Oak View Mall (144 & West Center Rd)

[Busguy2010]

What exactly does “mouse trap” mean when talking about a mall?

The goal of retailers and mall designers is to get consumers inside and keep them there indefinitely—to increase the chances that shoppers will buy more and more “cheese,” so to speak.

[youtube][/youtube]

This is pretty much the concept.. And my traffic grid experience years ago at the Oakview Mousetrap enhanced the feeling that I was being detained in a slow moving circular retail traffic loop..destined to spend the bulk of my waking hours stuck in a retail environment with the hopes I’d take the “cheese” and spend more than I had planned..

A basic, but brilliant concept actually...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

HA, I completely forgot about that game and very vaguely remember it. Thank you for that flashback. I was wondering why you'd refer to Oakview so adamantly as a mousetrap. But it does make sense... Or, at least, maybe it did Presently, it doesn't feel like a mousetrap to me. Oakview isn't my hangout but I knew it well. I traveled there from my house near Crossroads specifically because my parents told me Crossroads was "getting ghetto". Otherwise, not suiting their needs and losing tenants they'd expect in a mall.

Wasn't it Hy'Vee or linens & things that really started it? I remember things changing around the recession. It seems there's been a few more closings since then. I haven't actually spent a good amount of time in the mall or the remaining ring stores, but from what I've gathered, the area seems like it won't last.

You can say Crossroads is still standing and such, but to me, the mall decline affected all malls at the same time. Crossroads was built in 1959 or something like that, and Oakview in 1991 or something like that. The national mall decline seemed to hit somewhere around 2000. Oakview benefited from being relatively new, but it's fairly obvious the area is in decline. As far as malls go these days, "If you're not in incline, you're in decline"

Everything changed when the internet became accessible to everyone. I wish we could go back to the previous model, but that's not possible, so onward we go.

[RockHarbor]

Although the internet has hurt some things (in almost anything, I think, you could find a "double-edged sword" aspect), I feel the internet has helped Omaha in the design department, and helped "raise the bar" in some aspects. Because of the internet, ideas travel lightning-fast now. Growing up, I would visit other cities and notice things like really sharp, neat subdivision entrances, but back in Omaha, they were unbelievably plain & boring most of the time. Now, there are sharp & neat & creative entrances all over West Omaha & Papillion/La Vista now. That type of thing... I believe the internet has helped all that. Back to Oakview: Funny, just a kid, I can remember the big World Herald article in 1988 that announced Oak View Mall, and it had a rendering that looked nothing like the current mall. (I can remember that huge lot empty and them pushing the dirt around... I can remember eating at Red Lobster w/ that mall being constructed in the backdrop. Everybody was so excited for it to open.) To think Westroads still had brown tile then, and Crossroads had just been remodeled. Westroads remodeled and added that Grand Cafe Food Court around 1990, to compete with the new Crossroads and the soon opening Oak View Mall. That's how things unfolded... (To think that Grand Cafe and its piano playing Moon man is now gone and a thing of the past. Oak View, I think, just has unplugged some of the pink neon. Lol)

[Garrett]

An interesting article on the collapse of this brand/malls in general:

https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/201 ... n-ton-gone

[Greg S]

An interesting article on the collapse of this brand/malls in general:

https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/201 ... n-ton-gone

Kind of an odd article. Seems a little bitter about how shopping shifted out of the downtowns, and then makes a plea for downtown reinvestment. Also ignored the on-line impact. I'm all for downtown reinvestment but thought this article did a poor job on reasons for it. Also, no amount of money is bringing significant retail back to downtowns. You can have some as you build up population but it ill not ever return to the destination shopping of old.

Greg

[bigredmed1]

Yeah. Downtown needs to be seen as a neighborhood like Dundee or Benson.

[Stargazer]

I'm amazed that Urban Outfitters is still hanging in there.

[Garrett]

Yeah. Downtown needs to be seen as a neighborhood like Dundee or Benson.

Well for the specific city they’re talking about downtown essentially is a Benson or Dundee.

[bigredmed1]

Yeah. Downtown needs to be seen as a neighborhood like Dundee or Benson.

Well for the specific city they’re talking about downtown essentially is a Benson or Dundee.

