Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson says the lease with the New China Palace Restaurant on Melton Lake Drive will not be renewed early next year.
The New China Palace, a waterfront restaurant said to be the second-old diner in the city, could lose its lease early next year.
In a June 11 letter, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson told the restaurant’s Chung-Nan Chou and Fu-Li Chou that the city will not renew the lease when it expires in February or March 2013.
Watson said the relatively new Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Board has developed a master plan for the waterfront area that recommends the city-owned restaurant site on Melton Lake Drive be remodeled as a bathhouse facility. It would support the “growing number of rowing and public activities on the site,†Watson said.
There are also plans to build a waterfront pavilion and water park at Melton Lake Park and improve the playground, Watson said.
A previous plan to replace the New China Palace with a casual diner stirred a public uproar. That proposal was included in a waterfront plan approved by Oak Ridge City Council in December 2009.
The plan calls for improvements on riverfront property from Elza Gate Park to Rivers Run Boulevard.
But the proposal to replace the restaurant was put on hold in November 2010 after the public uproar and only three bidders showed interest in building the casual diner.
In February 2011, the Oak Ridge City Council approved a two-year lease with the New China Palace that give the city time to review its plans. The lease began March 1, 2011, and would presumably end Feb. 28, 2013, although city officials were not available to give a precise date Thursday afternoon.
In a second letter, dated June 29, Watson said the city wanted to give the New China Palace “plenty of time for transitioning to a new location.†He said city officials and the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce are willing to help the restaurant find a new site, and he suggested several alternatives: Jackson Square, Grove Center, and the west end of town.
“We do want him to continue, and he’s got a built-in clientele,” Watson said Friday.
In a letter responding to Watson, Cheng P. Ren, New China Palace manager, said the landmark restaurant, which has been at its current location for 39 years, would prefer to stay where it is.
“Aside from Big Ed’s Pizza, there are no older restaurants in the city,†Cheng said. “As you are very aware, many of the citizens of this city consider the restaurant a true asset to the city.â€
He said the restaurant has been a good public citizen. While upgrades are needed at the city-owned 3,600-square-foot building, the restaurant rent could be used to help pay for those upgrades, Cheng said.
He said New China Palace executives would like to be included in the waterfront development plan, if the restaurant has to move, and would consider a smaller store, “if it fits in better with the overall scheme being considered for the waterfront.â€
If that’s not an option, Cheng said, the New China Palace would work with the city and chamber to evaluate alternative locations.
“We would rather be part of the solution than make this a political situation,†Cheng said.
JennisonL says
What about the vacant Magnolia Tree space on the West End?
John Huotari says
That’s been vacant for a while, hasn’t it? I suppose the new location will ultimately be up to the New China Palace owners, but Mark Watson did suggest the west end of town as one option. I would think the Magnolia Tree location would be one option worth investigating.
JennisonL says
Yes, it has been vacant for quite awhile. The thing is that I don’t know how well the building owners work with the tenants as I remember the last tenants had issues with the owner’s. Don’t remember over what though but ever since that issue it has been empty. I remember reading that in the OR’er. I really do hope that more business comes to the west end.
KBB3 says
I like that idea!!!! We need A convenient restaurant on the west end! I’m betting our west Enders would welcome them.
Robert Humphries says
And the City wonders why they can’t attract new business! If this is the way existing businesses are treated, why would observant outsiders want to locate here? “Oh, your business is interfering with OUR plans for that area. You’ll have to move.” Your standing in the way of “progress”. We are the “eminent” domain here, and we’re busy Planning ET, and Oak Ridge right along with it. Waterfront board? “Would you like a round-about, a traffic light, or 4-way stop sign?” See? We’re “involving you” in the process. Did anyone ask us if we WANTED a waterfront development? Well, that’s the business of the powers that be, right? When will we learn? Government does NOT “create” jobs. Government DOES interfere with free enterprise, however, to the detriment of us all, whatever our political leanings are.
CN says
Wow! Catch your breath.
John Huotari says
Robert,
Did you discuss your concerns about whether residents want a waterfront development plan with City Council members before they approved the plan in 2009? If so, do you recall what they said?
John
NYB says
As a matter of fact they did ask for community input. There have been many town meetings and for 2 or three years there had been a display at the secret city festival to review plans and add input. – You should really get more educated on these matters before you just “spout” off.
C.A. Schulman says
Sad for the New China Palace and those who run it. Very sad.
AaronWells says
“Watson said the relatively new Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Board has developed a master plan for the waterfront area that recommends the city-owned restaurant site on Melton Lake Drive be remodeled as a bathhouse facility.”
Are we to assume that this will be a publicly funded “tax dollars” facility? I whole heartedly believe that our city debt and government spending stinks to high heaven, but will public showers really help wash that stink away?
kay williamson says
“Tear it down MR. WATSON” and the red light camera’s, Then build a 4 to 6 story MOTEL with several Restaurant sites inside and a very large conference center, You could then rent it to the CHINA PALACE, and the rowers could rent the rooms, and then build a gas station for boaters to gas up and park their boats at the marina, and have a year round PLACE that could host conferences, wedding parties on the lake, graduation parties, dances, put in a board walk, A bicycle shop, wave boards, T-shirt shops, souvenir shops, skates, etc….. GO BIG AND GO ALL OUT, it’s our tax dollars your spending
Tj says
Actually, it is R&R’s waterfront plan.
What the he££ is a casual dining restaurant? Ithought we had two there already. I’ve never had to wear a tie when I go.
The idea of a $300,000 architectual roundabout at the marina is a waste off money.
Where are the millions coming from?
jack campbell says
Mr. Humphries is partly right. The City did ask for input and I went to the first two meetings until it became apparent that the City already had a plan in mind and that the meetings were just designed to give the appearance that the City was listening.
The City appears to want to have hamburgers and hot dogs available for the attendees to the 5 or 6 annual regattas held at the marina. Vendor stands have and would work as well. I don’t think Hardees is interested. Why overbuild there? Isn’t it pretty nice the way it is? Why destroy nature for a bunch of gimmicks and at taxpayer expense ? Why look for ways to overcrowd what is now a peaceful retreat ?
kay williamson says
Mr. Campbell; with the new state park at the old plant site, use it, or walk out into any neighborhood that the greenbelt runs behind and walk threw them, We got to have some NEW INVESTMENT INTO OUR CITY for jobs,,,,,,,,,,,