Downtown Tulsa: where cleaner streets meet public art

Home » Case Studies » Downtown Tulsa: where cleaner streets meet public art

Client:

Downtown Tulsa Partnership

A better waste system for one of Tulsa’s most visible districts

In the heart of Downtown Tulsa, the Deco District is one of the city’s most active and recognizable public environments. Known for its Art Deco architecture, walkable streets, and strong cultural identity, it is also a place where waste infrastructure has to work hard without undermining the character of the area around it.

The district wanted a better way to manage trash in a busy public setting, with infrastructure that could improve cleanliness, reduce litter, and sit more comfortably within a prominent downtown streetscape.

Why the district needed more capacity with less clutter

At the time, the central part of the district relied on a large number of open-top trash cans grouped across the area. That created a familiar set of public-space issues: more visual clutter, more opportunity for windblown litter, and weaker protection against pests.

The goal was not just to replace old bins with newer ones. It was to reduce the number of containers on the street while increasing overall capacity and improving day-to-day containment.

That meant finding a solution that could work both operationally and visually: fewer units, better performance, and a stronger fit with the district itself.

A cleaner, more contained on-street format

To support that, Downtown Tulsa Partnership selected metroSTOR RCF-Series enclosures for the Deco District.

The units use a fully enclosed design with foot-pedal operation and pull-out liners, helping the district create a more secure and better-contained public waste format. Compared with open-top cans, that brought a number of practical advantages: improved litter containment, reduced pest access, and a more efficient servicing model with fewer units required across the area.

The anthracite grey finish gave the enclosures a neutral, contemporary appearance that worked well as a starting point within the district’s built environment. That mattered because the project was never only about capacity. It was also about creating infrastructure that felt considered in a very visible downtown setting.

How the project became part of the public realm

What makes the Tulsa project more distinctive is what happened next.

After the initial installation, the new units became part of the ArtWraps program led by Downtown Tulsa Partnership. Local artists were invited to create vinyl wraps that reflected the city’s culture, history, and identity, transforming the containers from purely practical street infrastructure into something more expressive and place-specific.

That second phase did not replace the operational value of the project. It built on it. Because the bins were already more durable, enclosed, and visually coherent, they also became a better platform for public art and district branding.

The result is a streetscape intervention that does two jobs at once: it improves trash containment and gives the district a more distinctive and engaging public presence.

“We’ve received incredible feedback on the ArtWrap Trash Cans, from the artists who designed them to the entire downtown community. They bring vibrant art to the streets while serving the essential function of keeping downtown clean.”

Stronger containment, stronger identity, more welcoming streets

The Tulsa project shows that public waste infrastructure does not have to be either purely functional or purely decorative.

In the Deco District, stronger containment helped address litter, pest pressure, and the visual disorder created by too many open-top cans. At the same time, the art-wrap phase helped the units contribute positively to the district rather than simply disappearing into it.

That combination matters in places where public infrastructure shapes how the street feels as much as how it functions. A cleaner, better-managed environment is valuable on its own, but when the infrastructure also supports local identity and pedestrian experience, the result is stronger still.

What this shows for downtown districts

The Downtown Tulsa project shows how cities and downtown partnerships can rethink waste infrastructure as part of the wider public realm.

Better bins can do more than hold trash. They can reduce clutter, improve containment, support more efficient servicing, and create a stronger visual standard in busy public environments. When that is paired with local art and district identity, the infrastructure becomes part of the place rather than an afterthought within it.

For downtown districts trying to improve cleanliness without compromising character, that is a useful model.

Looking at on-street waste infrastructure in your own district?

We work with cities, BIDs, and downtown partnerships to design infrastructure that improves containment, supports cleaner streets, and fits more comfortably into visible public environments.

talk to us

Explore municipal application

Municipal Containment Projects

See how the metroSTOR RCF System has been used in public-facing and high-footfall environments where direct deposit, durability, and controlled participation need to work together. View all projects