That may be, but to consider any city our size and think that downtown has some special.claim over retail is to have the same deer in the headlights cluelessness that people have who are shocked that many other Omaha natives have blown off the Old Market.

The Omaha downtown of the 60's was more successful because Brandeis was simply a better store than the Kilpats at the Center or the Sears at the Crossroads for a lot of things. Once that stopped being the case, the reason to drive past perfectly good stores stopped. Once that stopped, downtown was doomed.

The OM is getting frailer by the year because we have the fourth highest ranked culinary school in the US and people in the restaurant business can now swing the bat just as hard as the old places in the OM can, and do it 2 miles from your house instead of 20 miles.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Some good news for the Oakview Mousetrap..

Intel I received this morning from an employee of the theater told me they will be performing a significant facelift at the AMC Oakview 24..

First of all, the theater will decrease from 24 screens to 16. I was told the screening rooms will become much bigger and will add updated reclining chairs. They will be retaining the IMAX.. Also, they will do a significant update to the parking lot as well..

It seems AMC is making a significant $ commitment to upgrade and update this theater.. Which in the midst of all the gloom and doom talk we’ve had in this thread recently, is welcome news..

I don’t have a timetable, but the facelift will begin soon.. It’s possible it’s already began in some form.. Let's hope this all comes to fruition...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Greg S]

Some good news for the Oakview Mousetrap..

Intel I received this morning from an employee of the theater told me they will be performing a significant facelift at the AMC Oakview 24..

First of all, the theater will decrease from 24 screens to 16. I was told the screening rooms will become much bigger and will add updated reclining chairs. They will be retaining the IMAX.. Also, they will do a significant update to the parking lot as well..

It seems AMC is making a significant $ commitment to upgrade and update this theater.. Which in the midst of all the gloom and doom talk we’ve had in this thread recently, is welcome news..

I don’t have a timetable, but the facelift will begin soon.. It’s possible it’s already began in some form.. Let's hope this all comes to fruition...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

That is good news. I know AMC is renovating theaters all over the country so good they are doing it at this one. With Marcus finishing up a major upgrade at Village Pointe this is very much needed to keep up.

Greg

[Omaha Cowboy]

Some good news for the Oakview Mousetrap..

Intel I received this morning from an employee of the theater told me they will be performing a significant facelift at the AMC Oakview 24..

First of all, the theater will decrease from 24 screens to 16. I was told the screening rooms will become much bigger and will add updated reclining chairs. They will be retaining the IMAX.. Also, they will do a significant update to the parking lot as well..

It seems AMC is making a significant $ commitment to upgrade and update this theater.. Which in the midst of all the gloom and doom talk we’ve had in this thread recently, is welcome news..

I don’t have a timetable, but the facelift will begin soon.. It’s possible it’s already began in some form.. Let's hope this all comes to fruition...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

That is good news. I know AMC is renovating theaters all over the country so good they are doing it at this one. With Marcus finishing up a major upgrade at Village Pointe this is very much needed to keep up.

Greg

That is a very good point ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Greg S]

They are fully into the renovation. Some of the theatres are now done and have the recliners. Many more are being worked on right now. Nice to see the investment by AMC.

Greg

[iamjacobm]

Well. Sears closing here. Losing 2 of the 4 anchors in the same year is going to hurt.

[omaha79]

Well. Sears closing here. Losing 2 of the 4 anchors in the same year is going to hurt.

Yep. It's accelerating again.

[Omaha Cowboy]

They are fully into the renovation. Some of the theatres are now done and have the recliners. Many more are being worked on right now. Nice to see the investment by AMC.

Greg

Completely agree. This is good for the entire Oakview Mousetrap area.. And an important commitment to the Mousetrap by AMC..

Sears now announcing they'll be closing the Oakview Mall location is no surprise as eventually Sears will go by the way of the Dinosaur.. As it's more an indictment of this struggling big box retailer..Than Oakview itself.. Although I agree, this is a blow to the enclosed mall- first losing Younkers (for basically a similar reason) and now a 2nd anchor.. JCPenney and Dillard's are now the only 2 anchors left. General Growth better get on the stick...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[bbinks]

Sears is closing

http://www.ketv.com/article/sears-locat ... e/21206617

[debradomayer]

Well. Sears closing here. Losing 2 of the 4 anchors in the same year is going to hurt.

