36N, Tulsa’s largest ever investment in mixed-income housing, is now home to The Grocery Box, a micro-grocery store operated by R&G Grocers. The Grocery Box is the first commercial tenant of the 36N development.
The Grocery Box at 36N is the second Grocery Box location in Tulsa, and is a micro-grocery offering fresh foods, pantry staples, and household goods at affordable prices to the North Tulsa community. It is located inside Phoenix @ 36N – Phase I of the housing development – a Tulsa Housing Authority mixed-income community.
“Housing is the first step in the transformation of this area of our city, but it can’t be the only step,” said Aaron Darden, president & CEO of Tulsa Housing Authority. “We want to create an environment with the right resources so that everyone in the community can thrive. Food and shelter are foundational, and bringing both at such a high-quality level is incredibly exciting.”
The Grocery Box is the first Critical Community Improvement (CCI) project funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant, which awarded $50 million to Tulsa Housing Authority and co-grantee, the City of Tulsa, for 36N.
36N will be a seven-phase development, bringing 545 mixed-income housing units to North Tulsa. Phase I – Phoenix @ 36N – is complete and fully occupied, and phase II is under construction. Totaling approximately $210 million, 36N will include additional commercial space in future phases as well as single-family homes.
Identified as a food desert, bringing healthy, affordable food options to the 36th St. North corridor was a priority of the 36N project.
“For too long, families here have had to travel miles for fresh food. We’re bringing that access right to their front door,” said Katie Plohocky, executive director of RG Foods, Inc. “Access changes everything. When fresh, healthy food is close and affordable, people make different choices. We’re proving that fresh, quality food can exist in every neighborhood.”
The Grocery Box accepts SNAP benefits, and offers programming that incentivizes healthy food purchases.
The Phoenix Rising Urban Farm is another CCI project underway that will support The Grocery Box and the broader community. Food grown at the farm will be sold in the store, and an on-site teaching kitchen will provide culinary training to the community.
Employment opportunities are also available at The Grocery Box, with 36N residents already employed and earning a living wage.
36N residents will also be able to place mobile grocery orders and have delivery to their doorstep.
For more information on 36N, visit 36NTulsa.com.