Do it's a dead mall and has been for 10 years. It's a safe mall, but it's dead. There's nothing left except Sears (gotta keep that Craftsman stuff baby)! So what would be put in it's place? I've got two options that I think would work well.

1. Residential - just bulldoze the mall and replace it with housing development. Leave the couple of outparcels and Sears and you've got an already graded neighborhood with easy access through all the lights. Plus it provides the needed room for devlopment on the west side of MWC. Other devlopments on Air Depot less than a mile away filled up VERY quickly in what little space there was.

2. Mixed Use - there is no office space to speak of left in MWC. The MD Tower and Parklawn have been it for years and we need more. People build these little house looking complexes that use the space very inefficiently. MWC has been in need of more multistory office space for years (as shown by how the hospital has bought many small buildings around town since the space on Parklawn is full). So how about a couple 10 or so floor buildings? Maybe even make one of the a residential tower. MWC is in need of more upscale condo/apt. type developments as shown by Legacy being so popular. So again bulldoze and make some vertical space happen....plus it's always bugged me that Del City's bank tower is taller than anything in MWC, even if it is by only a couple floors....arg!

Comments?

I like #2.

It's really sad Heritage Park has just kind of sunk into an abyss...you'd like to think something like that could be rehabbed....

The problem with any rehab project is that HP is only a stone's throw away from the new development going in along SE 29th, and I can't fathom anyone who would want to try and establish (or re-establish) a big retail presence in the face of that kind of competition.

I frankly don't know what you can do with HP. The last anchor, Dillard's, left a few months ago, and I frankly don't think Sears cares if the rest of the mall is even there. I've already been told that Chik-Fil-A will close upon opening of a free-standing site on 29th, so the out-year prospects for the rest of the mall are seemingly ever-diminishing.

Multi-use office space, ala Shepherd Mall, may be the only viable option available.

-SoonerDave

I like # 2 also.

Midwest City could benefit from offering more office space, and vertical is the way to go for efficiency.

The condo idea is great - a straight shot down Reno to get downtown, but close to shopping areas. :idhitit:

Now all we need is the investor...LOL

The owner apparently had some redevelopment plans to renovate it to keep it into the existing mall shops.

Yeah well that was 5 years ago when he said that....has he done anything? No. Has the mall continued to decline? Yes.

Since then, Dillard's left, as well as many smaller tenants. Inside, you basically have the shoe stores Chick-Fil-A (until the new one is built on 29th), and mostly crappy mix stores. Not to be stereotypical, but it's the general idea of the shops that sell crappy purses, CD's, and junk...one after another.

Too true, bombermwc, and sad. I'm old enough to remember when that piece of land was a dirt bike track and I remember the excitement when Heritage was open for business.

My daughters and I did a lot of shopping there. The last time I went, I was appalled at the dirt and disrepair, not to mention lack of places to shop.

Maybe we need that dirt bike track again? :)

I found this site today....interesting but not sure how current it is.

Heritage Park Mall | Shop on the Edge of Midwest City (http://www.freewebs.com/heritageparkmall/)

Would be interesting if it actually happened.


and a little tag line I found somewhere...

"A lot of people do not realize that the intersection of Reno and Air Depot had some of the highest traffic counts in the city in 2004 with just under 30,000 cars per day, which is well above most retailers' minimum criteria, he said. The fundamentals are there. They just need to be presented better."

If they go lime green, I'll NEVER go there!

UGH!

The design isn't bad, but those colors...<shudder>

Can you tell I hate lime green?:Smiley103

I found this site today....interesting but not sure how current it is.

Heritage Park Mall | Shop on the Edge of Midwest City (http://www.freewebs.com/heritageparkmall/)



Yes, this is what I was referring to.

If they go lime green, I'll NEVER go there!

UGH!

The design isn't bad, but those colors...<shudder>

Can you tell I hate lime green?:Smiley103

I think you need to check your eyes or your monitor....it's yellow not green. Not that it's any better because its still ugly.

With all the new stores on 29th I think the traffic data is probably outdated. What about a waterpark? I think it would make a lot of money and lots of families would benefit.

Except the one at Regional's pool sort of shows that a water park in MWC isn't exactlly a money making affair. People want a place like White Water, not the "Reno Slip and Slide"....always hated that name. I'm not sure OKC would be able to support two park, nor would they choose to since WW is so much larger than that site....and so well established. It would have to outdo WW by a mile for people outside of the east side to use it.