Exactly what happened to Mall of the Bluffs. First Penney's then Target & it killed all the businesses in between. Sad

[omaha79]

They are fully into the renovation. Some of the theatres are now done and have the recliners. Many more are being worked on right now. Nice to see the investment by AMC.

Greg

Completely agree. This is good for the entire Oakview Mousetrap area.. And an important commitment to the Mousetrap by AMC..

Sears now announcing they'll be closing the Oakview Mall location is no surprise as eventually Sears will go by the way of the Dinosaur.. As it's more an indictment of this struggling big box retailer..Than Oakview itself.. Although I agree, this is a blow to the enclosed mall- first losing Younkers (for basically a similar reason) and now a 2nd anchor.. JCPenney and Dillard's are now the only 2 anchors left. General Growth better get on the stick...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I would be absolutely shocked if Oak View was able to replace one anchor tenant, let alone 2. I invite them to prove me wrong, but at this stage of the malls death cycle, it seems highly unlikely.

[Greg S]

I'd love to see Macy's replace Younkers at Westroads since it would be a cheap entry to this market and they don't have to compete with Younkers. I have no idea if Macy's is opening any stores this year though. If they don't, my money would be on Dillard's leaving Oak View and going to Younkers space there.

Greg

[Bob from Omaha]

I'd love to see Macy's replace Younkers at Westroads since it would be a cheap entry to this market and they don't have to compete with Younkers. I have no idea if Macy's is opening any stores this year though. If they don't, my money would be on Dillard's leaving Oak View and going to Younkers space there.

Greg

They are closing way more than they are opening.

[Omaha Cowboy]

I'd love to see Macy's replace Younkers at Westroads since it would be a cheap entry to this market and they don't have to compete with Younkers. I have no idea if Macy's is opening any stores this year though. If they don't, my money would be on Dillard's leaving Oak View and going to Younkers space there.

Greg

I agree.. But I think that’s a tough get to lure a Macy’s. Bob is right- Macy’s is closing more stores than they’re opening at present. But who knows.. If there was ever a ripe time with premium space available for Macy’s to move into the Omaha market- now would be a pretty (nearly) perfect time...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Omaha Cowboy]

They are fully into the renovation. Some of the theatres are now done and have the recliners. Many more are being worked on right now. Nice to see the investment by AMC.

Greg

Completely agree. This is good for the entire Oakview Mousetrap area.. And an important commitment to the Mousetrap by AMC..

Sears now announcing they'll be closing the Oakview Mall location is no surprise as eventually Sears will go by the way of the Dinosaur.. As it's more an indictment of this struggling big box retailer..Than Oakview itself.. Although I agree, this is a blow to the enclosed mall- first losing Younkers (for basically a similar reason) and now a 2nd anchor.. JCPenney and Dillard's are now the only 2 anchors left. General Growth better get on the stick...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I would be absolutely shocked if Oak View was able to replace one anchor tenant, let alone 2. I invite them to prove me wrong, but at this stage of the malls death cycle, it seems highly unlikely.

I don’t know if “absolutely shocked” would be the words I’d use.. I’m more in the “pleasantly surprised” camp..

Just curious- Were you absolutely shocked that AMC has recommitted to a significant remodel of the AMC Oakview theater after your numerous predictions it was going to close?..

I haven’t given up on the Oakview Mousetrap yet...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Greg S]

I'd love to see Macy's replace Younkers at Westroads since it would be a cheap entry to this market and they don't have to compete with Younkers. I have no idea if Macy's is opening any stores this year though. If they don't, my money would be on Dillard's leaving Oak View and going to Younkers space there.

Greg

I agree.. But I think that’s a tough get to lure a Macy’s. Bob is right- Macy’s is closing more stores than they’re opening at present. But who knows.. If there was ever a ripe time with premium space available for Macy’s to move into the Omaha market- now would be a pretty (nearly) perfect time...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

Yeah, timing isn't good from a Macy's expansion standpoint (meaning they have not been in growth mode lately for new stores). The only shot we have is like Omaha Cowboy said, it would be near perfect timing with both their biggest competitor existing and have a ready built store in the best location. If they don't come now, they probably never will. They do seemed to have turned around their business back to the positive (but need to sustain it now).

