Oxford Kroger to Double in Size With Proposed Expansion

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Proposed site plan for the expansion of Kroger in Oxford.

Oxford residents can finally jump off the future-of-Kroger roller-coaster ride.

Plans to double the size of the Oxford Kroger on University Avenue have been submitted to the Oxford Planning Department and will go before the Oxford Planning Commission for approval on Thursday.

More than three years ago, Kroger announced to the Oxford community that the Oxford store would be turned into a Kroger Marketplace Store.

However, in 2017, Kroger announced it would not be turning the Oxford location into a Marketplace Store but would simply be expanding the current location. At the time, Kroger released very few details on what that expansion would look like.

A year and a half later, those plans are now public record and available online.

Photo courtesy of kroger.com.

The planned Kroger expansion will provide additional 44,954-square feet of grocery retail space including a bakery, snack bar and drive-thru pharmacy, for a total of 103,620-square feet of grocery retail.

The fueling center located at the southwest corner of the site will be expanded to include four new pumps (eight new fueling positions). In addition, the easternmost driveway is proposed to be relocated approximately 130 feet to the east, to coincide with existing Booker Road.

A new traffic signal is planned for the intersection of Booker Road and the relocated driveway.

The shopping center also contains 13,370-square feet of non-Kroger shops which were largely vacated three years ago and are currently abandoned. These shops are to be demolished to make room for the new expansion.

Before the final site plan is approved Thursday, the Planning Commission will vote on whether to approve several variances and on a granting a special exception request due to the size and complexity of the proposed changes to the site.

A Kroger Marketplace is a “superstore,” that sells clothing, home goods, office supplies, toys, appliances and other items in conjunction with their groceries, baked goods, meats and produce currently sold at the grocery store.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, the Planning Commission is scheduled to review:

• Site plan for the Sonic on University Avenue
• Preliminary and final site plan for Eastover Development, a workforce housing development for property located 590 feet northeast of the Cannon Road and Hillmont Drive Intersection
• Preliminary Plat Approval (Amended) for ‘Cedar Bend Subdivision – Phase II’ for property located at 910 Old Taylor Road
• Special Exception as provided in Section 3.6.10.2 (b) to allow an elementary school use for a property located at 409 Washington Avenue
• Variance, special exception for commercial use of a rooftop and a site plan modification for Oxford Boutique Hotel on Jefferson Avenue

The entire agenda can be viewed here.