Crossroads Mall

[metro]

I agree with Patrick. As much as I'd like to see it be renovated into a nice mall, you have to live in reality.

[metro]

Didn't it sell within the last year or two for the tune of $9 million or less? Seems like it was up for auction a year or two ago and the minimum bid was $12mil and they had no bids. Later negotiations got it $9 million or something I thought. Basically no renovations, loss of major department stores, decaying infrastructure. No way someone would be stupid enough to pay $24 for a dinosaur needing MUCH more money spent on it than that.

[Patrick]

I think Sears was wanting to move into Crossroads mall in the old Montgomery Ward location. But I think the building was owned by Wards and got tied up in bankruptcy limbo if I'm not mistaken. By the time the smoke cleared Sears lost intrest.

That was also back when the mall still had the other 3 anchors. Macerich ended up getting possession of the old Wards space and leasing it to Steve and Barrys. I don't know any anchor that would want to take that huge of a risk to move in there now. If anyone chooses to lease out those large anchor spaces it will likely be a church, flea market, or possibly someone needing a large amount of office space, which is what happened with Shepherd Mall.

[Patrick]

My guess is that some local investor will buy it for a fraction of the asking price, and come in with grand plans. Then nothing will happen, or the place will be leased out as office space.

[kevinpate]

I think it unlikely someone would meet the 24m asking price, but I can't rule it out.
Some folks do weird stuff.

[Jesseda]

does the place still leak like crazy when it rains? when i worked there 9 years ago there was problems when it rained in a lot of sections of the mall

[dmoor82]

Even if they sold it for 24mill$- ( they won't!!)-what will it be used for? or be turned into? or do you think the land is prime for something else to go in?

[kevinpate]

If it should end its retail days, it could always have a new life as an office complex for govt. groups.

[dmoor82]

If it should end its retail days, it could always have a new life as an office complex for govt. groups.

^^^ like sheppherd mall? great!!!

[kevinpate]

Yes, exactly. If CR mall is not retail, a transformation to a govt office center seems the most logical. The rent cap govt. agencies have in place might be an issue, but that seems to not harm the other former mall in town.

Once moved in, govt. agencies tend to stay, so long term income is largely assured.

Is it an ideal solution? Nope, but it's a way to do something with a large structure that may not be ideal for another form of rebirth.

[Midtowner]

My guess is that the asking price is as high as it is because there's some deal worked out for some sort of governmental entity to purchase the building -- or at least that's what they're shooting for.

[Thunder]

If I had 100 million dollars, I would buy the mall. I would remodel completely inside and outside. I would repave the parking lots. I would add blue neon lights all around the top of the mall. I would add new, taller, and bigger signs. I would add new parking lights and increase security. I would fight to have one or two anchor spaces to be a casino/entertainment place. I would definitely buy that mall.

[kevinpate]

hmmm, Thunder may be on to something ... maybe one of the tribes could buy it, and revamp it into the "Tween a Rock & a Hard Place" Casino/Resort

[decepticobra]

what they did to shepherd mall was gay: a call center in every anchor, a private school, govt offices and cheesy eateries scattered about catering exclusively to the folks employed there and really no one else.

to us locals, were well aware of the transformation that took place in the building. for out-of-towners crusing by and saying "hey, cool, lets check out that mall". then they walk inside and exclaim "what the %$@& is this? ..this aint NO mall!!"

id walk down to my basement and slit my wrists with a circular saw if crossroads is destined to meet the same fate.

[Thunder]

to us locals, were well aware of the transformation that took place in the building. for out-of-towners crusing by and saying "hey, cool, lets check out that mall". then they walk inside and exclaim "what the %$@& is this? ..this aint NO mall!!"

That was frickin funny! And it does happen on a daily basis.

[Pete]

The really bad news to me is that it will most likely be sold off in parcels, which means it will remain a jumbled, disjointed mess rather than ever be completely redeveloped.

[onthestrip]

what they did to shepherd mall was gay: a call center in every anchor, a private school, govt offices and cheesy eateries scattered about catering exclusively to the folks employed there and really no one else.

