Heritage Park Mall up for sale

[Patrick]

Heritage Park Mall in Midwest City is up for sale if anyone is interested. Actually the regional mall has been up for sale for several years now, Simon is just making a harder push to sell it now. One of the reasons the mall has gone down is because of the area surrounding the mall. It's hard to attract good quality tenants when the market around you doesn't support it. Simon would accept offers around $6 million. Vacancy is an issue but the stores that are there do
well and the 2 department stores are quite strong. Send Simon a check and
it's yours!

[okcpulse]

Yeah, if I had $6 million I'd buy it, knock it down, redevelop the property as some classy apartment complex and move the mall closer to downtown OKC. After all, retail would be a bit stronger in Oklahoma City if a couple of malls were in the right place. Crossroads has become ghetto, thanks in large part to its owners, based out of San Diego, and the surrounding property of the mall is just dirty. If Crossroads were cleaned up, it would do better... or... close Heritage Park AND Crossroads, redevelop those properties as residential, and build a 200 store, five anchor urban super mall close to downtown Oklahoma City. Hmmm, I think all that vacant land just south of the Biotech Research Park with a few run-down shacks and a junk yard would be the perfect location. Just clear out the dilapidated properties, including those roach motels on Reno and Eastern, and put the super mall there! The emerging demographics would be perfect... with all of the choice urban apartments going in, the high-paying bio-tech jobs, a possible riverside location for Dell- the market would be just right!

And, in honor of a proposal that died in 1985, we can call it none other than... the Galleria!

[Patrick]

I like the way this guy thinks! OKC Pulse, you're to good to be true! Run for city council and you've got my vote!!!

I don't know what in the world Macerich Properties thinks they're doing with Crossroads! There's no excuse for the pitiful shape that mall is in. It probably is at the best intersection out of any of the malls in town, and is the only mall on the south side. Not counting the theater space at Quail Springs, Crossroads has more retail space than any other mall in the city. I've talked with mall management at Crossroads and it's always one excuse after another. Seems like for awhile they were blaming their situation on the fact that they didn't have ownership of the old Wards space. Well, now they own that! Next, they try to blame their situation on highway construction! Well, that's done. What are they going to blame it on now?

Truth is, Crossroads either needs a major face lift or it needs to be demolished. Either option would be fine with me! The grounds need landscaping. The interior of the mall looks like a dungeon. Over the next 10 years, if all they're going to do is install a carousel and elevator, they might as well just demolish the place now! The dark lighting, warehouse ceiling, glazed concrete floors, 80ish railings, etc. needs to go!

Quail Springs and Penn Square just completed multimillion dollar renovations. If Crossroads plans on getting with the program, they're going to have to do something fast......everytime I go in there, it looks like one big closing sale!

Although I like the idea of a mall downtown, I think the proximity of Penn Square to downtown is kind of interfering with that plan. That's why all market studies that have been completed by Urban Renewal and other parties have shown that downtown cannot support a mall, at least a large premier mall. It may be able to support something smaller and more upscale like (the old) 50 Penn Place.

[okcpulse]

I totally agree, Patrick. Thanks for the insight... and support. I've been following OKlahoma City's politics as well as the state's politics for over ten years. (That's why I know why Oklahoma liquor stores do not carry Bud, Miller and Coors products). In any case, I hope the research and information I've gathered, plus staying well informed, can always help someone else.

But I do hope for something upscale and unique like 50 Penn Place and Utica Square in Tulsa.

Continue the Renaissance!

[Patrick]

I agree with Nuclear...I think a Utica Square type development with upscale and local shops would be have a nice fit in downtown. I hate to look at other cities, but look at San Antonio. Just north of the Riverwalk, they have a nice Market Square, complete with shops and cafes. Reminds me of a Mexican style Utica Square! Although we shouldn't copy, we could do something similar here, say as part of the Deep Deuce Town Square Project or something!!!!

[okcpulse]

Actually, that is in discussion as a concept among local developers, Patrick.

[Nuclear_2525]

How about creating a shopping district with all the current proposed and approved apartment complexes. Every single one is including retail, so this would be the perfect chance for OKC to align those ones that they can and create an awesome shopping district. Plus, nothing would attract more high-end businesses to an area than stiff competition right across the street or nextdoor and rich young people living upstairs!

[Patrick]

Nuclear, I think that's what OKC city leaders are hoping will happen!

OKC Pulse, yeah, I've heard about te Deep Deuce Town Square concept and Deep DEuce Phase II! I personally hope both ideas are carried out.

Nuclear, I think there's a thread on the Deep Deuce Town Square Project if you'e interested. It's somewhere on this forum!

[mranderson]

If I had the money, I would buy the mall and redesign it. Maybe turn it into an off base BX for the military.

Now THAT is different. A military mall. What city has one?

[floater]

So what do we have in store for Deep Deuce II? More housing, and where? Walnut Hill, which was recently gutted?

[Patrick]

Well, floater's question was answered in today's Journal Record. Looks like more apartments will be on the way with mixed restaurant/retail space.

In regards to Mr. Anderson's idea.....sounds cool to me! Anything military-related in Midwest City would probably go over well! Maybe give the mall a more military theme.......even put airplanes out in front of the mall!

Seems like Simon could've done more with the mall, but instead they're choosing to sell it! Oh well! Wish I had a lot of money!