Why would they build a rodeo? I would guess they have a lot of land and it might be a viable business for that area.

No, why would they see how the mall is doing in several years when the mall has been dead for years before deciding to see if a rodeo would be build?

I have family that lives on SE 36th St which is a pretty secluded area & a group of Mexicans built their own small rodeo about a half a mile away from my family members house. I think a rodeo is a great idea for this area.

Interesting...

No, why would they see how the mall is doing in several years when the mall has been dead for years before deciding to see if a rodeo would be build?

Plaza Mayor at the Crossroads isn't going to be CRM with just some brightly colored paint and a Hispanic centric food court. It doesn't strike me as being possible to make an apples to apples comparison between the new focus and the lil' mall that somehow hung on without anchors for so long.

Gazette article:

The long-struggling Crossroads Mall gets a second chance as a commercial hub for OKC’s growing Latino community.

Peter Wright
April 30th, 2013

A mariachi band played as dancers from a traveling circus last week unveiled plans to reshape Crossroads Mall. With a new name and new tenants, future renovations and a busy schedule of events, developers hope to transform the once-thriving mall into a commercial hub for Oklahoma City’s Latino community.

At an April 24 ceremony, the mall was officially renamed Plaza Mayor at the Crossroads. Developer Jose Legaspi said it is a reference to the main square in Mexico City.

Twenty new tenants already have signed contracts, and developers are in talks with others. The new businesses include clothing, jewelry and shoe stores, two restaurants and a couple salons. Many will be locally owned, and they will join a handful of shops and clubs already renting space.

Future plans call for a grocery store and an entertainment venue that could include a club and a rodeo arena. The space formerly occupied by Dillard’s will become an “incubator space” for booths of new small businesses.

“We’re opening our hearts and minds for anyone who wants to start their American dream,” Legaspi said.

All entrances to the mall will be renovated, and the central court will be updated to include a small stage.

Legaspi said more seating and skylights will be added throughout the 40-year-old building.

Raptor Properties, a local real estate holding company, purchased Crossroads Mall at steep discount in September 2011. Robert Ruiz, marketing and programming director for the Plaza Mayor, said the new developers didn’t have anything specific in mind for the property until one of them visited La Gran Plaza in Fort Worth, Texas, a once-empty mall that had been transformed with Latino businesses.

“They saw the life that was going on there. It was a mall that was full on weekdays,” Ruiz said.

It was one of several malls around the country developed by Legaspi, who is licensed in California. Raptor Properties asked him if he would become a partner on the Crossroads project, and after doing his own due diligence, he accepted.

Things to come
Rejuvenating a mall that’s been largely vacant for years will take more than attracting a handful of small businesses. Legaspi said he wants to make it an attraction with holiday events almost every month and musical entertainment in the halls every weekend.

Late one afternoon after the unveiling ceremony, those halls were almost desolate. A security guard walked past a row of shuttered storefronts as a young couple turned around at an empty department store and paced back to their starting point.

Outside, in a sign of things to come, workers were anchoring a tent that would host a Spanish-language circus on its first-time stop in Oklahoma.

By keeping a packed schedule of family-friendly events, Legaspi hopes to draw customers in from the entire Central Oklahoma region. As traffic increases and more small shops open, bigger national chains might give the mall a second look.

“We’re only responding to the community. We’re not responding to anybody else,” he said.

Francisco Ramirez credits the cultural component of La Gran Plaza with the success of his restaurant chain. He opened his first restaurant inside La Gran in 2004. Since then, he opened four more there and two in Mexico. He will open a restaurant and a separate snack bar inside Plaza Mayor soon.

“With the entertainment happening every weekend, that really brought a lot of different people in from different places,” Ramirez said.

He said he sees even more potential in Oklahoma City because the mall is literally at a major crossroads, and the Latino community here continues to grow rapidly.

http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-18123-new-life.html

At an April 24 ceremony, the mall was officially renamed Plaza Mayor at the Crossroads. Developer Jose Legaspi said it is a reference to the main square in Mexico City.http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-18123-new-life.html

If that's what he really said, he probably should have checked his facts first. The main square in Mexico City is known as the Zocalo. Perhaps he was thinking about the main square in Madrid which is the Plaza Mayor.