Greg

[bbinks]

Penny's is on the overall short list as well. Ive not been it Penny's or Dillard's for 10 + years.

[omaha79]

They are fully into the renovation. Some of the theatres are now done and have the recliners. Many more are being worked on right now. Nice to see the investment by AMC.

Greg

Completely agree. This is good for the entire Oakview Mousetrap area.. And an important commitment to the Mousetrap by AMC..

Sears now announcing they'll be closing the Oakview Mall location is no surprise as eventually Sears will go by the way of the Dinosaur.. As it's more an indictment of this struggling big box retailer..Than Oakview itself.. Although I agree, this is a blow to the enclosed mall- first losing Younkers (for basically a similar reason) and now a 2nd anchor.. JCPenney and Dillard's are now the only 2 anchors left. General Growth better get on the stick...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I would be absolutely shocked if Oak View was able to replace one anchor tenant, let alone 2. I invite them to prove me wrong, but at this stage of the malls death cycle, it seems highly unlikely.

I don’t know if “absolutely shocked” would be the words I’d use.. I’m more in the “pleasantly surprised” camp..

Just curious- Were you absolutely shocked that AMC has recommitted to a significant remodel of the AMC Oakview theater after your numerous predictions it was going to close?..

I haven’t given up on the Oakview Mousetrap yet...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I was shocked and I also see it as a mistake on their part. They have lost so much relevance in the local theater landscape and having that location in a dying mall area isn't a gret idea. In terms of where people want to go to watch movies, Oak View is well behind Majestic, Alamo, Village Point, etc. They even compete with themselves to an extent by having Westroads in relative proximity. They will soon receive further competition for the far West dollars when Ak-Sar-Ben opens their theater on 204th. Even with a remodel and lowering the screen count from 20 to 16, AMC is going to have to come out strong in terms of amenities and gimmicks to compete here. The only advantage they have is the IMAX screen.

As fewer and fewer people have reason to go to the mall itself, I see that theater becoming more of a white elephant.

[Omaha Cowboy]

They are fully into the renovation. Some of the theatres are now done and have the recliners. Many more are being worked on right now. Nice to see the investment by AMC.

Greg

Completely agree. This is good for the entire Oakview Mousetrap area.. And an important commitment to the Mousetrap by AMC..

Sears now announcing they'll be closing the Oakview Mall location is no surprise as eventually Sears will go by the way of the Dinosaur.. As it's more an indictment of this struggling big box retailer..Than Oakview itself.. Although I agree, this is a blow to the enclosed mall- first losing Younkers (for basically a similar reason) and now a 2nd anchor.. JCPenney and Dillard's are now the only 2 anchors left. General Growth better get on the stick...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I would be absolutely shocked if Oak View was able to replace one anchor tenant, let alone 2. I invite them to prove me wrong, but at this stage of the malls death cycle, it seems highly unlikely.

I don’t know if “absolutely shocked” would be the words I’d use.. I’m more in the “pleasantly surprised” camp..

Just curious- Were you absolutely shocked that AMC has recommitted to a significant remodel of the AMC Oakview theater after your numerous predictions it was going to close?..

I haven’t given up on the Oakview Mousetrap yet...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I was shocked and I also see it as a mistake on their part. They have lost so much relevance in the local theater landscape and having that location in a dying mall area isn't a gret idea. In terms of where people want to go to watch movies, Oak View is well behind Majestic, Alamo, Village Point, etc. They even compete with themselves to an extent by having Westroads in relative proximity. They will soon receive further competition for the far West dollars when Ak-Sar-Ben opens their theater on 204th. Even with a remodel and lowering the screen count from 20 to 16, AMC is going to have to come out strong in terms of amenities and gimmicks to compete here. The only advantage they have is the IMAX screen.

As fewer and fewer people have reason to go to the mall itself, I see that theater becoming more of a white elephant.

