[Bobby H]

Let's have some specifics on how Lawton is a lot worse than it was in 1997. Not the usual broad-stroke general statements.

People whine about the crime rate in Lawton despite the fact Lawton has a lower crime rate than Oklahoma City or Tulsa. Lawton's current crime rate is not near its all time highs set in the early 1970s.

There's a lot of areas in Lawton that do look run down. However, ALL of those areas currently run down were every bit as trashy looking -if not actually worse- back in 1997.

Additionally, there are businesses and organizations like Lawton Beautiful, Inc. (a 5013C group raising tax free donations, grants, etc.) working on beautification projects, encouraging businesses to clean up and upgrade their properties and helping enforce anti-littering laws. None of that was around in 1997.

Lawton had a number of strip bars and massage parlors within the city limits back in the late 1990s. That's not the case anymore. Even in the last 1990s that industry was a mere shadow of what it once was in the 1970s and 1980s. It's reduced much further now and outside city limits to boot.

Lawton's city government could always use some serious improvement, but it's better than its been. Back in the late 1990s the city would never have gotten tough with property owners of run down developments like Bobby Mansell. The city has been fighting a legal battle for more than 2 years to get something done about Midtown Square on Gore Blvd. Now the city is getting close to being able to swing a wrecking ball on that dump. Meanwhile some other more attractive developments have been going up not far from there, like Eagle's Landing. Northrop Grumman took over much of the 111 Office Bldg next door to Midtown Square.

Overall, little progress was being made in Lawton back in 1997. Today things are different.

[Bobby H]

Here's a little update to add for my previous post in this thread.

On Friday, Judge Aycock signed a demolition order for the old Midtown Square shopping center at the 1200 block of West Gore Blvd. The City of Lawton had been battling property owner Bobby Mansell for 3 years to get him to do something to fix the eyesore property.

Mansell had a deadline on Friday to submit paperwork showing he had contractors signed to fix the property and have $600,000 placed in an escrow account to fund the property rehabilitation. Mansell didn't get all of that done, so Aycock ordered Midtown Square to be demolished.

A lot of people in Lawton are glad to hear this news, especially property owners near Midtown Square. The wrecking ball with swing on that place by no later than 90 days.

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by Bobby H

........ The wrecking ball with swing on that place by no later than 90 days.

Barring any stays or continuances or appeals by a poor, misunderstood slumlord.......