Simon Properties made their first official move to make their planned outlet mall on Turkey Mountain a reality. They submitted plans to the Tulsa Metropolitan Planning Commission including a plot plan. (Thank you to the Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition for posting the drawing.)
The drawing is oriented so that north is to the right. If you study on it you see that the eastern edge of the proposed development butts up right next to a creek. If you read the elevations you can see that that they are planning on building a reataining wall that will be up to 75 feet tall, right at the edge of the creek.
Above is a nearby shopping center, Tulsa Hills. It probably has about the same amount of elevation over the ground but is staged by two retaining walls and two sloped areas. Simon, to save space and shoehorn as big a parking lot as possible is just going with one wall.
I also don’t see any storm water retention ponds or anything so in my inexpert opinion whenever there is a strong rainstorm, instead of 48 acres of earth to help absorb and slow down runoff, it is all going to run off of the paved parking lot and then dumped into the creek, along with whatever trash it gathers along the way, and flushed right into Lake Logan at the West Side YMCA. I don’t think this plan is a good start.
This mall is going to be a disaster for Turkey Mountain. Simon Properties is just putting their heads down and is bulling right on ahead.
We are going to see lots of asphalt and lots of cars and lots of stores selling crap. Also, this huge mall is only going to have one entrance, off a two lane road from a freeway instersection with no lights. I’m expecting that they will want the road and the intersection upgraded at no cost to them as an “incentive.” I’m also sure that will want some fancy tax treatment to pay for infrastructure as more incentives. They are building on private land so they can do what they want but I don’t want to incentivize them. I’d like them to go somewhere else in town. Perhaps to a failed existing shopping center and redevelop it.
Instead of an urban wilderness where we can refresh ourselves.
Our vistas are all going to manmade.
Instead of what God made.
What to do?
This is far from settled. Simon is making noises about opening Fall 2016 but this should be far from settled.
Contact your City Councilor
Contact the Mayor
Check out the Tulsa Metropolitan Planning Commission
Stay informed with the Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition
Read Bob and Ken’s Blogs. They are at the forefront of this issue.
More Information
NewsOn6.com – Tulsa, OK – News, Weather, Video and Sports – KOTV.com |
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Best of luck on this. It is mournful.
That is just plain sad!
Alan, I just can’t imagine that wall, the stores or even a parking lot on my favorite trails. If built it won’t last. That’s the biggest problem. A big ,empty, closed area of cement.
Fight the good fight Yogi. Turkey Mountain is worth saving. I know that the dollar rules and that the proponents of this project will trumpet the magical impact this project will have on the local & state economy. They will tout jobs and tax revenues as if this project will cure all of Tulsa’s ills. The truth is, it’s just another place for citizens to get deeper in debt, buying things that they don’t need. I suppose some would say that shopping is refreshing and re-charges their batteries, but a little time in the wilderness is much more of a blessing than carrying 20 lbs of shopping bags across 40 acres of asphalt parking lot in July. Just sayin’.
So that “buffer zone” the Simon rep mentioned is really just a wall. Their lack of consideration for the area and the people who use it (to keep in healthy mentally and physically) is nauseating.
Glad you are involved with the fight against this monstrosity. How can they get away with being so close to a stream like that. Wonder which local politicians’ pockets they are in. Love the new header.
The last thing we need anywhere — let alone a wonderful wilderness area is one more friggin’ mall!!! Fight on!! If I were there I’d be fighting with/for you!!!
I took a little back adventure walk at Tulsa Hills last weekend. It is a relatively new mall and the trash was unbelievable. Between Dick’s and Sam’s is a disgusting ditch full of trash. And behind Sam’s isn’t much better. Take a look and see what trash another mall is going to bring right to Turkey Mountain. Why can’t Simon just go a couple miles west? There is land and access right off the turnpike.
I hate to see you lose this beautiful natural place to more asphalt and storefronts. Who can want or buy all the junk already being sold?
When I enlarged the image, that site plan looked familiar. The arrangement of buildings is almost identical to Simon’s Premium Outlet Mall in Round Rock, TX. They really aren’t designing a project to fit the site. They are trying shoe-horn a prototype layout on to a site that doesn’t quite want to accommodate the buildings and parking required to make the project a financial success. Maybe they will turn that 75′ retaining wall into a rock climbing ammenity…probably not.
Very good observation I can see that now that you mention it. I was wondering how they were going go make the site work because it does slope a lot from south to north from west to east. It is going to be a huge cut and fill project to get everything even halfway level.
The rock climbing wall idea is great idea.
I was also thinking about the all the windblow trash that is going to be blown off that parking lot into the far corners of Turkey Mountain. Tulsa Hills is over a mile away and there is trash blown from there into the mountain.
Ignorance is ALWAYS deaf.
Just what the world needs–another shopping center. Such a shame. I hope the citizens of Tulsa put up a good fight! Maybe you should let my favorite nephew do some protesting.