Well, it's been a while. Got the nice little "it's been at least 120 days" warning and everything.
Gonna keep this short this time.
Eastland Shopping Center is a 1950s/60s open air shopping center with a handful of big box shops and small retail mixed in. With the construction of Washington Park Mall to the south in the late 80's it has fallen on hard times. It continued recently with the departure of Atwoods to a new store on the south end of town. Word is now however that Chick-fil-A will be constructing a new store in the parking lot close to HW 75, and that Hobby Lobby has shown an interest in moving from the back of the shopping center up to where Atwoods was. This is a much bigger space than Hobby Lobby currently occupies. Also word that the owners are planning on updating the whole center. It's located at the busiest section of Highway 75 in the city. Seems like something could work there. But most of the area was developed decades ago, so things like K-Mart, Stage (also closing shortly), and Twin Screen Theaters (now a church) are out of favor now a days. My dream is for them to close K-Mart (a foregone conclusion in my mind) and for Reasor's to open it's first store in Bartlesville. They would kill it. I understand from some local Wal-Mart employees that the store in Bartlesville is the highest performing one in the state. It makes sense, there is no competition for literally 50 miles in any direction. Here's hoping I guess.
Speaking of that stretch of HW 75, one direction is currently torn down to replace the bridge. Traffic was pretty snarly before, it's fantastic now (sarc), and appears to be under construction FOREVER! I now can sympathize on a local level with Tulsa construction, even if it is on a much smaller scale.
The 2 Braum's locations in town look like they may be converting to the "new format" sometime soon, with the one on Adams/75 slated to be demolished soon. Also welcome in my mind, as a family with small kids that buys milk ONLY from Braum's.
The Johnstone Paviliion is completed, outside of some new sidewalks and paths. It at the very least offers a much better, inviting structure to be the face of the park, no matter how disjointed it really is. Before it was just an empty lot where a string of dilapidated houses and the original Right Way Hotel was.
I've also got wind that the football stadium is going to be improved upon. They have already started work on several project in the area including new track surfacing and new tennis complex. All I can say is it is about time.
Downtown wise not much significant is going on. The police fire station complex is all but complete with moving in slated for this month for both. Businesses keep opening at a steady pace. Store fronts are renovated nicely. All of these while small and not very spectacular are leading to a much more cohesive area. For example, a chocolate shop/gelato store (Omega) has opened on Frank Phillips. It is now on the same block as 3 restaurants that are open in the evenings. I was speaking with the workers there and they were relating to me how busy it can get around supper time. Very good to here.
Considering all the head chopping going on at a certain O&G company, it's pretty impressive that any progress has been made.
Oh, and hosting the GAC Conference Championship again this year. March 2-5 @ Bruin Fieldhouse.