Crossroads Mall

[jn1780]

I'm hearing some rumblings about a large southside church having interest in buying the building for a large multi-purpose ministry center.

That sounds likely.

I know someone who sales POS systems that says the owners are about to turn the mall into something resembling a flea market.

[jn1780]

Crossroads has no chance of being turned into something nice until I-240 and I-35 interchange is rebuilt which is still at least 7 years away.

[metro]

How many cities can support three "malls" in the traditional sense. Malls are closing all over the country.

Yes I realize the traditional mall is "dead" as far as new construction goes, but most cities have several thriving traditional malls. It's just sad the entire south side of town can't support one respectibly sized mall. I wonder how we fair to similar sized cities? It'd be another thing if we had lifestyle shopping centers, but we really don't. Spring Creek is the closest thing and that's limited on retailers.

[Martin]

i'd say that crossroads is failing more from a lack of support from its own management than it is from a lack of support from the south side of town.

-M

[Lindsay Architect]

You can't really even see the mall going north or south on I-35, its not a desitnation point anymore, all you see is the back end of cheap commercial buildings, almost like driving down an alley...The more development that came in and put there back doors to the highway, the more the mall failed. The only thing there worth going to is Best Buy and Texas Road House, if they would move in the mall that would help, and maybe put a few design elements on the outside so it doesnt look like a prison compound.
If they would take a giant Best Buy blue swoosh entrance and pop in on the side of the old Dillards that would be a destination - who wouldn't go to a 3 story Best Buy? (and tear down the old Best buy so you could actually see the mall) You could also tear down the dirty theaters and have clean secure move complex somewhere inside the mall like Penn.

[Steve]

Lindsay Architect, I've always felt the way you do. It's as if the mall's owners over the years were horribly short-sighted and greedy, building up every inch of highway frontage to where the mall couldn't be seen at all.
When I was a kid that mall stood out. You couldn't miss it. And you wanted to go there. What amazes me is how banks went along with this crazy development scheme to the point that now you and I are stuck being the owners.

[bluedogok]

Yes I realize the traditional mall is "dead" as far as new construction goes, but most cities have several thriving traditional malls. It's just sad the entire south side of town can't support one respectibly sized mall. I wonder how we fair to similar sized cities? It'd be another thing if we had lifestyle shopping centers, but we really don't. Spring Creek is the closest thing and that's limited on retailers.

Here in Austin Highland Mall is where Crossroads was a few years ago, they still have Macy's, Dillard's has been threatening to close and will probably when their lease is up, JC Penney did a few years ago. If/when Highland closes that will leave only two enclosed malls in Austin, Lakeline which is far northwest and Barton Creek which is pretty far south. There is The Arboretum open air mall (and has lost some tenants) and The Domain in North Austin which is a new lifestyle center, Phase opens this month and is about 25% OCCUPIED. The Hill Country Galleria in far, far, west Austin (not even in Austin) which has only been open for two years and recently emerged from bankruptcy and has lost half its small tenants. The Big Box Malls have really replaced the traditional mall, we have several around here that have attracted many of the traditional mall stores like JC Penney (who had already been moving away from the traditional mall) and Bath and Body Works, especially in the areas that are not served by the two main malls that are on one edge of town or the other.

Ownership/management is always the key, Barton Creek and Lakeline are owned/managed by Simon, who also has The Domain, The Arboretum and the majority of the big box/strip malls in the Austin metro. Highland Mall has had a strange ownership situation, it is 50% owned by Simon and General Growth, whom Simon has been trying to acquire as General Growth tries to emerge from bankruptcy, so it has had little investment.

San Antonio is also going through the same issue with new lifestyle and big box centers taking the place of the traditional mall.

Lindsay Architect, I've always felt the way you do. It's as if the mall's owners over the years were horribly short-sighted and greedy, building up every inch of highway frontage to where the mall couldn't be seen at all.
When I was a kid that mall stood out. You couldn't miss it. And you wanted to go there. What amazes me is how banks went along with this crazy development scheme to the point that now you and I are stuck being the owners.

I thought the outparcels were separated from the mall ownership a long time ago. Once they were no longer under their control they didn't have much say about blocking the view of the mall.

[ljbab728]

i'd say that crossroads is failing more from a lack of support from its own management than it is from a lack of support from the south side of town.

-M

Agreed. Crossroads was still on the South side of OKC when it was well supported many years ago. The location on the South side has nothing to do with it's problems. Management issues and shopping trends are the problem.

