ICON Windsor Hills

[Pete]

ICON, the same national chain that is renovating the old Kickingbird Cinema in Edmond, has filed plans to completely remake the old Windsor Hills Cinema at NW 23rd and Meridian.

From Cinematreasures.com:

The Windsor Hills Cinema 10 was opened on December 9, 1988 by Litchfield Theatres. It was located on NW 23rd Street at N. Meridian Avenue. It was operated as a first run house. It was taken over by Regal on February 2, 1994. Closed by Regal Entertainment on January 16, 2005.

On June 10, 2005 it was reopened by an independent operator. It was reopened by B & B Theatres on November 20, 2009 as the B&B Windsor 10. It was closed on August 25, 2019.

They will convert all 10 auditoriums to their signature recliner seating and generally update the carpet, paint and fixtures including the concessions area.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^^
So odd to me that it opened in ‘88, because I recall going there quite a bit in the late eighties and thinking it was a fixture that had been there for 20 or 30 years. I recall that it did feel freshly remodeled, so I suppose that may have instead been new build. But, any chance it existed prior to ‘88 in another iteration?

[Pete]

^

1988 sounds right to me.

I remember going there when it was relatively new to see Born on the 4th of July right before I moved away from OKC. I just checked and that film came out in 1989.

[Urbanized]

Must’ve been a re-work of an old department store or something, as the center was surely 60s or even late 50s vintage. Maybe a TG&Y..? That would be about right from a time frame standpoint if it stood empty for a few years. I remember there was also a CR Anthony in that center, but I don’t think Anthony’s sold until the mid 90s and even then the converted Beall’s stores lived on for a while.

[Urbanized]

Also, pretty sure I saw Born on the 4th of July at Quail Twin (R.I.P.). Theater life cycles have always been pretty interesting to me. I moved here during a real transitional period in the mid-80s (though I’d been regularly visiting family in the OKC metro since infancy and had seen movies in a number of much older and now long-gone theaters).

[Pete]

Must’ve been a re-work of an old department store or something, as the center was surely 60s or even late 50s vintage. Maybe a TG&Y..? That would be about right from a time frame standpoint if it stood empty for a few years. I remember there was also a CR Anthony in that center, but I don’t think Anthony’s sold until the mid 90s and even then the converted Beall’s stores lived on for a while.

That building was not there in 1969; neither was the Crest building at the east end:

[Urbanized]

Interesting…now that you mention it I do recall there being a bunch of empty pads, even in the 80s and 90s. Haven’t spent much time over there in years. When I was younger I had a number of friends who grew up and/or lived nearby so I spent way more time there.

[Pete]

This was Putnam West territory and although I grew up nearby (near 63rd & Meridian), it was like a different planet to me.


What I remember most from that area was the A&W drive-in on the SE corner of 23rd & Meridian.

You can see it in the bottom right corner of that aerial.

[Pete]

The theater building wasn't there in this 1975 aerial:

[Bowser214]

That's so cool! Happy for my hood! Seeing little bits and pieces of development here and there on the West side. Nothing major but a little is better than nothing. I noticed on the NW corner of Macarthur and 10th an empty plot of land had bulldozers moving dirt.

[Pete]

And not there in this 1984 aerial:

[Urbanized]

This was Putnam West territory and although I grew up nearby (near 63rd & Meridian), it was like a different planet to me.


What I remember most from that area was the A&W drive-in on the SE corner of 23rd & Meridian.

You can see it in the bottom right corner of that aerial.

I remember that A&W; one of the few I’ve ever visited. In fact maybe the only one. Not a fan of root beer.

The aerials definitely date the theater as new construction in ‘88. So interesting how perspective affects perceptions and memories. In ‘88 I was a very young adult still exploring what was mostly a new city to me. Really had nothing by which to gauge my impressions of places like that, in what was to me a newly-discovered corner of the city.

[SEMIweather]

That's so cool! Happy for my hood! Seeing little bits and pieces of development here and there on the West side. Nothing major but a little is better than nothing. I noticed on the NW corner of Macarthur and 10th an empty plot of land had bulldozers moving dirt.

I believe that is going to be a 7-Eleven.

[soonerguru]

Excited to see this. The major drawback to that location is the lack of visibility from the street. And that parking lot stretching all the way behind Crest needs to be completely overhauled.

[Plutonic Panda]

Nice! It would be cool see a developer come in, build structured parking, and build a dense mixed use development around the existing on.

Pete, have you heard anything about the one in Edmond?

[Pete]

Pete, have you heard anything about the one in Edmond?

Yes, reported on it some time ago.

They are nearing the end of the renovation and it (Kickingbird) will also have recliners.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yes, reported on it some time ago.

They are nearing the end of the renovation and it (Kickingbird) will also have recliners.

That’s good news. They will kill it. Showbiz has been a huge success as well.

[Jeepnokc]

Let’s get to the important information….. does it have a bar or serve liquor?

[Trip]

According to the owner of the center at the time the building was constructed, in addition to building the addition to accommodate a second story in case TG&Y ever needed it, he also wanted the building high enough that it was visible from the road so people would appreciate how much retail space was there.

[soonerguru]

I will be a happy patron.

[BoulderSooner]

Let’s get to the important information….. does it have a bar or serve liquor?

pictures from the colorado springs location shows Beer and wine ..

as does San Angelo

https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/ne.../504-448198535

[tvkokc]

Nice! It would be cool see a developer come in, build structured parking, and build a dense mixed use development around the existing on.

Pete, have you heard anything about the one in Edmond?

Insider track since I live right by here. I would love to see it, but I doubt this would ever occur. It would be certainly neat but doesn't fit the area, there are already 8 apartment complexes in the area, none of which are horrible but none are what I'd say is fantastic. Solid area but just the burbs.

[tvkokc]

Let’s get to the important information….. does it have a bar or serve liquor?

According to the Colorado springs google search I see, they have a very small beer tap selection, Bud Light, Sam Adams, Blue Moon Fat Tire.

Maybe this location will get something similar?

[BoulderSooner]

According to the Colorado springs google search I see, they have a very small beer tap selection, Bud Light, Sam Adams, Blue Moon Fat Tire.

Maybe this location will get something similar?

picture from google shows colorado spring has 8 beers on tap ... .dos equis blue moon fat tire guinness coors light bud light sam adams boston lager and one more that i can't make out ..

plus wine

[tvkokc]

picture from google shows colorado spring has 8 beers on tap ... .dos equis blue moon fat tire guinness coors light bud light sam adams boston lager and one more that i can't make out ..

plus wine

Honestly for the area, this isn't really a bad spread to just have as an option when there. Broke Brewing is not terribly far away, maybe they will try to partner with them? I'm not sure how the current zoning works for this though?