Oak Ridge Today

Construction starts on Dick’s Sporting Goods, T.J. Maxx

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Construction of Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx is under way at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge mall. Both stores, which will be in the area of the former Sears department store near Walmart, are expected to open in the spring or summer of 2017. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Construction has started on Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx at Main Street Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge officials said Wednesday. The city has posted photos and videos of the construction, which is near Walmart in the area of the former Sears department store at the former Oak Ridge Mall.

Main Street Oak Ridge is the redevelopment of the 58-acre former mall site. With the exception of Belk and JCPenney, the enclosed mall space has been demolished.

Eight new stores are expected to be ready at Main Street Oak Ridge by late spring or summer, a development executive said in November. [Read more…]

DOE secretary to attend AMSE land transfer ceremony on Dec. 30

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Ernest Moniz

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Note: This story was last updated at 12:10 p.m.

U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will attend the land transfer ceremony for the American Museum of Science and Energy property in Oak Ridge next week.

The ceremony is scheduled for Friday, December 30. Also expected to attend are U.S. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann and City of Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch.

It’s a signing ceremony to formally transfer the roughly 17-acre AMSE site from the U.S. Department of Energy to the City of Oak Ridge.

Under an agreement unanimously approved by Oak Ridge City Council on December 13, the city is then expected to transfer the property in two phases to a company set up by RealtyLink, the South Carolina firm building Main Street Oak Ridge at the site of the former Oak Ridge Mall. [Read more…]

Council unanimously approves AMSE land transfer

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The American Museum of Science and Energy property is pictured above in central Oak Ridge. The wide road running vertically at center-right through the aerial photo is South Tulane Avenue. The proposed Main Street Oak Ridge would be on the right side of South Tulane Avenue at the former Oak Ridge Mall. The road running horizontally at bottom is South Illinois Avenue. AMSE is the brown-roofed building at top-center.

The American Museum of Science and Energy property is pictured above in central Oak Ridge. The wide road running vertically at center-right through the aerial photo is South Tulane Avenue. Main Street Oak Ridge is being built on the right side of South Tulane Avenue at the former Oak Ridge Mall. The road running horizontally at bottom is South Illinois Avenue. AMSE is the brown-roofed building at top-center.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11 p.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the transfer of the American Museum of Science and Energy property. The roughly 17.42 acres will be transferred from the U.S. Department of Energy to the City of Oak Ridge. It could then be transferred in two phases to a company set up by the developer of Main Street Oak Ridge.

Under the agreement, the AMSE missions will be relocated within about one year to 18,000 square feet of space in a two-story building that once housed a Sears store next to JCPenney at Main Street Oak Ridge. That space, once finished, will be provided by TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC, a Main Street Oak Ridge company, to the city at no cost for 15 years.

The city will, in turn, sublease the former Sears space to DOE at no charge for 15 years, and it can be used for the public outreach and education missions now conducted at AMSE—as well as for a temporary visitor center for the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. That visitor center is now housed at AMSE.
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AMSE property could be transferred to city, then to developer

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The American Museum of Science and Energy is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. (File photo by Sara Wise)

 

Note: This story was updated at 2:45 p.m.

The American Museum of Science and Energy property could be transferred to the City of Oak Ridge and then to a developer under a resolution to be considered by Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday.

The City Council will consider whether to accept the 17.12-acre AMSE site from the U.S. Department of Energy during a special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 13, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom. The Council will also consider whether to enter into certain agreements with TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC. That company was set up by RealtyLink, the developer building Main Street Oak Ridge at the former Oak Ridge Mall.

The potential property transfer, the latest in a series of AMSE discussions dating back to at least 2003, was endorsed by City Council this summer as part of the Main Street Oak Ridge redevelopment. Council agreed to allow City Manager Mark Watson to negotiate the AMSE property transfer with DOE and RealtyLink.

On Monday, Watson said the city has submitted a property transfer proposal to DOE, and the federal government has accepted the terms. In order to take effect, the City Council has to approve it.

