Oak Park Mall

[kanasalumn]

I am so against shoppers pay up to a penny in tax.This should not be pay by them.  the developers opwn the property, they should pay out of their own pockets.  I do not ask tax payers to pay for my house renovations, I geta heloc or home equity loan to pay it for an example.  Yes we do ask tax payers for our stadiums, arena and otehr things, but for this no. 

[KCPowercat]

just consider it their cover charge.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I am so against shoppers pay up to a penny in tax.This should not be pay by them.  the developers opwn the property, they should pay out of their own pockets.   I do not ask tax payers to pay for my house renovations, I geta heloc or home equity loan to pay it for an example.  Yes we do ask tax payers for our stadiums, arena and otehr things, but for this no.   

There is a pretty easy way to avoid it if you don't like it . . .

[trailerkid]

OP council committee granted prelim approval of CBL's plan to attract better tenants:

-$20 M interior renovation (lighting, carpeting)

-Food court, center court renovation

-New exterior entrances

-Expansion between Rainforest Cafe and Dillards would include "new major tenant."

Last expansion was in 2001, but CBL called it "piecemeal." Tax would cost Oak Park shoppers $.50 for every $100 spent.

It's too bad Metro North, Antioch, Blue Ridge, Bannister, etc. didn't follow this kind of lead instead of just letting everything deteriorate. Oak Park is not in a much better neighborhood than any of the others, but they just continued to evolve. When this project is done, Oak Park will be CBL's premier property and ready to compete with high profile centers like StL Galleria. 

[FergMePleez]

I really don't want to see this renovation take place, however, I can see the upside of it as well.  Personally, I don't shop at the Oak Park Mall and could care less about any sort of renovation taking place.  The mall is overpriced as it is and I would rather buy the clothes sold out of their retail shops at a local vintage clothing store.  The styles go in and out of that mall before we have time to blink an eye and I think everything in the entire mall is overpriced.  I worked for the mall adminstration office several years ago, and it drove me crazy.  I didn't enjoy the atmosphere and I haven't stepped foot back into that establishment since I quit working for them.  The retail stores are ridiculously overpriced.  You could easily buy a brand name t shirt from any store at the mall and find it unworn, tags and all for a 1/3 of the price on ebay or in a local recycled clothing store.  I don't want my tax dollars to go towards a facility that I have no desire to shop in.  I would rather see the money go just about anywhere other than to that.

[kard]

...I don't want my tax dollars to go towards a facility that I have no desire to shop in.  I would rather see the money go just about anywhere other than to that.

So far, they're only talking about a tax within the mall.  If you don't shop there then you won't be paying for it.

[chrizow]

i'm willing to pay an enormous extra tax at oak park mall if it means they will lure better tenants...

[FergMePleez]

Thanks for the clarification.  I don't shop there, and bringing new tenants into the mall won't change that for me.  I am totally opposed to paying for it if I am not going to use it, but if that's not the case then bring it on.  The mall is overdue for a renovation.  It's going to have to do something to keep up with its developing competitors (i.e. VW, P&L, etc.)   

[justin8216]

This renovation couldn't come at a better time. I visited Oak Park Mall today and couldn't believe my eyes. Most of the floor tiles are cracked, chipped, or missing completely. The fancy projector lights that used to say Oak park Mall in colors or a holiday message are never on anymore. The carpeted areas are torn and ripped. One tenant near the JC Penny, formerly a Pretzel store, now is a Tailor Shop with signage made of painted plywood.

The wing with Nordstrom? Johnny Rockets former space right next to Nordstrom's entrance is vacant and run down ever since it closed less than a year after opening. One store next to the downsized Eddie Bauer uses Eddies Bauer's original tenant finish. Mario Dracossis former space near Nordstoms entrance is now a store that displays it's merchandise on the floor in cardboard boxes. The Space next to Nordstoms entrance on the top level has never been leased since the wing opened what 7 or 8 years ago.

New tenants? Ann Taylor LOFT is opening in the "exclusive" Nordstrom wing. I guess Oak Park is to be a mall/outlet hybrid  too.

[eliphar17]

This renovation couldn't come at a better time. I visited Oak Park Mall today and couldn't believe my eyes. Most of the floor tiles are cracked, chipped, or missing completely. The fancy projector lights that used to say Oak park Mall in colors or a holiday message are never on anymore. The carpeted areas are torn and ripped.

You have got to be kidding. I have been there this summer and I can't believe how much you are exaggerating. You really have a vendetta against everyone but KCK, don't you?