It worked on B5 it should work here.

It worked on B5 it should work here.

LOL... love the Babylon 5 reference!

LOL... love the Babylon 5 reference!

That show was the first time I ever heard the word. I hope this idea for crossroads really works out.

I have a question, do you think a rodeo would be a good idea? I mean do people still go to rodeos? I thought turning the mall in a rodeo is going to be a huge failure but I may be wrong though

Yeah, people still go to rodeos in the big city. Even gays still put on a rodeo at the fairgrounds every year.

A lot of the larger Hispanic bars in small Texas towns have rodeo rings right next to them, there is one on I-35 between Waco and Georgetown. Many of the smaller towns the biggest event is their county fair and rodeo and the rodeo is the big attraction. Just something that many city dwellers don't think about.

Yeah, people still go to rodeos in the big city. Even gays still put on a rodeo at the fairgrounds every year.Yeah, I recently received an email from the state fair grounds about a gay rodeo. Never even knew they had those.

A neighbor of mine in Dallas did the black rodeo circuit, he made a decent living at it considering it was what he loved doing. Went and saw him one time in Mesquite, pretty good all-around cowboy type of guy.

Yeah, I recently received an email from the state fair grounds about a gay rodeo. Never even knew they had those.

I knew someone who would attend the gay rodeos. His favorite event was the Pole Bending.

On another note, I've heard there's an article about the new Crossroads Mall in the next issue of Mex Sociales magazine.

Yeah, I recently received an email from the state fair grounds about a gay rodeo. Never even knew they had those.

Habana Inn is the host hotel. And I suppose the Habana would host cock fights as well.

what

what
I'll tell you when you're older.

ok???

Any renders on how its going to look ?

Any renders on how its going to look ?

3741
3742
3743
3744

I'm pretty disappointed with what I see as the lackadaisical effort put into redoing the exterior of Crossroads Mall. Here's the website for La Gran Plaza in Ft. Worth (http://www.lagranplazamall.com/en/home.aspx) for comparison. There are photo galleries you can browse to get a feel for what I'm talking about. It appears to have had a lot more effort put into the exterior. Crossroads is getting some colored poles and painted entrances, but really nothing compared to what they're did for their other project.

I just cant picture a grocery store in a mall but i hope it works.

I'm pretty disappointed with what I see as the lackadaisical effort put into redoing the exterior of Crossroads Mall. Here's the website for La Gran Plaza in Ft. Worth (http://www.lagranplazamall.com/en/home.aspx) for comparison. There are photo galleries you can browse to get a feel for what I'm talking about. It appears to have had a lot more effort put into the exterior. Crossroads is getting some colored poles and painted entrances, but really nothing compared to what they're did for their other project.
I think La Gran Plaza was vacant and deteriorated before they renovated it. I think they had to do a lot to the exterior just to finish the project.


I just cant picture a grocery store in a mall but i hope it works.
There used to be one in Shepherd Mall. Also, the Hispanic mall concept is a different retailing environment than the traditional indoor mall. It is really more of a marketplace with much more variety than a traditional mall.

Many of the malls I've seen in Europe have a grocery store involved -- often as an anchor of sorts. The trick often is shopping carts, two (or more) levels, and escalators.

An update on what's happening here. The video still shows few patrons but hopefully this will be successful eventually.

South Oklahoma City's Plaza Mayor tries to lure families with fiesta atmosphere | News OK (http://newsok.com/south-oklahoma-citys-plaza-mayor-tries-to-lure-families-with-fiesta-atmosphere/article/3863244)

has anything new happened here, I thought they said 20 or so new stores?? also when is the old dillards area planned to open up? I haven't been to the place since early june and nothing looks like it has changed really in 10 plus years I was hoping that there would been a little bit of change back in june but nope.. I want to take my kids there again but I am waiting for there big change they keep talking about and new stores and restaurants

has anything new happened here, I thought they said 20 or so new stores?? also when is the old dillards area planned to open up? I haven't been to the place since early june and nothing looks like it has changed really in 10 plus years I was hoping that there would been a little bit of change back in june but nope.. I want to take my kids there again but I am waiting for there big change they keep talking about and new stores and restaurants

I am hoping for the best on this, but these kinds of projects can also end up to be failures.