I think we're better focussing on normal commercial/residential.

How about tearing it down and making an outdoor style mall like they have in Dallas.

Or better yet how about a new movie theater? It's strange that there isn't a theater in the Mid/Del area.

How about tearing it down and making an outdoor style mall like they have in Dallas.

Or better yet how about a new movie theater? It's strange that there isn't a theater in the Mid/Del area.

Why does everything have to be "like they have in Dallas?" Why not be creative. Or there are a lot of other cities that have things we could copy.

Too many Dallasite want to be's here.

Now. What would I do? I have proposed this before. Keep it a mall, however, have shops that cater to military and make it a base mall. A mall BX.

Well perhaps Mranderson...BECAUSE it works!! If OKC wants to compete and attract major companies to this area they need to mirror what succesfull growing cities have done.

Oh by the way since your all about criticizing people's opinons your "creative" idea for the mall sounds a lot like the Old Paris Flea Market. I bet you were a supporter for saving the old strip mall outside Tinker?

How about tearing it down and making an outdoor style mall like they have in Dallas.

Or better yet how about a new movie theater? It's strange that there isn't a theater in the Mid/Del area.

I like the idea of a theater. I can remember waiting to see Return of the Jedi the first week it came out. The line wrapped all the way around by Sears.
Then they built the theater at Crossroads and that pretty much doomed the one inside Heritage.

Well perhaps Mranderson...BECAUSE it works!! If OKC wants to compete and attract major companies to this area they need to mirror what succesfull growing cities have done.

Oh by the way since your all about criticizing people's opinons your "creative" idea for the mall sounds a lot like the Old Paris Flea Market. I bet you were a supporter for saving the old strip mall outside Tinker?

You might THINK it works, however, just because those people down south like it does not mean it is good for us. There are numerous cities we could be emulating.

My idea is not "Old Paris Flea Market." That market is not strictly for military nor is it BX. It is a very rundown building with junk dealers.

And on criticizing others opinions? No. I try to educate people based on what I have learned over my decades of political eduacation and other experience. These people are entitled to OPINION.

BTW. This topic is about Heritage Park Mall, not my 52 years on earth, most of which has been in Oklahoma City.

:ou :backtotop

And on criticizing others opinions? No. I try to educate people based on what I have learned over my decades of political eduacation and other experience. These people are entitled to OPINION.
:LolLolLol:lol2::LolLolLol:lol2::LolLolLol
Man, you are hysterical! I almost spewed milk out my nose!
I guess I didn't realize how funny you were with self-deprecating humor.

I think they need to turn the place into the world's largest Dairy Queen Laundromat/Roller-Disco/Car Wash.

I think they need to turn the place into the world's largest Dairy Queen Laundromat/Roller-Disco/Car Wash.

Me thinks they need to turn it into the largest hamburger joint, and serve baconcheeseburger deluxes.

Wow...stupidity.
Anyway......

I worked at Sears for a little over a year and just changed jobs at the end of May. Sears doesn't care if the rest of the mall is there, as someone previously mentioned. They own that building, the rest of the mall was built on to them. Our store manager gave us a long speech one night about how we had just spent lots of money installing a new air conditioning system and various other repairs as reasons why we wouldn't be closing. Then 2 weeks later she quit, along with the managers of two of the other area Sears (Quail Springs and Norman, I believe). I'm not sure what's going on.
As for the website, it's definitely not current. Most of the stores it lists are no longer there. A-Z is closing as well.

I worked at Sears for a little over a year and just changed jobs at the end of May. Sears doesn't care if the rest of the mall is there, as someone previously mentioned. They own that building, the rest of the mall was built on to them.
It wasn't until the old Sears at 15th and Midwest Blvd. burned and needed a new building that the mall was built.
I was driving by the mall last night and thought about how sad it looked. Not many cars and the cars that were there I figured were probably employees cars.

I think that not only MWC, but the entire OKC area would be served very well by an upscale red light district.

Little Amsterdam we'll call it.

I have heard from two different people about a rumor that Mathis Bros bought the Dillards for a furniture clearance outlet.

Bomber and some others might do some digging

Heritage Park Lake.

I think that not only MWC, but the entire OKC area would be served very well by an upscale red light district.

Little Amsterdam we'll call it.

