What's going on behind Kohls?

[Watson410]

I was at Kohls today and noticed them building some sort of structure behind Kohls.. Anyone have any idea what it is? Could it maybe be the new water tower?

[gmwise]

Kohls has several locations.
Can you be specific?
Thanks

[usmbubba]

Since one of my routes has changed to Town Center, I've wondered that myself.

[Lauri101]

Kohls has several locations.
Can you be specific?
Thanks

Midwest City, on 29th is the Kohls he's referring to - I noticed the work, but no signage to indicate what's happening.

[Thunder]

Kohls has several locations.
Can you be specific?
Thanks

lol Notice the Midwest City/Del City section title?

[woodyrr]

If you're referring to this:

Foundation for New MWC Water Tower on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Until proven incorrect, I am betting that it is the foundation for the new Midwest City water tower.

Thanks for reminding me. Once I shake the flu, I need to drive over there and see if there has been any progress.

[usmbubba]

Sounds like that is it, and there has been much progress since you took that photo

[gmwise]

lol Notice the Midwest City/Del City section title?

ok ok i deserved the "goober" label for this one..lol

[bombermwc]

I'm betting it's the water tower too.

Remember that once that's moved, everything in the old Mid-America circle where the current tower is, will be torn down. A hotel is going in in that circle. That's one reason why the city has let the road around the circle get so bad...it's all coming out.

[kay]

It is the new water tower. Designs have sure changed from what they were. The big obtrusive base blocks the view of the park.

[woodyrr]

My curiosity got the better of me and I went and looked. Has anybody seen a rendering or plans?

It looks like it's going to be one of those golf ball on a tee designs. I was expecting something more along the lines of the tank at SE 29th and Post.

[Thunder]

A hotel? Is there even any room for that? Unless MWC is on the trip again to bulldoze more houses. Seriously, a hotel? Behind the stores?

[bombermwc]

There's way more room than needed in the circle area without tearing out any more houses. It would face right up the middle of the Towne Center part of the whole development...right on Mid-America. Instead of an off-centered water tower, now there would be a centered hotel as seen here....



It's not uncommon for the larger retail developments to do this. We've even seen it elsewhere in the metro with Bell Isle and University Park. The idea is that the folks that come into town from out in the stick have a place to stay right in the middle of it all.

The Hospitality Corridor in MWC has a large number of the size of hotel that would go in here. The only question that remains is which chain is going in. But check out this google map view and you can see how much room there is...it just doesnt feel like it.


Man google maps makes it waaaaay easier than having to drive around to take the pictures myself. Even if the maps and sattelite images are about 6 years out of date down there.

[Thunder]

Okay, so MWC want a hotel in there. Any words on how they are planning this? What hotel brand name do they want in there? Who would be most likely interested in building there?

What about the parkings?

[Lauri101]

Thought I read way back that it was to be 4-5 story hotel, probably mid-branding/size rather than a fancy 5 star. Maybe we'll get a Hilton-brand - I'd love to see a Hilton Garden Inn there.

Not thrilled about traffic patterns, though - I hope they'll do a bit of re-design on streets so everything doesn't flow down West Rickenbacker. The street is already used as a bypass of Air Depot as well as the Jarman Middle School exit and is way too narrow to handle extra traffic.

[woodyrr]

Not thrilled about traffic patterns, though - I hope they'll do a bit of re-design on streets so everything doesn't flow down West Rickenbacker. The street is already used as a bypass of Air Depot as well as the Jarman Middle School exit and is way too narrow to handle extra traffic.

Ahem: Don't give them any ideas. The next thing we know, they will have decided to bulldoze your house and turn W. Rickenbacker into a boulevard all the way to McDonalds. After all, a five star hotel deserves a five star restaurant.

[Lauri101]

Ahem: Don't give them any ideas. The next thing we know, they will have decided to bulldoze your house and turn W. Rickenbacker into a boulevard all the way to McDonalds. After all, a five star hotel deserves a five star restaurant.

Buy me out for $120K and we'll have a deal!

[bombermwc]

And yet again I'll say it, there isn't a problem with space. Everything in the Circle area south of the water tower is going. They've all been vacated by their main tenenats and the city has been using most of the structures. Places like the old Fire Station #2 and the old senior citizens center are empty and not really being used.

The hotel would take all of that space and a hotel and parking lot would easily fit in there. From what I understand, the design was to be on the curved side....but I don't think that's what's going to happen.

Here's what I see happening....Mid-America gets torn out between the Rickenbacker sides and either becomes part of the parking lot or is re-routed. Why do I think that? Because with all the money that was poured into repaving the streets in that neighborhood over the last 5 years...they ignored that small portion which is one of, if not the, worst in the area. That gives the place even more room.

But a cookie cutter hotel like all the other's in MWC would fit in there. But I would bet the developer would offer to buy out a few more homes just to have the rest of the area.

[Lauri101]

You're exactly right - there really isn't a lack of room - and I do think Mid-America is destined for deletion. I just hope someone looks at traffic patterns so we don't get a lot of extra traffic through the residential area.

[kevinpate]

whatever goes in, I sure hope they only send out 1% of the marketing slop that Kohl's sends out. Are those folks ever NOT having a sale?

[bombermwc]

It's just like Penny's. If you pay full price, you're stupid because in a week it will be on sale.

[bombermwc]

I should have snapped a picture, but the main trunk is topped out now. It's really freaky looking right now with this big stick shooting out of the ground with a crane attached at the top.

[woodyrr]

I went by this morning and had a look. It is coming along:

Midwest City, OK - a set on Flickr

[Lauri101]

Thanks for posting Woodyrr - it just doesn't have the character of original water tower!

[bombermwc]

It sure doesn't! It looks a lot smaller too....