CityPlex Towers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids CityPlex Towers |
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CityPlex Towers
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| Geography | |
| Location | Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |
| Coordinates | 36°02′34″N 95°57′12″W / 36.04278°N 95.95333°W |
| Organization | |
| Care system | Private |
| Hospital type | Community |
| Affiliated university | Oral Roberts University |
| History | |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Closed | 1989 |
CityPlex Towers is a group of three tall office buildings. They are located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 81st Street and Lewis Avenue. These towers were first built by Oral Roberts University. They were planned to be a large Christian hospital called the City of Faith Medical and Research Center. Today, most of the complex is used for office spaces.
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How It Started
In 1977, a religious leader named Oral Roberts had a special vision. He believed God told him to build a hospital. This hospital would be called the City of Faith Medical and Research Center. It was planned to be a place for healing, research, and teaching. It would combine modern medicine with prayer. A large bronze statue called "Praying Hands" was put at the entrance. It showed hands joined in prayer, representing science and faith.
Building Challenges and Funding
Building the City of Faith hospital was not easy. It was built between 1979 and 1981. Many people in Oklahoma did not think the hospital was needed. They worried it would waste money and take away medical staff from other hospitals.
Oral Roberts found it hard to get enough money at first. He said that God gave him clear instructions on how to finish the hospital. He also said God would help him get the money.
In 1980, Roberts claimed he had a vision while praying. He said a very tall Jesus appeared and told him to keep going with the project. Roberts described Jesus as being 900 feet tall. This was much taller than the 600-foot hospital building. Some people did not believe his story.
Roberts asked his supporters, called "partners," for money. He told them that if they gave money in amounts like $7, $77, or $777, God would bless them greatly. This way, he was able to raise the funds needed.
Opening and Closing the Hospital
The City of Faith hospital welcomed its first patient in November 1981. But by 1986, the hospital was losing a lot of money, over $10 million each year. By 1987, most of the hospital was empty because of high costs.
In 1987, Roberts told people on TV that he needed to raise $8 million quickly. He said if he didn't, God would "call him home," meaning he would die. People donated the money, but Roberts still looked for someone to buy or manage the hospital.
In 1989, only eight years after it opened, the City of Faith hospital was $25 million in debt. Oral Roberts decided to close it. The last patient left on October 16. After that, most of the complex was changed into office spaces. It was then leased out as CityPlex Towers.
Building Design and Current Use
CityPlex Towers has three triangular-shaped buildings. They offer over 2.2 million square feet of office space.
The tallest building is the 60-story CityPlex Tower. It is 648 feet (198 meters) tall. This makes it the third tallest building in Oklahoma. The 60th floor has a dining room with amazing views of the Arkansas River and Tulsa.
The main CityPlex Tower is surrounded by two other towers:
- The 30-story CityPlex West Tower is 348 feet (106 meters) tall.
- The 20-story CityPlex East Tower is 248 feet (76 meters) tall.
Below the fifth floor, all three towers are connected by a large base building. This complex also has three auditoriums, a fitness center, a cafeteria, a food court, and a convenience store.
Today, two of the towers are used for non-medical purposes. The Oklahoma Surgical Hospital, which specializes in bone and joint surgery, operates on the lower floors of CityPlex West and the base building. Christian radio station KTSO and Alternative Rock radio station KMYZ-FM have their studios and offices here. Their broadcasting equipment is at the top of the 60-story tower. Many call centers also use space in the complex. In 2013, about 75% of the building was being used.
In the 1990s, a large debt collection company called Commercial Financial Services was based at CityPlex. It had almost 4,000 employees at one point. In 2010, the founder of that company returned to CityPlex with a new company, leasing two floors in the 20-story tower.
The large bronze "Praying Hands" sculpture was originally in front of the lobby. In 1991, it was moved to the entrance of the nearby Oral Roberts University campus.
Images for kids
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CityPlex Towers, originally known as City of Faith Medical and Research in Tulsa, Oklahoma
See also
In Spanish: CityPlex Towers para niños
