- The seventh part of an in-depth analysis of the construction industry in Mississippi highlights the mixed-use development of Plein Air.
When real estate developer Campbell McCool decided in late 2004 to turn 64 acres of the Oxford countryside into a spectacular mixed-use development, it took 18 months to slog through red tape.
“We thought we were going to walk out here and start digging, but that’s not the way it works,” said McCool, with a chuckle. “I’m the first to admit I was extremely naive about everything. I’d never done a development before. A friend of mine asked, ‘what are we going to do about sewer service?’ And I said, oh, we’re just going to tap into it, I guess. And he’s like, ‘there’s no sewer there.’ I said, um, what do we do about it? But my wife and I are a team. We had a lot of enthusiasm.”
McCool and his wife, Leighton, weathered approval layers that included the Town of Taylor, Lafayette County, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) “because we had to put in our own sewer system,” and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers “because the property drains into a watershed,” he said.
Then the McCools had to gain the trust of locals in the town of less than 400 with their development plan.
“It was a little bumpy in the beginning,” he recalled. “They were like, what is this guy doing? And I understand people are nervous about change. And this was very different for this area. It’s been close to 20 years now, and most of the naysayers have come around and see the quality of what we’re building and that this is a good thing for Taylor and Lafayette County.”
In the last three years, Plein Air has seen “a pretty steady acceleration,” said McCool.
Homes range in size from 800 to 4,200 square feet. Phase X lots have sold out. A new phase, Phase XI, features 22 new 60×100 lots, starting at $150,000. When finished, Plein Air will have 200 homes, about a dozen townhomes, and 12 to 18 loft apartments.
The development has allowed the McCools to achieve their goal of restoring the importance of graceful southern living in the Deep South, calling Plein Air “Mississippi’s Front Porch Neighborhood.”
Southern Living said Plein Air “blends classic architecture and distinct southern style.”
McCool’s vision for Plein Air had been on his mind since he was a youngster, growing up in a New Orleans neighborhood that had a corner grocery, pub and restaurant, and houses very close together.
He pointed to three elements that “started killing the front porch: air conditioning, the automobile and television,” he said.
“In many circles, a front porch was almost seen as a sign of lower class,” he said, “as in you must not be able to afford air conditioning.”
Most homes emphasize the front porch, traditional building materials, fireplaces, and high ceilings. McCool has a “hide the car” attitude; houses have covered carports and parking in the rear.
“People tell us all the time, they pull in here for the first time and go, pinch me. I’m walking into the Truman Show! I take it as a compliment. It’s a bit of an oasis,” he said.
The Mill, a 12,000-square-foot event venue, anchors the commercial district on Town Square Lane. It’s flanked by The Chapel, busy with weddings nearly every weekend. Both facilities are built from nearly 100 percent salvaged material reclaimed from century old warehouses, mills, churches, and estate homes. The chapel seats 280 guests, and The Mill can easily accommodate up to 450. A dedicated 2-bedroom bridal loft comes with each booking, and one-bedroom cottages are available for rent.
“We were initially having weddings on the lawn, and receptions in The Mill,” said McCool. “Then about 10 years ago, someone mentioned building a chapel, so we went all over the country buying up old pieces of chapels.”
Grit opened Plein Air’s first restaurant in 2016, which Mississippi Magazine singled out as one of the finest restaurants in the state. Spouses Nick Reppond and Angie Sicurezza, fly in local seafood daily, changing the menu with the seasons. They also operate A&N Catering.
Last year, Lusco’s, the state’s oldest restaurant, run by the sixth generation of the Lusco family, moved from Greenwood to Plein Air.
“We were thrilled when they called us,” said McCool.
Leighton McCool opened Lost Dog Coffee, which hosts book readings and Faulkner classes, most recently discussing The Snopes Trilogy.
Other businesses include Oxford Psychological; Mississippi Eye Care; Off-Beat in General (Store) and The Blind Pig Deli; Yellowfly Trading Company, an apparel company out of Rosemary Beach; Lounging Hound Gift Shop; The Studios (florist); and several artist studios. Coming soon: Sweetwater Salon, a new 23-room boutique hotel, and a yoga and Pilates center.
Plein Air also has short-term rentals: John Tee-designed one-bedroom, one-bath cottages in the heart of the commercial district; loft apartments — two-bedroom, one bath – with restored hardwood floors and exposed brick walls that face The Mill; and privately owned homes up to three bedrooms.
McCool is the founder of the Rowan Oak Society, a non-profit organization that raised money to renovate William Faulkner’s home in the 1990s. He is a founding member of LOFT (Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow) and keeps busy with public speaking engagements on college campuses.
He’s the founder and director of the much-talked-about Conference on the Front Porch, a two-day gathering featuring speakers, field dinners, concerts, literature, bonfires, wine tastings, and storytelling.
McCool is skipping the event this year. “With the hotel coming online, it’s going to be a mess around here,” said McCool. “I just had to hit the pause button and take a year off.”
After growing up in Taylor, the McCools’ sons are now adults – Davis, 26, and Merrick, 24, both live and work in New Orleans; Wyatt, 22, is a senior at Ole Miss.
“Despite all the challenges that hit us, we never wavered on the vision for what was Plein Air,” he said. “What Plein Air has become today is exactly what we planned in 2005: a true neighborhood based on community in the literal sense. That hasn’t been easy, but we wouldn’t have done it any other way.”
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This Part 7 concludes the series on in-depth analysis of the construction industry impact in Mississippi.
