Hopefully they hadn't just spent money to refurb that exterior only for it to be torn out.

^

There hasn't been any work to that section as of yet.

It's a good get and a good use of that space.

Most of that center is very deep, which means it's only useful for big tenants. This particular section is between Aldi and Interbank which don't match the rest of the center and it's all pretty disconnected.

Looking forward to the east section being completely redone and the property continuing to fill up. It's been largely empty and derelict for far too long.

Amen!

That's awesome. I've not yet made it down to Harbor Freight, but have been meaning to for quite some time. Having it this close to me will be very handy, I'm betting.

I've never been into any of their stores but am somewhat of a tool junky.

I look forward to having it so close.

It's my store of choice for hand tools..... Pretty happy with the radial arm saw and drill press I got there too but not a fan of the table saw.

I'm not a handy person and don't have a lot of tools, but being in that place makes me want to buy all the tools. How do they do that?

I think this is a great move from any angle. Because InterBank next door is an old fashioned banking facility that has too much square footage for today's needs, I think their parking will be excellent overflow for Harbor Freight on the 5-10 days per year parking could possibly be an issue. Harbor Freight has been cleaning up their image to be seen as something more than cheapo Chinese tools whose customers are only the most broke down, hack-azz former "professional", and the cheapest front yard hobbyist.

On the hand tool side, I think Harbor Freight tools are 95% as good as "professional" brands, like Snap-On, etc. Their shortcoming is in long term durability for the heavy user and the hard to remove, or access, nut, bolt and screw. I figured out years ago that my greatest risk in the shop is losing tools, rather than wearing out. We gonna lose a 10, 13 or 17mm socket by the dozen before we get to the one bolt that needs the superior grip of the Mac or Snap-On wrench.

Even in the paint shop, the $30 primer gun is as good at the $400 name brand units in low volume situations. And much more palatable when we forget to clean out the gun when it has activated products in it and they clog all passages.

I think I'm in the minority here, but I'm disappointed that this side of the road is just turning into a bunch of individual store fronts with zero style tying them together. It's for sure a suburban strip center, but they could have at least tried something to keep them together. :(

BomberMWC, I agree with you. Mayfair used to look like it had a little bit of style. I think the direction they have gone is disappointing.

I agree. There could be some attempt to unify designs.

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Noticed today that the part that goes north from the SW structure was torn down. At first, I thought it was due to a roof collapse, but it looks like it was a part of the plan the whole time.

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Sorry, this is the rendering that shows it was supposed to be torn down the whole time.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mayfair071121a.jpg

Hard to see but in that last photo, the glass has been replaced in the section to the right of the Michael's entry.

Still, very slow going.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mayfair071121a.jpg


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They've started on the new shingles and dormers; you can also see some of the new glass storefronts:

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Did they change the design. Looks different from the render couple months ago

Did they change the design. Looks different from the render couple months ago

I think this is consistent with the render in post #42. But, it appears that it will only be on the east side of May Avenue. The changes to the west side look like it will only be the small SW corner that will have an original, mid-century look. And the building north of Aldi, that will be entirely Harbor Freight, which has a uniform, corporate look.

Concrete in front of the SW section is completely torn up.

BTW, after talking to local brokers I now realize the main reason they are going so slowly on the renovation is they are trying to sort through a multitude of deals.

They are trying to be the best terms and best uses possible and it seems they have more than enough to fill up that center as well as the old church property across the way.

It's very smart on their behalf. Take your time and get some good commitments before you completely tear up the property.

The location is fantastic and even though there might not be a lot of smaller tenants to take space, they have a ton of interest.

I'm not sure how that's a positive. Instead of completing it quickly and stopping the construction that always hurts the traffic of their existing tenants, they're purposely taking time to wait and get more tenants? Speculative construction is part of the game in this type of market. They're renovating because they feel like they can't attract someone with the old look and want to make a change to try to attract someone new. That doesn't happen if you take 4 years to finish the project. You do that when you don't have the capital to do it properly and are trying to save dollars, which means you probably shouldn't have started in the first place....or secured a loan to get it actually completed. I despise developers that take this long-running construction approach. What invariably happens is that they reduce their cash input the further they get in to it and each phase gets progressively crappier than the previous as they try to save another buck.

