Crossroads Mall Discussion

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:00 am

Seriously, I stopped by there last night and it is a DUMP. I counted 5 empty food court stalls and EIGHTEEN empty stores. Additionally, the place was DEAD, except for Barnes and Noble. There is no way Target is going to save this place.

omahapropertymanager · Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:49 am

I agree, I don't see how the owners could be making any money at all. I think they should buldoze it and start over.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 11:10 am

They should bulldoze it and do Omaha by Design's plan for that area.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 11:16 am

Oh brother..

Sorry to dissapoint you folks..But it 'aint' gonna happen..

And I contend, with all the POSITIVE construction in and around the area of the Crossroads, I fully expect a renaissance /rejuventation of the entire Crossroads Mall area..The new Target will of course, be a cataylst..

Don't count the xroads out..That would be short sighted and a mistake..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 11:18 am

Yeah I don't see this happening within the next twenty years, except in my dreams, that is.

raindownonme · Post by **raindownonme** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 12:31 pm

As much as I'd like to be optimistic about Target revitalizing the mall, I think people will just go in Target and not go anywhere else in the mall since it is looking like a total dump lately.

jsheets · Post by **jsheets** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 2:07 pm

I, for one, still go to Crossroads. It has stores that Westroads doesn't, like The Gap, Barnes & Noble, Chilis, and soon to be Target. They need a renewal of store interest, which will be tough to come by, but they're still kicking!

I think management hurts them the most. They just don't spend the $$$ like General Growth does for Westroads / Oak View.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 8:17 pm

jsheets wrote:I, for one, still go to Crossroads. It has stores that Westroads doesn't, like The Gap, Barnes & Noble, Chilis, and soon to be Target. They need a renewal of store interest, which will be tough to come by, but they're still kicking!

Thank you..And I see the revival coming..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

guy4omaha · Post by **guy4omaha** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 9:32 pm

Crossroads has had plenty of up and down cycles and rebirths before. This mall being Omaha's Oldest "active" mall really has seen changes.

Does anyone else remember the jagged roof with all the little peaks on top of the stores between Brandeis and Sears. And all the old signage on the old Walgreens etc.

This place has definitely looked old and dumpy before and became reenergized. Does it have another rebirth in it. I don't know because now that I am too old for my mom to make me go shopping with her, I have been to the Crossroads or any other mall in years. I don't shop except at geeky computer stores and music stores.

But I wouldn't count the old mall out.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 9:58 pm

It hasn't been more than a year since I was last in Crossroads. I really don't recall it looking bad at all, certainly not dumpy as someone described it... there were a fair number of vacancies. Of course I'm the guy who thinks the air terminal looks great too.

omahapropertymanager · Fri Aug 26, 2005 7:58 am

jhuston wrote:It hasn't been more than a year since I was last in Crossroads. I really don't recall it looking bad at all, certainly not dumpy as someone described it... there were a fair number of vacancies. Of course I'm the guy who thinks the air terminal looks great too.

The inside of the building doesn't really look that bad, I mean it has potential. A lot of the stores that are they could use a rennovation. We were there a couple of weeks ago, and the actual stores looked pretty trashy with stains all over the carpets, etc. But it's nothing that a little investment in improvements couldn't solve.

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 11:13 pm

jhuston wrote:It hasn't been more than a year since I was last in Crossroads. I really don't recall it looking bad at all, certainly not dumpy as someone described it... there were a fair number of vacancies. Of course I'm the guy who thinks the air terminal looks great too.

Additionally, you are starting to see more commercial or service based companies moving in there. As much as I would like to see it come back, I see it following the path of the Center Mall and Southroads.

Blazepaw · Post by **Blazepaw** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:11 am

Unlike the Center and Southroads malls it keeps a prime well traveled location at the hart of a large population. You can add Midlands Mall? (I think that was the name) in downtown CB to that list.

As the area's demographics change - IE lower, it will have too change as well. It is, has and I think will continue. It has a lot of life and profits ahead. If the Westroads wasn't so close by it would be doing even better.

I all so really liked the proposed plans. I hope we see some of it happen... especially the plans for the creek!

Yet I had a hard time seeing much of it happen - at least the parts that involved the gobbling up of real estate. These days who knows? The Supreme Court says it's OK so maybe! I bet the money in the 72nd and Dodge area might disagree.

The Indian Hills Shops was at one time was "The" ritzy Omaha shopping center. It is now a medical center.

Regency Mall came along and stole it's market. Now Village Point among others are taking over the high end markets.

30 or 40 years from now we who are still around will possibly be talking about that tired old mall sitting right in the middle of the city.... Nebraska Crossing... LOL

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:30 am

Blazepaw wrote:30 or 40 years from now we who are still around will possibly be talking about that tired old mall sitting right in the middle of the city.... Nebraska Crossing... LOL

It already is tired and old, just isn't in the middle of the city yet. There's a lot of vacancies there.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:45 am

joeglow wrote: Additionally, you are starting to see more commercial or service based companies moving in there. As much as I would like to see it come back, I see it following the path of the Center Mall and Southroads.

