The Oak Ridge City Center, which could be redeveloped as a multi-use town center known as Main Street, is pictured above. Also known as the former Oak Ridge Mall, the L-shaped building is at center. The white building at center left is Walmart, and it is not part of the proposed redevelopment. Neither is the white building at center top, the Tinseltown Theater. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Ray Evans, retail consultant for the City of Oak Ridge, will give an update on the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall during a lunchtime meeting on Tuesday.
Main Street Oak Ridge could redevelop the mall, now officially known as the Oak Ridge City Center, as a 60-acre mixed-use project that would include retailers, restaurants, a hotel, and residential units. The vacant enclosed space between the two remaining anchors, JCPenney and Belk, would be demolished, although those two stores would remain.
The goal has been to complete the first phase of the redevelopment in time for the Christmas season in 2016.
Oak Ridge City Center LLC, the current property owners, announced in September that RealtyLink of South Carolina will replace Crosland Southeast of North Carolina as master developer. Crosland Southeast had had the property under contract since early 2013 and said it invested more than $1 million in the project.
“With several years in the process and seemingly endless changes, it has been difficult to keep up with ‘if and when’ the former Oak Ridge Mall will be reclaimed and turned into Main Street Oak Ridge,” said a press release from the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. “To update interested citizens of the current status of this eagerly anticipated project, Ray Evans, economic development consultant for the city, has been invited to speak at the next Lunch with the League.”
Lunch with the League is at noon Tuesday, October 6, in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
Sponsored by the LWVOR, Lunch with the League is open to the public. There is no cost to attend, and reservations are not needed. Box lunches will be available starting at 11:30 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis for $8, or you may bring your own. Coffee and tea are provided.
Evans attended Tennessee Tech and earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and master’s degree in engineering administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He is the former chairman and chief executive officer of the Nashville-based engineering, architectural, and planning firm, Barge Waggoner Sumner and Cannon. His professional career has included the recruitment, planning, and design of a variety of retail, commercial, and industrial facilities across the Southeast, the press release said.
He is currently involved in economic development consulting and industrial recruiting for a variety of public and private clients across Tennessee including Overton County, the Plateau Partnership Park in Cumberland County, and the City of Oak Ridge. Evans is a former member of the Oak Ridge City Council and Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission. An Overton County native, he makes his home in Oak Ridge. He is married with two adult children, five grandchildren, and a great-grandson.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government and works to increase understanding of public policy through unbiased studies of public issues. Membership is open to both men and women. For more information, visit lwvoakridge.org.
Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Raymond Charles Kircher says
So this is what the city buys, today. How is this property not under the control of the city? Ray Evans you are not young enough to make it to seeing a mall there. And don’t tell me it isn’t a mall, I know that. You need to be telling everyone else and John Huotari that the City of Oak Ridge is NOT redeveloping the mall, and include the one piece of information as to why this property has taken this course. This will be a huge waste of time, unless Ray Evans is coming with a plan that the city will eminent domain the section of mall that closes off the street through that property. Put a damn road down and force Arnsdorf to sell the rest of it. WalMart will take some and gladly expand yet increasing their revenue share for the city. That is the direction this city took, embrace it and spend our money on something that is successful. Not for another 80 years can we spend money on that location, WalMart owns it. And that store is this city’s main revenue source, and our leaders want to keep trying to kill it. Dirt Naps for all before we get a city center with this city leadership.
Will Smith says
Yes, Mr. Kircher, Mr. Evans won’t live to see a mall on the property because a mall isn’t planned to be built there. And the city isn’t in the business of buying private property by eminent domain for retail development. One can just imagine (except perhaps for Mr. Kircher) the howl of protest that would have ensued if the city had borrowed money to buy the Kroger property and construct the building… oh, wait we’ve already had that happen twice for a lot smaller activity, once for building a road through the existing downtown property and once for a road to Pine Ridge. And borrowing $80 million to buy and redevelop the downtown property? Ms Baughn would have a stroke!
Raymond Charles Kircher says
The real Will Smith please stand up. I already know there will NOT be a mall on that property. That definition is much clearer than your plans to waste this city’s time while you pocket ratepayer dollars on property you cannot do what you want to do. You are breaking the law if you ever act on any plans of your design there. The city will be sued and you know it. The funny thing is you are not telling the truth as to why any plan to build retail there has failed. Go on. You work for the city; it is your responsibility to be honest to the ratepayers. It isn’t my job, but I can tell you here right now, you are a liar.
Joseph Lee says
Raymond, You do not have a clue on what you are spewing about. Next time take the blue pill. Thank you.