Well, I saw Solo yesterday evening at the AMC Oakview and I’ll tell everyone, this is not just a simple theater “refresh”.. What’s going on at this theater is a significant remodel..AMC is throwing significant money into it. The remodel is a work I’m progress, but I saw Solo in one of the updated screen rooms and the recliner seating is very nice. The seats are a leatherette material and there was plenty of room to stretch out.. The only complaint I have is the ridiculous concession prices at AMC. $4.00 for a bottle of water is absolutely insane..

Time will tell, but I have serious doubts AMC would be making this strong a commitment to the Oakview Mousetrap if they thought the theater would fail. It’s been around for more than 2 decades and last night, there was a decent contingent of moviegoers there..

Go see for yourself.. and let me know what you think if you do...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[omaha79]

Article in the OWH has some interesting tidbits. It's not a pretty picture, to say the least. IMO, the writing is on the wall...

“Unless something really unexpected happens, I think Oak View is probably irretrievably broken,” said Rick Quinlevan, president of brokerage services at the Lerner Co.

“General Growth pushed people to Westroads. So Westroads became a competitive property for Oak View as well,” said Dan Dutton of local real estate firm OMNE Partners.

“There are still retailers expanding and looking to do deals in southwest Omaha,” said Dutton, whose firm handles leasing at that center. “They’re just choosing to go a different direction than that Oak View Mall area.”

To complicate matters, Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management is in the process of buying the two-thirds of General Growth it doesn’t already own, meaning Oak View and Westroads are likely to change hands soon.

If the mall continues to decline, it’s likely to be sold instead to a developer who might find a new use for it other than as a shopping mall. More likely, a mixed use of office, housing and retail or entertainment.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if we’re talking about the redevelopment of Oak View 12 or 15 years from now, like we’re still talking about Crossroads,” Quinlevan said.

http://www.omaha.com/money/retail/what- ... b2087.html

[Omaha Cowboy]

Article in the OWH has some interesting tidbits. It's not a pretty picture, to say the least. IMO, the writing is on the wall...

“Unless something really unexpected happens, I think Oak View is probably irretrievably broken,” said Rick Quinlevan, president of brokerage services at the Lerner Co.

“General Growth pushed people to Westroads. So Westroads became a competitive property for Oak View as well,” said Dan Dutton of local real estate firm OMNE Partners.

“There are still retailers expanding and looking to do deals in southwest Omaha,” said Dutton, whose firm handles leasing at that center. “They’re just choosing to go a different direction than that Oak View Mall area.”

To complicate matters, Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management is in the process of buying the two-thirds of General Growth it doesn’t already own, meaning Oak View and Westroads are likely to change hands soon.

If the mall continues to decline, it’s likely to be sold instead to a developer who might find a new use for it other than as a shopping mall. More likely, a mixed use of office, housing and retail or entertainment.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if we’re talking about the redevelopment of Oak View 12 or 15 years from now, like we’re still talking about Crossroads,” Quinlevan said.

http://www.omaha.com/money/retail/what- ... b2087.html

Well, AMC threw you a curveball.. But this W-H article certainly fits your gloom and doom narrative..

Like I said about the the movie theater (and everything else as it relates to the Oakview Mousetrap), time will tell if you end up be being right.. Or wrong ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[GrandpaaSmucker]

A guy got shot a couple of days ago at the Buckys up the street from West Roads on 102nd. That is the powerful force that could take West Roads down fast. When and if that happens the Oak View will be waiting.

[nebugeater]

A guy got shot a couple of days ago at the Buckys up the street from West Roads on 102nd. That is the powerful force that could take West Roads down fast. When and if that happens the Oak View will be waiting.

Westroads managed through the mass shooting AT WESTROADS. DOn't think a single shooting at a convenience store down the road will swing the Westroads needle.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

A guy got shot a couple of days ago at the Buckys up the street from West Roads on 102nd. That is the powerful force that could take West Roads down fast. When and if that happens the Oak View will be waiting.

Westroads managed through the mass shooting AT WESTROADS. DOn't think a single shooting at a convenience store down the road will swing the Westroads needle.

What does a rare random mall serial killing have to do with crime for petes sakes. I dont recall ever once hearing about Shopping Malls across the country having a history of failing due to peoples fear of serial shopping mall killers. Get out of here with that.