I have to disagree with this..Reason being, unlike the area surrounding the Center Mall and the Southroads, there has been an influx of new commercial retail development in the area surrounding the Crossroads..And all the way to 72nd and Pacific..This area is prime and hot..The mall just needs it's 'rocketfuel' development which I believe the new prototype Target will be..And others will follow..It's built to be a shopping mall first and foremost....

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

Blazepaw · Post by **Blazepaw** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 2:19 am

almighty_tuna wrote:
Blazepaw wrote:30 or 40 years from now we who are still around will possibly be talking about that tired old mall sitting right in the middle of the city.... Nebraska Crossing... LOL
It already is tired and old, just isn't in the middle of the city yet. There's a lot of vacancies there.

If you have another mall situated between Omaha and Lincoln I would agreee... my point about the Crossroads Is still true. I might think the talk about a combined Metro area is a bit ahead of it's time. But we all know it will happen.

Revamping the Southroads into an outlet mall at the time that Nebraska Crossing was built would have made more sense to me.

Possibly it would have more customers as an in-town attraction rather than what we got. But don't count on Neb. Crossing going away before we have a band of city crossing the plain. LOL

Now the plans for the revamping of Southroads into a business park to me make all the sense in the world.

So does the conversion of the Crossroads Mall into something that serves the people around it. Even if that need is less attractive than say Village Point. The money speaks the plans follow.

Post by **nebugeater** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 8:28 am

The location I keep hearing about for Cabella's, if it ever happens, is close to Nebraska Crossing. Across the Interstate opt of the Flying J truck stop. If that were to be the case it it would be the catalist for the Outlet mall to get going again. I actually thing that Nebraska Crossing is in better shape today than it was 3 - 5 years ago.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:30 am

that outlet mall is extremely lame and it needs to go under new ownership or something. they need to take example of the outlet mall outside of iowa city.

Post by **nebugeater** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:34 am

Linkin5 wrote:that outlet mall is extremely lame and it needs to go under new ownership or something. they need to take example of the outlet mall outside of iowa city.

The outlet mall did change ownership about a 1 1/2 - 2 years ago. THe one in Iowa you are refering to is at Williamsburg. It is great in compairison. Used to live about 30 miles from there and it was actually a destination.

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:28 am

nebugeater wrote: The outlet mall did change ownership about a 1 1/2 - 2 years ago. THe one in Iowa you are refering to is at Williamsburg. It is great in compairison. Used to live about 30 miles from there and it was actually a destination.

Nebraska Crossing blows. Frankly, I have NEVER been to one with such a terrible selection of stores. The three I have been to recently are the one in Iowa, one in Birmingham, AL and one on Oahu. All three make Nebraska Crossing look like a goodwill shop.

Bob from Omaha · Post by **Bob from Omaha** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:12 pm

Nebraska Crossing IS under new ownership/management, and is about to change hands again...probably not for the last time.

Think about this:
At some point in the not too distant future, there will be a grocery store in Nebraska Crossing. It will have a fair number of office users in the mall as well. It will morph into Gretna's mall. It will provide those services that Gretna either doesn't have or doesn't have enough of. Keep your eye on Gretna. The growth there can only be described as explosive. With or without Cabella's, the mall will change and thrive.

(I also think Eppley looks fine, compared to most of the other airports I fly through, and that's a lot lately)

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:34 pm

UPDATE: SIX empty food court stalls and TWENTY FIVE empty stores. Who would of thought the sword store would close?

Post by **Brad** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:48 pm

That is the count as of Today? A week before Christmas? Even with the smaller Foodcourt. That means the Foodcourt is about at 50% and the rest of the mall is at about 65% full?

If thats the case, that is bad 1 week before christmas.

Its been over 2 years since I went shopping at a mall. I have been to the funny bone at VP and also ate at Johnnys, and I have eaten at Granite City at Westroads, otherwise I steer clear of malls.

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:19 am

This was yesterday. I just don't know if Simon is committed to saving this mall. I do NOT think adding Target was the answer. What I would like to see is Simon find a big name chain restaurant (ideally, it would have been Cheesecake Factory). Tell them they will convert a few of the stores (all the empty ones by the North walkway to the parking garage) on SIMON's dime. Then, get the restaurant to sign a long term lease and give them a STEEP discount for the first half of the lease.

If they get something like a Cheesecake Factory IN the mall, they will have guaranteed shoppers almost nightly who are waiting to eat there. This would then give some stores a reason to open up there.