I'm not sure how that's a positive. Instead of completing it quickly and stopping the construction that always hurts the traffic of their existing tenants, they're purposely taking time to wait and get more tenants? Speculative construction is part of the game in this type of market. They're renovating because they feel like they can't attract someone with the old look and want to make a change to try to attract someone new. That doesn't happen if you take 4 years to finish the project. You do that when you don't have the capital to do it properly and are trying to save dollars, which means you probably shouldn't have started in the first place....or secured a loan to get it actually completed. I despise developers that take this long-running construction approach. What invariably happens is that they reduce their cash input the further they get in to it and each phase gets progressively crappier than the previous as they try to save another buck.

I think Mayfair is the exception to that concept. It was bought as essentially salvage from a national shopping developer bankruptcy. The Aldi and CVS parcels had already been sold off, and those were the return on the original purchase by the big company. Mark Ruffin and his partners had the local memories and financial ability to buy the property, and study both the market and building conditions. The time they took enabled them to find better and larger national tenants to mix with the local businesses that will ultimately occupy the center next year.

There are almost no existing tenants to disrupt.

The only large one is Michael's and work is being done on their section and storefront first. That part of Mayfair is the only one not completely empty.


The rest of the concerns listed are based on a fundamental lack of knowledge about financing and commercial leasing.

Well Pete, I'll disagree because that comes from actual experience in office leasing matters. No that's not commercial business, but the concept holds the same. Speculative construction like this s important to do BEFORE you have tenants. If you're trying to attract businesses to your space, you don't leave it as a disaster and say "hey, come in here and rent this totally jacked up space". No, you at least clear it out first to the bones. And your existing tenants do NOT WANT construction going on, because that absolutely drives away customers. But just because we don't agree, doesn't make your view the "correct" one either so that's a bit disappointing to see you attempt to just write it off like that.

I'm already disappointed in the disjointed lack of cohesion on the design as they split it up. We'll just see more of that with all this unnecessary extra "crap" they slapped on to the front sidewalk of a regular rectangle of a strip mall. It's a lot of money that will not contribute to a ROI. The land sell-off is a good indicator that the market didn't support their concept. If you have to sell part of the farm to keep it going, then you're probably not going to be in it for the long haul. That story has been told around town over and over.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mayfair081721a.jpg

This place never ceases to amuse me when I drive by it. The gas station forecourt has a pitched roof and fake dormer windows, but the convenience store has a flat roof. Otherwise I might've thought I'd stumbled across some quaint cottages in the countryside.

This place never ceases to amuse me when I drive by it. The gas station forecourt has a pitched roof and fake dormer windows, but the convenience store has a flat roof. Otherwise I might've thought I'd stumbled across some quaint cottages in the countryside.

The gas station and that canopy will both be razed, as will the small retail building just to the east.

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Are there any plans to add some trees to the parking lot?

Are there any plans to add some trees to the parking lot?

Yes:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mayfair051221a.jpg

This place never ceases to amuse me when I drive by it. The gas station forecourt has a pitched roof and fake dormer windows, but the convenience store has a flat roof. Otherwise I might've thought I'd stumbled across some quaint cottages in the countryside.

It's funny, I drove by the other day with my son (11) and he said "why does that gas station look all weird like that?" I laughed inside a lot.

Yes:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mayfair051221a.jpg

Is that a complete reconstruction of the parking lot, or just trees in the existing planter locations? It doesn't look like the rendering matches up to what is there now.

That rendering does pretty much match up with what is there now.

I suspect they will just use the existing planters. Not sure about resurfacing the lot but they will probably do a fresh coat of asphalt and new striping.

The mid-century building on the SW edge is getting an entirely new lot.

The gas station and that canopy will both be razed, as will the small retail building just to the east.
Those buildings being gone will improve the overall aesthetics immensely.

It's funny, I drove by the other day with my son (11) and he said "why does that gas station look all weird like that?" I laughed inside a lot.

When the remodel with the faux roof and dormers was unveiled (in the late 1980s IIRC), ownership released to the press that it was designed by Bruce Bockus. I knew Bruce from church at the time enough to be a social friend. I asked him about the Mayfair project, and especially the gas station. He was very quick to exclaim that he had only provided some preliminary concept drawings and then ownership ran with them.

He was even more emphatic that he had nothing to do with the "levitating roof gas station".

When the remodel with the faux roof and dormers was unveiled (in the late 1980s IIRC), ownership released to the press that it was designed by Bruce Bockus. I knew Bruce from church at the time enough to be a social friend. I asked him about the Mayfair project, and especially the gas station. He was very quick to exclaim that he had only provided some preliminary concept drawings and then ownership ran with them.