We have seen many malls fail due to crime like shop lifting and purse snatchings and cars getting broke into such as our own Cross Roads. Common crime that happens every day is the threat to Westroads. If the thugs get on a little roll at West Roads the herd will get spooked and run.

[Stargazer]

I don't know why repurposed into mixed use office/residential/retail is gloom and doom. Given it's poor location, much as La Vista's south 84th retail strip was... it's needs something that's going the draw more people to it (if they're not already living on site), than just retail.

[daveoma]

A guy got shot a couple of days ago at the Buckys up the street from West Roads on 102nd. That is the powerful force that could take West Roads down fast. When and if that happens the Oak View will be waiting.

Westroads managed through the mass shooting AT WESTROADS. DOn't think a single shooting at a convenience store down the road will swing the Westroads needle.

What does a rare random mall serial killing have to do with crime for petes sakes. I dont recall ever once hearing about Shopping Malls across the country having a history of failing due to peoples fear of serial shopping mall killers. Get out of here with that.

We have seen many malls fail due to crime like shop lifting and purse snatchings and cars getting broke into such as our own Cross Roads. Common crime that happens every day is the threat to Westroads. If the thugs get on a little roll at West Roads the herd will get spooked and run.

Actually I think the media coverage of all crime including mass shootings has caused a general avoidance of large crowds in the USA. I suspect that at some point, surveys and studies will shows that cost in addition to safety is partly responsible for the death of large retailers and malls. Wal-mart survives for now only because they're very inexpensive, but even their growth will slow. At the end of the day, it feels safer for most people to stay close to home.

[buildomaha]

A guy got shot a couple of days ago at the Buckys up the street from West Roads on 102nd. That is the powerful force that could take West Roads down fast. When and if that happens the Oak View will be waiting.

Westroads managed through the mass shooting AT WESTROADS. DOn't think a single shooting at a convenience store down the road will swing the Westroads needle.

What does a rare random mall serial killing have to do with crime for petes sakes. I dont recall ever once hearing about Shopping Malls across the country having a history of failing due to peoples fear of serial shopping mall killers. Get out of here with that.

We have seen many malls fail due to crime like shop lifting and purse snatchings and cars getting broke into such as our own Cross Roads. Common crime that happens every day is the threat to Westroads. If the thugs get on a little roll at West Roads the herd will get spooked and run.

Actually I think the media coverage of all crime including mass shootings has caused a general avoidance of large crowds in the USA. I suspect that at some point, surveys and studies will shows that cost in addition to safety is partly responsible for the death of large retailers and malls. Wal-mart survives for now only because they're very inexpensive, but even their growth will slow. At the end of the day, it feels safer for most people to stay close to home.

Speaking of which, I once read an article talking about how Europe doesn’t have near the crime/incarceration rates as the US because they don’t have “ghetto” and all class levels live relatively the same areas. Obviously that’s changing with the influx of refugees forming separate subculture areas, it’s just hard to integrate that many people into pretty homogenous European cultures. I think in Omaha lots crime is contained into specific areas, so it’s a big shock when we hear about crime outside of those areas.

[Omaha Cowboy]

I know recently, this year in fact, a woman was gunned down in an Omaha Walmart Parking lot.. People still seem to have no issue frequenting that, or any other Walmart..

And I don’t buy the proclamation that because a man was gunned down in an Omaha convience store parking lot approximately 1 mile north of Westroads, that mall will suffer customer “fear” consequences, lol..

The real issue here is Oakview and what will become its future. I live about a mile and 1/2 from the Mousetrap and frequent, on a weekly basis, several stores that surround it’s perimeter. The mall component may have an inevitable death as omaha79 continually predicts. I’m not so sure..and I’m not in agreement with the opinion that it’s in a “bad location spot” either..

General Growth decided to push and emphasize development at Westroads and seemingly, has left Oakview to dangle in the wind. My hope is, the company that’s buying up General Growth sees Oakview as a viable destination for commerce..and attempts to drive smart business relocation there..