Essentially, the mall needs momentum one way or the other. Right now, that momentum is VERY negative. Each shop closing brings fewer people to the mall, hurting the other stores, causing some of them to close.

Investing in something like this would bring people in and hopefully add a shop or 2, which would further increase demand for more businesses, etc.

However, like I said, I don't know if Simon is willing to take a risk like that to save the mall.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:29 am

All I'll say is Crossroads continues to survive 16 months after this cantankerous thread was created..

I still bet on mall survival..And for the same reasons I outlined here 16 months ago..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:08 am

Omaha Cowboy wrote:All I'll say is Crossroads continues to survive 16 months after this cantankerous thread was created..

I still bet on mall survival..And for the same reasons I outlined here 16 months ago..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

-I hope so. However, when does this happen? We have seen a bunch of new business around the area and the completion of Target. What has happened (mind you, we are in the busiest shopping season of the year) while all of this is going on? We have seen 10 fewer stores than around this time last year.

I would love to see it change. However, I don't think your or Simon's philosophy of throw your head in the sand and just wait for the shops to come is going to do it. There is only so much more business than can go up in the immediate area. Currently, someone coming from Aksarben already has to get in a car to get there and will WAY more often than not choose to travel a couple miles further West for a much better selections of shops. Crossroads NEEDS to create a destination that will put people within WALKING distance of their shops, thereby keeping people out of their cars (which will inevitably end up at Westroads).

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:24 am

Oh good grief..

Nobody is throwing their head in the sand Joe..The Crossroads area is ALREADY a point of destination for people..None of us know what the heck Simon's plans are for the place..But they just spent major $$ re-landscaping the surface parking and just opened a brand new Target anchor store..Do you honestly believe the place will be going away anytime soon? If you do, you're kidding yourself..(If I'm wrong, I'll let you watch me eat a straw hat)..

You say you'd 'love' to see the place survive..Well perhaps you've had a change of heart compared to your original thoughts on this subject..I dunno..

But like the Hyena..Who most of the time waits his turn before he can feed on the dead animal..You're gonna have to be patient..Perhaps until your late 40's or beyond before this beast eventually dies..

Honestly though, if you'd 'love' to see the place turnaround as you NOW say, that will be the most LIKELY end result 3-5 years from now..

I will now cease my discourse on this brow-beaten topic for good..

Hate away on the 'dying mall'..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:38 am

You mistake my hatred for Simon's poor management of it for hatred for the mall. While I do like the layout of the Westroads more, Crossroads is STILL my second favorite mall to go to (although I end up at Oakview the most since it is the closest). That said, I do not see Simon doing much of anything beyond adding a somewhat non-traditional anchor store. It almost appears they want (and you support) doing nothing but waiting for OTHER businesses in the area to create a destination out of Crossroads rather than making it more of a destination again on their own.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:15 pm

Interesting thing is that the exterior anchor stores (Dillard's, Sears, Target, B&N, Chili's) all seem to have customers going in and out of them. It is the interior mall portion of Crossroads that has "died" off, so to speak. The anchor tenants seem to be doing just fine. The customers of Crossroads these day seem to be targeted shoppers, stopping there to hit one store, then off to the next strip mall.

If Simon management gave a |expletive| abut my opinion, I would tell them to re-invent the place. Keep all the exterior anchors, tear down the "mall" portion, and replace it with landscaped pedestrian outdoor walkways and stand alone structures. Lure a few new-to-Omaha tenants and rename the place Crossroads Village or The Shops at Crossroads. Basically make it an outdoor marketplace, which IS the current rage in retail development.

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:32 pm

OmahaChef wrote:Interesting thing is that the exterior anchor stores (Dillard's, Sears, Target, B&N, Chili's) all seem to have customers going in and out of them. It is the interior mall portion of Crossroads that has "died" off, so to speak. The anchor tenants seem to be doing just fine.

-EXACTLY. Last night, at 7:00, there were LESS than 20 people walking around the halls, with very few in the shops. Poor Santa was sitting at the North end all by himself (not a darn kid within 200 feet of him). It was REALLY depressing.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:38 am

Half of them had weapons.

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:16 pm

Probably. There was darn near as much security (in their dorky hats) as there were customers.

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:34 pm

I once read that some corporations by mall properties to use as write-offs and that they some times want them to lose money.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:58 pm

im sure the property would be more valuable if it had a different use.

i heard a whisper once that the dallas mafia wanted to buy it and blow it up.

djc311 · Post by **djc311** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 11:18 pm

As a VERY SHORT-TERM tenant in Crossroads, I can tell you a few things I found out about it while I was negotiating our lease and while we occupied our space. First, supposedly, Simon at least won't confess to any plans of tearing anything down. They claim to be looking at a single large retailer for the upstairs portion between the 4 food places and Dillards. Don't quite understand the design here, but that's what I was told.

