Oak Ridge Today

Council approves plan for apartments at former AMSE site

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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…]

Planning Commission unanimously approves apartments at former AMSE site

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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 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…]

Main Street developer asks for changes to plan recommendations

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Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

 

The developer of Main Street Oak Ridge has asked for changes or the removal of some conditions recommended by city officials as they consider possible changes to the master plan for the 58-acre project.

The developer, TN Oak Ridge Rutgers LLC, said last week that it will not be able to comply with a request from the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission to include a significant central gathering space as part of Phase III. It has asked to remove language calling for a commitment to create a mixed-use center along Wilson Street. It also wants to remove language calling for significant multi-family residential units as part of the potential mixed-use center along Wilson Street.

TN Oak Ridge Rutgers, which is affiliated with RealtyLink of Greenville, South Carolina, was responding to 10 conditions recommended by the Planning Commission when it approved a revised master plan in a split 5-4 vote during a special meeting on Wednesday, December 5.

What happens next will be up to Oak Ridge City Council, which will consider the proposed revisions during a special meeting Tuesday evening.

One revision that initially caused concern appears to have been accepted, at least so far. That’s the closure of the access road from Rutgers Avenue to the roundabout at Main Street Oak Ridge. That access road would be removed to allow four new stores to be built between PetSmart, a new store, and JCPenney, an anchor store remaining from the former Oak Ridge Mall. The conditions recommended by Planning Commission did not mention the access road. It’s not clear what Council’s position will be. [Read more…]

Council gives final approval to new housing development in east Oak Ridge

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Oak Ridge officials approved a plan in November 2018 that would allow a new residential development on more than 100 acres off Edgemoor Road in east Oak Ridge. This is the view looking toward the part of the development that would be called Harbour Pointe A and Harbour Pointe B on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge officials approved a plan in November and December 2018 that will allow a new residential development on more than 100 acres off Edgemoor Road in east Oak Ridge. This is the view looking toward the part of the development that will be called Harbour Pointe A and Harbour Pointe B on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

In its second and final vote, the Oak Ridge City Council on Monday approved a plan that will allow a new residential development on more than 100 acres off Edgemoor Road in east Oak Ridge.

It’s a significant change to what had originally been expected on the property in a master plan adopted in 2009. That was for a planned unit development called Centennial Village.

The new development, which required changes to the Centennial Village master plan, will be called Harbour Pointe. It could include 310 lots on 117 acres. Of the lots, 186 could be single-family and 124 could be multi-family.

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved re-zonings and a preliminary master plan for Harbour Pointe, subject to certain conditions, during a special meeting on Monday, November 5. The Oak Ridge City Council then unanimously approved them, with the Planning Commission conditions included, on Monday, November 12. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge officials will meet to discuss second phase of Main Street

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The access road from this roundabout to Rutgers Avenue, pictured above on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, could be closed and a retail store built here as part of phase two under a revised master plan for Main Street Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The access road from this roundabout to Rutgers Avenue, pictured above on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, could be closed and a retail store built here as part of phase two under a revised master plan for Main Street Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Hoping to make progress and help produce a good plan, Oak Ridge officials will meet in November to discuss the second phase of Main Street Oak Ridge.

Oak Ridge officials have had concerns about proposed revisions to the master plan for Main Street as the developer, RealtyLink, prepares to welcome a second wave of tenants. The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission postponed a vote on the revised master plan during a meeting on Thursday, October 18.

The November 8 joint work session will include the Planning Commission and the Oak Ridge City Council. The special meeting was requested last Thursday when the Planning Commission postponed its decision on the revised master plan.

