Crossroads Mall

[Jay]

I was on the southside today running some errands. I had some spare time so I stopped in Crossroads to see if things had changed for the better. I figured with Dave and Barry's being open for almost four months something positive would happened.

I was shocked with what I saw. More stores and food places have closed up shop and Dave and Barry's looked sparse. It was almost as if the store was using three times the space then what they needed. I think Crossroads was desperate and took the first interested customer in the Wards space. I would bet they sold or are leasing the space for a fraction of its value.

The mall overall was in sad shape. They are leasing to more Mom and Pop stores than national chains. I think its only a matter of time before one of the main anchors closes up shop.

[Midtowner]

Penn Square has been able to thrive despite its poor surroundings to the south, it boggles the mind as to why Crossroads is what it is.

Perhaps they need to invest some money in the interior and turn it into something that would be acceptable in any decade since 1980?

[mranderson]

I guess every major city has to have their slum mall. Too bad it just happens to be five miles east of my house. From high end neighborhood to slum in five miles... What an embarrasment.

[metro]

Don't forget about Shepard and Heritage Park, they both tanked

[mranderson]

Don't forget about Shepard and Heritage Park, they both tanked

They are/were not classified as regional malls. They pale in comparison to size.

[Midtowner]

I guess every major city has to have their slum mall. Too bad it just happens to be five miles east of my house. From high end neighborhood to slum in five miles... What an embarrasment.

Yet another illustration of how Crossroads could be a decent mall with a makeover. Penn Square is close to rough neighborhoods as well.

[JOHNINSOKC]

I remember back in the 80's when I was in high school that Crossroads was THE mall in the area. It was far more crowded and the people were more upper income in nature. I also don't recall seeing any gang activity or thugs walking around looking for trouble. Of course, that was before Penn Square and Quail Springs were refurbished. I really think a total demolition and rebuild are in order for the Crossroads area. I mean, there are a few rebuilding projects going on all along I-240. Why not Crossroads? If nothing else, build a new regional mall somewhere else on the southside closer to the affluent populations of Moore and Norman and turn the Crossroads area into a Gainesville-type outlet mall. I really think we need that type of shopping here in the OKC metro since a great deal of people go down to the one in Texas anyway. Any thoughts on these ideas???

[mranderson]

I remember back in the 80's when I was in high school that Crossroads was THE mall in the area. It was far more crowded and the people were more upper income in nature. I also don't recall seeing any gang activity or thugs walking around looking for trouble. Of course, that was before Penn Square and Quail Springs were refurbished. I really think a total demolition and rebuild are in order for the Crossroads area. I mean, there are a few rebuilding projects going on all along I-240. Why not Crossroads? If nothing else, build a new regional mall somewhere else on the southside closer to the affluent populations of Moore and Norman and turn the Crossroads area into a Gainesville-type outlet mall. I really think we need that type of shopping here in the OKC metro since a great deal of people go down to the one in Texas anyway. Any thoughts on these ideas???

This makes sense. The mall could be built near Will Rogers, and maybe a freeway spur could be built to gain entry. I even had a dream one night of turning Will Rogers into a combination regional mall and airport with 60 gates. THAT, although not going to happen anytime soon, would be neat. The countries first fly in mall. And a Mills Mall at the current Crossroads site. The new mall would need to open the day the current one is closed, the demolition about three months later.

Great idea!

[Patrick]

Problem with rebuilding the mall eslewhere is that would leave us over 1 million of vacant square feet. Crossroads has one of the best traffic locations of any mall in town, on the crossroads on I-240 and I-35. I'm with Midtowner...I don't think the problem has anything to do with the surrounding neighborhoods. It has more to do with the way the mall is being managed.

The structure of the mall itself is good, as well as the lay out. It in fact has one of the larger single store Dillards in the state: a 3 level Dillards.

Personally, I feel if mall management pumped about $20 million into renovating the inside, you might see a change. Personally, I don't like going there because it's dark, dungeon-like, dirty, etc. It seems like back in the 80's (before the hideous makeover in the early 90's that ruined the mall) the mall did well. I remember going to Crossroads as a kid....they had quite a few ponds inside the mall. For some reason those have disappeared over the years. The mall is now quite drab.

I also think Steve and Barry's was put in out of desparation. They don't even fill all of the old Wards space.....only about 2/3 of it.....they put up a wall, and old Wards space to the north is empty...they're using it for nothing. Look between the divider wall sometime and you'll see what I mean.

[Midtowner]

Problem with rebuilding the mall eslewhere is that would leave us over 1 million of vacant square feet. Crossroads has one of the best traffic locations of any mall in town, on the crossroads on I-240 and I-35. I'm with Midtowner...I don't think the problem has anything to do with the surrounding neighborhoods. It has more to do with the way the mall is being managed.

The structure of the mall itself is good, as well as the lay out. It in fact has one of the larger single store Dillards in the state: a 3 level Dillards.

