Crossroads Mall

[jstanthrnme]

Landfill Lake!

[Caboose]

I personally dont see how any investor would be too wild about doing anything there due to the huge mountain of trash that dominates the landscape.

Why do we have two of these monstrosities so near what would otherwise be prime real estate and what can be done about it?

[Jesseda]

well close the land fill, then add a bunch of multi million dollar homes on it, call the once landfill, mountain view, then add the lake where crossroads is now, turn bad to good, even if it is a not so good thing to put expensive homes on a once trash hill, out of state buyers will never know till its to late.

[oneforone]

I personally dont see how any investor would be too wild about doing anything there due to the huge mountain of trash that dominates the landscape.

Why do we have two of these monstrosities so near what would otherwise be prime real estate and what can be done about it?

From what I understand the landfill was in place way before Crossroads was a glimmer in a developers eye.

[LordGerald]

From what I understand the landfill was in place way before Crossroads was a glimmer in a developers eye.

And, at that, it was "in the middle of nowhere," pre-sprawl days.

[andy157]

If I'm remembering correctly those landfills will become parks someday. I believe those plans are already in place. Maybe Steve, or Metro can confirm or deny any such plan. A few years ago this plan was before the City Council. I just don't remember the details.

[andy157]

From what I understand the landfill was in place way before Crossroads was a glimmer in a developers eye.

You are correct.

[andy157]

well close the land fill, then add a bunch of multi million dollar homes on it, call the once landfill, mountain view, then add the lake where crossroads is now, turn bad to good, even if it is a not so good thing to put expensive homes on a once trash hill, out of state buyers will never know till its to late.

I was thinking ski resort.

[SeinfeldBlock]

tear it down dig a big wide hole fill it with water and plant a bunch of trees and call it crossroads lake, put some seafood restaurants around it and ta-da a mini lake hefner

That is hilarious.

[USG '60]

Actually, the landfill started AFTER Crossroads was operational .....by a few years. A moot point, however.

[Smokin Joe]

Might want to pick up on some intersting thoughts flyin round...

Things could change...

Make it a light Rain station... Got tracks and parking... Hwy and access loops...

Fancy talking to you...

snote - And do not disturb the Neighborhood....

Joe

[bwana_bob]

An interesting read on how malls can thrive....

How One Mall Got People to Buy Stuff, and How You Can, Too - Advertising Age - Jonathan Salem Baskin

You might have to register (free) to read it but it shows how malls that work smart and work hard can attract and retain patrons (or in their words, guests).

If you took some of the notes from this article and paired them with the concept of reshaping some of the property into a mission critical transportation hub, you might be able to revive Crossroads over the next 10 years. Crossroads by name implies a central position but could more aptly be positioned as a gateway from the Norman corridor into the downtown/C2S area.

[Charlie40]

I went out to Crossroads yesturday afternoon to pick up my sons glasses from Sams Optical and the mall was deserted, I then realized it was Easter sunday and figured that was the reason but I didn't think the mall had ever closed on Easter before have they? Maybe I am just getting old and loosing my memory.

[scootinger]

Nope...from what I saw almost everything was closed yesterday, and I would guess Crossroads isn't an exception.

[Lindsay Architect]

