The closed Brookshire Motel caught fire for a second time in 13 months last week, adding doubt on whether the historic Route 66 motel ever will be restored.
The northernmost wing of the motel caught fire Thursday night, probably by homeless vagrants who broke into the property and started a fire to keep warm. The fire then spread out of control.
Fox23 News in Tulsa has the story, which includes an interview with Route 66 Alliance executive director Ken Busby:
According to the video, Commercial Tulsa has the property at 11017 E. 11th St. (aka Route 66) on the market, though it’s not listed on its website.
The Brookshire suffered a fire in February 2019 that damaged the main cottage building and two adjoining rooms in the back.
The property was declared a nuisance more than two years ago. Code violations went unaddressed, and the city has incurred more than $10,000 in abatement charges. The Tulsa Route 66 Commission in 2018 tried to find a buyer to save the motel and implored the city to hold off on condemnation as long as possible.
According to Tulsa County property records, the motel’s owner is David Silver of Plano, Texas.
Little is known about the Brookshire’s history, although its architecture indicates it likely was constructed in the 1940s.
(Image of the Brookshire Motel neon sign in Tulsa in 2005 by Tom Baddley via Flickr)