Was this ideal, probably not. But the owner did what made the most financial sense and created offices out of it. And at the same time, created value. We all would love to play sim city but people who have the money to buy this dont do it to fulfill some dream, but only to fulfill their, well, their pockets.

[Patrick]

If I had 100 million dollars, I would buy the mall. I would remodel completely inside and outside. I would repave the parking lots. I would add blue neon lights all around the top of the mall. I would add new, taller, and bigger signs. I would add new parking lights and increase security. I would fight to have one or two anchor spaces to be a casino/entertainment place. I would definitely buy that mall.

Sounds like a bad investment to me.

[Patrick]

I don't have a problem with shepherd being converted to an office park, they just need to rename it and take mall out of the name. Maybe shepherd office park or something similar.

[gmwise]

I don't have a problem with shepherd being converted to an office park, they just need to rename it and take mall out of the name. Maybe shepherd office park or something similar.

Yep..


And cobra I know you need a place to cruise for the girls, needing it to be in walking distance..lol just kidding..
But I wished Sheppard would drop the mall in the name.

[Soonerman]

That was also back when the mall still had the other 3 anchors. Macerich ended up getting possession of the old Wards space and leasing it to Steve and Barrys. I don't know any anchor that would want to take that huge of a risk to move in there now. If anyone chooses to lease out those large anchor spaces it will likely be a church, flea market, or possibly someone needing a large amount of office space, which is what happened with Shepherd Mall.

Oh yeah I knew it was when they had the 3 anchors. Now the mall just looks depressing. I agree with you that it's finished as a retail center.

[oustud7]

There are still stores opening each month. There have been two new stores open since the last posting on this thread even! What people don't realize is that Crossroads Mall still has over 80 stores that are OPEN!!!

Last time I checked Quail and Sooner were not doing "great" they are both in bankruptcy right now! Retail as a whole is not doing well and that surely doesn't help any of the traditional malls but guess what? Crossroads is for sale...there are people interested...there are deals to be made...there will be a new beginning for Crossroads!

Everyone keeps talking about the doom and gloom and losing Crossroads, yet another "southside" location but where are these so called Southsiders shopping?? Maybe before we start bashing all that is Crossroads Mall we should look at ourselves in the mirror. How about coming out and finding a way to support the mall instead of bashing it? How about keeping your shopping dollars in South OKC? How about being a LOYAL customer to a mall that has been around for over 30 years?

Like I said before, Crossroads has over 80 stores to shop at. Why not come by and pump a little bit of your hard earned dollars into a mall that needs your help?? Instead of bashing it why don't we help it? Even if you just stop by Kool Stuff to pick up your OU/OSU merchandise...or Xtreme Nutrition for your supplement needs...or Ted's Hallmark for your cards...or Waldenbooks for your reading pleasure. I know this would help the tenants greatly and I do know from my shopping experience that the employees at the stores at Crossroads Mall are excited to help each and every customer. That is what it is all about after all. Don't knock it until you try it!

Yes... It has over 80 stores. But 60 of those stores are total CRAP with nothing that the public at large has any interest in. And so what if it has 80 stores? Last year it had 95. the year before it had over 100. and when the mall was full it had something like 140 stores. Its barely half full now, and the shops it has are low-rent, crap-o-toriums. sorry, this mall is all but gone and you people who have some emotional need to see it revived need to take a look inside and figure out why it means that much to you.

[MikeOKC]

If anyone chooses to lease out those large anchor spaces it will likely be a church, flea market, or possibly someone needing a large amount of office space, which is what happened with Shepherd Mall.

Patrick, Oh no! You probably gave Craig Groeschel an idea, but not just an anchor spot but the whole place! He could build a LifeChurch Disneyland in that monstrosity.

[kd5ili]

They might stand a better chance of selling it if they would get rid of all the homeless people that camp out on the grounds.

[megax11]

All of this Crossroads talk keeps reminding me of the two dreams I had where I was in seperate parts of the mall, but it all had the same look after a renovation.

Looked really brown, but modern with very nice tiling.

I wish it would revamp itself, and the surrounding areas developed around it, and Toys R Us's sorry butt would stay put.

I guess only time will tell what happens to this sucker, but I don't hope for it to be some stupid government complex that would only help drive southside OKC further down the retail hole.