When attorney Rod Yancy bought the historic Adah Robinson house in Tracy Park near 11th and Peoria in 2022, he was not sure what he was going to do with it. But he knew it needed to be preserved.
“It was one of those things where the preservationist instinct in me kicked in,” Yancy said. “I didn’t know what I was going to do with it. I just knew the place was special.”
Robinson was a celebrated artist and teacher who founded The University of Tulsa’s art department. Architect Bruce Goff was one of Robinson’s students while she taught art at Central High School. The house, located at 1119 S. Owasso Ave., was his first design project.
During the home’s restoration, Yancy received a book about the property. He learned Robinson had it built in 1925 as an art studio before she decided to live there.
“There was this paragraph in this book that said she would host frequent gatherings of her students and friends, and the space became somewhat of a salon in the ‘20s or ‘30s where people would share ideas and meet face to face,” Yancy said. “Even if they had differing opinions, they would come together like humans. I was inspired by that.”
With that idea in mind, Yancy restored the home and founded The Oath Studio to create an occasional gathering place for local artists, creatives and leaders to congregate and discuss culture, politics and current events — as Robinson had done nearly a century before.
By his count, Yancy has hosted nearly two dozen events at the property since April 2024. These range from charitable events — like auction winner dinners for Holland Hall and LIFE Senior Services — to private gallery shows and birthday parties for family members. He told the Flyer he does not make a profit from these events.
In February, The Oath Studio hosted Roger Deakins, a British cinematographer whose works include “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Fargo” and “The Big Lebowski,” among other blockbuster films.
But Yancy’s dinners have also attracted negative attention. A group of Tracy Park neighbors has voiced frustration with the parking and traffic congestion on South Owasso Avenue during gatherings.
Chris Barker, a resident in Tracy Park, says The Oath Studio is acting as an events center in a residential area and worries that precedent could extend farther into the neighborhood.
“If he can come in and say, ‘I’m just going to use this house for events and parties for non-commercial stuff,’ anybody can do that, right?” Barker said.
After code violations, a special permit
In October, Yancy was cited for five separate city code violations at the property, all related to operating a home occupation in a residential neighborhood. He was cited again in January for another code violation for using the property “in any way that is not consistent with the requirements of this zoning code.”
The summary of the January code violation notice specifically states the citation is for:
- advertising and selling tickets for frequent events at a property zoned residential; and,
- renting out/allowing other entities to host events.
On April 14, the city’s Board of Adjustment approved Yancy’s application for a special exception permit for a bed and breakfast with events on the property — effectively allowing him to continue hosting smaller, infrequent events.
Stipulations of the special exception permit require parking behind the house and for guests to enter through the backyard. Additionally, Yancy is permitted to have 25 guests present until 10 p.m. and can host one event every 60 business days.
Yancy noted the board did not restrict his personal use of the property.
“I can have friends and family over any time, which is important…” he said. “I don’t want my personal use of my home as a private citizen to be controlled by the Board of Adjustment, just as no one else would.”
According to the board’s agenda packet, six organizations previously hosted at The Oath Studio and eight Tracy Park residents submitted letters of support for the special exception permit.
Barker, who submitted 35 signatures from Tracy Park residents expressing opposition to The Oath Studio and other events in the neighborhood, was shocked by the board’s decision.
“Mr. Yancy said that he had no intent of running a bed and breakfast, yet that was what the application was for,” Barker said. “It’s pretty confusing.”
Jason Goltry, president of the Tracy Park Neighborhood Association, said he believes the board came to a “good compromise.”
“It’s a benefit to the small, every-so-often headache that it causes,” he said.
Goltry noted Yancy began hiring valet drivers to remove cars from South Owasso Avenue after neighbors complained about street congestion during gatherings.
“He’s been really great with the neighborhood association, even though it’s not his primary residence,” Goltry said. “He’s done everything he can to mitigate the noise and whatever reasoning the neighborhood has to not be in favor of it.”
In Goltry’s view, the Adah Robinson house deserves to be seen.
“It’s a special property,” Goltry said. “I think it should be seen by the public and not hidden away as a residential property.”
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
