It was barely a year ago, that the landscape in Oxford changed forever with the Oxford Fire of September 2023. Mostly importantly, the residents who lived in the apartments have begun rebuilding their lives.  Some remained in the Oxford community and others have relocated to be closer to family, friends or jobs.  What remains is a very visible reminder in the heart of downtown Oxford. More likely than not, in most communities, a rebuild would take decades. The scale of the fire and the additional complexity of multiple property owners affected would lead many to take the insurance money and hold off on a rebuild for years,  if at all!  But this is Oxford!  Within weeks of the fire, Wilson King, one of the property owners was having conversations with the other property owners about purchasing the parcels.   As horrible as the fire was, it created an economic opportunity within Downtown Oxford.  With a team of land planners and architects, the vision of what would replace those historic buildings was starting to take shape.  Stay tuned for what the new structures will look like and how although new construction, the planning is to give a nod to Oxford’s historic past.  The space will be unrecognizable as the concept of retail, restaurant, apartment and theater space comes to light.  There are codes, permits, plans and conversations still to be had as the project moves forward. Thank you Wilson for investing in in the future of Oxford.