Court records show Armstrong Bank purchased the long-vacant Brookside Baptist Church at 36th and Peoria on March 26, 2026 for nearly $5 million. The bank plans a multi-use redevelopment that could include high-end retail and a restaurant, even as neighbors wei
TULSA, Okla. — A fence line has already been pulled tight around the property at 36th and Peoria. Inside the vacant Brookside Baptist Church, demolition work has already begun.
The building has sat empty since the COVID-19 pandemic. It also took hits along the way — damage from storms, including the 2023 Father’s Day windstorm, and vandalism.
Now, the change neighbors feared and hoped for alike has a paper trail. Court records show the church was purchased on March 26, 2026 by Armstrong Bank for nearly $5 million. The seller is listed as 36 Peoria Development, LLC.
Armstrong Bank is based in Muskogee, and its website says the institution has been in operation since 1909.
Matt Morgan, vice president of the Brookside Business Association, said the buyer has plans for a multi-use project. “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,” Morgan said.
For months, the fate of the building has been part of local conversation. In 2024, the Brookside Business Association told 2 News the building would likely be demolished.
Morgan described why the demolition start matters — and why it isn’t simple. “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,” he said.
The church’s congregation no longer meets at the Brookside building. The Brookside congregation now meets off Harvard Avenue and East Skelly Drive.
Neighbors and business leaders are split over what the purchase means.
Tulsa resident Tommy Lowe said he would prefer to see the church stay a church. “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,” Lowe said.
Morgan acknowledged the feeling many residents have — the sense that redevelopment can be both progress and loss. “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 could bring new energy to the area, but the biggest worry is practical. “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. ” he said.
Morgan pointed to city standards. “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.
Armstrong Bank Brookside Baptist Church Tulsa vacant church court records March 26 2026 nearly $5 million asbestos remediation redevelopment retail and restaurant parking concerns