If the transfer is approved, TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC would provide Oak Ridge with 18,000 square feet of space at Main Street Oak Ridge at no cost for 15 years. The city would pay no rent, maintenance, taxes, or utilities. [Read more…]

New parking lot paved, new sign up at Belk as work proceeds quickly at Main Street

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Work continued on the new Belk entrance and parking lot on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016. The goal has been to complete that portion of the work at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall, by Thanksgiving. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The new sign is up and the new parking lot paved at Belk as work proceeds quickly at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

With the exception of Belk and JCPenney, the mall has been demolished, and there has significant progress on the sites where new stores will be built.

First, on Saturday, concrete stands in the parking lot in front of Belk were almost finished, and some lighting poles and fixtures were installed, said Ray Evans, retail consultant for the City of Oak Ridge. The goal has been to finish the new Belk entrance and its new parking lot by Thanksgiving.

Second, there was work on piping for interior utilities where Electronic Express and PetSmart will be located between JCPenney and Walmart on South Rutgers Avenue.

Third, the pad had been completed and a stone base put down where Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx will be built between Walmart and the U.S. Post Office on South Tulane Avenue, in the area of the former Sears department store. [Read more…]

Photos: Main Street Oak Ridge construction work under way

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This area near the intersection of Wilson Street and Rutgers Avenue, close to JCPenney, should be ready to turn over to the developer of a four-story, 81-room TownePlaces Suites hotel in the next few weeks, a RealtyLink executive said Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be ready by late spring or summer, a development executive said Tuesday.

Rex Rice, project manager for RealtyLink, the development company, said the Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx stores should be ready for those retailers by late spring or summer, and six other stores—Electronic Express, Maurice’s, PetSmart, Rack Room Shoes, Rue 21, and Ulta—should be ready by summer.

Rice gave a brief project update during a Tuesday morning Rise and Shine event sponsored by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at TNBank.

Here are photos from the Tuesday morning update and from Main Street Oak Ridge on Tuesday. [Read more…]

New stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be complete by late spring, summer

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Eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be ready by late spring or summer, a development executive said Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016. This photo was taken from near Belk and the former Sears store, looking toward JCPenney. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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Rex Rice, RealtyLink project manager (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be ready by late spring or summer, a development executive said Tuesday.

Rex Rice, project manager for RealtyLink, the development company, said the Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx stores should be ready for those retailers by late spring or summer, and six other stores—Electronic Express, Maurice’s, PetSmart, Rack Room Shoes, Rue 21, and Ulta—should be ready by summer.

Rice gave a brief project update during a Tuesday morning Rise and Shine event sponsored by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at TNBank.

As expected, the demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall was complete in about three months. Only Belk and JCPenney remain, and both are open.

“We tore down everything between them,” Rice said. That included the former Goody’s Family Clothing and Sears department stores.

Demolition cost about $1 million, Rice said. [Read more…]

Photo: Aerial view of Oak Ridge Mall demolition

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The demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is pictured in this aerial view provided by Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, of Hendersonville, Tenn., on Monday, Aug. 22, 2016. The concrete slab in the center foreground is the area of the former Sears store, and the area behind it is the enclosed space between Belk, at left, and the former Proffitt’s men and housewares store, right center. Walmart is the white-roofed building partially pictured at right center. The former Sears auto shop was near Walmart. JCPenney is at center background at the far end of the L-shaped mall. (Photo courtesy EAI)

 

Note: This story was updated at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 23.

The demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is pictured above in the aerial view provided Monday by Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, of Hendersonville, Tennessee.

On Thursday, EAI, the demolition and environmental contractor, said demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall was about 50 percent complete. The work appears to have proceeded quickly even since then, based on this aerial view. Most notably, piles of scrap metal that were in the area of the former Sears store, in the center foreground in the picture above, appear to have been hauled away.

Last week, EAI said it expected to start removing concrete slabs beginning this week. On Tuesday, August 23, it appeared that workers had, in fact, started tearing up the concrete slab near the former pick-up and drop-off door at the former Sears store, near Belk.