Crossroads as we know is about gone, last weekend, I noticed that even Orange Julius had shut down. The area can be revitalized, not as a mall with the typical deparment store anchor at each end, but something different. Its former anchors have chosen to leave and they don't need the same old space back. Part of the overall problem is you can't see it anymore, it used to be a desination, it's pyramid glass roof was a node for southern OKC. Now all you see is the back-end of a few ugly strip malls that surround it's perimeter, the mall is hidden. I have a few ideas - I stumbled across this blog yesterday and it was just last Saturday when me and a freind thought we would go see what was left and noticed that hardly anything at all was there.
I'm kind of a 'big idea' design nerd but that's where it all starts, everyone's ideas put down in writing and visual presentation form. Hanz Butzer has taken a big idea from an OU class project and turned it into the Core to Shore. The same concept can apply to other areas of OKC. Not the New Urbanistic Mixed Used Development, that works around downtown, not Suburbia Central. I know these days we're all about mixed-use urbanism but the reality is you can't make all of OKC Urban, it won't work, it is what it is and we should attempt to make it work. Crossroads could conceivebly be torn down to put in something new, but what else would work in that location? That would be incredibly expensive and it would be a waste of the actual structure that is there. Comparibly, it would be a lot cheaper to update the exterior, clean up the whole area, add lots of LANDSCAPING and hopefully attract stores that don't compete with other malls and strip malls down the road. There was another blog saying IKEA planned to come to OKC - that's a start, IKEA's are huge stores(and it's certainly something different) - would it be cheaper to buy land, build a new store and spend hundreds of thousands or more on parking alone? Why not use one of the anchor stores, the Dillards building has three floors, if thats not enough, add on to one of the existing stores. Overall, I think there needs to be some visuals out there for some potential developer to stumble across - would it really be that impossible to think that Oklahoman Investors couldn't take on the task? Another idea - there is a LOT of talk about commuter rail service (MAPS3). We already have an Amtrak to Texas, and I even heard on the radio this morning that one of President Obama's proposed "high speed rail" service lines from the stimulous package might come from San Antonio to Tulsa. Well, the tracks are litterally on the west side of Crossroad's parking lot. This would work as a park-and-ride for high speed rail. Why couldn't an OKC-Norman train take Southbound Sooners to OU games from this large un-used parking lot to ease some of the congestion in norman, the tracks also run right on the west side of the OU Stadium. Try to peal back, in your head, all of the ugly surroundings, the empty ashphalt wasteland, and the gang-banging movie theater and there is actually some interest to the site if it was revitalized. I think this area would fit best a 'new' mall of somesort and not the latest Community College, County Jail, Mega Church, or Buisiness Park. In fact we want all of the Office development to center around Core to Shore anyway...

These are just big ideas, i'd like to hear any sugguestions.

[Charlie40]

I like the idea of a crossroads mall memorial.

[bowtieguy]

The owners of Crossroads Mall signed it's death certificate years ago when they refused to police it. If you allow the thugs and gangsters to take over, all of the decent people will not use the facility. I for one believe that too many people were frightend away by the trash that used it for a hangout. With the people staying away from the mall the anchor stores had to find more suitable locations to carry on business. We as southsiders should have never allowed the mall to become the gangland it became, all of us should have stood against the little punks and forced them out, after all if you are not willing to stand for your own principles you get what you get. It may be too late now for Crossroads but we must remember that it is our duty to not let there be a repeat.

[Thunder]

I think there was a Forever 21 in the mall, but I'm not sure. Just striked me with the familiar name in another topic on PSM.

There is a new, huge spa resort, La Laeu or something like that. It's pretty huge.

The traffic in the mall was steady. There seem to be more stores opened than vacant spaces.

[jbrown84]

There's definitely NOT a Forever 21 in Crossroads.

[Thunder]

There's definitely NOT a Forever 21 in Crossroads.

I went back to check, and indeed, there is one, right there, says Forever 21!

Okay, actually it was Rue 21, corrected by Metro.

(I didn't drive back. lol)

[Jesseda]

so is this mall up for auction today?

[megax11]

If it is for sale, I hope that someone who plans on renovating the mall, comes in and does so.

The mall has serious potential, if it just looked better on the inside. SERIOUS POTENTIAL!

If this mall were to revive, the areas outside would surely come alive. The plaza where the old Best Buy was, would probably get overhauled. New buildings and businesses would move into the areas surrounding the mall.

I just don't hope they turn this into another business mall, or government controlled building with lots of government offices, as that would just show how far down southside is falling. We need businesses and retail chains, so some serious spending can take place in southside.

[Pete]

even Orange Julius had shut down

That's sad... One of the few remaining original tenants.

And Lindsay, I agree that putting together several big tenants like Ikea might be the only way to salvage the place as a retail development.

But the entire property would have to be changed around and the enclosed mall would likely need to go.

And the timing of all this is horrible, as all the big retailers are in survival mode -- at best.

It's probably best the place just hangs on by it's fingernails for at least another year until the economy rebounds, retailers start expanding again and financing is more readily available. I'm afraid if it closes completely it will be very hard for it to ever come back in retail form.

[Thunder]

Chik-Fil-A is there! I don't remember them being there before, but they are now across from Sonic on the lower floor near ex-Dillards.

[Pete]

Chik-Fil-A has been in the mall for at least 30 years.