City of Tulsa clears up confusion on proposed outlet mall near Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area

“It’s not that we’re against an outlet mall. We just don’t want it in one of the most beautiful places right in the middle of the city,” Sprague said. “It’s like go somewhere else–go out east or go down south, just somewhere that is not a place that people love to use.”

He worries the outlet mall could bring in an increased amount of traffic to an area that he describes as a tranquil escape. He said he’s not against new developments or progress in town, but he hopes city leaders reconsider the location of this project.

Outlet mall planned near Turkey Mountain

Latest press release on the outlet mall

I have said before that I am not opposed to Tulsa having an outlet mall. There are a lot of other plots of land in the general area that would work well for the mall and not take away from our urban wilderness. the SE corner of 61st and HWY 75, the land south of the Creek turnpike west of the river, The SW corner of 71st and Elwood, and several other areas west of HWY 75.

Proposed Outlet Mall Would Close Some Turkey Mountain Trails

Other developers want to build a 185,000 square foot outlet mall where 244 and 44 meet. They are competing with Simon to be the first to secure big name retailers.

The trails that would be shut down are not managed by River Parks, the authority said the trails are unofficial trails, but are commonly used.

Paving paradise: The (possible) story of how an outlet mall will eat Tulsa’s Turkey Mountain

Some big news hit my hometown this week.

Big business property developer buys part of Turkey Mountain to build an outlet mall!

So the 800,000 square foot outlet mall dumped on Turkey Mountain goes in. Now little two lane 61st street will not handle the thousands of bargain shoppers who cut through on Elwood to avoid the traffic at Tulsa Hills. Picture this, folks: 61st street and Elwood are widened to at least 4 lanes. Maybe 6. Think of all the trails we lose when that happens. The trails that meander along 61st Street will be to an added 2 lanes–plus they will probably be so nice to throw in some 8′ concrete sidewalks. The traffic even now on 61st Street and Elwood Avenue has tripled since Tulsa Hills was built. Residents from west Tulsa who need to commute over the 71st Street river bridge skip the deluge of un-synchronized stoplights by McDonald’s/QuikTrip/Lowe’s/and 1000 other stores–and speed over on 61st Street and rocket down Elwood only to wait at the 71/Elwood stoplight at the newly improved intersection that was widened from two lanes to TWO LANES. OOPS?!?!? It is impossible to get through this intersection in the morning drive in less than 10 minutes due to this lack of foresight. Now let’s quadruple the traffic flow with shoppers. Believe me–all of the 1.6 miles from 71/Elwood to the outlet mall will be widened in a big way. How do you widen Elwood going up the hill? Goodbye Lipbuster.