A developer tried a similar concept in Charlotte with the failed Eastland Mall, actually modeled after the same Ft. Worth development Crossroads is being modeled after, and it was a complete failure. I am hoping this takes off and is successful, but I am not sure I would bank on it until it is more mature.

10 years from now the bulldozers will be coming in to demolish Crossroads and push it into the landfill.

10 years from now the bulldozers will be coming in to demolish Crossroads and push it into the landfill.

I hope not. I would really like this place to do well and give our growing Hispanic population a central meetin' and greetin' place. Also they won't have to press 2 for spainish.

People have suggested that for many years. maybe so. maybe no.

The really should redo the parking lot in cement. Level and/or create different levels. Add a few stand alone stores and restaurants. Add a bunch of landscaping and perhaps an little park or something. Maybe put in a little carnival with a few low profile rides and have a tram that connects to mall and runs through the parking lot, stores, carnival, and build a Medieval Times where the Toys R Us is and connect all that with a tram.

well, they were talking about having a rodeo out there at some point in the future.

The really should redo the parking lot in cement. Level and/or create different levels. Add a few stand alone stores and restaurants. Add a bunch of landscaping and perhaps an little park or something. Maybe put in a little carnival with a few low profile rides and have a tram that connects to mall and runs through the parking lot, stores, carnival, and build a Medieval Times where the Toys R Us is and connect all that with a tram.

A gun store may be the best bet for Crossroads.

For those who had predicted the demise of Crossroads, the reinvention seems to be going fairly well.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/3895237?embargo=1


Plaza Mayor at the Crossroads has signed 42 new leases since April and the owners think the mall can be fully resurrected in 18 months — faster than the three years first envisioned.

What's the name of Grocery Market and other places coming?

For those who had predicted the demise of Crossroads, the reinvention seems to be going fairly well.

huh... i guess most all of those tenants haven't moved in yet. went about a month ago to check on the progress and didn't get the impression that much had been made. -M

Reminds of the old Paris flea market....... Huge blackeye for south Okc

huh... i guess most all of those tenants haven't moved in yet. went about a month ago to check on the progress and didn't get the impression that much had been made. -M

The article did not say that 42 new stores had opened up. It said they had signed 42 new leases since April.

I am wondering how many of those leases are existing tenants. It has only been maybe a year or so since Raptor took over the mall from the fed. Technically existing tenants could be counted as new leases. Not to mention how many of these places are quality stores or are they swap meat and flea market vendors.

I looked at the mall directory on plazamayorok.com and it appears the national chain stores are slowly dropping off. The only national brand stores left are Foot Action, Victoria Secret and Bath & Bodyworks (Both likely selling old stock and closeout items from other stores), Journeys, Eargazm, Champs and Zales.

I think they may still be able to make a go of it with small businesses but, it's going to take a truckload of advertising and promotional events to get sufficient foot traffic out there. I am wondering if it have a major effect on real estate on 29th Street and Capitol Hill. I could see small businesses moving out there from those areas if the price is right and the place is kept up and security issues are properly addressed.

The article did not say that 42 new stores had opened up. It said they had signed 42 new leases since April.

i understand that but was just noting that nearly 6 months later few, if any, of those new leases have actually started occupying retail space in the mall. -M

I am wondering how many of those leases are existing tenants. It has only been maybe a year or so since Raptor took over the mall from the fed. Technically existing tenants could be counted as new leases. Not to mention how many of these places are quality stores or are they swap meat and flea market vendors.

