Oak Ridge Today

Photo: Water utility work before mall demolition at Main Street Oak Ridge

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Oak Ridge Public Works Main Street Oak Ridge Water Line July 14 2016 Full

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department cuts and plugs an unused fire line near the former Sears store at the former Oak Ridge Mall on Thursday, July 14, 2016. The work is being done in preparation for the demolition of the former mall, which will be replaced by Main Street Oak Ridge, a 58-acre mixed-use development. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 1:15 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department was cutting and plugging an unused fire line near the former Sears store at the former Oak Ridge Mall on Thursday morning, preparing for the demolition of the former mall and construction of Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre mixed-use redevelopment that will replace it.

About 4,000 feet of construction fencing was put up Tuesday and Wednesday around the unused enclosed space between the mall’s two remaining anchors, Belk and JCPenney. That fencing was erected before the start of demolition, which could start next week, according to RealtyLink, the Greenville, South Carolina, company redeveloping the property.

A groundbreaking has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 20.

Water meters on unused lines or areas of the mall that are being demolished were disconnected on Monday and Tuesday at the request of the developer, said Rick Irwin, Oak Ridge Public Works operations and maintenance manager. [Read more…]

Lee, a construction superintendent, running for Oak Ridge City Council

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Joe Lee

Joe Lee (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Joseph “Joe” Lee, a commercial construction worker who is now a field superintendent for a project at the University of Tennessee, is running for Oak Ridge City Council in the November 8 election.

Lee, an Oak Ridge native, announced his candidacy this month, and he said he has qualified to be on the ballot in November.

Lee is a 1970 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, and he attended Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. He returned to his hometown in 1987 and was employed by Downtown Management Company as construction manager during the time known as “The Mall Wars,” a press release said. He met Julie Easterday there, and they were married in 1989. They now have two daughters, Lindsay and Loren.

The press release said​ Lee has worked his entire career in the commercial construction industry as either carpenter, superintendent, or construction manager. He has worked throughout the Southeast on industrial, institutional, and commercial projects, the release said. [Read more…]

Council approves backyard chickens, growlers (tap beer to go)

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Pictured above during an Oak Ridge City Council work session on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, are Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, left, and Kayla Wyatt, an advocate for allowing a small number of hens at Oak Ridge homes. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

An earlier effort to allow backyard chickens in Oak Ridge failed. This one succeeded.

On Monday, the Oak Ridge City Council approved backyard chickens in the second and final vote.

The ordinance change allows up to six female chickens, or hens, at homes in the city, possibly by August 1. Roosters will not be allowed.

Council approved a few amendments to the proposed ordinance on Monday, agreeing to not allow the slaughter of any chickens, as opposed to just hens, and lowering the building permit for a henhouse and fenced enclosure from $50 to $25.

The amended ordinance passed 5-1, with Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch casting the lone “no” vote. Council approved an earlier version of the ordinance in a 5-2 vote in May. City Council member Rick Chinn, who was absent from this week’s meeting, joined Gooch in voting against the ordinance in May. [Read more…]

Longest-serving city employee, first female personnel director in Tennessee to retire Friday

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Penelope "Penny" Sissom

Penelope “Penny” Sissom (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Penelope “Penny” Sissom, the longest-serving city employee and the first female personnel director in Tennessee, will retire Friday. Sissom is Oak Ridge’s personnel director, and she has worked for the city for 52 years.

On June 8, 1964, Sissom accepted a job as a personnel clerk and embarked on a career-long journey with the City of Oak Ridge as a community activist and a devoted employee, a press release said.

During her time with the city, Sissom helped organize the schools’ Student-in-Government Day. She played a significant role during the successful campaign for a new public library and community recreation center.

Sissom’s unadulterated passion for community engagement and leadership skills accelerated her career, the press release said. She was promoted from human resources manager, to personnel administrator, to personnel director, the position she holds today. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge, AC added to state blight elimination program; loans of up to $25K per home

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TDHA Perrey Oak Ridge Gooch Blight Elimination Program July 11 2016

Oak Ridge and Anderson County have been added to a state blight elimination program that could allow the city to accelerate its efforts to remove blighted and abandoned homes and replace them with new affordable housing, or possibly green space. Ralph Perrey, left, executive director of the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, makes the announcement in Oak Ridge on Monday, July 11, 2016. Also pictured is Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge and Anderson County have been added to a state blight elimination program that could allow the city to accelerate its efforts to remove blighted and abandoned homes and replace them with new affordable housing, or possibly green space. Loans of up to $25,000 per home are available.

