Midwest City assumes ownership of Heritage Park Mall

Midwest City Urban Renewal Authority approves demolition of Heritage Park Mall

By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon

The Midwest City Urban Renewal Authority on Friday approved a resolution authorizing the demolition of Heritage Park Mall, marking a major milestone in the city’s long-running effort to redevelop the long-vacant property.

The action follows a ruling by Judge Amy Palumbo finding that the city and the Urban Renewal Authority met the requirements of the Oklahoma Urban Renewal Act. With the mall’s appraised value of nearly $7 million placed in escrow with the court, the Authority has secured legal possession of the property.

City Attorney Don Maisch told commissioners that the possession order was signed Thursday, clearing the way to move forward.

“The Urban Renewal Authority now has legal possession of the mall,” Maisch said.

Under the resolution, the Authority declared its intent to demolish the mall based on safety concerns and testimony presented during a November court hearing. Former Fire Marshal testimony detailed significant deterioration inside the building, including a nonfunctioning fire suppression system, missing ceiling sections, and the presence of flammable materials and pressurized refrigerant canisters.

Maisch noted that fire officials have determined firefighters would not enter the structure except for life-saving measures, making it the only building in Midwest City with that designation.

A letter has been delivered to the former owner Ahmad Bahreini allowing 90 days to remove personal property from the site. During that period, the Authority may secure the building and conduct an inventory to protect the city from potential claims regarding missing items.

Authority members said about $2 to $2.5 million remains in the urban renewal account to cover demolition and potential environmental remediation. Environmental testing will be conducted to assess the presence of asbestos, mold, or other hazardous materials. Demolition timelines will be determined after bids are solicited and assessments are completed.

City leaders have expressed unanimous support for demolishing the long-closed mall. Heritage Park Mall has been largely vacant for more than a decade, with only limited and intermittent uses over the years.

“This is a huge day,” said Wade Moore, a member of the Urban Renewal Authority.

Authority members believe the demolition will help revitalize the area and spur new commercial development.

“I think this will be a huge motivation for people to reconsider property adjacent to the mall,” Moore said.