TULSA, Okla. — Since closing in September 2023, the core of the Promenade Mall, the once bustling midtown shopping center, has turned into a haven for vandals and the homeless.
And the owners make it easy by repeatedly keeping it unlocked and unsecured.
When 2 News went by, the main entrance was open. Inside, the floors were littered with trash. It is easily accessible from the second-floor parking garage, too.
It's evident people have stayed there — shoes, grocery carts, and the makings of a campfire litter the lot.
There are also skid remnants of car stunts on the concrete.
While 2 News did not go inside the building, we obtained photos from a Reddit user, purportedly taken in recent weeks.
The photos show leftover, unwanted merchandise, overturned tables, and an abundance of trash and vandalism.
Complaints concerning public safety are not new at the abandoned mall — we searched the City of Tulsa Code Enforcement portal and found a half-dozen nuisance complaints since the mall closed.
In May 2024, one citizen reported “vagrants in the stairwell.”
While the status of the complaint is labeled “resolved,” there is currently no door leading to that stairwell. Anyone can gain access.
On April 17, a citizen reported the unlocked main entrance with a “possible homeless encampment.”
The difference between the mall at its peak and now at its lowest is stark.
Tulsa Police Officer Danny Bean encourages neighbors to report suspicious behavior, but when an owner is based out of state, like in this case, enforcement is difficult.
“If we don’t have an owner or representative of that property present, sometimes we are handcuffed on what we can do,” he said.
The owner, New York-based Kohan Retail Investment Group, has not responded to any of our requests for comment since we started reporting on the mall’s closure and subsequent problems in 2023. City officials say the owners did not sign a waiver that would have allowed Tulsa police to enforce trespassing laws without the owner present.
Tulsa Health Department records indicate they received a complaint about standing water inside the building. THD referred the complaint to the City of Tulsa.
The Tulsa Fire Department responded to a brush fire on the loading dock in February –likely someone trying to stay warm.
The City of Tulsa did not have someone to go on camera, but said they have given the owners two weeks to secure the space.
A spokesperson sent this statement on behalf of the City of Tulsa:
“We are aware of the reports of potential trespassing at the property. Code Enforcement conducted an initial investigation outside of the mall. No obvious signs of unlawful occupancy were present, but a notice was placed on the property to secure an unlocked door. Should the property not be secured in the next two weeks, we will work with the Tulsa Police Department on a work order to abate, which could involve an inspection inside the property. We’ve been in contact with property management and are told it will be secured as soon as possible.”
There are several anchoring businesses attached to the mall that remain successful, including the new WeStreet Ice Center. The owner told us they are hoping something positive will come of the empty space soon, and, in the meantime, they have hired security to help patrol the area.
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