The Blight Elimination Program allows qualified nonprofits and land banks, like the one in Oak Ridge, to apply for loans of up to $25,000 to acquire blighted, abandoned homes, demolish them, turn the property into green space, and maintain the vacant lots. The “greened” lots can then be turned into new affordable housing or converted into other uses meant to stabilize neighborhoods, with the uses approved by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency.

The $25,000 per demolition will be fronted by the THDA. The work could start with the Oak Ridge Land Bank Corporation, THDA Executive Director Ralph M. Perrey said during a Monday afternoon press conference in Oak Ridge. The press conference also included Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch, and Katie Moore, East Tennessee THDA representative.

The Blight Elimination Program has $10 million in funding available in Tennessee on a first-come, first-served basis. Much of it is likely to be used in Memphis in Shelby County, one of six other counties previously approved for the Blight Elimination Program, Perrey said.

But Memphis isn’t the only place that needs help, he said.

“I think a fair amount of that can be put to work here,” Perrey said in Oak Ridge on Monday. [Read more…]

Main Street Oak Ridge groundbreaking on July 20, city manager says

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RealtyLink-at-Main-Street-JCPenney-July-5-2016

The sale of the Oak Ridge Mall closed Thursday, June 30, 2016, and executives from RealtyLink, the developer of Main Street Oak Ridge, were at the 58-acre site on Tuesday, July 5, planning for the demolition of enclosed spaces between Belk and JCPenney, the two remaining anchors. From left are Matt Usry, RealtyLink project manager; Brett Rogers, RealtyLink construction director; and Brad Gunn, RealtyLink property manager. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The groundbreaking for Main Street Oak Ridge has been scheduled for 2 p.m. July 20, City Manager Mark Watson said Monday.

Main Street Oak Ridge is the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

Executives from RealtyLink, the Greenville, South Carolina, company redeveloping the mall, have said demolition machinery could be at the site the week of July 18.

Watson said the July 20 groundbreaking has been confirmed with RealtyLink Principal Neil Wilson.

Watson announced the groundbreaking, which will be open to the public, during the Monday night Oak Ridge City Council meeting as a “save the date” event. [Read more…]

Council to consider backyard chickens, growlers (tap beer to go)

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The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider an ordinance change that would allow backyard chickens—hens, but not roosters—and another that would allow growlers, tap beer to go. That’s a growing field in the craft beer industry, the city staff said.

The City Council approved the backyard chicken ordinance in a 5-2 vote in May. That was the first of two readings, or votes. The vote on Monday, July 11, will be the second and final reading.

If approved by Council, residents would be allowed to keep up to six female chickens, or hens, at homes in the city, possibly by August 1. Annual permits and henhouses would be required. No roosters would be allowed, and henhouses would not be allowed in front yards, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said in a memo to City Council members.

The Oak Ridge ordinance is based on an amended version of an ordinance that Knoxville adopted in 2010. [Read more…]

Updated: Power restored Saturday after Friday evening storm

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Utility Workers Dana Drive July 9 2016 1JPG

There were still scattered power outages in Oak Ridge late Saturday morning, July 9, 2016, and crews were working to make repairs. Above, utility crews replace a utility pole and repair lines on Dana Drive after a large tree fell during a severe storm on Friday evening. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:25 p.m.

All known power issues in Oak Ridge are repaired, the Oak Ridge Electric Department said Saturday evening.

Crews worked to restore power Saturday in what were reported to be scattered outages. If you are still without power Saturday night, please call the Oak Ridge Electric Department at (865) 425-1803.

City workers had reported scattered outages in Oak Ridge earlier Saturday after a severe storm roared through Oak Ridge Friday evening.