420- "It's a Good Thing".- Martha Stewart

I agree nothing but good clean fun can come from a red light district. It would attract all kinds of interesting and exotic people to enjoy the finer things in life. If one thing it would help the economy and attract some tourism as well.
When I was in Paris the red light district attracted people of all ages, creed, and country. Although it was kind of strange being surrounded by people as old as my Grandparents during a cabaret with topless dancers serving food and prancing around in peacock feathers, it really did make me glad to experience such a wonderful place.

NIMBY! You want a red light district, no way in hell are you going to put it in MWC.

Bomber -- with a major military base just a short distance away, it'd be a huge hit.

These things don't have to be sleazy. If you've ever been to Paris or Amsterdam, you'd realize that.

-- But I realize, of course, this is not realistic. It's just fun to throw out an idea which is as ineffectual as anything else in this thread... as if I have any say on what gets developed there.

i'm sure the town of valleybrook would not be too pleased about such a development. -M

Bomber -- with a major military base just a short distance away, it'd be a huge hit.

These things don't have to be sleazy. If you've ever been to Paris or Amsterdam, you'd realize that.



With some of the people moving into my neighborhood in MWC lately, the red light district might make for better neighbors!:tiphat:

i'm sure the town of valleybrook would not be too pleased about such a development. -M

Too bad. They've had their opportunity to create a "nice" district. They have managed to cobble together a few skanky strip clubs and a speed trap. Next.

Well how about we think about something that doesn't involve a red light district and talk about something that actually has a chance to work.

And the next time someone suggests something like that, why dont you ask how you would feel if it were across the street from your house.

Well how about we think about something that doesn't involve a red light district and talk about something that actually has a chance to work.

And the next time someone suggests something like that, why dont you ask how you would feel if it were across the street from your house.

Yeah, because a professional developer is going to go to OKCTalk for pointers as to what to build there? Sure the suggestion is nonsense, but no less so than anything else which might be suggested in this thread.

But okay.. what we need is a 30-story oil rig with a scenic overlook surrounded by a botanical garden.

Better?

omg...Midtowner..That would be a perfect place for picnics and just imagine how many senior citizen charter buses would stop by for a photo op...Throw in a couple of Luby's and a Golden Corral nearby and that place would be crazy

Awesome suggestion :yourock:

"A lot of people do not realize that the intersection of Reno and Air Depot had some of the highest traffic counts in the city in 2004 with just under 30,000 cars per day, which is well above most retailers' minimum criteria, he said. The fundamentals are there. They just need to be presented better."


The whole mall has been just a bit on the clunky side from the beginning... even if it was based on the Sears on the corner plot (is that true?), the traffic pattern input/output was pretty inefficient, anyway.

With 30K vehicles passing that intersection in 2004, it is a testament to the idea of the mall that not too many have decided to stop by in the past three years.

Time to go with a new more 'approachable' approach.





Although, I'll bet Sears won't change a thing.

Well we now know what will be going into Dilliard's space.

Thu December 6, 2007
Church buys mall space

By Richard Mize
Real Estate Editor
If the Christian Gospel was meant to be distributed at the retail level, Edmond-based LifeChurch.tv's newest future campus is in a perfect place:
The former Dillard's at Heritage Park Mall in Midwest City.



Life Covenant Church Inc. bought the nearly 100,000-square-foot space — attached to the mall, not a freestanding building — this week. The church paid $1.5 million to Fred Mazaheri's Midland Capital LLC.

LifeChurch.tv, which has about a dozen campuses in Oklahoma and several other states, has no immediate plans for the space but eventually will open a church branch, said Bobby Gruenewald, pastor-innovation leader.

"We don't have a particular timeline or timeframe as to when we might start or when we might open,” he said, noting that news of the property acquisition will whet east-area members' desire for a meeting space.

It's not the church's first former retail location. LifeChurch.tv's south Oklahoma City campus is in leased former store space at 7800 S Walker Ave., an Oklahoma City campus is in leased space in a former Wal-Mart at 5821 Northwest Expressway, and a campus in Fort Worth, Texas, is in a former movie theater attached to a strip center, Gruenewald said.

The congregation, part of the Evangelical Covenant Church, constructed buildings for campuses at 2001 NW 178 and in Stillwater. The church also has campuses at 7015 E 41st Street in Tulsa and in Mesa, Ariz., Wellington, Fla., Albany, N.Y., and Hendersonville, Tenn. The main church is at 4600 E Second Street in Edmond.

When it comes to real estate, "we've done a little bit (of) everything” to start new campuses, Gruenewald said. "We look at the most effective use for our dollars. Buying and leasing property (is usually) more cost-effective than building.”