The Oakview Mousetrap has seen some victories.. The latest being AMC recommitting to the area for a significant theater remodel. I can’t imagine they’d throw that much coin into a property that surrounds an inevitable “dying mall”. Everyone has an opinion about Oakview. I prefer to apply a cup half full attitude..and am hopeful it can redefine itself after losing 2 anchor stores.. Through no fault of it’s own really..

Like I’ve always said, time will tell...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[omaha79]

Well, AMC threw you a curveball.. But this W-H article certainly fits your gloom and doom narrative..

Like I said about the the movie theater (and everything else as it relates to the Oakview Mousetrap), time will tell if you end up be being right.. Or wrong ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

It's not doom and gloom, it's simply applying historical precedence to a current issue. It's not like I went into this wishing for it to happen this way. I simply could see the decline of the mall with my own two eyes. Since then, it's become more pronounced and accelerated.

I don't see this as "my side" unless my side is history. I find this interesting because I've lived here my whole live and there is a pattern and rhythm to how these things play out and I was seeing it with Oak View as early as 7-10 years ago with the closings of places like Hy-Vee and Best Buy in the perimeter.

If you think that Oak View is primed to come out of this tailspin, I'd just like someone to point out some precedence for this in Omaha itself. I've never seen it. Yes, Westroads renovated and rebranded, but they had never come close to reaching the depths that Oak View has reached with the closing of 2 anchor stores. They were always a staple of the Omaha shopping scene. That never went away.

This more closely mirrors what I watched happen to The Center, followed by Southroads, followed by Crossroads, followed by Mall of the Bluffs, and now Oak View. There were some situations that were unique to each of those malls, and some mirror each other closely, but what I've noticed is that once a retail center falls out of favor with the public, there is really no going back.

Keep in mind, all of the malls that I mentioned died in the age where malls were still king. There isn't even that cushion for Oak View anymore. What you have is a dying mall in an age where retail is failing at an alarming rate. That is not a good combination for a rebound.

[omaha79]

I don't know why repurposed into mixed use office/residential/retail is gloom and doom. Given it's poor location, much as La Vista's south 84th retail strip was... it's needs something that's going the draw more people to it (if they're not already living on site), than just retail.

At least in Omaha, repurposing of a dead mall to a business center has had mixed results at best. The Center is probably the biggest success story in that way. I honestly have no idea of what's there, but the mall seems to have business activity there even if it's smaller businesses and it doesn't appear (at least from the outside) to be a huge blight on the area. 42nd and Center has built in advantages of being close to the Med Center and mid town and close enough to downtown to make it a desirable location for certain business operations. These are advantages that other malls didn't or don't have.

Southroads also tried this, but it was not successful mainly due to the tough location it is in. They had an ok run with TD Ameritrade there, but they have left. Co-Sentry was just a computer farm and didn't really bring any econonomic activity into the mall or the surrounding area. Once TD left the mall, and eventually the surrounding area took on a "life after humans" vibe on Ft. Crook Road with empty businesses up and down a stretch that was once a large hub of retail, car dealerships, and restaurants. It hasn't come close to recovering and with so many empty storefronts becomes a ghettomaker in and of itself.

I though the mention of La Vista was interesting. The empty Wal-Mart became a huge blight and then drug down the entire Brentwood shopping center with it. It will be interesting to see if that complex has a rebound once the new development on the other side of 84th is completed. Right now, it's mainly a bunch of low rent type stores like thrift stores, liquor stores, and Boost Mobile at Brentwood with plenty of empty bays to go around. I'd say the jury is still out on this one.

As for Crossroads...no need to beat that dead horse here.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Well, AMC threw you a curveball.. But this W-H article certainly fits your gloom and doom narrative..

Like I said about the the movie theater (and everything else as it relates to the Oakview Mousetrap), time will tell if you end up be being right.. Or wrong ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

It's not doom and gloom, it's simply applying historical precedence to a current issue. It's not like I went into this wishing for it to happen this way. I simply could see the decline of the mall with my own two eyes. Since then, it's become more pronounced and accelerated.

I don't see this as "my side" unless my side is history. I find this interesting because I've lived here my whole live and there is a pattern and rhythm to how these things play out and I was seeing it with Oak View as early as 7-10 years ago with the closings of places like Hy-Vee and Best Buy in the perimeter.

