Harold Jones remembers that when he was growing up in north Tulsa in the 1970s and 1980s, he often visited a thriving shopping and entertainment center around the corner.
“This mall represented about 60% of the funds provided to this community, and I thought, ‘If I could revitalize this … and stimulate the economy here, it would be a win-win,'” he said.
Jones, 50, and his wife, Natalie Jones, 49, have invested more than $350,000 to revitalize the Northridge shopping center on the east side of Peoria Avenue at 50th Place North.
He expects to invest a total of about $1 million to renovate at least five buildings on the site, with amenities including several restaurants, a small “Dave & Busters”-style arcade and a sports bar.
“We want it to be so resourceful that they can come to this mall and get everything they need,” he said.
People also read…
Harold and Natalie Jones said they plan to open north Tulsa’s first urgent care clinic, Novastar Family Medical, in 2023.
Natalie Jones, a nurse, is responsible for Novastar.
Harold Jones, a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, was playing football at the University of Missouri in the mid-1990s when he met Natalie in her hometown of Columbia.
He graduated in finance and marketing.
“I started with the Jim Glover (auto) group,” he said.
“So I was a finance guy, working with Glover and making a lot of money through sales.”
Back then – in the early 2000s – he also helped finance Natalie’s wish to continue her education. She has a master’s degree.
“At that time, my wife was still in school. She graduated from school. I left Glover and retired from Glover (in 2007),” he said.
“I started my own finance company. I got lucky. The good man up there gave me a finance company. I closed that down, then I started a trucking company … and recently I sold my car dealership,” McKee Motorsports, which he owned with a partner.
Since then, he has begun revitalizing the shopping center.
What happened and changes
Jones said that after opening Novastar, he and Natalie thought about expanding the company to the state capital.
“We were preparing to invest in Oklahoma City. … We wanted to open three to four emergency rooms in the abandoned areas – like north Tulsa – in Oklahoma City,” he said.
“The … guy (the former owner of the property) who lives in Oklahoma City called me about this shopping center here. I said, ‘How did you get my number?'” Jones said.
That was in February.
“Everyone in the community said, ‘You could be one of the people who could buy it,'” Jones said.
Jones said he was told that the Oklahoma City seller had several interested parties who wanted to buy or lease a building in the mall, but that he wanted to sell the entire building.
About a month passed, Jones said, and the seller reduced his selling price per square foot.
“And at that point I thought, ‘This could be great for this community,'” Jones said.
But he still had reservations.
“I thought about it. It was an eyesore. I’m telling you, it was so run down. Every building was covered in graffiti of different colors,” Jones said, adding that he was concerned about transients and damage to the parking lot.
But despite the challenges, he decided to risk everything and the purchase was completed in April.
The biggest initial costs were for resurfacing the parking lot, putting new roofs on the buildings and installing air conditioning, ventilation and heating systems, he said.
Jones plans two phases of development, the first of which he hopes to complete by the end of the year.
His vision is that each of the 740 square meter buildings he is currently renovating should have its own, as yet unfinished, name:
- One with restaurants, including a breakfast bar, sandwiches, fish and grill options, as part of a food court concept
- An arcade with the latest virtual and classic video games and food offerings
- A coffee and donut shop and an ice cream parlor
- A coworking space
The only existing business at the site – a Tops and Bottoms school uniform store at 5071 N. Peoria Ave. – will not be affected by the development and will remain open, he said.
In addition, Jones said, his goal with his project is to provide inexpensive meals to all students at nearby McLain High School.
“The breakfast restaurant will serve food to all the kids at McLain High School. What we’re going to do is … if you have an ID, these kids can get pre-packaged breakfast sandwiches for 50 cents to $1 – just something that’s really inexpensive for them,” he said.
“One of the main reasons children don’t go to school is because they don’t have clean clothes or food.”
Aim of strengthening entrepreneurs
Natalie Jones called the development “exciting.” Harold Jones, who is serving as general contractor, “works very long days – very long days – starting at 7 a.m., but it’s exciting.”
What will not be visible until the end of the year, however, is a new illuminated sign for the planned, rebuilt Northridge shopping center.
The existing main signage structure for the site is similar to those at locations such as The Farm Shopping Center (51st Street and Sheridan Road) and The Mill Shopping Center (71st Street and Sheridan Road).
“Right now, the buildings take priority over everything else,” said Harold Jones.
“The sign we have out there can be made that way,” he said, snapping his fingers.
A delay makes sense so that the sign, including the wiring, can be completed and the lighting does not confuse anyone who might think the mall is open.
“I have to leave it as it is,” he said. “Phase 1 has to be completed and we are getting ready to paint the signs (of the buildings) and then start planning the different areas that will house the businesses.”
Harold and Natalie Jones both believe in the power of black businesses, black entrepreneurs and black customers.
“I think it would be a disservice if someone who grew up here did not contribute to the community,” Harold Jones said.
“The measure of the success of our work will be the people in the community, not the return on investment or the increase in value (of the property),” he said.
The goal is for community members to learn that they can rely on the resources provided by the development to make it “a safe haven for the kids, … with all the trimmings,” Harold Jones said. “I think the man up there has been with us every step of the way so far, and we still have a long way to go.”
Another goal of the project is to give local businesses more opportunities to “showcase their capabilities and … promote their company and brand,” he said.
“There are a lot of small business owners here who don’t have a permanent place of business,” he said, “and if they do, they have to drive far south (Tulsa) or to Sand Springs to find one.”
Your story lives in the Tulsa World
The Tulsa World editorial team is committed to covering this community with curiosity, tenacity and depth. Our passion for telling Tulsa’s story remains unwavering. Because your story is our story. Thank you to our subscribers who support local journalism. Join them and take advantage of limited-time offers at tulsaworld.com/story.