LifeChurch.tv will bring new life to Heritage Park Mall, but not the kind most mall owners are looking for, said Mark Inman, the broker with CB Richard Ellis-Oklahoma who represented the church in the transaction.

An open, functioning space beats a dark, abandoned space, he said, but it probably won't mean a business boon for the rest of the mall, which has been struggling for years. Managers for the mall's out-of-state owners could not immediately be reached.

The church will renovate and improve the space, however, which will help the overall appearance of the property, Inman said.

Dillard's closed its Heritage Park Mall location in February. The mall owners, who were not involved in the sale of the separate Dillard's property, probably would have preferred another big anchor store, Inman said.

The mall owners' plans for improvements remain in place, according to the mall's Web site.

In one place, the Web site also says: "We have many unique locally owned stores where you are likely to find exactly what you are looking for.”

But in another place, under several lease specials, the site says: "Retailers Needed. Heritage Park Mall seeks a variety of retailers: Apparel, Restaurants, Music & Movies, Novelty & Gifts, Specialty Stores.”

With Dillard's now gone and the old Montgomery Ward space long empty, Sears is the mall's last remaining anchor, Inman said.

Someone posted memories of Heritage Park Mall on the "Dead Malls” Web site — deadmalls.com — in April 2006. LifeChurch.tv won't resurrect the mall, Inman said.

"It's a user for a piece of real estate that probably would have sat for a long time,” he said.

I was sure hoping they would take something like the old WalMart instead of the mall. I'd rather see the mall torn down.

I like #2 as well. I could see a smaller movie theater with some the remaining space an outdoor strip mall and Sears doing a face-lift to become stand-alone. Anything that creates JOBS...the more the better! As it stands the mall doesn't employ very many people and MWC needs good paying jobs to truly live up to the "East is In" statement.

Someone told me recently that the old rumors of turning it into a Shepard Mall type facility (office space) was becoming more a reality now. That with the box stores all gone (Except Sears which could stand alone easily), that they were really looking to do this.

I think as long as they don't charge mall prices for space, it would work great. Remodel the interior for that type of use and it would meet a VERY big need for office space in MWC. Not to mentin that they could create a real Food Court for the employees in the space too.

Why not keep one half retail and open the other half up to commercial office space or clinics for dentists, chiropractors, massage/physical therapy, etc...
I think with the buildin on 29th that the reno/air depot area needs to be updated, but not with bike tracks or the like. We need more business income for the city.

Well we now know what will be going into Dilliard's space.

Thu December 6, 2007
Church buys mall space

By Richard Mize
Real Estate Editor
If the Christian Gospel was meant to be distributed at the retail level, Edmond-based LifeChurch.tv's newest future campus is in a perfect place:
The former Dillard's at Heritage Park Mall in Midwest City.



Life Covenant Church Inc. bought the nearly 100,000-square-foot space — attached to the mall, not a freestanding building — this week. The church paid $1.5 million to Fred Mazaheri's Midland Capital LLC.



.....


Oh man...Talk about 1 stop shopping....So....Many....Jokes....So....Little... Time...


*pop*

If anyone has been blind lately, since 29th has really taken off, pretty much every other strip mall in MWC has undergone major renovations to update their look. Air Depot, 15th, etc. Most recently I noticed that the Lockheed area was getting a facelift again. I think everyone got the message that they would have to pony up some cash to compete.

Now it's Heritage's turn...and adding those signs out by the street was a move in the wrong direction...they look horrible. What they need to do is make the damned decision to stop being retail and either bulldoze the crap or convert it. Stop letting it just sit there sending money down the toilet. I mean even the lights in the parking lot aren't all working anymore. And when was the last time anyone went IN the mall to shop??????

If anyone has been blind lately, since 29th has really taken off, pretty much every other strip mall in MWC has undergone major renovations to update their look. Air Depot, 15th, etc.

Now it's Heritage's turn... either bulldoze the crap or convert it.

And for a lesson in how NOT to do it, see the old K-Mart at Reno and Sooner

That whole side of town is an embarassment, from Sooner to Midwest Blvd.

Until the MWC Council starts passing some code regarding appearance, landscaping and signage, and make it retroactive, we'll continue to have eyesores like Anthony's, HPM and vacant lots on Midwest Blvd. For goodness sake, a little paint and a few trees wouldn't be that damn hard!