If you think that Oak View is primed to come out of this tailspin, I'd just like someone to point out some precedence for this in Omaha itself. I've never seen it. Yes, Westroads renovated and rebranded, but they had never come close to reaching the depths that Oak View has reached with the closing of 2 anchor stores. They were always a staple of the Omaha shopping scene. That never went away.

Several things here-

Are you claiming it’s Oak View Malls fault they lost Younkers and Sears? (I don’t believe you are, this is more a rhetorical question)..These stores could have been located at Westroads (one of them was/is) and they likely would have closed..

I don’t see this as necessarily a “dying mall” issue.. It’s more of a big box sign of the times. Sears, Kmart, Younkers etc etc going the way of the dinosaur. Again, is this Oakview Malls fault? (Again Rhetorical ).

General Growth chose to drive productivity to Westroads.. But most of GGP is about to get bought by another company. Perhaps they’ll re-evaluate their plan (or lack thereof) for Oakview..

I used to think having GGP as your mall driving force was an advantage. I was wrong in thinking that..For their properties in Omaha, the only advantage was for Westroads.. Call it what you want, but I see your narrative as gloom and doom. We can agree to disagree on this, that’s okay..

AMC did throw a curveball into the dying gloom and doom narrative by recommitting to the Oakview Mousetrap. I don’t think all is lost. I do think there is a decent chance for the enclosed mall to redefine itself..

In the end, none of us knows what will eventually happen.. including these so called “experts” the W-H quoted for their latest story. Time will tell. There is no “my side” to this. It’s more a cup half empty vs a cup half full perspective. I’m in the half full camp. It’s obvious this mall is in trouble. BIG trouble. But I think a goodly part of why Oakview is in the state it is today is due to a lack of vision, lack of plan, lack of marketing and lack of leadership on GGP’s part. The location is sound, just like Crossroads. And also, just like Crossroads, this retail property need not fail. If Oakview Mall ends up dying as you predict, it’s more due to a lack of caring. And that is unacceptable imo..

I do agree though, that with big box retail closing at an alarming rate, combined with enclosed malls not in their 1980’s-mid 90’s heyday, Oakview has its work cut out for it. And that’s an understatement...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[omaha79]

Yes. I do assign some of the blame to Oak View and its management. Oak View is an acceptable location, but it's not as sound as you might think. It's not located at a major interstate exchange unlike Westroads. That hurts the location. It also has increased competition in the area from Village Point, the Shoppes on L St., and the Gretna outlet mall. That competition didn't exist when Oak View opened. There will be even further competition once the West Farms development is completed. In this day and age, there is only so much retail to go around.

It also isn't a great design with the outer ring feeding into the mall. It can be a cluster and some people actively avoid the area because of it.


And, this is more on GGP, but the fact it hasn't been majorly renovated since it opened hasn't helped matters either.


We will see, but I do feel there are reasons inherent to the property and location as to why they've lost tenants. Yes, Younkers and Sears are closing overall or closing lots of properties, but that's just one piece of the pie. There's also losing Dicks, Best Buy, Hy-Vee, Village Inn, and the list goes on.

I'll root for it to get better. No one wants an abandoned eyesore in the middle of town.

[Greg S]

Oak View had issues from it's opening. They had bad traffic flow from the start (when it was in it's hey day we alwasy entered from 120th and going by AMC). It's amazing how fast Hy Vee bailed out there. When it opened I remember it being a flagship new design, including a Taco Bell inside.

The outer rim never really worked with the mall (I think it works better with Jordan Creek in West Des Moines for an example).

They planned for new department stores when it was built (these eventually were JCP and Sears) but should have made them new wings not just right on the food court. That made it always 2nd tier to Westroads.

I remember how much grief SImon took on this board for Crossroads and all the praise for General Growth. I think we've seen that may have been off as General Growth had Mall of the Bluffs fail and now it's Oak View.

One thing I have believed for a few years now. Going forward, Omaha only needs and will support one enclosed mall. It looks like that will be Westroads. In Des Moine it will be Jordan Creek. Even KC I think will only need 2. Independence Center on Missouri side and Oak Park on Kansas side.

I am glad AMC is spending money on out there.

Greg