New hotel to revitalize Tulsa's historic Hawk Dairy building on Route 66

A long-vacant structure along Tulsa’s iconic Route 66 is set for a major transformation. The historic Hawk Dairy building at 11th Street and Lewis Avenue will soon become a vibrant hotel and event destination, thanks to a $17.5 million redevelopment led by Varia Hospitality Group.

A Vision for the Future

Despite its current state—with boarded-up windows and graffiti-covered walls—the Hawk Dairy building has long held the interest of developers and locals alike. Kim Honea, a partner with Varia Hospitality Group, sees this project as an opportunity to build on the area’s recent growth.

“The developments in this area have been such a huge deal in the last five to 10 years,” Honea said. “Now, just to see what can happen to this building and the next 10 to 15 years for Route 66 in this market district is just super exciting.”

A Multi-Use Destination

The new development will feature a 100-room hotel, complete with a pool, courtyard, rooftop bar, and restaurant. While the hotel rooms will be housed in a new structure, the original Hawk Dairy building will serve other key functions.

“This building itself will not house hotel rooms,” Honea said. “It’ll have the restaurant and food and beverage section. The second floor will have a 36,000-square-foot event center and three small meeting rooms that all connect together.”

Funding and Preservation

The project will benefit from historic tax credits, but the crucial piece of funding came from a $1.5 million Route 66 grant provided by the City of Tulsa through the Vision 2025 program.

“Honestly, without that, this building would not be able to be preserved,” Honea said. “These are extremely important incentives. Those funds were vital to this project coming to fruition.”

Honoring the Past

While the development brings new life to the property, preserving its history is a priority for the team. Architect Josh Kunkel with Method Architecture emphasized the importance of storytelling through design.

“Telling that history and keeping that story going—and continuing to tell that story for another 100 years—is very important to me,” Kunkel said.

The building was the subject of public curiosity in 2007 after a story by Rick Wells featured its quirky mannequins displayed in the windows.

Timeline for Completion

Although the project won’t be ready in time for the Route 66 centennial next year, Honea said the milestone will help generate interest and support. The development team expects to complete the hotel and event space by the summer of 2027.

As Tulsa continues to invest in Route 66, the transformation of the Hawk Dairy building marks another chapter in the city's efforts to honor its past while building for the future.