Some officials have raised concerns about the proposed revisions to the master plan, including the possible closure of the road connecting Rutgers Avenue to the roundabout at Main Street, and they have emphasized their interest in having a mixed-use city center with pedestrian connections, green space or a central gathering spot in its interior, and restaurants and residential units. [Read more…]

Revised plan, postponed vote inject uncertainty into second phase of Main Street

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The access road from this roundabout to Rutgers Avenue, pictured above on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, could be closed and a retail store built here as part of phase two under a revised master plan for Main Street Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The access road from this roundabout to Rutgers Avenue, pictured above on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, could be closed and a retail store built in its place as part of phase two under a revised master plan for Main Street Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The access road from this roundabout to Rutgers Avenue, pictured above on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, could be closed and a retail store built here as part of phase two under a revised master plan for Main Street Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A revised master plan and postponed vote have injected uncertainty into the second phase of Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall.

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Site plan submitted for Main Street Oak Ridge

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Main Street Oak Ridge James Downs

James Downs, Crosland Southeast partner, gave an update on the Main Street Oak Ridge project, the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall, during a March work session. (File photo)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9 a.m. July 2.

A site plan was submitted on Monday for Main Street Oak Ridge, an official said. Main Street Oak Ridge is the eagerly anticipated $80 million project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

The site plan is under review by the Oak Ridge city staff and could be discussed during an Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission work session on July 9 and during a regular meeting on July 16.

A site plan is an engineered construction drawing that includes the layout of buildings and parking, utility plans, traffic and pedestrian circulation, and stormwater management, said Kathryn Baldwin, Oak Ridge Community Development director. There would still be building plans for the construction of each building at the 60-acre site. [Read more…]

Planning Commission considers revised master plan for Main Street Oak Ridge

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The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will consider a revised master plan for Main Street Oak Ridge, the project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall, during a Thursday meeting.

It’s a planned unit development, or PUD, master plan.

The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.

See Main Street Oak Ridge plans here

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Main Street Oak Ridge Master Plan March 26, 2015

Here is the master plan for Main Street Oak Ridge. See a larger version of the plan in the first link below.

 

Several readers have asked for higher resolution versions of the plans for Main Street Oak Ridge, the development that could replace the former Oak Ridge Mall with a mix of retailers, restaurants, residential units, and possibly a hotel.

Here are copies of the plans provided by Oak Ridge Community Development. One is the master plan, and the other is a pedestrian connectivity and conceptual landscape plan. [Read more…]

Main Street Oak Ridge signs first anchor lease, other leases could follow

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Main Street Oak Ridge

Main Street Oak Ridge would redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall as a mixed-use project that could include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and possibly a hotel. The existing space between the two remaining anchors, Belk and JCPenney, would be demolished, although those two stores would remain.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:15 a.m. March 27.

The developers who want to convert the former Oak Ridge Mall into Main Street Oak Ridge signed their first anchor store lease last week, an executive said Thursday.

And three to five more leases could be signed in the next month or so, said Tim Sittema of Crosland Southeast, the North Carolina company that has proposed the roughly 60-acre redevelopment.

Main Street Oak Ridge would redevelop the mall as a mixed-use project that would include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and possibly a hotel. The existing space between the two remaining anchors, Belk and JCPenney, would be demolished, although those two stores would remain. [Read more…]

New China Palace closes at marina, reopens on Central Avenue

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New China Palace Closed

The longtime New China Palace restaurant has closed at the Oak Ridge Marina and moved to a new location on Central Avenue in the center of town.

A longtime Chinese restaurant that had been on the city’s waterfront for decades has moved out of a city-owned building at the Oak Ridge Marina and reopened on Central Avenue in the center of town.

The New China Palace restaurant reopened on Central Avenue on Nov. 22, owner Cheng Ren said Saturday.

The former waterfront location closed five weeks earlier on Oct. 18 after at least one lease extension.

The city has developed a master plan for the waterfront area that recommends the current New China Palace site off Melton Lake Drive be remodeled as a bathhouse facility. It would be used to support a growing number of rowing and public activities as part of an ambitious plan to revamp the waterfront from Elza Gate Park to Rivers Run Boulevard. [Read more…]