level has two bedrooms, a bathroom, and game room with beamed ceiling and arched windows.

The garage, once the site of the soot, is now a bedroom and artist studio.

“It’s super enchanting,” says Barnes. “Once you shut the doors, it feels like you’re not in Tulsa. It’s a different world.”

Fleming, whose wife died 13 years ago, has lived in the converted incinerator for 35 years. He’s finally ready to let go of his labor of love.

After a successful career as a commercial artist with corporate clients, Fleming focused on crafting stunning sculptures from wood. Some of his pieces are part of the collection at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Only an artist would see the potential for an ash-filled incinerator to become the Cinderella story of real estate.

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Source: Real Estate News and Advice – realtor.com » Real Estate News