Workers from Linkous Construction Company Inc. started tearing up land on the north side of Jackson Avenue two years ago. Since then, a handful of retailers have set up shop in Oxford’s Galleria II. The new shopping center is already packed, with all 25 storefronts expecting to open their doors by fall 2017.
John Trezevant and his realty company are responsible for the massive construction effort between Goose Creek and Jackson Avenue. Trezevant Realty manages the leasing, project and construction aspects of Oxford Galleria II.
Trezevant said the project brought 500 construction jobs to town before a single store opened. He expects the shopping center to create between 2,000 and 2,500 jobs by the time all the stores are open. Galleria II’s Dick’s Sporting Goods employs almost 300 people, and other stores like Ulta Beauty hire around 100 employees, according to Trezevant.
Dick’s opened up on Sept. 12 as the first tenant of Oxford Galleria II, bringing jobs to students and outdoor gear to Rebel fans that Monday before the Alabama game.
Sophomore business major Jonah Ivey began his job at Dick’s during this fall semester.
“It’s an awesome addition to a growing area,” Ivey said. “We’ve been busy, which is great for the customers and us.”
Trezevant said the student presence was a big draw for many national businesses looking to open a branch in Galleria II.
“They realize the job market is open and viable,” he said. “I guess it was Ulta that told me they had four times the applicants for positions.”
Before Trezevant Realty could begin construction on Galleria II, they had to clear some state and national environmental regulations. The land, which was used to house a trailer park, had 1,200 feet of stream running through it. To remove the stream, Trezevant said he had to purchase “stream credit.”
“That money was taken to another part of the country to restore a stream that was in distress,” he said. “In order for us to take 1,200 feet out, we had to put 1,200 feet in or something equivalent.”
Trezevant said the area was designated as flood-prone, but the recent construction work has lowered the flood elevation. Galleria II’s parking lot uses a new drainage technology that collects and filters rainwater from the concrete before releasing it back into surrounding streams.
“All the water that hits the asphalt, it basically cleans itself before it gets into the stream,” Trezevant said.
Trezevant said the company also had to move 50 trailers off the site at the start of the project. Trezevant Realty gave the tenants a notice that they had a certain amount of time to move out, but he said many of the families needed financial help in relocating.
“Our partnership paid an allowance for everyone in here to move out,” he said. “We were not required to do that.”
When they took on the trailer park property, Trezevant said six stores had already pre-leased with Trezevant Realty. Smaller shops followed these national anchors, which Trezevant said was the emphasis needed to start the Galleria II project. He said the mix of tenants gives the shopping center traction and chemistry.
“We’re getting the entire family here. The kids, the wife, the mom, the boyfriend, the girlfriend and all the students,” Trezevant said.
The shopping center has been a long time coming.
Kendall Davis, a partner of the shopping center, said the flood plane issues especially delayed the Dick’s Sporting Goods construction.
Dick’s is one of the many national retailers taking up residence in Galleria II. With this second Galleria, his company focused on bringing in national merchants with a strong state presence, Trezevant said. He said these department stores feed off of each other.
“Dick’s wasn’t coming unless Ross was here and Marshalls was here,” Trezevant said. “The restaurants weren’t coming unless Dick’s and Marshalls were here.”