Personally, I feel if mall management pumped about $20 million into renovating the inside, you might see a change. Personally, I don't like going there because it's dark, dungeon-like, dirty, etc. It seems like back in the 80's (before the hideous makeover in the early 90's that ruined the mall) the mall did well. I remember going to Crossroads as a kid....they had quite a few ponds inside the mall. For some reason those have disappeared over the years. The mall is now quite drab.

I also think Steve and Barry's was put in out of desparation. They don't even fill all of the old Wards space.....only about 2/3 of it.....they put up a wall, and old Wards space to the north is empty...they're using it for nothing. Look between the divider wall sometime and you'll see what I mean.

I concur. If anyone remembers what Penn Square was 10-15 years ago, it was on the brink of being what Crossroads is now. Rennovation saved it. Now, Penn Square is just about 100% leased out, and has the luxury of actually being able to be selective as far as its tennants go.

Crossroads on the other hand has not pumped a dime into their structure, and as a result, their tennants are basically the same folks you'd find in a flea market, only with walls and slightly higher prices.

With good investment, that mall would have no excuse not to be the state's top mall. The current ownership just sees fit to squander that opportunity -- I guess that's their perrogative.

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

Penn Square is in the geographic center of the urban part of the metro... and strangely Crossroads is in the geographic center of THE metro, in its award winning-sprawling entirety of over 3,000 whopping square miles.

[xrayman]

Area demographics for Penn Square include one of Oklahoma's wealthiest enclaves on its northern border, it is managed by Simon Malls - the finest mall management company in America........and it makes all the difference in the world.

[mranderson]

Penn Square, although in ONE of the highest income areas is not in THE highest income area.

Nichols Hills is not in that category any more. It is close, but not quite. Gallardia has more cash.

Also. Crossroads is close to the third wealthiest area in Oklahoma. Not just Oklahoma City, but the entire state. In addition. It is NOT in the geographic center of the metro. Downtown Oklahoma City is nearly there, and may be. It is hard to say.

[windowphobe]

Simon couldn't do a thing with Heritage Park Mall, though, and unloaded it.

[xrayman]

"Simon couldn't do a thing with Heritage Park Mall, though, and unloaded it."

See what I mean? A good company that knows how to run a mall - and when to leave.

[xrayman]

Also. Crossroads is close to the third wealthiest area in Oklahoma"

Color me blind, but which area near Crossroads, is the third wealthiest in Oklahoma?

"Penn Square, although in ONE of the highest income areas is not in THE highest income area. Nichols Hills is not in that category any more. It is close, but not quite. Gallardia has more cash.

That's why I said that Penn Square had ONE of Oklahoma's wealthiest enclaves on its northern border.

[mranderson]

"Color me blind, but which area near Crossroads, is the third wealthiest in Oklahoma?"

The 73170 zip code which starts at SW 104, and goes south, is the third wealthiest in the state.

[xrayman]

Of all the places to live......I would have never guessed that. It beats Gallardia? Oak Tree? Tulsa's wealthy burbs? Really? I don't doubt you mind you - just very surprsed. That's what's great to me about this forum - I learn something ALL the time. Thanks MrAnderson!

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

I think Midtown Tulsa is first. Isn't Nichols Hills second? I might also be wrong about this, but I beliebe Bixby is the states fourth wealthiest.

[Patrick]

Yeah, I was surprised when I learned this too, but mranderson is right about 73170 being the 3rd wealthiest zip code in the state. Don't quote me on this one, but I believe the top 2 are in Tulsa (mranderson might be able to help me out with that). There actually are some pretty huge homes around SW 104th and Penn.

One thing to consider, 73116, the zip code Nichols Hills is in, contains several lower areas around it, especially those closer to Broadway Extension. Nichols Hills itself is nice, but unfortunately, it's surrounded by a lot of lower class areas.
Gaillardia isn't really a large enough housing additino to fill an entire zip code. I'd be willing to be it's probably one of the wealthiest housing additions, but there are too many other homes around Gaillardia that drag it down.

[Patrick]

Simon couldn't do a thing with Heritage Park Mall, though, and unloaded it.

Actually, Simon let Heritage Park go for many years. The main reason is because it was up for sale for almost a decade. Thus, the reason they pumped little money into it. Simon, as a whole, has been trying to get out of the regional mall business for years now. They're trying to focus more on mega centers.

Also, the demographics around Heritage Park are even worse than Crossroads, so that plays a factor. Midwest City doesn't have too many wealthy neighborhoods.

General Growth has better luck with Sooner Mall because of better demographics, the university obviously helps, and Norman is a lot larger town.

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

Ummn... I think Mills is better than Simon. Although I am so typical these days...

[poe]

is that hobby shop still in crossroads? when i lived in edmond, i would make my parents drive me down there so i could look at all the models. i loved that place.

[Jay]

I think the Hobby Shop closed this past summer.

[Pete]

Haven't been in Crossroads in years, but worked there (Orbach's) when I was a student at OU in the early 80's.

It seems hard to believe, but the place is about 30 years old now and needs a massive renovation to keep up with the ever-changing and ultra-competitve retail world.


Also, they made a major mistake of building their movie theater outside the mall -- same mistake QS made but later corrected.