Video: Commercial Development Booming In One City

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Larry Brymer and his sales staff at Carlock Chrysler, Dodge Jeep Ram have
been very busy since moving from the south end of town to new headquarters
right off Highway 45 in North Tupelo.

“Absolutely, have doubled sales,” Brymer said.

He bought the dealership a year and half ago and knew it was going to be
relocated.
Brymer says the commercial district, near the Mall at Barnes Crossing was
the perfect location for many reasons.

“You look at, where are people going, this is what I love about Tupelo, it
is a destination and , doesn’t matter where you come from, this is a
destination, this is a place to come to, there’s a lot of people who come to
this town everyday,” Brymer said.

Indeed, Tupelo’s population sits at about 37,000. But during any given
weekday, that number swells to 100,000 or more, because of all the
factories, and businesses throughout the area.

Brymer is not the only one with his sights set on the North Tupelo area.
Longtime developer V.M. Cleveland is in phase four of a commercial project
near the mall and others are under construction.

One reason for a surge in commercial development is a robust economy.
Business owners say another reason is a pro business attitude from city
hall.

“Sometimes we do have to say no, but what we want to be known for is, they
said we couldn’t do it this way but they said we can do it this way, and
that speaks well for the direction we’ve received from our mayor, as well as
the support we get from our city council,” said Shane Hooper, director of development services.

Hooper says  says keeping existing businesses and bringing in new ones is a team effort that is making a big
difference.

“Right now, Tupelo has more site ready land available than we’ve ever had
before and we’re going to be doing everything we can to assist those
developers in filling those sites up,” Hooper said.

So far this year, the city’s planning department has approved 63 commercial
permits, representing an investment of$19,000,000.

Hooper says the goal is to have permits approved for commercial projects,
within a three week period, if the developer has all required documentation.