Oak Ridge Today

Construction documents submitted for new museum at Main Street Oak Ridge

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An agreement signed Friday, Dec. 30, 2016, by the U.S. Department of Energy and City of Oak Ridge calls for the American Museum of Science and Energy missions to be relocated within about one year to 18,000 square feet of space in a two-story building that once housed a Sears Roebuck store next to JCPenney at Main Street Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Construction documents have been submitted to the City of Oak Ridge for the new museum at Main Street Oak Ridge, and the American Museum of Science and Energy will continue to be at its current location past the end of the year, municipal and federal officials said this week.

It’s not clear when AMSE might open at its new home at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

On Monday, John Shewairy, assistant manager for administration in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office, said the construction documents were also expected to be submitted to a contractor for pricing this week.

“We don’t yet have an estimated opening date for the museum in its new location because the construction schedule is still being finalized,” Shewairy said.

On Friday, Wayne Blasius, director of Oak Ridge Community Development, confirmed that the city has received the construction documents for the new museum at Main Street Oak Ridge. The construction documents for the new museum are now under staff review, Blasius said. It’s not clear how long that review might take. The submission of the documents is for a building permit, which does not require the approval of either the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission or Oak Ridge City Council. [Read more…]

Council approves rezoning for former AMSE property

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A rezoning map for an Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, shows that a grocery or large retail store could be built on the 7.4 acres south of American Museum of Science and Energy. The map also shows three smaller retailers or restaurants are possible. AMSE is to the north of the proposed grocery or large retail building.

A rezoning map for an Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, shows that a grocery or large retail store could be built on the 7.4 acres south of American Museum of Science and Energy. The map also shows three smaller retailers or restaurants are possible. AMSE is to the north of the proposed grocery or large retail building.

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday unanimously approved a rezoning for property that could be developed with a grocery store, retail shops, and restaurants on vacant land south of the American Museum of Science and Energy.

The rezoning of the 7.4 acres had been requested by TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC, a company affiliated with RealtyLink, which is developing Main Street Oak Ridge at the former Oak Ridge Mall.

The rezoning was approved, with a few contingencies, by the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission on October 19. City Council approved it with some comments in the first of two monthly meetings on Monday.

In addition to approving the rezoning request, Council approved an associated planned unit development (PUD) preliminary master plan for the project. [Read more…]

Safety message from Oak Ridge Electric: Shorter days mean more street light needs

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Submitted

As the days get shorter and after daylight saving time came to an end this Sunday, November 5, people will be finding themselves outdoors in the dark more often. The Oak Ridge Electric Department has some safety reminders to share with citizens after the time change:

  1. Always use sidewalks. If a sidewalk is not present and you must walk on the side of the street, be sure to walk facing traffic.
  2. Wear light or reflective clothing to be more visible, but never assume that vehicles can see you.
  3. Avoid distracted walking at night. Mobile devices can both draw your attention away from your surroundings and dampen your night vision.
  4. Carry a lightweight flashlight or even an LED headlamp to help you see trip hazards and find your way.

[Read more…]

Rehab work continues this week in Turtle Park Sewer Shed

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Turtle Park Sewer Shed (Map by City of Oak Ridge)

Turtle Park Sewer Shed (Map by City of Oak Ridge)

 

Sewer rehabilitation will continue the week of November 6 with Hurst Excavating LLC working under contract for the City of Oak Ridge to rehabilitate sewer collection pipes in the Turtle Park Sewer Shed. Areas affected by phase two of the project include city easements in yards and roadways.

Drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists are urged to use extreme care and caution when traveling on streets included in the sewer work area, a press release said. Temporary road repairs will be made, and loose gravel should be expected until the patches are permanently paved.

Construction work scheduled for the week beginning Monday, November 6, includes the following locations: [Read more…]

Rezoning map shows possible grocery, retail stores south of AMSE

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A rezoning map for an Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, shows that a grocery or large retail store could be built on the 7.4 acres south of American Museum of Science and Energy. The map also shows three smaller retailers or restaurants are possible. AMSE is to the north of the proposed grocery or large retail building.

A rezoning map for an Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, shows that a grocery or large retail store could be built on the 7.4 acres south of American Museum of Science and Energy. The map also shows three smaller retailers or restaurants are possible. AMSE is to the north of the proposed grocery or large retail building.