[mugofbeer]

You can't really even see the mall going north or south on I-35, its not a desitnation point anymore, all you see is the back end of cheap commercial buildings, almost like driving down an alley....

[stlokc]

Just did a little research and thinking... St. Louis had 11 enclosed malls when I moved here in the late '90's, today it has eight and only about 4 or 5 of those are even of the Quail Springs quality. Maybe only 3 that I would even drive a few minutes to support. And that's in a metro area of 3 million. Honestly, with the exception of a small group of places like Brooks Brothers, J. Crew and Banana Republic, I can't even remember the last time I went to a mall. Maybe the last time I bought a suit. Although even then it was Jos. A. Bank in a lifestyle center. Malls everywhere are fading.

[Larry OKC]

Random and probably contradictory thoughts... Curious as to why enclosed malls are fading. I would much rather be in a climate controlled space. Although I rarely go to the malls any more (exception being to a specialty store that isn't located elsewhere). Often shop in the strip mall set up but rarely go to any adjoining stores other than the main one I am there for. If it is right next door I might, but if it is at the other end of the strip...probably not. Usually because of the wonderfully wacky Oklahoma weather...too hot/cold/wet/icy/ or extreme weather condition. Seems that the difference is the strip malls don't have really good anchor stores at each end so that you might stop in the non-destination stores between (like the traditional enclosed mall). I am more of a one-stop shopper...get in, get out, done. Not repeat process 2, 4 or 8 times (depending on number of stores visited).

[bluedogok]

Random and probably contradictory thoughts... Curious as to why enclosed malls are fading. I would much rather be in a climate controlled space. Although I rarely go to the malls any more (exception being to a specialty store that isn't located elsewhere). Often shop in the strip mall set up but rarely go to any adjoining stores other than the main one I am there for. If it is right next door I might, but if it is at the other end of the strip...probably not. Usually because of the wonderfully wacky Oklahoma weather...too hot/cold/wet/icy/ or extreme weather condition. Seems that the difference is the strip malls don't have really good anchor stores at each end so that you might stop in the non-destination stores between (like the traditional enclosed mall). I am more of a one-stop shopper...get in, get out, done. Not repeat process 2, 4 or 8 times (depending on number of stores visited).

You (and I) are not the target demographic for mall/lifestyle center shopping, most men older than 30 are not. They prefer the ones who will walk the mall and stop in most stores whether it is an enclosed mall or open air lifestyle center.

[megax11]

I'm hearing some rumblings about a large southside church having interest in buying the building for a large multi-purpose ministry center.

Well that sucks...

So all southside can get is more churches, community colleges, and car dealerships?

Pathetic.

They should just bulldoze the area, and let someone build a theme park there, as it would be more fun, than a church, which we have plenty of on southside.

Where is the retail here? The bookstores?

EDIT: Oh and the only reason our mall is dying, isn't due to southsiders not supporting it, it's due to the fact greedy people owned it, who never listened to their merchant's wishes. Had the mall been renovated, it would be different. However, since it has floors from 1974, there is no reason for merchants to flock to a mall that is stuck in the 70's.

We couldn't put a gun to the head of those who owned the mall, and say, "make better decisions."

[Thunder]

megax11, do you really think it's wise to be at the top of a roller coaster or the ferris wheel to watch the view of trash flowing around in the wind nearby?

[rcjunkie]

Well that sucks...

So all southside can get is more churches, community colleges, and car dealerships?

Pathetic.

They should just bulldoze the area, and let someone build a theme park there, as it would be more fun, than a church, which we have plenty of on southside.

Where is the retail here? The bookstores?EDIT: Oh and the only reason our mall is dying, isn't due to southsiders not supporting it, it's due to the fact greedy people owned it, who never listened to their merchant's wishes. Had the mall been renovated, it would be different. However, since it has floors from 1974, there is no reason for merchants to flock to a mall that is stuck in the 70's.

We couldn't put a gun to the head of those who owned the mall, and say, "make better decisions."

Just a side note: the Southside is getting a book store, Half Price Books is opening a store at I-240 & Penn. I would prefer a Barnes & Noble, Hastings or Borders, but it's better then nothing.

[megax11]

Well, that's one down. What about filling all of the empty plazas that degrade at the expense of greed, because they can safely sit on their cans and make bank on all of the Bingo halls?

What about filling the vacant Circuit City location with the inevitable Best Buy, who is thinking of moving after their lease at Crossroads expires, or even TRU, who is bailing on southside, while Moore gets a TRU superstore?