He was even more emphatic that he had nothing to do with the "levitating roof gas station".

That's funny. That part never did make any sense. I recall thinking that at the time of all the remodel back then. Glad it's finally going away. I'm really hopeful about this whole project.

Very glad they are adding trees. I was happy they took out all the Pear trees that lines both sides of May as those things are terrible but it sure did change the look of the area. Trees back in the parking will help a lot.

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Just the darker roof alone makes it appear more modern. Kind of like the new fad of painting brick white with dark roof/trim and exposed wood. I think it looks nice. We drove by yesterday.

For the northeast section that is now mostly renovated, you can see a cut gap between the old and new. They may demolish everything north of that gap.

They first have to move out the UPS store which I believe will go next to Michaels and AM Nails.

The tailor and barber shop near the gas station will be moved to the southwest section before that entire structure is razed.

I really like the direction this renovation is heading. Very intrigued by the possibilities of bringing this area back to life.

They are doing a very nice job it's just that they have to move around the existing tenants and deal with an old structure that keeps giving them surprises.

I go by almost every day and the progress has been very slow, but it's going to be worth it.

Any chance they’ll add sidewalks? Now would be a good time to do that.

They are in the process of resurfacing the parking lot in the northeast section.

They are also adding larger landscape islands and recently installed new lighting.

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mayfair110221a.jpg

I had a feeling that was coming, the rendering showed way more landscaping spots than existed.

Summer Moon coffee is taking the eastern space (closest to May) in the southwest building. They will be adding a drive-thru.

The existing tailor and barbershop in the little shopping strip next to the abandoned service station will both be moving to the middle of that same building. Also, the UPS store (which faces 50th) is moving closer to Michael's. Then, the station, that little strip and the north part of the northeast building will be demolished. I know they are working on a new use for all that property but don't know what it is.

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mayfair111821a.jpg

This is what will be demolished:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mayfair111821ba.jpg

Summer Moon coffee is taking the eastern space (closest to May) in the southwest building. They will be adding a drive-thru.
...

Yes! With this, there'll finally be another coffee shop that's not a *$ on May between Grand Blvd on the north and who knows how far south.

Yes! With this, there'll finally be another coffee shop that's not a *$ on May between Grand Blvd on the north and who knows how far south.

What above Leaf + Bean at 36th & May? Or did they close when they opened in Deep Deuce?

And that Dunkin Donuts just south of 36th is crazy busy.


I'm not a coffee drinker, obviously.

What above Leaf + Bean at 36th & May? Or did they close when they opened in Deep Deuce?

And that Dunkin Donuts just south of 36th is crazy busy.


I'm not a coffee drinker, obviously.

I don't count L+B because they're only open until noon or 1:00, and sometimes not even then - we stopped trying to go after we found them closed twice when they were supposed to be open. Dunkin's donuts, not coffee. :p But yeah, I get your point - those two could be counted, but one's unreliable and the other is donuts and coffee (and a pretty good sausage, egg, and cheese croissant), not actual coffee shops.

I know this is the wrong thread but what’s happening on the site of the old church at 50th and May?

I know this is the wrong thread but what’s happening on the site of the old church at 50th and May?

Nothing.

It's owned by the same group that is renovating Mayfair and they are working on a bunch of different deals for both properties.

The only thing that is relatively done is Harbor Freight as mentioned upthread.

I understand they saw an opportunity and took it, and that the church would have only dilapidated and not ever been a church again, but it's still sad to see it go (like to many others). Especially when it's going just to be a grass plot of land for who knows how long.

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I like the flag pole flying Old Glory. Nice touch!

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I wish they've planted a bunch of trees there, I wouldn't want to be there on a hot summer day.

I like the flag pole flying Old Glory. Nice touch!

It's been there for decades, but they spruced it up and bought a new flag.

The old one was very tattered.


They also didn't add any landscaping islands but enlarged the ones that were there.

I believe they are waiting until after the holidays to move the UPS store from a spot that faces 50th to the bay directly north of Micheal's. Then, they'll demolish the old gas station and the north part of the center that hasn't been redone. I know they are working with a new use for all that land, but not sure what it is.

Seems weird to have the flagpole in the middle of the parking spots, but like ten feet over from a landscaping island where it would be more sensibly placed.

Seems weird to have the flagpole in the middle of the parking spots, but like ten feet over from a landscaping island where it would be more sensibly placed.

It's been there for a long time.