 

A rezoning map shows a grocery or large retail store could be built on the property south of American Museum of Science and Energy.

The rezoning map shows the grocery or retailer could be 55,000 square feet, set back from South Illinois Avenue and next to Badger Avenue. But no prospective tenant has been publicly announced yet.

Also shown on the rezoning map, which was filed for an Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission meeting in October, are three smaller possible retail or restaurant buildings of about 4,000 to 7,000 square feet.

The rezoning was requested by TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC for the 7.4 acres south of AMSE along South Illinois Avenue between South Tulane Avenue and Badger Avenue. That property was once part of the AMSE property and owned by the U.S. Department of Energy, but it has since been transferred to the City of Oak Ridge and then to TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC.

The rezoning was approved, with a few contingencies, by the Planning Commission on October 19, and it’s been referred to the Oak Ridge City Council, presumably for the Monday, November 13 meeting. [Read more…]

ORNL, City of Oak Ridge partner on sensor project to capture city trends

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UrbanSense passively collects anonymous, open-source data from cellular towers to generate real-time estimates of population density in cities. Insights on how people interact with urban infrastructure helps cities like Oak Ridge, above, assess their needs and plan effectively for future development. (Image by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

UrbanSense passively collects anonymous, open-source data from cellular towers to generate real-time estimates of population density in cities. Insights on how people interact with urban infrastructure helps cities like Oak Ridge, above, assess their needs and plan effectively for future development. (Image by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

 

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are partnering with the City of Oak Ridge to develop UrbanSense, a comprehensive sensor network and real-time visualization platform that helps cities evaluate trends in urban activity.

The project, initiated by ORNL’s Urban Dynamics Institute, centers on addressing cities’ real-world challenges through applied urban science. Oak Ridge is the first city to test the new technology, which uses open-source, anonymous data from virtual and physical sensors.

“Preparing for urban growth and planning for future infrastructure development and resource demands are global problems, but cities need ways to be proactive on a local level,” said UDI Director Budhendra Bhaduri. “Our goal in bringing science to cities is to put the right tools and resources in the hands of city managers and urban planners so that they can assess local impacts and make strategic decisions to get the best return on future investments.”

UDI researchers Teja Kuruganti and Gautam Thakur from ORNL’s Computer Science and Engineering Division are collaborating with Oak Ridge Director of Administrative Services Bruce Applegate on the design and deployment of UrbanSense.

The prototype designed for Oak Ridge monitors population density, traffic flow, and environmental data including air and water quality, with a total of seven sensors to be installed in the city. “The longer they are in place and the more data they collect, the better the city’s sense of its trends will be,” Thakur said. [Read more…]

Y-12 Historian Ray Smith is retiring

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Ray Smith, Y-12 National Security Complex historian and city historian, announces a book published posthumously that was written by Bill Wilcox, a former city historian, former technical director at K-25 and Y-12, and a passionate advocate for historic preservation, including the history of the former K-25 site. Smith announced the book at a ceremony unveiling plans for a K-25 History Center on the second floor of the city-owned fire station at the the former K-25 site, now known as East Tennessee Technology Park on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Ray Smith is retiring as Y-12 National Security Complex historian on Nov. 22, 2017. Smith is pictured above during a ceremony for the K-25 History Center at East Tennessee Technology Park on Thursday, Oct. 19. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Y-12 National Security Complex Historian Ray Smith is retiring. Smith said he has been at Y-12 for 47 years, and he is retiring November 22.

Besides being Y-12 historian, Smith is also City of Oak Ridge historian and history columnist for The Oak Ridger newspaper, where he writes “Historically Speaking.” In 2012, he testified during a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the legislation to create the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Hanford, Washington.

Smith has been Y-12 historian for about 10 years. He has also been a maintenance manager at Y-12.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed it,” Smith said this week.

After an overseas trip in August, Smith said he wants to travel with his wife Fanny.

“Fanny and I went to Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, and that made my decision,” Smith said.

Smith, who is a Vietnam veteran, said he will continue to write and be the Oak Ridge historian. He is vice president of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, and he was recently appointed to the Tennessee Historical Commission. He is a local leader helping to preserve the city’s history. He was friends with Bill Wilcox, the previous city historian who wrote a history of the former K-25 site that has been published posthumously with help from family members, Smith, and the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association.

