• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds

Housing: Apartments proposed on former AMSE site

Posted at 1:27 pm November 6, 2018
By John Huotari 1 Comment

The main parking lot and main entrance to the former American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The main parking lot and main entrance to the former American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Apartments could be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy site on South Tulane Avenue.

The apartment complex could include 217 units in seven three-story buildings on the 10-acre site. They would be built where the former AMSE building and its big parking lot are now. AMSE has moved across the street to Main Street Oak Ridge, the roughly 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall.

The apartment developer, Legacy Capital of Knoxville, anticipates that construction could begin at the site in the late spring or early summer of next year and last about 18 months, said company president Daniel Smith.

Smith and Mark Bialik, owner of GBS Engineering of Knoxville, presented information on the $25 million to $30 million project to the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission during a Monday evening work session. They plan to present what is known as a planned unit development for the project to the Planning Commission this month.

The market-rate apartment complex—which would include a pool, clubhouse, and fire pit area—could be made up of about 55 percent one-bedroom units and 45 percent two-bedroom units, with three to six three-bedroom units.

The new apartments, tentatively called Main Street Apartments, will have garages and more one-bedroom units than Bristol Park or Centennial Village Apartments, project executives said. One-bedroom apartments could rent for between $870 and $910 per month, and two-bedroom units could rent for $1,100 and $1,200 per month.

A new road would provide a connection through the property between Badger Avenue near Oak Ridge Associated Universities and the entrance and exit between Belk and Cinemark Tinseltown. The current main entrance to AMSE would be closed off, and Tulane Place would no longer cross the property.

The site is expected to have a retention pond and green space.

There has already been some development on part of the AMSE property, the southernmost area along South Illinois Avenue, where a Tire Discounters is being built. That 7.44-acre part of the site is owned by TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC after previously being owned by the U.S. Department of Energy before being transferred to the City of Oak Ridge and then to the developer. Other development in the area could include a restaurant and grocery store, Oak Ridge Today has previously reported.

The redevelopment of the former AMSE property is affiliated with Main Street Oak Ridge and its developer, RealtyLink, and TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC.

The remaining 11.14 acres on the northern part of the former AMSE property are owned by the City of Oak Ridge but are expected to be transferred later.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

The site of the proposed apartments, tentatively called Main Street Apartments, on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue across from Main Street Oak Ridge, as presented to the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. The Oak Ridge Municipal Building is to the north of the site. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The site of the proposed apartments, tentatively called Main Street Apartments, on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue across from Main Street Oak Ridge, as presented to the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. The Oak Ridge Municipal Building is to the north of the site. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A plan showing the potential layout of proposed apartments, tentatively called Main Street Apartments, on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue across from Main Street Oak Ridge, as presented to the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. The roundabout pictured here is on South Tulane Avenue at the entrance and exit between Belk and Cinemark Tinseltown. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A plan showing the potential layout of proposed apartments, tentatively called Main Street Apartments, on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue across from Main Street Oak Ridge, as presented to the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. The roundabout pictured on South Tulane Avenue would be at the entrance and exit between Belk and Cinemark Tinseltown. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 



The main parking lot and main entrance to the former American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The main entrance to the former American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The east side of the former American Museum of Science and Energy property is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The site could be redeveloped with apartments. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The east side of the former American Museum of Science and Energy property is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The 10-acre site could be redeveloped with apartments. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

This view looks southeast to the former American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue from the entrance and exit between Belk and Cinemark Tinseltown on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

This view looks southeast to the former American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue from the entrance and exit between Belk and Cinemark Tinseltown on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The northeast side of the former American Museum of Science and Energy property is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The site could be redeveloped with apartments. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The north side of the former American Museum of Science and Energy property is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The 10-acre site could be redeveloped with apartments. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Most news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers, contributors, and subscribers. This is a free story. Thank you to our advertisers, contributors, and subscribers. You can see what we cover here.


Do you appreciate this story or our work in general? If so, please consider a monthly subscription to Oak Ridge Today. See our Subscribe page here. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today.

Copyright 2018 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Filed Under: Business, Business, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, AMSE, apartments, Badger Avenue, Daniel Smith, GBS Engineering, Legacy Capital, Main Street—Oak Ridge, Mark Bialik, Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission, planned unit development, RealtyLink, South Tulane Avenue, Tire Discounters, TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC

Comments

  1. samuel hopwood says

    November 6, 2018 at 3:33 pm

    A giant step forward for OR!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More Business News

Kairos Power begins construction on demonstration reactor​

Kairos Power has started construction on a test nuclear reactor in west Oak Ridge. The Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor is the first of its type to be approved for construction by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory … [Read More...]

Learn about Oak Ridge history during World War II

You can learn more about the history of Oak Ridge during World War II during a free national park walk through Jackson Square on Thursday, July 18. The walk is offered by the Manhattan Project National Historical … [Read More...]

Legal Aid Society presentation at Lunch with League

Two representatives of Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will be featured at Lunch with the League in Oak Ridge on Tuesday. The two representatives are Mary Michelle Gillum and Paula Trujillo. … [Read More...]

UT Arboretum Society has spring plant sale in April

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have its annual plant sale in Oak Ridge in April. It's the 57th Spring Plant Sale, and it's scheduled for April 12 and 13 at the UT Arboretum at 901 South Illinois … [Read More...]

Three students, schools selected for ORNL FCU art, mural program

Three students and schools have had their art work selected for the ORNL Federal Credit Union's Community Art and Mural Program. Introduced in 2017, the Community Art and Mural Program was created to support … [Read More...]

More Business

Recent Posts

  • Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival Announces 2025 Storytellers
  • Laser-Engraved Bricks Will Line Walkway of New Chamber Headquarters
  • Democratic Women’s Club to Discuss Climate Change, Energy and Policy
  • Estate Jewelry Show at Karen’s Jewelers Features Celebrity Jewelry
  • Keri Cagle named new ORAU senior vice president and ORISE director
  • ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal+ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal More than $1 million raised in past 10 years benefits United Way and Community Shares Oak Ridge, Tenn. —ORAU exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 in donations as part of its internal annual giving campaign that benefits the United Way and Community Shares nonprofit organizations. ORAU has raised more than $1 million over the past 10 years through this campaign. A total of $126,839 was pledged during the 2024 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign. Employees donate via payroll deduction and could earmark their donation for United Way, Community Shares or both. “ORAU has remained a strong pillar in the community for more than 75 years, and we encourage our employees to consider participating in our annual giving campaign each year to help our less fortunate neighbors in need,” said ORAU President and CEO Andy Page. “Each one of our employees has the power to positively impact the lives of those who need help in the communities where we do business across the country and demonstrate the ORAU way – taking care of each other.” ORAU, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, provides science, health and workforce solutions that address national priorities and serve the public interest. Through our specialized teams of experts and access to a consortium of more than 150 major Ph.D.-granting institutions, ORAU works with federal, state, local and commercial customers to provide innovative scientific and technical solutions and help advance their missions. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakRidgeAssociatedUniversities Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/orau Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orau ###
  • Children’s Museum Gala Celebrates the Rainforest
  • Jim Sears joins ORAU as senior vice president
  • Oak Ridge Housing Authority Receives Funding Assistance of up to $51.8 Million For Renovating Public Housing and Building New Workforce Housing
  • Two fires reported early Friday

Search Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2025 Oak Ridge Today