Tulsa Losing Iconic Landmark

By Jennifer Loren, News On 6

TULSA, OK - The city is losing an iconic landmark. The Sheridan Village Shopping Center will soon be demolished.

The owners say its design is too outdated to survive in the current retail climate.

Looking back at its heyday, Tulsa is losing another hidden treasure.

It's a warning sign of what's to come of the Sheridan Village Shopping Center, but to people like Beth Morgan who grew up near Sheridan and Admiral, it's a sign that Tulsa is changing.

"Well it's sad because I grew up there and this is where we shopped when I was little, but it's progress. It cleans up the place I guess," said Beth Morgan, former Sheridan Village Shopper.

Looking at the shopping center now, you may wonder why anyone would be sad to see it go. But back in its prime, the shopping center had a lot of class.

Back in 1954, The Tulsa Tribune headline read, "Sheridan Village Made Ready."

The developers were heralded as men with vision for building such a large shopping center that was said to be modern in every detail, especially the rooftop parking.

"And then the first escalators I ever rode on were in there," said Morgan.

Morgan has fond memories of her childhood there playing on the giant stairwell at JCPenney, buying groceries with her parents and eating dinner on Friday nights at the Bordens Cafeteria.

"And we got the same thing. It was fried chicken, mashed potatoes, with white gravy, green beans and French silk pie every Friday night," said Morgan.

When she looks at the building now, Morgan can remember going to school across the street and how some students used the center for a little extracurricular activity.

"The bridge here was the smoke hole and uh, I didn't go there. But it was the smoke hole for those who did that," said Morgan.

And soon those memories will be all that's left of Sheridan Village.

The building will be taken down by a wrecking company by Christmas.

The vacant land will then be put up for sale.