Show summary Hide summary
Midwest City is one step closer to clearing the long-abandoned Heritage Park Mall after city officials said the urban renewal authority is lining up outside help to manage demolition and decide what to do with materials left inside. The decision matters now because it signals real momentum toward removing a property that has been a persistent safety and blight concern for years.
The Midwest City Urban Renewal Authority has interviewed several firms and is drafting a contract with a management company that would supervise removal work and inventory the mall’s contents, city officials said in a June 15 statement. That firm would help plan demolition logistics and advise on how to handle items found inside the shuttered complex.
Legal control and the 90-day notice
Oklahoma City Zoo celebrates surprise arrival of elephant calf
JCPenney Oklahoma: historic photos track the store’s evolution
A court decision earlier this year transferred control of the site to the city and its renewal authority. In March, the city sent a formal notice to former owner Ahmad Bahreini allowing 90 days to remove any belongings from the property; the message said anything left after the deadline would become the authority’s.
City records show officials expect the vacant anchor buildings — including the former Montgomery Ward and Sears locations — to be demolished “as soon as possible” once the authority takes full possession and demolition planning is complete.
Why the property has been contentious
Heritage Park Mall opened in 1978, enjoyed several decades of activity and effectively closed in 2010. Over time the site accumulated numerous complaints related to fires, vandalism and structural problems; city files list more than 150 code violations tied to the property.
The urban renewal authority previously placed $6.9 million in escrow to acquire the site — a figure determined by a court-appointed arbitration panel and well above the roughly $3.4 million paid by Bahreini for parts of the complex years earlier.
- Site: Heritage Park Mall, Midwest City
- Control: Transferred to Midwest City Urban Renewal Authority after court ruling
- Owner notice: March 90-day deadline to remove belongings; items left become authority property
- Management step: Authority interviewed multiple firms and is preparing a contract to manage demolition
- Financials: $6.9M placed in escrow for acquisition; prior owner paid roughly $3.4M
- Public safety record: More than 150 code complaints on file
For local residents, the immediate effect could be reduced safety hazards and fewer code-enforcement incidents if demolition proceeds. City officials say the management contract is a key next step, but they have not announced a firm timeline for tearing down structures or beginning cleanup work.
What happens after demolition — whether the site is rebuilt for retail, housing, green space or another use — will be determined by the renewal authority and future redevelopment planning. For now, officials are focusing on securing a contractor and finalizing the legal and logistical steps needed to move from ownership to action.