Demolition started at the former Sears store on Tuesday, July 26. It’s proceeded quickly from there to include the enclosed space next to Belk, which will remain in the redeveloped site, east toward Rutgers Avenue and the former Proffitt’s men’s and housewares store. The demolished space also included the area in the mall that was most recently used as a conference center. [Read more…]

Mall demolition about 50 percent complete; see more photos here

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Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. The view pictured above is from near Belk, in front of the former pick-up and drop-off door at Sears, looking east toward the former Proffitt’s men’s store and Rutgers Avenue. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday.

Demolition started at the former Sears store on Tuesday, July 26. It’s proceeded quickly from there to include the enclosed space next to Belk, which will remain in the redeveloped site, east toward Rutgers Avenue and the former Proffitt’s men’s store. Close to one half of the enclosed L-shaped mall space had been demolished as of Thursday, August 18. The demolished space also included the area in the mall that was most recently used as a conference center.

Workers are moving counterclockwise toward JCPenney, which will also remain and be part of the redeveloped site, known as Main Street Oak Ridge.

Demolition could be complete within 60 days, or about mid-October, said Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, the demolition and environmental contractor. [Read more…]

Mall demolition about 50 percent complete; see photos here

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Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Pictured above is the entrance to the former mall on the north side of Walmart. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday.

Demolition started at the former Sears store on Tuesday, July 26. It’s proceeded quickly from there to include the enclosed space next to Belk, which will remain in the redeveloped site, east toward Rutgers Avenue and the former Proffitt’s men’s store. Close to one half of the enclosed L-shaped mall space had been demolished as of Thursday, August 18. The demolished space also included the area in the mall that was most recently used as a conference center.

Workers are moving counterclockwise toward JCPenney, which will also remain and be part of the redeveloped site, known as Main Street Oak Ridge.

Demolition could be complete within 60 days, or about mid-October, said Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, the demolition and environmental contractor. [Read more…]

Aerial photos: Oak Ridge Mall demolition

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The site of the former Sears store is pictured above at the former Oak Ridge Mall, most of which is being demolished to prepare for Main Street Oak Ridge, on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. The side of Walmart is just visible at upper right. (Photo courtesy Brad Jones/BBB-TV, Channel 12)

 

Here are aerial photos from Wednesday of the demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall. The photos were shared by Brad Jones of BBB-TV, Channel 12, and they are used here with his permission.

See more information about the 58-acre redevelopment, called Main Street Oak Ridge, along with a video, in this story. Main Street Oak Ridge is expected to include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and a hotel. Belk and JCPenney will be part of the project. Eight other new stores have been announced.

RealtyLink, the Greenville, South Carolina, developer, has said demolition of the enclosed mall spaces between Belk and JCPenney could take three months, and new stores could open at the mixed-use, open-air development in the spring of 2017.

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The site of the former Sears store is pictured above at the former Oak Ridge Mall, most of which is being demolished to prepare for Main Street Oak Ridge, on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (Photo courtesy Brad Jones/BBB-TV, Channel 12)

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See aerial video of the demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall

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An aerial view on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, of the demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall starting at the former Sears store at bottom center and extending into the interior enclosed spaces at the mall. Belk is to the left of this picture, and JCPenney and the former Goody’s store are at upper right. (Photo courtesy Brad Jones/BBB-TV, Channel 12)

 

Here is an aerial video from Wednesday of the demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall. The video was produced by Brad Jones of BBB-TV, Channel 12, and it is used here with his permission.

The three-minute video starts at the area of the former Sears store, which is now demolished and is pictured above at bottom center. Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx will be built in that area, possibly starting in October.

The parking lot at the top of the photo above is the parking lot between JCPenney, at top right, and the Cinemark Tinseltown theater, which is to the left of this picture. The road curving across the top right of the picture is Rutgers Avenue, and the road angling across the top left is Wilson Street. Walmart is off to the bottom right.

The mall is being redeveloped as Main Street Oak Ridge, a 58-acre mixed-use project that could cost about $75 million total and include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and a hotel. [Read more…]