I looked at the mall directory on plazamayorok.com and it appears the national chain stores are slowly dropping off. The only national brand stores left are Foot Action, Victoria Secret and Bath & Bodyworks (Both likely selling old stock and closeout items from other stores), Journeys, Eargazm, Champs and Zales.

I think they may still be able to make a go of it with small businesses but, it's going to take a truckload of advertising and promotional events to get sufficient foot traffic out there. I am wondering if it have a major effect on real estate on 29th Street and Capitol Hill. I could see small businesses moving out there from those areas if the price is right and the place is kept up and security issues are properly addressed.
Expect many of the national chains to close once their leases expire, the Fort Worth mall like this have very few national retailers, it will never have a "high end" look to it, that just isn't the demographic they are seeking. They have a formula and it has worked elsewhere, the one in Fort Worth was closed before this group took it over. The marketing of this type of mall is different than a traditional mall, it will be targeted and there will be a lot of word of mouth between the Hispanic community which will drive traffic to the mall. That seems to be how most of the Hispanic targeted retailers thrive on, they rely on the community to promote them. If they have a good product mix of what the community wants, they will thrive.

Bath and Body Works may hang on. They and GNC were the last stores to leave Heritage Park. The only reason they left was because Heritage Park Mall was not providing any security and they weren't even turning on the interior lights at night. The manager my wife talked to before they closed stated they really wanted to stay in Midwest City however, they did not want their employees safety at risk. All the employees were given jobs at other stores around the metro. The manager talked as if they were trying to get a spot in Town Center.

So I was thinking of going to plaza/crossroads last Friday evening. I get to the parking lot which was rather creepy with only one light pole on ea corner of the mall turned on. The outside of the mall looked like it was closed the only life outside was a handful wannabe thuggish teenagers. We decided not to park and go inisde since the outside parking lot was a dark ghost town and we didn't feel safe leaving our car in that parking lot, we will try sometime in the future during day. I thought maybe just maybe they would do something with this mall but it seriously has gotten worse which I didn't think was possible. Has anyone been into that place recently to see if anything changed like the remodeled dillards building area that was suppose to open at end of summer. I know the owners came off saying big things are taking form but I don't see it (well maybe I could have if the parking lot wasn't so dark and creepy).

How is plaza major/crossroads doing? Have they done any work like repainting, adding new tenants or is the same?

I wouldn't be surprised if Crossroads has some mechanical and infrastructure issues that have not been revealed to the public. The Plaza Mayor people may have thought they could manage around them. I just can't help but wonder why Simon or General Properties didn't jump on it when it went on the auction block for a mere $9 Million. The only solution I can come up with is mechanical and infrastructure issues that are going to cost millions to fix especially since Maerich let fall apart.

When ODOT gets the rebuild of 240/35 complete that area will thrive again. It's a shame the mall will likely miss out. By the time the rebuild is done that mall will like see the wrecking ball. I think if Maerich had not pitched a fit about Pole Road. The interchange would have been rebuilt by now and the mall would likely be thriving again. In my opinion I think it got pushed back because they had to redo the whole thing to keep Pole Road open.

I wouldn't be surprised if Crossroads has some mechanical and infrastructure issues that have not been revealed to the public..

Very salient point. I don't know how many people here remember the big center fountain just amid the switchback ramps between the floors at center court, but it was buried years ago. I asked someone why, and they said that the understructure of the fountain had rotted beneath the foundation and was essentially gushing water out beneath the floor and eroding the foundation. Fixing it would have required busting out the floor and pouring/building a brand new fountain, which would have surely cost a small fortune, so they just buried it.

That's just one example of an issue I *did* know about, so I suspect its entirely likely there are myriad others we don't know about. For those who never worked there, there's a fairly complex "maze" of back-tunnels, shipping entrances, storage areas that interconnect essentially every storefront in the mall, and there's no telling what kinds of physical plant issues may be present there, eg electrical, plumbing, heck, maybe even termites for all I know :)

Back when Crossroads was still commercially viable, I always thought they were kinda neglecting it structurally, with barely more than a few coats of paint or entirely cosmetic fixups over a span of years, and I think we're finding out now that the place just how serious that neglect was. That's an absolute shame. The neglect may not have hurt Crossroads in the following years in terms of the broader economic picture ongoing during that time, but it surely didn't help.

