Crossroads Mall

[Pete]

I went by there this (Saturday) morning and there appears to be no activity at all on the old JC Penney building where plans had been submitted months ago for an Asian warehouse market and food court.

[Jesseda]

I think the mall management is a possible scam, one of the managers has had some sketchy oscn listed issues in their past. I really was wanting a revival of the mall but it looks like so many scams and issues, changed stories and upset tenants posting their experiences on social media, I believe this is dead before it even opened. I went to the antique store there recently and even the vendors inside the antique store told me the stories keep changing on what all the mall is going to be inside. Now there is talk of a weekend flea market style with outdoor events like, carnivals, festivals etc. who knows what will be of the mall in the end just hope its not going to continue to be an endless mystery

[Pete]

I don't think the ownership and leasing is a scam, it's just that they aren't spending the money to do much and so it's taking forever to get the HVAC operational and the place cleaned up.

My take on this is that the couple doing the leasing first leased the old Dillards from the new owners for their cannabis event center, then struck a deal with him to serve as leasing agents. They've tried to do a lot of the work themselves which says much about the investment being made.

You can see who they have announced as tenants. Also, before a new state law was rushed through due to this exact property (and because OKCTalk made the plans public), the new owner was set to lease the ground floor of Dillards to a cannabis grow facility. Based on all this, it wood be a good idea to temper any expectations.

[Jesseda]

Well looks like the mall part is dead. The people who was running the crossroads convention center and also being tied with the mall management is now saying they are not part of the mall area and have nothing to do with it and there has not been anymore talk about the mall on their page which they use to hype it all the time. Well hopefully the Asian part still is planned but nothing has progressed it seems on that as well. Does anyone have any updates on that part?

[Plutonic Panda]

Is this the third time a plan to revive the mall has failed? I think it’s time to doze the entire plot and build a Medieval Times. That’s a fun place to go every now and then.

[jn1780]

Well looks like the mall part is dead. The people who was running the crossroads convention center and also being tied with the mall management is now saying they are not part of the mall area and have nothing to do with it and there has not been anymore talk about the mall on their page which they use to hype it all the time. Well hopefully the Asian part still is planned but nothing has progressed it seems on that as well. Does anyone have any updates on that part?

It's interesting to scroll back through that page. After they got called out for the multiple delays, they stopped posting about the mall in February. Two days after recreational cannabis failed, they posted a picture saying this is what 'victory looks like' and have been posting heavily since then about Chronic Brands, Chronic Palooza and pretending like they had nothing to do with the mall part. Apparently, there are pop-up shops and food trucks. Has anyone been to see if they have more or fewer vendors than a farmers market or flea market?

It seems doubtful that the Asian part is still planned. The owner(s) of the mall let the chronic couple ruin their reputation.

[jn1780]

Construction has started on the Friendship Gate.

The operators of the mall told me they plan to reopen in mid-November.

Did they ever finish this? Or is there a Chronic Brands and Micro Mania Wrestling banner hanging from the unfinished frame?

[Swake]

The mall is dead. Give it up. The only question is when it gets leveled.

[MagzOK]

^^ Absolutely. I've thought this for a very long time.

[SoonerDave]

I was literally thinking today the noise on this "project" had gone suddenly and conspicuously silent.

[Pete]

The handwriting has been on the wall for a long time.

At best, we'll see the old Penneys redeveloped into the Asian warehouse market and food court.

I'll get out there and check to see if any of that work has started, but there have been zero signs of movement on each of my many visits over the last year.

[Boop]

Crossroads mall really needs to be bulldozed and build something useful, I miss the mall but it is honestly an eyesore now

[Libbymin]

Yeah it's not exactly the most aesthetically pleasing building in the world.

[warreng88]

I was talking to a friend of mine about this property specifically and what the best use was and the we agreed that a hospital needs to buy the land, tear it down and building a hospital here. The problem is that there is a Mercy primary care a few miles to the east and Integris a few miles to the NW. Or can someone get a Buc-ee's brought in here?

[Pete]

Reminder that Crossroads is in the hands of two private entities: Santa Fe Charter Schools (the two old department stores on the north and east sides plus all the related parking) and this Chinese owner based in Utah who owns the rest.

The property has been for sale several times and these were the buyers we got.

It's very hard to imagine anyone buying these owners out... And for what? Nobody has any idea what to do with the property. The best use would probably be an industrial/distribution complex similar to what the city is undertaking on the other side of I-240. But even that is now going to have to compete with all the public subsidies being spent on that city property.

[baralheia]

Reminder that Crossroads is in the hands of two private entities: Santa Fe Charter Schools (the two old department stores on the north and east sides plus all the related parking) and this Chinese owner based in Utah who owns the rest.

The property has been for sale several times and these were the buyers we got.

It's very hard to imagine anyone buying these owners out... And for what? Nobody has any idea what to do with the property. The best use would probably be an industrial/distribution complex similar to what the city is undertaking on the other side of I-240. But even that is now going to have to compete with all the public subsidies being spent on that city property.

I'm still holding out hope for a mixed-use transit oriented development here... Given it's proximity to the BNSF line from Edmond to Norman that the RTA wants to run commuter rail over, this would make a perfect area for a stop on the southside. Of course it remains to be seen whether the RTA's efforts with commuter rail will be successful (but if I'm being honest I hope they are). But that also means that any such development is still years away.

[Jeepnokc]

Or can someone get a Buc-ee's brought in here?

This actually is one of the best suggestions for this property that I have heard.

[5alive]

^^^Yes!

[Laramie]

Good ideas and suggestions:

Hospital clinics or extensions, make alterations for extensions for community college classrooms, University extension classrooms, charter/private schools and a mega cafeteria food court open to the public.

You could bring this mall back to life.

[Pete]

Things are looking really grim, even with low expectations.

Very little movement on the Friendship Gate over the last several months; not sure if it is completely stalled. Will be quite small regardless.

No activity at the old Penneys which makes me wonder if the Asian warehouse market and foot court are still going to happen.

There is a sign for the 'convention center' in the old Dillards but no signs of activity.

[SEMIweather]

Went with a group of friends to see Scream VI on opening night last month at the AMC just to the south of the mall, and it was probably the most depressing theatre experience that I can remember.

[Jeepnokc]

Went with a group of friends to see Scream VI on opening night last month at the AMC just to the south of the mall, and it was probably the most depressing theatre experience that I can remember.

We go there occasionally. It is what it is. We like that it is never busy and that the movies are cheaper than the nicer theaters but are still first run.

[BDP]

Interesting concept for an old mall:

Old Milwaukee mall is transformed into stunning apartment complex

(apologies for the click baity / tiktoky nature of the article, and if it's been discussed before)

[Pete]

Interesting concept for an old mall:

Old Milwaukee mall is transformed into stunning apartment complex

(apologies for the click baity / tiktoky nature of the article, and if it's been discussed before)

That mall is in the middle of their downtown; I've been in it. Milwaukee is one of the few mid-sized cities that maintained a large amount of housing in their core throughout the urban renewal wave of the 60s and 70s. Marquette is within walking distance.

I'm having a very hard time imagining anyone willing to pay the rent that would come from any renovation or new construction where Crossroads is located. And I'm having a hard time imagining anyone making any large investment in this site which is why it keeps getting bounced between a bunch of less-than-half-assed redevelopers.

[Will Dearborn]

Bulldoze it, build an OnCue and a rest stop.