By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
A new multi-use development is changing the landscape along Yukon’s Main Street corridor.
What for years has been a heavily wooded area is being transformed into Yukon Crossing, which will feature residential, retail, storage, restaurant, and medical office uses.
Developer John Gravitt purchased the 45-acre property from the City of Yukon two years ago.
“It’s already changed dramatically from what it was,” Gravitt said. “I think it’s going to be a great asset for Route 66, and we are so close to downtown that a lot of those customers will be coming here.”
The site features 450 linear feet of frontage on State Highway 66 (East Main in Yukon).
While ample retail growth has occurred in recent years along Garth Brooks Boulevard on both sides of Interstate 40, the Yukon Crossing developer is embracing this Main Street opportunity.
“It is a ‘diamond in the rough’,” Gravitt said. “It’s a unique, large property that was able to be zoned commercial and residential to allow a multi-faceted, mixed-use community this close to downtown.”
Gravitt, of Edmond, acknowledged the challenges that people are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It has impacted everybody, retailers in particular because many have been forced to close,” he said. “It is really changing their business model, like no one could imagine.”
With retail business owners having been hit hard financially, Gravitt wants to work with any Yukon Crossing tenant that seeks to reposition and grow.
“A lot of businesses are adapting and being creative,” he said. “That’s what it’s going to take.”
THE USES
The Yukon Crossing development features four primary components.
An 85,000 square foot self-storage business opened about six months ago with 400 climate-controlled units featuring boat, RV and traditional storage. The second phase will add another 300 units.
“We’ve had great customer feedback and have a strong customer base,” Gravitt said.
Also fronting onto Main Street will be two, 7,600 square foot stand-alone retail buildings with six tenant spaces each. Leasing agents are Kendra Roberts and Joe Summers of CBRE Real Estate.
“We want to be very selective in the tenants we have,” Gravitt said. “We need to be respective of the surrounding churches in what we have in our retail center.
“We’ll have ample parking and lots of window space. And we’re incorporating more walk-up doors (for carryout orders) and drive-through windows.”
Gravitt referred to the success of another development “just up the street” at 10 West Main, which occupies renovated space in a former grocery store building.
“They have an eclectic tenant base,” he said. “They have some boutiques, restaurants and other quality occupants.”
One Yukon Crossing pad site has been sold for a dental office being built directly east of the Main Street retail center. Gravitt expects it to be finished within eight weeks.
The developer anticipates fast-food and sit-down restaurants occupying other pad sites.
North of the storage and retail buildings will be Yukon Crossing residential, featuring 65 duplexes and 30 single-family homes on 25 acres.
The main entrance is off Yukon Parkway just north of Walmart Neighborhood Market.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in our new gated community,” Gravitt said. “We currently have 20 structures in various phases of construction and anticipate having occupants starting July 1.”
Dwelling sizes range from 1,200-1,400 square feet for each duplex unit and 1,300-1,600 square feet for each single-family home. The rent range will be from $1,195 to $1,325 per month for three bedrooms (lawn care provided).
Residents will have access to a 2,000 square foot clubhouse featuring an exercise facility, kitchen, playground equipment, and pool.
APPRECIATE CITY STAFF
Gravitt praised the City of Yukon’s Development Services department for its help during this phase of Yukon Crossing’s development.
“We have an open-door policy if we have issues,” he said. “There’s dialogue and we work together to figure out solutions. They’ve been really good to work with.
“They’ve been very straight-forward with what they expect and the rules we must follow. As a developer, that’s what we appreciate.”
Gravitt has been a developer for 15 years. His company developed the 500-home Timber Creek Estates addition on S.W. 15th and Mustang Road. He’s done other commercial projects, but not a large retail center like Yukon Crossing.