Raymond Charles Kircher says
Put a road through it, Old Joe. They will come, WalMart will be the first in line our greatest revenue collector, and the city won’t have to go to any fancy buffets or lavish retreats leaving the ratepayers cost free and the revenue stream continues to grow. Owning property is a trend that has yet to die, nor do I expect it to at any time. You haven’t provided any clues that lead to success, Old Joe. Does WalMart want to expand? And legally bank owned properties are not allowed, even those limited, but they exist. I wonder why? Due to the city’s horrible decision of a negative covenant on such a piece of property and all due to their fears, our only option is to put a road through it or wait till our leadership takes the dirt nap of life change in Oak Ridge. That is exactly how the covenant was premised for a life long reading pleasure.
Joseph Lee says
Ray, Blah, blah, blah. If you would comment on things that you know something about we would never hear from you again. Next time take the blue pill. Thanks.
Will Smith says
I work for the city? Like Mr. Lee says, you really, really need to take your meds.
Ray Evans says
I encourage you to read the agreements including the covenants and restrictions found in Deed Book 1156 Pages 384-434 as recorded in 2000 and found in the office of Anderson County Register of Deeds.
You are correct that the covenants and restrictions run 99 years. They are not very restrictive, however. Paragraphs 2 and 3 on the second page of the document clearly states that the property can be used for an normal and customary retail use with two exceptions.The property cannot contain a grocery store or supermarket nor can it contain a discount department store of 90,200 SF or greater. There are a few other minor requirements for anything built to the south of the former Sears store but nothing extraordinary.
Nothing in these documents restricts RealtyLink from developing their proposed project.
Raymond Charles Kircher says
Yes it does. The restrictive nature of retail in this negative covenant demands a model very different from your proposal. With what you have Ray, I expect you to be filing for more ratepayer money to develop a low-income city center. You are not telling everything Ray Evans, nor are you delineating the project in a way that is believable to people watching this city. That is why you get what you are getting, piss poor results. This county commission needs to watch this project closely and reconsider any retail agreements to make sure they are affirmative for this county. This isn’t over because some people still believe that the city can break the law and still build a “mall” there. Not happening, and this course of information is very damaging and only finding developers who need a tax write-off. You would be better with yet another plan for that property, allow a developer to construct an office building there and then the city purchase it for its new city offices, leaving the old city building to be fully for the police and another building to our community center, then move our senior away from a towering sewer tank, gassy as it is, into a revamped city building.
Joseph Lee says
Raymond, I can have Morpheus hook you up with Agent Smith if you like.
Just let us know when you want back in the power plant. Thank you.
Raymond Charles Kircher says
Ray Evans, I don’t go to women events. Did you tell them there will NOT be a mall on that property? Did you tell them why every developer to look at that property has failed or declined the city’s help and that each and every plan gets less and less for that property? Was word spoken by you that the county has a wish for that property and it in no fashion resembles any plan you or the city has looked at? You mention how the original mall property was sub-divided and sold, and did they respond to your shrinkage? So much to talk about with that property, I’m sure you smoked over some, but the 20+ years of failures by you and this city doesn’t bode well for that property’s future, with its small size and all. There is so much more to talk about, like Belk selling its stores, and one of last so called anchors in the shuttered mall will go away for a day when Oak Ridge leadership gets a clue. You are in the way of yourself, and prone to evidentiary failure with $500,000.00 from these companies: Methodist Medical Center; Oak Ridge Associated Universities; UCOR; Restoration Services Inc.; Consolidated Nuclear Security; and UT-Battelle, not one city council member whoever they are should not receive a vote in the next election. Where is that money? We just need to wait for some leadership to buy the permanent mattress before roads to retail are built. Ray Evans, here is one you can put in your head for later; I predict Sycamore Properties will be closing the Belk’s in Oak Ridge. The answer to all of this is simple if you just reveal what you know. You have the paperwork, I was just shown some key players investment value. Why are you keeping this a secret? Please tell us about the previous plans for leasing. What are they, $9 a square foot? And the lackluster list of possible retail stores there, well, all I can say is it is a Dead Man’s party with the City Council mourning at the podium. Yeah, the city isn’t involved with this property, keep saying that. You may get some to believe you. As for me, I’m looking at brighter visions.
Joseph Lee says
Raymond, I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news.
Good News: You do not now and never have had a clue about what you are spewing.
Bad News: Year in and year out we get to hear your ignorant pointless dribble.
The property in question will be redeveloped whether you like it or not.
We all know you will not. Have a great day. Thank you.
Raymond Charles Kircher says
Really, 20 years of listening to me, and you keep on doing the same thing, losing. There is no evidence you listen to anyone unless it is attached with ratepayer funds in your pocket. Where did you learn that, from Ray Evans? Maybe that is why you and him cannot win a city election. Once those elected who support your two are gone, immediately the sun will shine on Oak Ridge and its government. In the developing world, Ray Evans is nobody you want, and you should read what they say about you Joseph.
Joseph Lee says
Morpheus is ready when you are. Thank you