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For members: Chinns part of apartment project on former AMSE site

Posted at 9:32 am February 27, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

AMSE-Site-Feb-11-2020
The former American Museum of Science and Energy is pictured above on South Tulane Avenue on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

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

Oak Ridge Mayor Pro Tem Rick Chinn and his brother Ryan are minority partners in the project to build apartments at the former American Museum of Science and Energy site.

 
AMSE-Site-Feb-11-2020

The former American Museum of Science and Energy is pictured above on South Tulane Avenue on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge Mayor Pro Tem Rick Chinn and his brother Ryan are minority partners in the project to build apartments at the former American Museum of Science and Energy site.

Rick Chinn, a developer, said this month that the project will bring much-needed apartments to the city, allowing more people who work in Oak Ridge to live here. The apartments are being built as RealtyLink, a South Carolina developer, plans to build more new stores across South Tulane Avenue at Main Street Oak Ridge, the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall.

Now called Main Street Lofts, the apartment project has included an agreement to reduce property taxes and the transfer of what had been federal property from the U.S. Department of Energy to the city and then to a developer. It will include the demolition of the former AMSE building. It is expected to include seven three-story buildings with 226 apartment units on 10 acres.

Rick Chinn and his father, Richard Chinn, a member of the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board, have been abstaining from votes related to the apartment project for at least a year.

They have not been required to explain their abstentions, but Oak Ridge Today has asked Rick and Richard Chinn why they have been abstaining.

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Filed Under: Business, Business, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Premium Content, Slider Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, AMSE, apartments, City of Oak Ridge, Daniel Smith, IDB, Ken Krushenski, Legacy Capital Partners, Leigh Burch, Main Street Lofts, Main Street—Oak Ridge, Mainstreet Capital Partners, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board, payment in lieu of taxes, PILOT, R&R Enterprises, R&R Investors, RealtyLink, Richard Chinn, Rick Chinn, Ryan Chinn, Terminus Real Estate, Tire Discounters, TN Oak Ridge Illinois, Tom Beehan, U.S. Department of Energy

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