A ceremonial key transfer Monday at 1 p.m. marked the next chapter for the old Rudisill Regional Library building at 1520 N. Hartford Ave., as the Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce's Power Group took possession of a site that spent decades serving North Tulsa readers. The event, open to the public, comes months after the nonprofit's purchase of the property closed and years before the building is expected to reopen under a new name and purpose.
A Long-Awaited Handoff
According to KOKI FOX 23, the Tulsa City-County Library handed over keys to the former Rudisill building to Power Group Community Development Corp., the economic development arm of the Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce, at the ceremony. Power Group described the purchase as a milestone in the chamber's commitment to economic development, community investment, and creating opportunities in North Tulsa, the station reported. An organization representative said receiving the keys is an opportunity to honor a place that has been part of North Tulsa's story and ensure it serves the community for generations, per the same report.
The sale itself has a more tangled timeline. The Tulsa City Council unanimously approved a joint resolution authorizing the sale of the former Rudisill Regional Library to Power Group for $1.4 million on April 15, 2026, according to theokeagle.org. But accounts differ on when the transaction actually closed: News on 6 reported that the City-County Library Commission of Tulsa sold the building to Power for $1.4 million the previous November, while a July report from Tulsa Flyer stated Power Group acquired the facility from the library commission for the same amount in April. The discrepancy in timing has not been resolved in available reporting.
Why the Sale Drew Scrutiny
The Power Group is the economic development arm of the Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce, Tulsa Flyer has reported. The council vote drew added attention because Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper was associated with Power Group, though she recused herself from the discussion and vote, according to the outlet's coverage of the sale.
Regular operations at the old Rudisill facility ceased June 28, 2026, Tulsa Flyer noted, clearing the way for the building to sit vacant ahead of Monday's key transfer. The Rudisill Regional Library itself didn't disappear — it relocated. A new 33,000-square-foot library now operates in Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District, according to the Tulsa City-County Library, which says the facility is now open. That new branch was funded as part of a $58 million capital campaign covering four library projects across Tulsa County, per the library system.
What Comes Next for the Hartford Avenue Site
Power Group has described plans to turn the old library into an entrepreneurial hub supporting small businesses with classes, affordable office space, a commercial kitchen and a business research center, per Tulsa Flyer's reporting. Despite Monday's key handoff, the nonprofit is not expected to have full access to the site until early 2027, the outlet reported in July.
Hall-Harper has said the redevelopment will require more than a building transfer to succeed. “We need the community and must have community support and engagement,” she said, according to Tulsa Flyer. The Black Wall Street Chamber's giving arm has said funds raised will go toward land acquisition and community development in North Tulsa, according to the chamber's own materials.
The push comes as the chamber pursues a broader strategic plan. By 2027, the organization aims to become what it calls the most system-driven, transparent and effective advocate for Black wealth in Tulsa's history, News on 6 reported. The chamber has pointed to a stark local income gap as part of its rationale for the work, presenting figures showing a median income disparity of $42,000 versus $74,088 in Tulsa, according to the station's coverage. The Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce describes itself as a nonprofit, membership-based organization formed to promote the economic well-being of African American-owned businesses.
