On the Edges

Holiday Extravaganza kicks off season

For the first time, Nixa will have a city-wide Christmas tree, complete with a lighting ceremony, shopping festival and the 45th Annual Christmas Parade. The tree's lights will be switched on by Mayor Jay Wasson at 5:45 p.m. Dec. 4, at the northeast corner of Nixa Hardware's parking lot, 510 W. Mt. Vernon. Nixa Hardware will also sponsor local musicians, refreshments, a kids' ornament contest, prize drawings, lighting displays and a visit from Santa at 6 p.m. Music will be offered nightly at Nixa Hardware 6-7 p.m. Dec. 4-23 and 10 a.m.-l p.m. Saturdays.

The Christmas Parade will begin at 2 p.m. Dec. 5 at Nixa High School, 205 North St., and will feature bands, floats and antique cars.

Also on Dec. 5, local merchants will hold a Christmas Shopping Festival and give away a $300 gift basket, according to Larry Perney, executive director of the Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce.

Meek's Building Centers to add Ozark store

A 6-acre lot at the intersections of Highway 65 and CC in Ozark has been purchased by Meek's Building Centers as the site of its 26th Missouri-Midwest division store, according to Terry Meek. The land, which fronts Highway 65 across from the new James River Assembly, was purchased about a year ago, but no definite construction date has been set, according to Meek. "There's a good chance it will be built next year," he said. Meek's, which was started in 1920, is owned by third-generation family member Terry Meek and managed by his son, Charles. "The size has not been determined, but it would be the typical Meek's format, which is suitable for walk-in trade with a heavy concentration on the contractor business," Meek said.

"The CC and 65 area in Ozark is booming with new business," said Mayor Roger Fortner. "We're looking forward to having new retail business there. There is a lot of interest in that intersection and the area all around it."

Fremont Towne Centre to open in April

A new 14,800-square-foot retail/office center at 5301 Towne Centre Drive is being built. Howard Bailey Company of Rogersville is the general contractor. The location is the southwest corner of the Highway 65 and CC interchange in Ozark, near the Fried Green Tomatoes Restaurant, also currently under construction. The building, which will be ready for tenants by April 1, 2000, can be customized for spaces from 1,500 square feet on up, according to Bailey.

The architect is Ron Slone of Slone Architects. The L-shaped building is constructed of stucco and brick, and features lighted signs on the building's front, a contemporary design with a 10-foot parapet wall with arches, crown moldings and canopy awnings, according to Bailey.

"It will be a very attractive building, like the high-end spaces in Springfield," he said. Parking for 75 cars and entrances from Industrial Boulevard and Towne Centre Drive will be included in the development, owned by Fremont Towne Centre LLC.

Leasing is through Ron Tappan, CJR Commercial, who said he hopes to attract a restaurant, retail and service businesses.

Empire District Electric adds service center

R.E. Smith Construction of Joplin is building a 14,000-square-foot service center on 4 acres for Empire District Electric Company in Ozark at 2115 State Hwy. 14 East. A pre-Christmas completion date is the goal, according to Rodney Longenecker, project manager for R.E. Smith Construction.

Empire had a small service center on the site, as well as office space at 201 W. Brick in downtown Ozark. Approximately 25 employees will work in the building, which features a warehouse, a shop, loading docks, room for 10 trucks and office space, according to Rick Wallace, manager of line operations for Empire in Ozark. He said that Empire had added employees and outgrown its space. The Ozark office covers about 20,000 customers in Greene and Christian counties, Wallace said. The architect is Mike Stevens of Barrett & Corner from Webb City. The project engineers are Allgeier & Martin of Joplin.

[[In-content Ad]]