They tried to turn Eastland Mall in Charlotte into a Hispanic-themed mall modeled after the one in Ft Worth but it failed and I believe the mall is now slated for the wrecking ball. It's a popular idea and an excellent concept but most of the time it isn't the success that it was in Ft Worth. I wish Crossroads all the best but part of me has my doubts that the ambitious plans will actually come to fruition.

Very salient point. I don't know how many people here remember the big center fountain just amid the switchback ramps between the floors at center court, but it was buried years ago. I asked someone why, and they said that the understructure of the fountain had rotted beneath the foundation and was essentially gushing water out beneath the floor and eroding the foundation. Fixing it would have required busting out the floor and pouring/building a brand new fountain, which would have surely cost a small fortune, so they just buried it.

That's just one example of an issue I *did* know about, so I suspect its entirely likely there are myriad others we don't know about. For those who never worked there, there's a fairly complex "maze" of back-tunnels, shipping entrances, storage areas that interconnect essentially every storefront in the mall, and there's no telling what kinds of physical plant issues may be present there, eg electrical, plumbing, heck, maybe even termites for all I know :)

Back when Crossroads was still commercially viable, I always thought they were kinda neglecting it structurally, with barely more than a few coats of paint or entirely cosmetic fixups over a span of years, and I think we're finding out now that the place just how serious that neglect was. That's an absolute shame. The neglect may not have hurt Crossroads in the following years in terms of the broader economic picture ongoing during that time, but it surely didn't help.
When we redid Midland Park Mall the fountains were already gone, part of our renovation was ripping all of the fountain remnants and planters because they ate up so much space that could be used for revenue generating kiosks or advertising (car displays). Simon did develop that mall back in 1979 and the fountains and fixed planters were popular at that time but over the years they were maintenance nightmares and I think they kept it in pretty good shape maintenance wise over the years. Since Crossroads changed owners so many times I do think that the maintenance was probably neglected.

https://freepressokc.com/what-happened-plaza-mayor/

https://freepressokc.com/what-happened-plaza-mayor/

Panda, thank you for sharing this article. It answered alot of questions I had about the project.

I'll admit maybe it's because I'm reading it with this bias in my mind, but I always got the impression that the owners wanted this to BE a cultural center, but never wanted to put the work into MAKING it a cultural center. This article just further reinforces this belief, they brought in some people who did realize the work it would take, and have had success in doing so in other places, and then just ignored the very people who would have made it happen.

At a crossroads: Owners put Plaza Mayor up for sale

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record February 8, 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY – Plaza Mayor is for sale, again. But its next life likely won’t be as a retail center.

The property, previously known as Crossroads Mall, is owned by CRM Properties Group LLC. The company purchased it in 2011.

“We want someone to come to us with a plan,” said Roddy Bates, with Raptor Properties. Raptor has been overseeing the redevelopment of the mall.

“We have a lot of heart and soul in the property,” Bates said. “We want to see it redeveloped in some form or fashion. We are not just trying to sell it to the highest bidder.”

The Price Edwards retail investment team is representing CRM in the sale. Broker Paul Ravencraft worked with Bates to buy the property originally. Retail investment brokers Phillip Mazaheri and George Williams are working on the sale this time as well.

The property is listed for $8.27 million, which includes the mall building and 63.31 acres.

But there could be multiple new owners. The property can be sold in a minimum of 10-acre tracts.

“We feel like the acreage of the land that’s just sitting on the interstate is just valuable as land itself, whether it’s with the building or not,” Bates said.

The entire mall isn’t for sale, as it’s owned by three entities. CRM Properties Group owns the west side of the property, the southern anchor space, and the center’s entire middle section. The company’s part totals more than 800,000 square feet.

Maryland-based Crossroads QALICB LLC owns the space that was home to Montgomery Ward, but it is now occupied by Santa Fe South High School. The charter school started classes there in August 2017. The second floor is being renovated for KIPP South Community Preparatory School.

