I drove by a couple weeks ago and they had just got done tearing it down. There was still dust floating around from it.

I agree. I have a ridiculous sadness about this. Just soooo many memories from the sixties.

Spent a lot of hours there as a kid myself. I only went there once after it became a flea market. Sad to see it go, but the building looked like it was in bad shape.

Bad shape is an understatement.

AMC and Gibson's were the predecessors of the Supercenters/Superstores of today. I remember going there to shop with Grandfather when it was a full functioning retail store and a flea market. My grandfather stopped going to AMC and Old Paris Flea market when most of the vendors became retail sales shops and the second hand vendors were ran off to Mary's Swap Meet. He went to Mary's practically every weekend up until shortly before he died. Good memories of AMC. I will agree the place was old and needed to be torn down. Very few places could use the building even if it was in good condition. If I remember right a large warehouse was on the south end of AMC. It has sat vacant since the retail store closed.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/AMC2.jpg

heck thats where Detox is moving to in on linwood and Virginia.. I just talked to the guys at the antique store about it.. I say move the mission out by the airport...

There have been quite a few attempts to get the Mission to relocate, especially out towards Morgan and I-40. The big problem is that a lot of their clientele are migratory and come in on the bus. If they move too far from the Greyhound station, they can't fulfill their mission. From what I know, they're trying to/have purchased a few buildings around the current one and plan to make it more of a self-contained area to try and keep their clients contained from the new C2S and downtown revitalization.

Isn't/hasn't the Greyhound been moved to JRs at MLK & Reno???

AMC and Gibson's were the predecessors of the Supercenters/Superstores of today. I remember going there to shop with Grandfather when it was a full functioning retail store and a flea market. My grandfather stopped going to AMC and Old Paris Flea market when most of the vendors became retail sales shops and the second hand vendors were ran off to Mary's Swap Meet. He went to Mary's practically every weekend up until shortly before he died. Good memories of AMC. I will agree the place was old and needed to be torn down. Very few places could use the building even if it was in good condition. If I remember right a large warehouse was on the south end of AMC. It has sat vacant since the retail store closed.

And don't forget about GEX, the General Exchange, which is what Old Paris used to be. It, too, was very Sams-like - you had to have a membership card. It was a fun place. Only fleeting memories of it from when I was a kid, but I remember it.

Much more vivid memories of AMC; it was a fairly regular shopping stop. My dad could get cheap motor oil and filters there, and they had a great toy department. We didn't typically get too many groceries there, but they had 'em. My wife's uncle was a toy buyer there many, many years ago, and he got first glimpses at all kinds of great toys, some of which he was able to snag for himself and his own kids as promotional freebies. All that said, I remember the building being in a deteriorating condition way back then, when I was a kid, and I was amazed the structure lasted this long.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/AMC2.jpg

Foreman Scotty!!!! And the Circle 4 Ranch!!!

Aw, man, now you've gone and tripped the nostalgia switch. Got on Foreman Scotty twice as a kid. Back in days of great local kids programming. Wow....just wow.

anyone know why they haven't started construction?

they were messing with the site in janurary but haven't seen anything since??

They did get in torn down in a hurry...does seem odd but am sure someone somewhere has a reason...

They did get in torn down in a hurry...does seem odd but am sure someone somewhere has a reason...

Since when does anyone need a reason to tear a building down in Okc?... j/k

I believe the Salvation Army is still working on plans for that site, as they received a good donation from Chesapeake and also a nice chunk for their current property that is in the path of the new Central Park.

But they will have to get out of their soon as the first phase of the park is due to begin construction in mid 2013 -- about a year from now.

I believe the Salvation Army is still working on plans for that site, as they received a good donation from Chesapeake and also a nice chunk for their current property that is in the path of the new Central Park.

But they will have to get out of their soon as the first phase of the park is due to begin construction in mid 2013 -- about a year from now.

i believe that they have a lease agreement that last until 1Q 13 with the city

What type of building should we expect from the Salvation Army?

I thought that 10th street has been deemed a redevelopment corridor by the city and with that there are special building requirements.

Not sure how far it extends, but I was thinking it was just the area between St. Antony's and the OU medical complex just on the other side of I-35????

Not sure how far it extends, but I was thinking it was just the area between St. Antony's and the OU medical complex just on the other side of I-35????

i think you are correct

I'll be shocked if it is not a herd of pre-engineered metal buildings.

i believe that they have a lease agreement that last until 1Q 13 with the city

They'd better start work soon.

It usually takes the better part of a year -- at least -- to build a decent-sized commercial structure.


Moreover, even though they are a nonprofit agency doing admirable work, they should not be allowed to hold up park construction just because they might not have their act together. As things stand now, I can foresee an emotional appeal to extend that lease.

I don't see it holding up the Park (and the City is doing a good enough job of that on its own), as they have other facilities (they have the thrift store and some sort of space in the building next to it) right across the street from the former AMC and I am sure they could find other space to lease on a temporary basis if their other is fully occupied.

Hope you are right, Larry.

It could very well be that they won't need the new facilities to be built on this site as a condition of vacating the current buildings in C2S.

