In 2015, Weatherford, Oklahoma, made statewide headlines: 3 sinkholes developed on the site of a Ford dealership along Main Street across City Hall. In 2017, another sinkhole was discovered, but eventually, it could be fixed.

What was the reason of the massive sinkholes?

“When it was constructed 50+ years ago, they put the drainage right down the middle of the property,” Mayor Mike Brown said. “When the pipes rusted out on the bottom, the pipe separated causing a ‘sink hole’ if you will, when the drainage water washed it out!”

The water pipes broke at a time of record rainfall across Oklahoma.

In 2019, the property was sold to Bartmann Opportunity Zone Fund LLC, who, as part of the deal, agreed to start construction within 2 years. Another requirement: moving the utilities.

Since the city, understandably, doesn’t want another sinkhole to develop due to broken pipes, the utilities need to be moved as a requirement to build on the property, according to Mayor Brown.

“The cost to do that is somewhere in the range of $500,000 -$700,000,” he said. “The owner of the property is in the process of moving the utilities. Once that is completed, the owner will try to find a buyer to develop. Hopefully something good!”

Right now, the right lane of Route 66 westbound is closed.

Mayor Brown also said that the block to the east has been purchased as well, “and will be developed also.”