Tiger Hill Development Underway in Historic Part of Broken Arrow
B.A. PROGRESS: The $11 million Tiger Hill Development is being constructed at the southwest corner of Kenosha and Lynn Lane and will contain some 30,000 square feet of retail and business space.
By BOB LEWIS
Contributing Editor
The on and off development of one of Broken Arrow’s most endearing landmarks is back on – and going strong.
Even though it has taken longer than anticipated, all the t’s have now been crossed all the i’s dotted and the City Council has approved plans for development of Broken Arrow’s historic Tiger Hill. That opened the flood gates for construction personnel to swarm the area handling a myriad of requirements for the new $11 million Tiger Plaza. Progress is already being seen.
To meet the needs of the project, contractor crews began several months ago lowering the site’s elevation but encountered some obstacles that put the undertaking on hold. Parts of the original $1 million retaining wall, built in 2012, buckled requiring extensive repairs. Engineers later determined it was necessary to add a $1.1 million “soldier wall.”
With all that completed, the plaza will be situated on the southwest corner of Kenosha and Lynn Lane and contain some 30,000 square feet of retail and business space. The developer says leases for two restaurants and a beauty salon have already been signed and at least six others are expected to be finalized soon.
The site is in one of the most attractive retail areas in the city. Walgreens and Chick-fil-a are across the street to the north; Reasor’s Foods anchors a shopping center to the northeast and Dollar General and the White River Fish Market restaurant highlight a center immediately to the east.
FlightSafety International’s massive facility is directly behind the development. Bass Pro Shops and the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center are nearby on the Broken Arrow Expressway.
The high ground landmark was named in honor of the Broken Arrow High School Tiger mascot and was a popular gathering place for generations of local teenagers. Many remember it as the site of some historic “king of the mountain” games during the 1960’s.
Before that, it was a landmark for cattle drives through Oklahoma, according to local history expert Dr. Clarence G. Oliver, Jr.
