Oklahoma Factory Shoppes - I40 & Council

[okclee]

Interesting.

Looks like something one would see in Santa Fe New Mexico!

[metro]

Uh no, Sante Fe has much stricter building standards

[krisb]

Why couldn't they have picked a more neutral/classic design? Thank goodness paint is easily changed (although it will cost serious $$$ at this place!) Just don't understand that design decision. Hopefully there will be some nice landscaping in and around it, that will help.

It's hard to pull off "neutral/classic" for this scale of a project without it looking like another boring shopping mall. This is Oklahoma...we're coloring people with a rich and diverse history. Why not embrace a little vibrancy?

[acumpton]

Because it looks like crap.

[Larry OKC]

I was in agreement that the Outlet Mall was, shall we say, not the most attractive place based on some of the renderings.

But then Spartan posted these pics of actual development and there is a 1000% improvement. I haven't been out near the construction area (and since no one has posted recent pics), would those that have seen it, think it looks like the renderings or the real pics?

The Shoppes at El Paso actually look great. No silly carnival tarp.

[Double Edge]

It brings up how I remember the colors of glazed brick at Shepherd Mall when it was first built.

Possibly close up and with the trim details one would experience while shopping will be better than the view from the curb.

[bombermwc]

Downside is the outdoor mode like any non-mall development. You'll free you're b*lls off in the winter and burn them in the summer.

[Double Edge]

Yeah. I'm wondering how well Oklahomans will embrace that, and being in the rain. Especially with many of the storefronts facing to the interior. But they probably will to some extent. That was kind of how Penn Square was at one time though it wasn't nearly as large when it was open air IIRC. Seems like it had an open canopy too.

[onthestrip]

Downside is the outdoor mode like any non-mall development. You'll free you're b*lls off in the winter and burn them in the summer.

Im guessing thats why they went with the white tent/tarps, they look like they will protect shoppers from sun and precip. It looks like it will cover all of the store front areas.

[SOONER8693]

It's no wonder companies/business will balk at coming to Oklahoma. It seems as though every thing that is going to be built or done here, people bitch about how bad, crappy, second rate it is. The alterative is nothing is built or happens. Damn, be thankful that something is happening. Flame away.

[Double Edge]

Of all the reasons a business would chose to not build in Oklahoma, I'm pretty sure that's not one of them.

Tents and tarps

I have my doubts they are putting those up.

[Patrick]

Looks like any other outdoor outlet mall. Anyone been to The Legends in Kansas City, KS? Looks similar, althought The Legends has more brick and art/water features.

[kevinpate]

The SE corner from I-40 westbound today. That's about 1/3 to 1/2 of the side facing I-40.




Larger photo http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/927/mallny.jpg

The colors appear more subdued than I was expecting to see. Not a bad thing.

[circuitboard]

I think it will turn out just fine, we sure are picky in OKC!
A new shopping mall of any kind in Oklahoma.... is a good thing!!

[kevinpate]

Yeah, that's what they told us in Norman too. But sometimes, it's a mostly all right thing.

[MikeOKC]

Looks like any other outdoor outlet mall. Anyone been to The Legends in Kansas City, KS? Looks similar, althought The Legends has more brick and art/water features.

I am still perplexed as to why The Legends switched to an outlet mall. There was talk about demographics and spending, but I LOVED The Legends and its stores before the horrendous change (imo). It makes for a hell of a classy outlet mall that's for dern sure. A big Great Wolf Lodge is next door and I wonder how they're going to do with summer coming around in a few months. It will be their first summer with all the changes at The Legends in place. The whole Village West complex is very nice - anchored by the massive Kansas Speedway.

Here is a year old article about the change. A lot of people in Johnson County and the KCMO area were very upset. It's actually in Wyandotte County (the nice part of KCK - in the middle of grassland!), but many Johnson County people and KCMO shoppers made the trek before. It will be interesting to see how it's going to play out.
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascit...8/daily57.html

[bombermwc]

Sooner - I'd rather have someone take into consideration, the weather where they are building. They could have built like a Mills Mall or something and done a great job of providing an all-weather facility. I'm extremely happy to have the place here whether it's inside or out. But I'm not the normal average Joe. I'm the one that walks from one end of Town Center to the other rather than move my car 3 times. But that's just not what most people do.

I'd say I've seen more outside outlet centers than inside for sure. That doesn't mean I really think they're a good use of land, but it does make them cheaper to build and operate. When you don't have to provide customers with environmental comforts, you save a lot in terms of energy costs. But when it's 30 degrees out, instead of people coming into the mall to warm up and do some shopping, they'll simply not go to this place. I guess it's a matter of whether they think it's worth the extra cash to produce the indoor facility....here, they said no. We'll see how it works for them. Tanger in Stroud sure never did very well (for a lot of reasons).

[Rover]

I guess the point of this kind of board is to attract discussion and opinions and this one certainly does. It seems that we have very little supportive discussion and huge amounts of criticism here. It seems as every business and developer is stupid and has no class according to the people of OKC.

I have been to one of this developer's malls near Seattle, Washington. It is attractive enough and is very popular. This will serve as a destination for western Oklahoma folk and frequented by OKC residents and will fill a nice market niche here, just like it does in other places. They are not trying to win any architectural awards and they are trying to make a business that can make money, sustain and be a part of the OKC market for some time. In the end, it is what it is. Let's not fret and stew that they didn't build the world's greatest retail edifice.