Well in Anthony's defense, they were trying to go for a unified look to their signage that they didn't have at their old location. I think the neon looks better than the huge rectangular K-Mart/Venture signs did. And at least they moved to MWC instead of going out to Reno or something. It kept MWC from having yet another empty big-box store.

And if you didn't know, Mr. Anthoy lives in the upstairs portion of the building just as he did in the old location. Notice how they added his balcony up there too? Most of the upstairs residence area used to be offices/breakroom for the retail stores. I don't know if he bought the place or if he leases it like K-Mart did. In that case, we should be blaming the leaseing company for the appearance of the building.

I think bulldozing HPM and turning it into a gated 'exclusive' nieghborhood is a much better idea than a Church TV studio that only takes money from those who can least afford it and then purchase a $1.5M building just to sit on it. How do we stop this chaos? Lets get it rezoned and get rid of the anticipation.

I live right next to the mall and there is now way I would want a gated 'exclusive' place next to me. I don't care for the Church TV Studio idea either, but making it something like an exclusive for the rich people isn't going to make it any better. This side of the town is going down hill and fast, I doubt the people that would live in the exclusive area would even want to.

Down hill fast? I just don't see that at all. Just because the mall is collapsing, it doesn't have anything to do with the neighborhoods...which are extremely safe! I'm not sure what you are basing your opinion on, but with all of the people I know that live over there, "down hill fast" is not accurate.

I know for a fact that it is a good neighborhood.

Do you live in this area? Everything in this side of the town is going down. The pep boys is on its way to closing along with the popeyes closing a couple months ago. The mall has very little reason to be open except for the Sears, unless you like to buy the cheap stuff from a-z outlet. With 29th street becoming such a great success, the empty spaces are popping up all the time on this side of town. Not to mention it's not the safest part of Midwest City. If you don't agree, that's fine, it's just my thoughts on it.

How does 3 businesses closing quanitfy "going down hill"? I'm sad to see Pep Boys close...can't quite figure that one out to be honest. But Popey's never did well there. That place was always empty, no matter what goes in there, it's going to have a problem because of the location. Arby's is established because it's been there forever, but Popeye's just doesnt draw a crowd.

And "not the safest part of MWC"....what planet are you on? It's not as though you live north of 10th street. You can walk around those neighborhoods at night by yourself, just like you can anywhere else south of 10th. If you're basing something off of a crime tracker or something, then you aren't paying attention either.

I just completely and whole heartedly disagree, and I think 99&#37; of MWC would be on my side too. Empty stores have absolutely nothing to do with the neighborhoods there...at all....period.

Maybe if you compare it to the gated communities on the far east side of town, it is the safest.

It's not just three stores, you also have the wal-mart, target, and albertsons that went out. My point wasn't to say that the neighborhoods are going down hill because the stores are closing. I have lived in Midwest City all my life and this side of town has never really been the greatest part. I live really close to 10th street so I do know what I'm talking about, and it's not just the 10th street area that is bad, what about the corner on Air Depot and Reno? That's not the greatest area either, how about the rape that happened at the Spring Tree apartments? I don't care if you don't really agree with me and I'm sure that the 99&#37; of MWC that you think is going to agree with you, will not. I've talked to many people who live here and have lived in this general area, and most of them agree with me that this side of the town IS going down hill, it's not getting the attention that 29th and 15th Street are getting. I think that they should be trying to get this side of town up and going again, it needs more than just some new gated community though.

They could put a Super Target in that area and that would draw some attention to the area. There are so many Wal-Marts around with just not enough competition.

I'm glad that 29th Street is picking up, mostly for selfish reasons - I live within rock-throwing distance from Lowe's (well, if someone had a good arm!).

I have to agree with masonsmomma somewhat - that area around Reno and Air Depot looks like crap! No one has kept up the properties around there, thanks to MWC allowing the constant building and development in the past with no requirements or enforcement of upkeep, landscaping, etc.

HPM should be gutted and turned into something both useful and attractive - multi-use retail and office perhaps.

And MWC needs to get busy and pass some laws that require landscaping and noise barriers, plus upkeep of proeprty and no grandfathering!

Thanks! Someone finally atleast sees where I'm coming from. It's such a major disappointment to see that this side of town is looking so blah. I really wish the movie theater could have stayed open, I think that would have attracted atleast some more people to this side of town. Don't get me wrong I love that 29th is going great, I do most of my shopping over there, I just wish we still had something over here besides Crest.