Why This Matters:

 

Decades of unprecedented growth and investment have delivered new stakeholders to Jenks. The history of Jenks includes strong partnerships between the public, private, and non-profit sectors.  The priority of The Ten District (“The Ten”)  is to further promote these partnerships and  offer a more intentionally inclusive focus. The Ten reflects the voices of both young and old stakeholders alike; the term legacy emphasizes the commitment to work towards a downtown that honors its past while encouraging a forward thinking vision. A place where all people can pursue healthy and happy experiences. 

 

One of The Ten’s greatest assets is the mix of older building structures with the new development happening all around it.  Members of the public still cite connectivity as a major challenge of transitioning into a pedestrian-friendly Downtown. There exists feasible  opportunities to better connect neighborhoods, parking space and activity nodes. 

 

Key Objectives:

 

• Utilize existing public-private economic partnerships to develop a comprehensive economic development vision and strategy.

• Define a strategic retail recruitment plan which prioritizes locally owned, unique, differentiated businesses and, where feasible, national anchor tenants.

• Promote the availability of products and services on Jenks Main Street that are desired by the car and foot traffic of all ages.

• Develop a storytelling approach for promoting local retailers and small business owners

• Advocate for the economic base that fuels The Ten’s retail vitality, including residential, hospitality, office, and institutional uses.

• Improve streetscape elements, such as benches and trash cans, including their condition, and develop a plan to beautify, improve, and expand upon the network.

• Build partnerships to advance art projects and creative place-making in the public realm.

• Educate and inform Downtown stakeholders on available mobility options, programs, and other approaches that advance an efficient multi-modal transportation network.

• Outreach with public and private property owners to beautify targeted corridors to improve connectivity.

 

Who We Are

 

The Ten  was founded in late 2021 with the goal of jumpstarting and being a significant supporter of  the revitalization of Downtown Jenks. Independent, privately funded and citizen led, the goal of the organization is to bring business and neighborhood leaders together to advance strategic planning, community building efforts, and increase return on investment for Downtown Jenks. We utilize technology to significantly enhance awareness, education and community engagement.  In addition, we accumulate, analyze and leverage data and community feedback real-time  to assist key stakeholders, led by the Jenks Chamber of Commerce, The City Of Jenks, and elected officials in establishing our unique value proposition. 

 

Our Goals:

 

• Build a culture of authentic and beneficial engagement.

• Compete with the Rose District, Cherry Street, Utica, and Brookside.

• Support a thriving and diverse storefront economy.

• Facilitate strategic partnerships to produce positive, balanced activations across Downtown.

• Improve physical connectivity and accessibility within and around Downtown.

• Position The Ten as reliable, responsive, representative, and mission-directed.

About The Name & Branding Process

 

We, a group of downtown merchants in Jenks, invested in real estate and businesses in our community. However, we noticed that our downtown area was not receiving the same level of promotion and branding as other successful downtowns. Over a year ago, we approached the Mayor, City Manager, Jenks Chamber of Commerce, and various city councilors seeking their guidance in rebranding and promoting downtown Jenks. With their permission, we organized 25+ focus group sessions with stakeholders such as city employees, educators, local historians, building owners, business leaders, and Jenks citizens of all ages. Using community input and historical research, we developed The Ten brand name, values, narrative, visual identity, and unique value proposition tailored to match Jenks' physical landscape and target audience. Using digital tools, we distributed The Ten brand to over 90% of Jenks population, with over 1 million impressions and 70,000 comments, reviews, and interactions to date. Careful targeting allowed us to poll the top 10 brand names from Jenks residents that span generations, ethnicity, and economic backgrounds and they voted on The Ten District. 

 

We heavily invest in promoting The Ten through marketing strategies that include providing value-based information to downtown building owners, merchants, and potential investors on city tax incentives and cost-benefit analysis. The selection of The Ten District and branding was based on historical roots with a progressive feel that reflects the excellence that Jenks is known for.

 

The Ten Mile Corner, a historical site that is ten miles away from Sapulpa, Tulsa, Broken Arrow, and Bixby, is a reference that embodies the significance of ten as an important number. The Ten is considered the heartbeat of Jenks and occupies exactly ten blocks west of the Arkansas River until the old Midland Valley railroad tracks. Jenks Main Street plays a pivotal role in this excellence. book

 

Tune of the Hickory Stick is a full history of Jenks Public Schools from the first Native American school in 1906 through to the time of the book's publication in the early 1980s. It includes maps, period school material and well over a hundred vintage and antique photos. On page 48 the book references one of Jenks historical sites “The Ten Mile Corner” as it’s situated ten miles from downtown Tulsa, Bixby, Sapulpa and Broken Arrow. Jenks is known for excellence as reflected in the Jenks Public Schools statement “A Tradition Of Excellence With A Vision For Tomorrow.” Ten marks the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. Ten is held with the highest esteem and is considered the perfect number. 

 

The Ten’s Value Proposition 

 

The Ten is known for its legacy of excellence anchored by Jenks Public Schools (JPS) located in the heart of the district. With a graduation rate over 90% young families migrate from the Tulsa metro to send their kids to JPS. The Ten offers a quaint feel with a low crime and all the trappings of the big city. Nestled along the banks of the Arkansas River with easy access to downtown Tulsa it attracts young, affluent and educated professionals. 

 

Restaurants, multifamily residences, recreation centers, and retail are flocking to The Ten area in a race to capture this young and affluent family focused market. The commercial capital devoted to projects under way or recently completed in the area totals about $630 million, with that figure expected to rise by an additional $100 million via announcements in the coming months. 

 

The Ten  has more traffic than Utica, The Rose District, and Brookside. The Ten traffic also offers substantially more expendable income than other districts. Commercial rent is currently less than half of other districts while density and development is rising at a much higher rate. 

 

The City of Jenks has launched a series of incentives specific to Downtown Jenks to attract new business. ​Other local taxing entities have partnered to create several Tax Increment Finance Districts to assist in developing key areas of Jenks. The State of Oklahoma also has several incentive programs for businesses. 

Conclusion: 

 

Successful Downtowns are never done. They are evolving, dynamic, and comprised of ever-changing stakeholder constituencies. The Ten must adapt to meet the needs of today’s Downtown and deploy an approach that pro-actively increases stakeholders’ awareness and knowledge regarding its purpose and initiatives. The strategies below are critical to transparently communicating with the Jenks community at large and precluding any misperceptions:

 

Key Objectives:

 

• Work with key stakeholders to build awareness of the revised mission and role of The Ten for today’s Downtown.

• Build The Ten Board of Directors that represents the diversity of stakeholders of Downtown Jenks.

• Develop a set of quantitative and qualitative metrics that can be used to measure outcomes associated with this plan specifically, and the health of Downtown generally.

• Champion implementation of the City of Jenks Downtown Plan.

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