[metro]

I have no doubts it will be successful, I think the naysayers about the weather will be proven wrong, despite the ugly, cheap design of the place.

[Double Edge]

Oh yeah, it will be successful and I'll shop there too.

Doesn't mean I won't dislike the looks of it every time I drive past, which is frequently since it's just down the road from my business and home.

From I-40, the west gateway into the city, the next sight past the mall if you are heading east is a trucking yard. Next to that is a pipe storage yard. then you get a construction equipment dealer. Scattered in that group are a number of metal sided buildings and then past that you are into the newer retail that is mostly typical but does at least contain a bit more modest color, some brick and fake stone along with the orange stripes, yellow signs, painted concrete and EFIS.

It's not like the Shoppes are bringing the immediate area down visually, though I always marvel at the huge expanses of brickwork and lawn on the former and mostly empty plant across the street to the north that mostly won't be seen from I-40 now. (Maybe that's a good thing.) However, the Shoppes certainly are not raising the bar. It is what it is.

[SkyWestOKC]

It will serve as an anchor though. An attraction if you will. The more people are around there for retail, eating, etc. The industrial land will be more valuable as other uses than for pipes and truck shops. They will probably move further away from the interstate or further west (but still accessible) as land becomes more valuable. As everyone is saying, it is what it is.

[bluedogok]

Sooner - I'd rather have someone take into consideration, the weather where they are building. They could have built like a Mills Mall or something and done a great job of providing an all-weather facility. I'm extremely happy to have the place here whether it's inside or out. But I'm not the normal average Joe. I'm the one that walks from one end of Town Center to the other rather than move my car 3 times. But that's just not what most people do.

I'd say I've seen more outside outlet centers than inside for sure. That doesn't mean I really think they're a good use of land, but it does make them cheaper to build and operate. When you don't have to provide customers with environmental comforts, you save a lot in terms of energy costs. But when it's 30 degrees out, instead of people coming into the mall to warm up and do some shopping, they'll simply not go to this place. I guess it's a matter of whether they think it's worth the extra cash to produce the indoor facility....here, they said no. We'll see how it works for them. Tanger in Stroud sure never did very well (for a lot of reasons).

I can't think of an enclosed mall under construction at the time being, anything built new is being built as open air lifestyle centers or outlet malls. I think most of the Mills malls were former malls converted to outlet centers so they used what was there. In notoriously fickle Austin where they think it is cold when the temps drop below 70, this week many have been thinking it is "artic like" and the traffic at The Domain has been pretty constant whenever I have been out at lunch or after work. All of the outlet centers down here are outdoor and they are pretty full whether it is 30 degrees (not very often) or 105 degrees (way too often for my liking).

When you get down to it, the "big box"malls that are all over OKC are really nothing more than open air malls and they seem to do pretty well no matter the weather. The day of the enclosed mall is over for now.

[flintysooner]

I can't think of an enclosed mall under construction at the time being, anything built new is being built as open air lifestyle centers or outlet malls. I think most of the Mills malls were former malls converted to outlet centers so they used what was there. In notoriously fickle Austin where they think it is cold when the temps drop below 70, this week many have been thinking it is "artic like" and the traffic at The Domain has been pretty constant whenever I have been out at lunch or after work. All of the outlet centers down here are outdoor and they are pretty full whether it is 30 degrees (not very often) or 105 degrees (way too often for my liking).

When you get down to it, the "big box"malls that are all over OKC are really nothing more than open air malls and they seem to do pretty well no matter the weather. The day of the enclosed mall is over for now.

Noticed this article in ICSC today:

Macerich aims to develop regional mall, outlet center in Phoenix

The U.S. hasn’t seen a new regional mall break ground in years, with the global financial crisis freezing access to development dollars and consumers snapping their wallets shut. But now Santa Monica, Calif.–based REIT Macerich is convinced the time is right for it to set its bulldozers back in motion. Chairman and CEO Arthur Coppola said the firm plans to break ground by year’s end on a new regional mall in Goodyear, Ariz., that will include three department store anchors and open by 2014. Coppola said the recession proved to retailers that regional malls are the most important and lucrative locations. And now that sales are rebounding, tenants are seeking new mall space to occupy.

See: http://icsc.org/apps/news_item.php?id=2726

[bombermwc]

There will always be a place for malls. There are so many retailers that don't/won't have a presense outside of a mall. Go take a walk around Penn some time and think about how many stores would make it if they relied on traffic in a strip center. That's a HUGE diffefence.

When you're in a mall, you attract walk-up customers. When you're in a strip center, you attract the folks that purposely drove to your store. That's both the attractive and detractive part of a strip center. You're seeing places like Penny's leaving malls for strip centers because, A - they can get a presense somewhere there isn't a mall, and B - our lazy lifestyle these days wants that instant gratification of being able to park right outside of the store instead of the mall lot.

Trouble is, you are going to lose traffic IF you were in a good mall before. If you were in Hertiage/Crossroads, you've got nowhere but UP to go...lol.

Nice thing with a place like Factory Shoppes, you won't find these brands as a whole STORE in town. That's the beauty of a mall like that...we're getting brands we know, but they'll have their own store. But i'm telling you now, if it's 105 of 35, I'm NOT pushin a stroller around outside at a place like that. I'm taking my butt and my kid's butts indoors.

[SoonerQueen]

http://www.news9.com/Global/story.asp?S=14059446