I think a lot of this is location. Not accessibility, but location. As in close-by demographics and rooftops. Most of what is around Crossroads is lower middle class, poverty, and industrial. Sure, within a few miles you have plenty of middle class and upper middle class. But those people have to drive some further than just around the corner, and those people increasingly thought, "I'll drive to Penn Square. It'll only take me like 10 minutes longer, and I'll have a modern interior, higher quality and better selection. Plus when I park at Penn Square I look out over upper middle class houses and other shopping; when I park at Crossroads I look at industrial buildings." Crossroads never gave the right "feel" inside or out.

This has little to do with accessibility. Tell me that Penn Square is easy to get in and out of. Just try. If malls failed and survived based on accessibility, Penn Square would have failed long ago. It is a nightmare to get in and out of, especially from I-44. But at Penn Square you get a good feeling inside and out.

Other than not being updated and looking dated, Crossroads' neighborhood just doesn't project a good feeling to those who spend a significant amount of money at malls. Crossroads is not the only entity who has had a problem with this in that area. First Southern Baptist Del City has also struggled with it (though that area is getting better as more housing is built). A staff member there once told me that when they relocated there they saw it as an area that was growing with middle income new housing. But after they moved there industrial is what took off. They were left nearly in the middle of an industrial park. But there was still plenty of available land and that has since started to fill in with some housing. Not a great comparison, but perhaps some insight into that area that doesn't have that middle class or upper middle class "feel."