[KansasCityCraka]

Yeah I have also been to the mall a few times this summer and it isn't even close to that bad.

[anniewarbucks]

I could never figure out why Johnny Rockets went so fast. I was going to try them one time and afer reaching their slot to find out that they were closed, I ended up at Applebees.

[KCTigerFan]

Poor service and mediocre food (at best).  Rockets is a prime example of a theme restaurant that was cool and fun, expanded and then didn't have the management chops or people in place to keep food and service quality high. 

I could never figure out why Johnny Rockets went so fast. I was going to try them one time and afer reaching their slot to find out that they were closed, I ended up at Applebees.

[ComandanteCero]

I went to a Johnny Rockets in downtown Chicago (I was actually looking for another non-chain buffet place that was supposed to be next to it, but it had closed down, and being hungry as hell after walking 4 miles, and not seeing anything else nearby I just went in).

What a dump.  Easily the worst service I've ever received in a restaurant.  The server forgot about me twice, even though there were only about 3 couples in the entire dump, I had to keep reminding him to bring me every piece of my order, which he apparently found an annoying interruption to his conversation with another waitress.  I had to flag down another waiter to see if someone could bring me my bill.  But that person disappeared, never to be seen again.  I finally went up to the cashier by the bar, who was apparently also the manager (judging from the uniform), and when i started to explain that i was trying to pay my bill there since my waiter disappeared on me, she copped an attitude, telling me to "wait your turn sir!"  even though no one was there (she was just restocking the nickels, dimes and quarters!).  After doing this for way too long, she finally turned her attention to me, I paid my bill, and silently cursed the moment i stepped in that shit hole to gave them my business. 

[ddw334umkc]

I would've walked out.

[anniewarbucks]

There are restaurants that I wish that I could have walked out of in the past. However with my high set of morals it is hard for me to walk out of a restaurant until I pay and finish my meal. True the whole point of walking out is to teach the establishment a lesson but some managers can make it hard for the customer to come back. I saw a employee at a Subway just Saturday kick a customer out for cheeting them out of some pop. She was supposed to get just water and instead she went and got some pop. The manager told her to never come back. I do not think it is any different to the management to do the same to a customer that walks out on them.

[chrizow]

This renovation couldn't come at a better time. I visited Oak Park Mall today and couldn't believe my eyes. Most of the floor tiles are cracked, chipped, or missing completely. The fancy projector lights that used to say Oak park Mall in colors or a holiday message are never on anymore. The carpeted areas are torn and ripped. One tenant near the JC Penny, formerly a Pretzel store, now is a Tailor Shop with signage made of painted plywood.

The wing with Nordstrom? Johnny Rockets former space right next to Nordstrom's entrance is vacant and run down ever since it closed less than a year after opening. One store next to the downsized Eddie Bauer uses Eddies Bauer's original tenant finish. Mario Dracossis former space near Nordstoms entrance is now a store that displays it's merchandise on the floor in cardboard boxes. The Space next to Nordstoms entrance on the top level has never been leased since the wing opened what 7 or 8 years ago.

New tenants? Ann Taylor LOFT is opening in the "exclusive" Nordstrom wing. I guess Oak Park is to be a mall/outlet hybrid  too.

haha, are you high?  i was there yesterday and it looked as nice as ever.  i didn't notice any broken floor tiles, but even with broken tiles it's the best and nicest mall in the metro.  i agree that there are some random, sub-par tenants but for the most part it's a solid mall and easily the best shopping destination probably in the whole state of kansas.

[DaveKCMO]

haha, are you high?  i was there yesterday and it looked as nice as ever.  i didn't notice any broken floor tiles, but even with broken tiles it's the best and nicest mall in the metro.  i agree that there are some random, sub-par tenants but for the most part it's a solid mall and easily the best shopping destination probably in the whole state of kansas.

and it still has massive amounts of traffic. it's by no means ready to retire.

[anniewarbucks]

With most other malls dead or dying Oak Park still shines. This is more than can be said about most other malls in KC. I would think that it will still be active even after all of the outdoor strip malls have died out.

[KCMax]

Overland Park City Council OKs special sales tax district for Oak Park Mall

On Monday night, the Overland Park City Council approved a measure that will create a special sales tax district to help pay for some of the mall’s proposed roadway renovations.

The sales tax, which would add 0.5 percent to every purchase at the mall, could generate roughly $19 million — if the council approves the full amount requested by CBL & Associates Properties Inc.