We were offered a ridiculously awesome rent rate for our space inside Crossroads. I mean, unbelievable, but even so, our labor was costing 10x our sales on an average day - which is not good to say the least. It was draining our energy from our 2 existing stores which are super busy right now, and it was dragging us down. The mall hours there are insane - they're forcing all tenants to be open until 11pm this week. And they open at 7am. That mall doesn't justify those hours - maybe, and I mean MAYBE, Sears or Target MIGHT, but not the jewelry shop at the cart out front of where we were.

When you look at the mall from a structural standpoint, it still looks nice and is very "sound". However, when it came to minor details inside while we were there, they weren't even broadcasting Christmas music throughout the mall the 2.5 weeks we were a tenant. It was DEAD silent in there!

As for closings, the Hallmark Card store which was directly across the hall from our space is closing as of Jan 21st. Others will be announcing soon.

The food court is NOT a food court, they removed major tenant space to accommodate freakin' gumball machines and extra seating for no one. I remember going there as a kid to see Santa - they had the coolest Christmas scene w/ miniature houses and stuff. The cool round restaurant down by Brandeis where we'd get hot dogs. Woolworth and their restaurant. The shoe repair shop. And I guess at one time it had a movie theater and an arcade in the basement.

Target owns their property they built on - I still see the interior portion of the mall being changed or demolished for something else.

I was extremely disappointed in the lack of business we saw at that location. It actually scared me a bit, 'cause I've always thought that The Omaha Chocolate Company could use a mid-town location. Obviously, not inside of the the Crossfire Mall - (joke). In all honesty, the customer base I observed in the mall most of the time reminded me of the type of crowd you'd see in Westroads. Why they don't buy anything was beyond me...

D

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 8:43 am

Interesting to see if the make the investment you are talking about. However, it is nice to see you confirm what the vast majority of us knew: Target is going to do NOTHING to save the mall. Other steps need to be taken if we are to see this mall thrive once again.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 11:30 pm

Crossroads
Crossroads Has 3 Major Tenants, Dillard's, Sears, and Target
Crossroads still Has Old Navy, Gap, Barns an Nobel
Crossroads Has A Parking Structure the other Malls Dream of
Crossroads Has High Visibility at a Major intersection.
Crossroads is more accessible than any other mall.

Target is not hurting the Mall. Its an attraction that draws people in Just as good as Younkers ever did.

Granted there might be some Vacancy, but They are not going anywhere.

Westroads only Has Three Major Tennants
Westroads Exit is before you can see the Mall from Dodge Street
Westroads you can't park as close to the doors

Oakview is Overcrowded somewhat due to poor design.
Oakview has teriable traffic Design

Village Point has poor traffic Design,
Village Point does not have an interior walkway to connect stores in bad weather

Southroads..... Dead.

If you weigh out all he options, the Crossraods is not that bad of a mall and will not be blown up anytime soon.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:48 am

Thank you Brad, for the voice of sanity. Although I'm sure it will just add fuel to the fire for our dear friend.

Post by **Brad** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:19 am

Back in the day in the day 2 and 3 years ago we talked Development and Cool Stuff on the way, We went and took pictures of UPC being built and the Holland center being built.

Now we have all theses people that want to come on here and argue politics Which is basically what that education thread is all about. Jeff use to run people off for talking politics and religion on this site. I hope the Admin, Mark, and Lou keep doing the same.

As far as the Crossroads thread, its just an ignorant idea that the mall is going to go away.

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:29 am

Uffda wrote:
as if that Education thread wasn't stupid enough.
Now not why this was considered a stupid thread as he put it in the News category and it was a news article on OWH.

I guess I am wondering why on this forum anyone who disagrees with the clique gets slammed.

-We have already established that there are some here they have resorted to reverting back to middle school behavior and trying to force cliques on people here. If you like jhuston, we are going to attack you. If you think something other than we do, we are going to attack you. If you are going to post an article from the OWH that we don't want to discuss, we are going to attack you. If you post FACTS about the mall and discuss the truth about trends, we will attack you.

The patience here blows. The demands of absolute adherence to their views is pathetic. I came here soliciting information on street trains and told, accept that it is great because we said so or leave. When I press the issue, someone else says, go do your own damn research. When someone FINALLY posts some information, I say it is interesting and I think I am on board with it. Yet, that was not good enough because I would not accept the views of the collective mind from the get go.

Now, we have Brad whining because I have pointed out the failings of the Crossroads. It does not matter that I have made it clear that I enjoy shopping there over most other places in town. It does not matter that I am trying to think of things I would like to see them do to improve it. Once again, I get blasted for not immediately falling in line with the groupthink so many here have.

If you must resort to attacking me, then go ahead. I am a big boy and can accept it. If you need that to placate sense of belonging, I will gladly be the sacrificial lamb so you can feel better.