apartments Archives - Oak Ridge Today

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

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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Council approves plan for apartments at former AMSE site

Posted at 12:16 pm January 18, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will consider a rezoning and planned unit development on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, that would allow apartments to be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

The Oak Ridge City Council approved a rezoning and planned unit development on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, that would allow apartments to be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday approved a plan that would allow apartments at the former American Museum of Science and Energy site on South Tulane Avenue.

The apartment proposal requires a rezoning and the approval of a plan for a planned unit development, or PUD.

They were approved in a 5-1-1 vote in the first of two readings on Monday. The second and final reading will presumably be in February.

Voting for the plan were Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch and City Council members Kelly Callison, Jim Dodson, Derrick Hammond, and Ellen Smith. [Read more…]

Council to consider Main Street, apartment plans

Posted at 1:11 pm January 14, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider changes to the plan for Main Street Oak Ridge and a plan that would allow apartments at the former American Museum of Science and Energy site on South Tulane Avenue.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m. Monday, January 14, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom. You can see the agenda here.

The changes to the Main Street Oak Ridge plan are being considered as RealtyLink, the developer, prepares to welcome a second wave of tenants to the 58-acre site. Council approved changes on first reading in December and will consider them on second and final reading tonight (Monday, January 14).

The apartment proposal requires a rezoning and the approval of a planned unit development plan.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Planning Commission unanimously approves apartments at former AMSE site

Posted at 7:00 pm December 20, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a 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 Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved a rezoning and master plan on Thursday that will allow apartments on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

The approval, which passed on a unanimous voice vote, functions as a recommendation to the Oak Ridge City Council, which could consider the project in January. Council could consider the rezoning and master plan in two monthly meetings, or readings.

The apartment complex could include 217 units in seven three-story buildings on the northern side of the former AMSE site. They would be built on about 10 acres where the former museum building and its big parking lot are now, just south of the Oak Ridge Municipal Building.

AMSE has moved across the street to Main Street Oak Ridge, the roughly 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall. [Read more…]

Planning Commission to consider apartments at former AMSE site

Posted at 8:09 pm December 17, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will consider a rezoning and planned unit development on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, that would allow apartments to be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

Oak Ridge officials will consider a proposal on Thursday that would allow apartments to be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

Oak Ridge Today reported in November that the apartment complex could include 217 units in seven three-story buildings on the northern side of the former AMSE site. They would be built on about 10 acres where the former museum building and its big parking lot are now, just south of the Oak Ridge Municipal Building.

AMSE has moved across the street to Main Street Oak Ridge, the roughly 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall.

The rezoning and planned unit development, or PUD, have been requested by TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC and Mainstreet Capital Partners LLC. A total of roughly 11 acres would be included in the rezoning, including about 10 acres for the PUD. [Read more…]

Planning Commission to consider Main Street apartments, plan revisions

Posted at 12:06 am November 14, 2018
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Drawings that could be considered by the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, depict the apartments, tentatively named Main Street Apartments, that could be built on the northern part of the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission on Thursday will consider possible changes to the plan for the next phase of Main Street Oak Ridge and a plan for apartments proposed on the northern part of the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom. You can see the agenda here.

Oak Ridge Today has previously covered discussions of both projects. You can see our last story on the Planning Commission discussion of Main Street Oak Ridge here and Main Street Apartments here. [Read more…]

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)

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. [Read more…]

Traffic Safety, Environmental Advisory board member running for City Council

Posted at 9:42 pm October 24, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Aditya “Doc” Savara

Aditya “Doc” Savara, a member of two city boards, is running for Oak Ridge City Council in the November 4 municipal election.

In a press release, Savara said he has been involved in local politics during the past two years and served on the Traffic Safety Advisory Board and the Environmental Quality Advisory Board. Savara said he has attended and commented during public comment periods at City Council meetings, is knowledgeable about the issues facing the city, and has been vocal about them.

“In 2012-2013, an ordinance came before Oak Ridge City Council regarding whether property owners Jack and Myra Mansfield could build a single home on their property in a neighborhood zoned as R1, for single-family dwellings,” Savara said in the release. “Adjacent homeowners asserted property values would drop if the Mansfields were allowed to build a home on the open space. I pointed out that the neighbors could have bought the open property themselves if they wanted to keep it as open space. I stated that the neighbors didn’t want to buy the cow, but wanted to have the milk for free, and that it was not too late for the neighbors to make the Mansfields a fair offer. [Read more…]

New low-income apartments for seniors under construction

Posted at 3:00 pm October 23, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

A new three-story apartment complex for very low-income seniors over the age of 62 is currently being constructed in Oak Ridge and could be open for occupancy by next spring.

Dogwood Manor Apartments is being built behind Linda Brown Realty on Oak Ridge Turnpike and is funded by a federal Housing and Urban Development grant worth $3.1 million. The new facility will feature 23 one-bedroom apartments and a two-bedroom apartment for the on-site manager. The apartments are all designed to be handicap-accessible and one unit will be designed for use by someone with vision or hearing impairments.

Residents would pay 30 percent of their income for rent and utilities in the subsidized housing complex. The work is being performed by J&S Construction of Cookeville.

Burned pot of food triggers fire alarm, apartment evacuation

Posted at 11:02 pm August 26, 2012
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Oak Ridge firefighters evacuate the six floors of Frank Callaghan Towers on Fairbanks Road on Sunday morning after a burning pot of food on a stove reportedly filled hallways with smoke.

An apparent burned pot of food on a stove on the fifth floor of an Oak Ridge apartment building filled hallways with smoke on Sunday and forced firefighters to try to evacuate tenants from all six floors, Oak Ridge Deputy Fire Chief David Harrington said.

“When they opened up the door, it filled the hallways with smoke,” Harrington said.

Firefighters tried to evacuate tenants at the Callaghan Towers apartments on Fairbanks Road because they didn’t initially know the source of the 9:45 a.m. alarm, but Harrington said he wasn’t sure how many people were evacuated.

[Read more…]