By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
Regions Bank customers will have a new branch to do businesses in after renovations are complete at the old Applebee’s location on the corner of Heritage Drive and West Jackson Avenue.
The Oxford Planning Commission approved the site plan Monday during its regular meeting.
The brick facade of the building will remain and a small addition will be added to the southeast side of the existing building as a new entry vestibule.
The only vehicle access will be from Heritage Drive. The interior drive will allow for circulation in both directions and a customer could drive out of the parking lot without having to go through the lane directly east of the three drive-thru lanes.
A recent traffic study showed the bank will create some minor impacts on traffic at the intersection. Regions will be required to create a left turn lane into the driveway on Heritage Drive.
Development at this site may also result in a slight increase in delay per vehicle to traffic, averaging 0.3 seconds/vehicle at Jackson Avenue and Heritage Drive and at Harris Drive. The study recommends that city staff change the signal timing of the intersection to reallocate one section of “green time” from Harris to Heritage.
City Engineer Reanna Mayoral said staff will take the recommendation under consideration.
The building has sat empty since Applebee’s closed in June 2017. Regions current location at 1800 West Jackson Avenue will close once renovations to the new location are complete.
