Appraisal ordered for mall property

Three commissioners selected for appraisal

By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon

An Oklahoma County judge has appointed three commissioners to appraise the former Heritage Park Mall property as part of condemnation proceedings.

The Midwest City Urban Renewal Authority is using eminent domain to acquire the property after city officials and the property owner were unable to reach an agreement on a sale.

Eminent domain is the power of the government to take private property with just compensation.

The Urban Renewal Authority offered nearly $6 million for the property this summer. The property owners rejected the offer, and the city followed with condemnation proceedings.

The mall property is owned by Ahmad Bahreini, ABAB, Inc., and Shakiba Nasser. It includes the former main portion of the mall, Montgomery Ward and Thunder Burger. Midwest City owns the former Sears building and LifeChurch owns and operates the west side of the building.

One of the first steps of the eminent domain process is to have the property reappraised by three commissioners. On Dec. 18, judge C. Brent Dishman appointed Mac Kilpatrick, Lane Wheeler and Tom Blanton to serve as commissioners.

Each side selected one member, and they had to agree on the third. The Urban Renewal Authority selected Kilpatrick and Bahreini chose Wheeler.

The commissioners will inspect and value the property and later present a report which determines the amount of just compensation. The property owner can accept the commissioner’s opinion on just compensation or demand a jury trial.

Whether or not the landowner challenges the commissioners’ valuation, the condemner will then pay the award to the court and can legally take possession of the property.