Has the area around Oak Park Mall finally Had It?

[justin8216]

Anyone notice all the vacant buildings around Oak Park Mall?

Former Builders Square/Hobby Lobby/Ultimate Electronics Store.
Former Home Quarters/Home Depot Expo.

Quivira 95 shopping center, mostly vacant. Anyone know if that Toys R Us is going to be there much longer?
I know the Office Max there is closing March 1st along with the store on Noland Rd.
Vacant Ammoco corner 95th and Quivira.

The Quivira 95 shopping center is getting really run down, the lights are busted on the sidewalks and the ceilings above the sidewalks are falling in last time I was there. I think that's one reason Office Max decided to close that location. Interestingly The Oak Park Mall management also manages Quivira 95 and Oak Park Commons shopping centers.

Has the area around Oak Park Mall finally Had it? If they build that new One Corbin Park, I'm just not sure.

[warwickland]

ah yes. suburban sprawl hurting suburban sprawl. who would have known? 

[GRID]

Why do you think the mall was unloaded last year?

buy low, sell high.

[KCMax]

Well, its not like it was sold for pennies on the dollar.

It will be interesting to see the tensions between North JoCo and South JoCo over the next 10-15 years. The bickering we currently see over state lines could very well translate into bickering between the inner ring burbs (Mission, Roeland Park, Shawnee, Merriam, North OP) and the newer suburbs (South OP, Leawood, Olathe, Gardner). With so much development going on, its going to be cutthroat competition to attract shoppers, not to mention that fewer shoppers will be coming from outside Johnson County due to more attractive shopping areas popping up elsewhere in the metro.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing the county split into two. It would weaken it, which is probably a good thing, and it would allow North JoCo to integrate itself better with KCMO instead of having to drag south JoCo in kicking and screaming into any regional alliance initiatives. Plus none of my neighbors feel like they have anything in common with Olatheans.

[Tosspot]

Blow up that hideous hellhole wasteland!

[GuyInLenexa]

Most of the stores you mentioned went out of business or reduced their stores nationally. 
Petco moved to a larger location within the same store. 
Last Tuesday night I notice OP Mall's parking lot was as full as a Christmas shopping day.
I think until consumer confidence is up, you won't see many refills in those spots.
The area is getting older, I live close to there, personally I wish the traffic would die down.  In the last five years I lived in Lenexa, it has not.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I grew up not far from Oak Park and I remember that several of the retail locations listed by Justin have really been cursed since they were built.  The Ultimate Electronics space has probably been vacant quite a bit more than its been occupied.  The Quivira 95 center has always had rediculous turnover - of course it has seen its share of questionable entrepeneurial ventures over the years.  I can barely remember that gas station ever being opened - the location is terrible, you can't really get in or out other than from one direction and I am sure this is why no one has wanted to touch that lot.  I am surprised BDs has managed to make a go of it for so long on the opposite corner - that space was a notorious death spot for restaurants before they took over.  The only thing that has been 100% steady from the get go is that hideous Ponderosa that has sat rotting on the corner while their corporate parent spruces up every other location in the country.  I guess my point is - the area around Oak Park has always seen its fair share of failures and cursed locations - I am just not pessimistic enough to believe that it is that different now.  

[QueSi2Opie]

C'mon now, they added a Target and Micky's "fake" Irish Pub around Oak Park Mall.  Also, the traffic at that Best Buy is absolutely ridiculous!  Many of these places jus' need a face lift to spark renewed interest from shoppers and retailers.  Then again, the future of American shopping will be a handful of retailers (Walmart, Target, Best Buy, etc.).   

[skim82]

One thing I have noticed is the horrible roads/exit ramps off of I-35 and 95th street.  Needs to be repaved...

I think Oak Park will continue to draw well from the growing areas in Western Shawnee, and the NE area of JoCo. 

[trailerkid]

Nordstrom Rack coming soon as per Joyce Smith in the former Circuit City. I think they're pretty good stores (i.e. $20 Ben Sherman jeans).

[rxlexi]

  Awesome, I've heard they're great stores.  Again I wish we could see more of this type of leasing activity at P&L or even the Plaza; popular "first in the region" stores that draw people.  Oak Park still pulling in decent retail "catches".

[DaveKCMO]

very excited about this! it's a required stop for me on every trip to chicago.

[NDTeve]

Nordstrom Rack coming soon as per Joyce Smith in the former Circuit City. I think they're pretty good stores (i.e. $20 Ben Sherman jeans).

Does this go near the existing or somewhere else in the Metro?

[mgsports]

Next to annouce would be Albertsons,Ramey Price Cutter,Shopko,TJMAXX and More,Menards,Gastings,Grander Mountain,Ross Dress for Less and so on.

[NDTeve]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 93594.html

[Stockton]

Does this go near the existing or somewhere else in the Metro?

It will be across from the mall.

Funny how the beginning of this thread was banking on doomsday for Oak Park. New owners of the mall added many new stores, some exclusive in the metro. And now this.

[KCPowercat]

Now this?  Oak park management didn't have anything to do with this?

[Stockton]

Now this?  Oak park management didn't have anything to do with this?

Dude, read the title of the thread. But sorry, I guess what I wrote was kind of confusing.

[trailerkid]

Now this?  Oak park management didn't have anything to do with this?

I think the fact that Oak Park Mall 2011 itself is much stronger in terms of retail than it was in 2000 does play a part in having Nordstrom bring another concept to the area-- a small victory for the 95th/Quivira/35 area. But Overland Park/JoCo really needs to look at getting rid of some of the undervalued homes, apartments, and big box retail borderline blight and replacing it with more contemporary uses like a retail village to complement the mall, midrise office park, condos, etc. So much of the built environment around Oak Park (streets, big boxes, restaurants) look very dated and Bannisteresque. Although Oak Park is rolling right now they could find themself in a very precarious position when/if West Lenexa/Olathe/Shawnee get their own powerful regional shopping center and 119th builds up even more.

[KCPowercat]

Crime is also becoming a factor I would think....lots of incidents right in this area anymore.