December 2016 | Business View Magazine

86 87 have walkable and bikeable – lots of bike paths and sidewalks, everywhere. And we have an excellent, self-sustaining,very strong public transportation system; for a town of 21,000 people,that’s a rarity,andwe’re veryproud of that.” Another recipient of Oxford pride is the city’s square, for which the town is famous.“The Oxford Square is our hallmark,” says Maynard,who admits that the historic and cultural nexus of the city was becoming obsolete by the early‘90s. But today, it has been re- newed as home to a variety of shops, boutiques, galleries, and fine restaurants, and it is, once again, the epicenter of the town’s nightlife.“It is now the cultural hub of the city,” Maynard states.“It really is our renaissance area.” In addition to revivifying old Oxford, Maynard reports that the city is spawning some brand new developments on its outskirts.“South of town is Oxford Farms - a three, four hundred-acre tract of land that is being developed for mixed-use for commercial/residential/retail.There’s Oxford Commons.All of these developments are growing rapidly; they weren’t being developed at all just two years ago and nowwe’re seeing hundreds of new homes between those two areas.” Today,Oxford is touted as the “Cultural Mecca of the South.”And with both its long- lived cultural charms, and now its more modern economic development and growth strategies firmly in place,Oxford,Mississippi is poised for a sparkling future.“We have the types of things that make people come here and want to stay,” says Maynard.“When you come here and you see what we have, it’s a little overwhelming that there’s this sort of quality in a place. But we do consider ourself quite a jewel.” OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI AT A GLANCE OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI WHAT: A town of 22,000 WHERE: North central Mississippi WEBSITE: www.oxfordms.net