Construction is accelerating on the Delta Landing mixed-use development, which is set to bring hundreds of housing units and a multi-million dollar YMCA to McIngvale Road in Hernando.

The development will feature a mix of traditional homes, townhouses and lofts.

“It makes perfect sense to put a development across the street from (the new Hernando High School) because those people are going to want to move there so their kids can go to that high school,” Hernando Mayor Chip Johnson said.

While the land was zoned around 2006 for high-end mixed-use development, the project stalled following the 2008 economic recession.

Now, the site is active with commercial tenants signing leases and residential units being sold.

According to Marion McBride, marketing director for Sky Lake Construction, the development will eventually have 807 residences. The project plans call for 561 traditional homes and homes for residents 55 and older, along with 92 townhomes and 154 lofts.

Some lofts will be situated above retail spaces, bringing a true mixed-use, town square-atmosphere to the area.

“They are selling them just about as fast as they build them,” Johnson noted.

The Delta Landing mixed-use development will include retail and residences along with a state-of-the-art YMCA. (Courtesy of Sky Lake Construction)

McBride confirmed that pace, estimating completion of the project could take four years if things continue at the current rate.

“We basically open phases as homes sell, and we are on Phase 4 currently,” McBride said. “The goal would be to be able to complete it in four years or less.”

One of the primary anchors for the new community will be a recreational facility unlike anything available in the region. A new YMCA, estimated at $38 million, is scheduled to break ground in April or May.

Johnson described the future facility as a “vacation destination” rather than a standard gym and “the biggest and best YMCA in the entire South.”

Plans include a lazy river, an outdoor pool, and an indoor natatorium featuring an Olympic-sized pool with bleachers.

“We don’t have that ability (currently) in DeSoto County,” Johnson said regarding the ability to watch swimming competitions. “So that will be an asset for our school system.”

On the commercial side, residents can expect new dining options as early as this spring. McBride confirmed construction on a restaurant named Two Crazy Fellas, known for Cajun and Louisiana cuisine, began around Christmas. The business, which should open in April, is located within one of the mixed-use buildings.

Additionally, another restaurant group has purchased another outparcel at the site. The name of that business remains unannounced.

“It is a bigger restaurant,” McBride hinted. “They have asked to remain anonymous until they make their big reveal.”

With hundreds of new homes and a major commercial center comes the inevitable concern regarding traffic.

However, city officials state that infrastructure improvements were made well in advance of construction. The city spent $4 million last year rebuilding McIngvale from Pleasant Hill Road south to Interstate 269.

The project involved grinding the old road and installing a new five-lane design to handle the increased volume of school and retail traffic.

“It wasn’t just an overlay,” Johnson explained. “We definitely have the infrastructure in place there before the school opened and before this development started.”

Safety measures include a roundabout at the intersection of McIngvale and Green T Road, south of the interstate, and a new traffic signal at Pleasant Hill and McIngvale.

Johnson added that when traffic volume necessitates it, a signal or roundabout will be installed at the entrance of the development at the developer’s expense.

For the city, the Delta Landing project represents a strategic shift in how Hernando handles growth. By concentrating new retail and higher-density housing near the interstate exit, the city aims to protect the historic character of the downtown square while still expanding the tax base.

“We are very particular about keeping our old downtown to a certain look, a certain standard,” Johnson said. “When people think about Hernando, they picture the courthouse in our historic downtown.”

The mayor noted that the commerce area between the interstate and downtown is effectively full, leaving no room for new businesses.

This project allows for retail expansion, which generates sales tax revenue and pays a higher property tax rate than residential developments.

This revenue mix is essential for keeping property taxes low for residents. Barry Maynard and Frank Dyer III, senior vice presidents with Gill Properties, are handling commercial sales and leasing for the development.

For Sky Lake Construction, the project is personal. It marks the first mixed-use development the company has built for itself rather than for other clients.

“We care a lot about the place that we live and the places where we build,” McBride said. “We wanted to provide an opportunity for people to live and grab dinner in the afternoons...and get entertainment and then go home and feel like they are in a cozy community.”

McBride noted that the first mixed-use building has already leased six of its 11 bays, and construction is beginning on a second building which will house 12 more retail bays.

“When you start seeing construction and movement, it just really drives people who might be skeptical,” McBride said. “We have really seen, since the new year, a lot of interest out there.”

Topics

City of Hernando Chip Johnson Delta Landing mixed-use projects