It wasn’t clear how many customers were affected by power outages. The Oak Ridge Police Department had reported a major power outage on Friday evening. [Read more…]

Power still out in some areas; trees, utility lines remain down

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Alhambra Road Power Outage July 8 2016

Utility lines were down after a large part of a tree fell on Alhambra Road in east Oak Ridge on Friday, July 8, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12:30 a.m.

Power remained out in parts of Oak Ridge on Friday night after a severe storm blew through Friday evening, and the city said electricity might not be restored in some areas until Saturday.

In a brief statement Friday night, the city said it is still experiencing power outages in at least 17 known areas across town.

“Additional contract crews have been called in to try to get power in major areas up tonight,” the statement said. “Public Works crews are also out clearing downed trees and brush. Areas around Dana and Michigan have been hit especially hard with downed poles and lines in some places. Power in these areas may not be restored until tomorrow.”

The city urged residents to use extreme caution and avoid these areas. [Read more…]

Tennessee housing agency to announce blight elimination partnership with Oak Ridge

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THDA Perrey and Gooch June 8 2016

The Tennessee Housing Development Agency awarded the City of Oak Ridge a $500,000 grant on Wednesday, June 9, 2016, that will be used to renovate more than 60 single-family homes. Pictured above are THDA Executive Director Ralph M. Perrey, left, and Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch. THDA and Perrey will be back on Monday, July 11, to announce a partnership with the City of Oak Ridge to support the implementation of THDA’s Hardest Hit Fund Blight Elimination Program, or BEP. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Tennessee Housing Development Agency will announce a partnership with the City of Oak Ridge to support the implementation of THDA’s Hardest Hit Fund Blight Elimination Program, or BEP, on Monday.

The announcement will be made by THDA Executive Director Ralph Perrey at 1:30 p.m. Monday, July 11. The announcement will be made in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom, which is located at 200 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The Hardest Hit Fund Blight Elimination Program assists with the removal of blighted properties in targeted areas within Tennessee, a media advisory said. THDA works in partnership with approved program partners to strategically target residential single-family properties for demolition, site improvement, and acceptable reuse, the advisory said. [Read more…]

State grant of more than $900,000 to be used for Turnpike sidewalks

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Oak-Ridge-Turnpike-Sidewalks-July-6-2016 600

A state grant of more than $900,000 will be used to complete sidewalks along the south side of Oak Ridge Turnpike from Illinois Avenue to Fairbanks Road, including along this stretch of roadway between Lafayette Drive and Division Road, pictured on Wednesday, July 6, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:45 a.m. July 7.

Oak Ridge has received a state transportation grant of more than $900,000, and it will be used to complete sidewalks along the south side of Oak Ridge Turnpike between Illinois Avenue and Fairbanks Road, officials said Wednesday.

The $927,021.40 Multimodal Access Grant is from the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

It’s one of 14 grants worth a total of about $10.3 million awarded this year, according to information from TDOT. Other cities receiving grants in the Knoxville area were Lenoir City—$899,394.30 for an SR2/Broadway Multimodal Access Project—and Gatlinburg—$396,036 for US 321 Safety Upgrades and Trolley Stop.

In Oak Ridge, the grant will be used to help build a continuous sidewalk on the south side of the Turnpike from Illinois to Fairbanks.

The current standard requires sidewalks in front of new buildings when they face the Turnpike. So, there are short stretches of new sidewalks in front of The Donut Palace and Zaxby’s restaurant, both relatively new businesses, interspersed with sections of no sidewalks in front of Martin Funeral Home and First Presbyterian Church between Lafayette Drive and Division Road. [Read more…]

Water main break damages West Outer Drive

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Water Main Break at West Outer and Mississippi July 5 2016

A water main break damaged West Outer Drive near Mississippi Avenue on Tuesday, July 5, 2016, officials said. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

A water main break damaged West Outer Drive near Mississippi Avenue on Tuesday, officials said.

On Wednesday, the Oak Ridge Public Works Department urged residents and visitors to use “extreme care and caution” while driving in that area.

In order to repair the water main break on Tuesday night, extensive damage was caused to the roadway, a press release said. [Read more…]