What was built as a furniture store in 1935, Belafonte has had a long and storied history. After a divorce ended the furniture business plans for a bustling Crosbie Heights neighborhood (platted initially in 1908), the couple sold the building to a new congregation who transformed the storefront into the 3rd & Phoenix Church of Christ.

For 60 years, hundreds of people worshipped in this space, with an untold number being baptized in the steel tub baptistry built under the tiny 5’ X 9’ stage extending into the basement.

In 2001, the dwindling congregation sold the property to longtime neighborhood resident Miriam Mills. Miriam invested tens of thousands of dollars repairing the building that had seen so much wear and tear over six and half decades, including a fire that destroyed the connected identical building that existed for decades as a neighborhood bar. She welcomed into the space diverse tenants who operated businesses such as a grocery, a yoga studio, a school, a concert venue, and a theatrical troupe’s rehearsal space, among other endeavors.

The spirit of community thrived under her care of the building. It became recognizable as “The Fish Building” to folks all over Tulsa when she commissioned the beautiful mural by Ana Maria Ortiz (known as Ana Marietta) that still delights passersby today.

In late 2022, one of our partners approached Miriam about purchasing the space and breathing new life into this important gathering spot for decades. After much handwringing on her part and trust-gaining on our part, the Belafonte team purchased the building and adjacent vacant lot in April 2023.