[Read more…]

City to begin managing Centennial Golf Course, releasing private firm from its contract

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Centennial Golf Course is pictured above in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Centennial Golf Course is pictured above in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The City of Oak Ridge will begin managing Centennial Golf Course internally through the Recreation and Parks Department, releasing the private firm Billy Casper Golf from its management contract, a press release said. The transition will begin immediately and is expected to be complete by the end of November.

“The city chose to make the move in order to initiate repairs to the facility on an aggressive timeline,” the press release said.

The golf course will not close during the management transition or subsequent renovations. Nine holes will remain open while crews work on the rest of the course. Cart path repairs are planned along with drainage improvements and the installation of guard rails and other safety measures. The driving range and clubhouse will also remain open. The city will be honoring passes and memberships purchased prior to this change, the press release said.

“Golf is an extremely dynamic sport, and we have to adapt in order to remain competitive,” Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said of the decision. “Our goal is to have a truly great public golf course and this is the first step in making that a reality.” [Read more…]

Once like a small city, Happy Valley has been sold

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An early aerial photo of Happy Valley, a construction camp that was like a small city and used to help build the former K-25 in west Oak Ridge. This picture was taken May, 22, 1944, by Ed Westcott, the official government photographer in Oak Ridge during World War II. (Photo courtesy Ed Westcott/Emily Hunnicutt)

An early aerial photo of Happy Valley, a construction camp that was like a small city and used to help build the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge. This picture was taken May, 22, 1944, by Ed Westcott, the official government photographer in Oak Ridge during World War II. (Photo courtesy Ed Westcott/Emily Hunnicutt)

 

It was once home to a large construction camp that was like a small city and housed workers building K-25 during World War II.

Now the 160-acre parcel known as Happy Valley has been sold.

Happy Valley was in west Oak Ridge, across State Route 58 from the K-25 site. One of three major sites in Oak Ridge, K-25 was built to enrich uranium for atomic weapons as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II.

Today, Happy Valley appears to be mostly a rolling tree-covered landscape between Oak Ridge and Kingston along SR 58. To the public, there is little or no obvious evidence of what was once there—homes, a grocery store, schools, a post office, recreation halls, a gas station, and a bowling alley.

But those who have walked the property have seen evidence of the small city that was once there. [Read more…]

No injuries reported when fire destroys vacant home

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A fire destroyed a vacant home on South Walker Lane on Thursday night, Oct. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A fire destroyed a vacant home on South Walker Lane on Thursday night, Oct. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

No injuries were reported when a fire destroyed a vacant home on Thursday night, authorities said.

The fire was reported at 112 South Walker Lane at about 11:40 p.m. Thursday.

More than a dozen personnel from the Oak Ridge Fire Department responded, and they were able to get the fire under control within about 10 minutes, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release. No injuries were reported. [Read more…]

Next City Blueprint meeting scheduled for Oct. 26

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Midtown Residential City Blueprint Oct 2017

The Oak Ridge Community Development Department is continuing the Oak Ridge City Blueprint effort with a discussion focused on the Midtown residential neighborhood. An open house will be held between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 26, at Robertsville Middle School.

Families living in this subarea are encouraged to attend and provide ideas and suggestions for possible neighborhood improvements, a press release said.

“Please note that no formal presentation is planned for this event,” the press release said. “Those attending can come and go anytime during the open house to meet, ask questions, and share thoughts with city staff and board representatives.” [Read more…]

You can see the future home of the K-25 History Center on Thursday

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A rendering of the K-25 History Center at the Oak Ridge Fire Station Number 4 at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge. (Image courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

A rendering of the K-25 History Center at the Oak Ridge Fire Station Number 4 at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge. (Image courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

 

A celebratory event on Thursday will formally launch a project to commemorate the history of the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a uranium-enrichment site that was once known as K-25 and built to help make the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II.

Thursday’s celebration will be followed by a public tour from 2 to 4 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge, the event is part of the city’s 75th Anniversary celebration. It will feature a walk-through of the future home of the K-25 History Center, which will be located in the city’s Fire Station Number 4 at the East Tennessee Technology Park. The U.S. Department of Energy and URS|CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, or UCOR, DOE’s lead cleanup contractor, will unveil plans and the layout for the History Center before construction starts, a press release said.

Large graphics placed throughout the building will provide the visitor a preview of the finished center, the press release said. [Read more…]