There's a new sign up that says (new to me at least):

The Salvation Army Chesapeake Energy Center of Hope Coming Soon July 2014.

Yeah, because the current Salvation Army building is sitting where the new Central Park is going to go.

Haven't seen anything submitted for design review as of yet.

Hopefully they are getting closer to moving forward.



BTW, I was told by someone in the know that not only has Chesapeake cut way back on their philanthropy, they may even be backing out of previous commitments.

That may be part of why this is taking so long.

The sign is a couple weeks or so old. I pass by it every day during lunch. Before the sign was placed there was some sort of event, as there was a decent amount of cars parked in a roped-off section of the parking lot for one day. I have no idea what it was for however. Perhaps an announcement of the project?

Yeah, because the current Salvation Army building is sitting where the new Central Park is going to go.

Different location

Almost a year since i posted the comment and they still haven't started construction. I wonder whats the hold up...

I wonder if Chesapeake has not delivered on sizable pledge to help move them to this new site.

They have to move from the Central Park area soon because their old building has been purchased and is slated for demolition in the near future.

Goodbye to AMC and many childhood memories. It was the first place that I remember that required a membership card which you showed at a counter entering the store. Great toy section, a maze of a store that made exploring fun as a kid. Oh, how I would love to go back to 1965 - just for a few hours. Such a different time. But seriously, great memories to hear Mom ask, "Want to go to AMC with me?"

And while we know it must go, it's actually hard for many of us that grew up with AMC to say goodbye and see it turn to rubble.

I too remember going to AMC with my parents and older siblings back in the 60's. I vividly recall where you first walked in there was a huge stop sign, (at least it was huge to a little kid) where you showed your membership card. The place had a little bit of everything, and yes,...including a great toy section

I wonder if Chesapeake has not delivered on sizable pledge to help move them to this new site.

They have to move from the Central Park area soon because their old building has been purchased and is slated for demolition in the near future.

Actually, they have an agreement with the City to occupy their current space until early 2014.

I have heard some talk about the new location/building falling through. Can anyone here expand on that?

Actually, they have an agreement with the City to occupy their current space until early 2014.

I have heard some talk about the new location/building falling through. Can anyone here expand on that?

But early 2014 is only about 9 months away. Even if they started building now, that wouldn't be nearly enough time.

The question is why haven't they started?? Something in their plans must have changed after the announcement.

reason i ask is because i live right in front and i have mixed emotions about the whole thing being constructed there. Maybe they are looking for another more industrial area to build on?

I just bought a house of 16th and Penn up the street from the Salvation Army site, any idea as to whether or not from a home owner standpoint that will be a good or bad thing for me?

Looks like this project is finally getting ready to start.

$5.4 million building permit filed yesterday for a 1-story, 49,000 square foot building at 10th & Penn.

Looks like this project is finally getting ready to start.

$5.4 million building permit filed yesterday for a 1-story, 49,000 square foot building at 10th & Penn.

1 story mostly industrial building could be finished in 6-9 months

renderings by chance?

The South end of the store was the warehouse and had space for 5 boxcars. I worked for the railroad that served it and they got 5 cars about everyday.

Update: Salvation Army breaks ground at new Center of Hope location in Oklahoma City | News OK (http://newsok.com/salvation-army-breaks-ground-at-new-center-of-hope-location-in-oklahoma-city/article/3842613)

Rendering:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/salvationarmy.jpg

I can confirm they broke ground. I noticed after work on Thursday driving west on NW 10th, I saw them setting up an events tent for what I assumed was going to be a ground breaking ceremony. Hopefully work will be performed in a timely manner and clean up the blight soon.

Kewl... they are going to have a Traffic Circle...LOL

Lots of activity the past few days.

There is now a live construction cam for this project; see link in article at the top.

Slowly but surely...

Walls are being raised at new the Salvation Army Center of Hope in Oklahoma City | News OK (http://newsok.com/walls-are-being-raised-at-new-the-salvation-army-center-of-hope-in-oklahoma-city/article/3935281)

As noted in the article above, there is a great construction cam to follow the progress:

Construction Camera: Salvation Army Center of Hope (http://oxblue.com/open/smithandpickel/salvationarmy)

This project continues to move along.

I suspect it will be finished by the end of the year at which time they can move from their location in the middle of what will be Central Park:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8456d1404343710-salvation-army-salvation070214.jpg

Parking lot going in and they are now aiming for opening in early September.

After that, their old structure in the middle of the future Central Park can be demolished and work on the first phase of the park can begin.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/salvation080514.jpg

The exterior is now about 90% done. They started sodding the grass yesterday. Parking lot lights have been up for a while now. The building is also well lit at night which is a great improvement for the area.

I believe they have started to move in if they aren't completely in already.

They are apparently officially open and will continue to expand the facility.

Salvation Army opens 50,000 square-foot facility to help people in need | KFOR.com (http://kfor.com/2014/11/06/salvation-army-opens-50000-square-foot-facility-to-help-people-in-need/)

I hadn't been over there since they leveled the old structure, until about two weeks a go I went by there. WOW! ...What a transformation to that corner, and for the general area as a whole.