The northern anchor space for what was formerly Crossroads Mall is owned by DLH Properties LLC. The Hudiburg Auto Group has a parts department at the building.

With a school and auto-parts warehouse on the property, the ownership wants the next owner to be sensitive to those two different users.

Ravencraft reiterated on how valuable the land could be to a development, with Interstate 35 and Interstate 240 creating the property’s perimeter.

He and Bates said the mall will likely not be used for retailers.

“I don’t think retail is where this deal goes,” Ravencraft said. “It’s zoned industrial. But it could also be used as a school hub or government offices.”

South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce President Elaine Lyons said there is a need in the city’s south sector for office space. She said there’s also been talk of turning the empty space into an educational center. Bates said the former anchor retailer spaces could become schools, and the interior space could be businesses that support the staff and students.

Lyons said the South Chamber was supportive of Raptor when it attempted to turn the mall into a Hispanic retail center. The chamber gathered area business leaders and visited the former Fort Worth mall that’s now a Hispanic retail center. It’s anchored by a Fiesta grocery store.

She said the chamber wants to see the property stabilized.

“You don’t want it to become an eyesore,” she said. “It’s obviously visible. The high school students there need to be in a good environment, and you don’t want that area to deteriorate around them.”

Ravencraft said the retail investment team plans to work with Price Edwards’ office investment brokers and the industrial investment brokers to find suitable buyers.

“It’s not going to be retail,” Bates said. “It has to be something different in today’s market.”

I'll admit maybe it's because I'm reading it with this bias in my mind, but I always got the impression that the owners wanted this to BE a cultural center, but never wanted to put the work into MAKING it a cultural center. This article just further reinforces this belief, they brought in some people who did realize the work it would take, and have had success in doing so in other places, and then just ignored the very people who would have made it happen.

I think it was a lot simpler than that: When they got into the nitty-gritty details of getting those "incubator" businesses started, they discovered that the number of such potential businesses was nowhere *near* what they expected. They tried mightily, in my view, because no small amount of money was spent modifying the old Dillard's space to facilitate the open-air market/bazaar concept where the incubator business were supposed to start. They carved out a monstrous chunk of the floor between levels 1 and 2 and had cleared out the rest of the space in a manner I interpreted to be in expectation for growth - growth that just never happened.

What I saw the last few times I went to the place just before it closed was that a few businesses had grown out of incubator status, and a few were now occupying larger, more conventional retail spaces, but the overwhelming chunk of the mall was still vacant with remnants of past tenants, incomplete construction, and general debris within.

I may be completely wrong, but I think they really wanted and tried to apply the incubator concept. They just vastly overestimated how much fuel there was to start the engine - but once they realized that, it was too late.

I just think the incubator concept is outdated. If your trying to get a new business off the ground, the cheapest way to do that is online retail and social media marketing. A physical space needs to be super cheap if that's the route you want to go.

Perfect spot for a MLS stadium outdoor concert venue. The Zoo is ok but I think OKC could do much better in the outdoor concert space.

Always thought this would have been great for an indoor amusement & water park/mall/aquarium similar to the Mall of America. Plenty of space for nicer hotels in surrounding land. It would draw from all over the place and bring in tons of money to South OKC.

There are plans to hold some autocross events here organized by some local car clubs.

Always thought this would have been great for an indoor amusement & water park/mall/aquarium similar to the Mall of America. Plenty of space for nicer hotels in surrounding land. It would draw from all over the place and bring in tons of money to South OKC.

At this point, it would be a great place to hold The Running Man.

http://metrograph.com/uploads/films/Running_Man_for_boook-1498685461-726x388.JPG

Considering that - if the forthcoming Regional Transit Authority is able to get off the ground - there is a tentative stop for this area on the planned Edmond-Norman commuter rail line, the highest and best use for this property would likely be a large-scale mixed-use development.

The AMC Crossroads 16 has permanently closed according to the AMC website.

It lasted longer than I thought it would.