Why is southside OKC the only home of a regular Target, while every other Target is a Super Target?

Why did we have to be the unfortunate ones to have a mall owned by greedy owners, who refused to modernize the place?

Why don't we have quality theatres like Warren.

I guess it's at least good, we're getting a bookstore, but they're building yet another church by my house, so why does the mall property need to be home to more church related content, when the southside needs to attract more retail, instead of car lots, churches, and fast food joints?

[oneforone]

Well, that's one down. What about filling all of the empty plazas that degrade at the expense of greed, because they can safely sit on their cans and make bank on all of the Bingo halls?

What about filling the vacant Circuit City location with the inevitable Best Buy, who is thinking of moving after their lease at Crossroads expires, or even TRU, who is bailing on southside, while Moore gets a TRU superstore?

Why is southside OKC the only home of a regular Target, while every other Target is a Super Target?

Why did we have to be the unfortunate ones to have a mall owned by greedy owners, who refused to modernize the place?

Why don't we have quality theatres like Warren.

I guess it's at least good, we're getting a bookstore, but they're building yet another church by my house, so why does the mall property need to be home to more church related content, when the southside needs to attract more retail, instead of car lots, churches, and fast food joints?

Midwest City, Yukon and North May and NW Expressway and Rockwell are all regular Targets. All are new or remodeled and look similar to the south store. In my opinion, southside is just as nice as every other area of the city. The only downfall is I-240. The majority of I-240 is rundown apartment complexes. Only one complex has updated it's look. There has only been one new car dealership open southside in the last ten years (Fowler Dodge). The other dealerships opened on existing car dealership property. If Best Buy moves to a new location I very seriouly doubt they will use the old CC Store. I worked out of the store as a home delivery driver when it opened. The stock room is tiny and the store is smaller than your average Best Buy store.

[Jesseda]

the american people are getting lazy, why walk in a mall to go to that one store when you could pull up to it at a strip mall, and people wonder why everyone is weighing more than what people weighed 25 years ago.

[bluedogok]

Why is southside OKC the only home of a regular Target, while every other Target is a Super Target?

Midwest City, Yukon and North May and NW Expressway and Rockwell are all regular Targets. All are new or remodeled and look similar to the south store.

Some people don't let reality get in the way of their rants......

[jbrown84]

There has only been one new car dealership open southside in the last ten years (Fowler Dodge). The other dealerships opened on existing car dealership property.

There's a brand new Bob Moore, I believe, at 89th and I-35.

[ljbab728]

There's a brand new Bob Moore, I believe, at 89th and I-35.

Why is having a car dealership a bad thing? Would we prefer that everyone went to the "Mile of Cars" in Norman or the dealerships in Edmond?

[Larry OKC]

When they remodeled the target on North May (and took over the space occupied by Office Depot, was really disappointed that they didn't make it a SuperTarget (they did add some grocery). When asked was told by the store manager they were 8 sq ft and 12 parking spaces short of the minimum requirements. What a joke.

Then when the SuperTarget opened on Memorial was surprised it wasn't open 24 hrs (I work graveyard and shop after I get off work @ 5 to 6 am. Was told they weren't in competition with Wal-Mart. Right. And that is why they waited to build a SuperTarpet until AFTER a Wal-Mart SuperCenter went in.

[Thunder]

Then when the SuperTarget opened on Memorial was surprised it wasn't open 24 hrs (I work graveyard and shop after I get off work @ 5 to 6 am. Was told they weren't in competition with Wal-Mart. Right. And that is why they waited to build a SuperTarpet until AFTER a Wal-Mart SuperCenter went in.

Target whines about having boxes on the floor is one of the reasons why they do not open 24 hours. Also, another reason is to save money. They only need one or two cashiers overnight..... Mainly, they just do not want shoppers around with pallets and boxes everywhere due to the risk of injury, plus constant fixtures setup throughout the store (planograms setups). This also include the use of the (forgot the name) to hang decorations/signage from the ceilings.

[metro]

Thunder, I don't buy that, because every time I've been to Target, I've seen them stocking during the day. In fact, they have some of the most annoying stockers there are. Not to mention, Target employees wear those blasted walkie talkies at full volume without headsets. Why can't they make them wear a headset or earpiece?

[Charlie40]

Thunder, I don't buy that, because every time I've been to Target, I've seen them stocking during the day. In fact, they have some of the most annoying stockers there are. Not to mention, Target employees wear those blasted walkie talkies at full volume without headsets. Why can't they make them wear a headset or earpiece?

Why should they?