Oak Ridge Today

Monday: Oak Ridge has groundbreakings at Preschool, Senior Center

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An image showing what the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park could look like. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

An image showing what the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park could look like. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The City of Oak Ridge will hold ceremonial groundbreakings on Monday, January 14, to celebrate the start of two major projects: the new Oak Ridge Preschool with Scarboro Park improvements and the new Oak Ridge Senior Center. Construction activity is already under way at both locations.

Studio Four Design Inc. of Knoxville was chosen to design the both the Preschool and the Senior Center. At a special meeting on October 11, Oak Ridge City Council unanimously approved resolutions awarding construction contracts to Jenkins and Stiles LLC.

The new preschool will be a single-story facility of about 33,000 square feet located on Carver Avenue. The build site is inside Scarboro Park, a roughly 10-acre parcel. The project includes improvements to the adjacent park area such as lighted basketball/tennis courts, a baseball field, a public pavilion, green space, and a walking trail. [Read more…]

Bonds sold Tuesday for Preschool, Senior Center

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A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

Bonds sold Tuesday morning for three construction projects: Oak Ridge Preschool, Oak Ridge Senior Center, and Scarboro Park renovations.

The bonds sold at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said.

There were six competitors. Fidelity Capital Markets had the low bid, with an interest rate of 3.613651 percent.

It’s considered a good interest rate. Anything below 4 percent is good, Watson said.

There wasn’t a large spread between the six bidders. The highest bidder had an interest rate of 3.720288. [Read more…]

Council to consider bond resolution for Preschool, Senior Center Monday

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A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider a resolution this evening to issue up to $13.75 million in bonds so the city can build a new preschool and senior center, and make improvements at Scarboro Park as part of the preschool project.

The special meeting starts at 6 p.m. Monday, October 29, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom at 200 South Tulane Avenue.

Council approved an initial bond resolution of up to $16.5 million for the preschool and senior center projects during a meeting on Monday, September 10. That amount is higher than the amount of tonight’s bond resolution. Some savings have been realized compared to original estimates, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said in a memo to Council members. [Read more…]

Council to consider $11.1 million in construction contracts for Preschool, Senior Center

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A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council in a special meeting on Thursday will consider $11.1 million in construction contracts for the new Oak Ridge Preschool, Oak Ridge Senior Center, and Scarboro Park improvements.

The contracts could both be awarded to Jenkins and Stiles LLC of Knoxville.

There were four bidders for the Senior Center project and three for the Preschool and Scarboro Park improvements, according to Jacene Phillips, senior project manager for Studio Four Design. Her company recommended both contracts be awarded to Jenkins and Stiles because of cost, but also because the Senior Center could be operating two months earlier under that contract than under any other bid and the Preschool would be complete three days before it would be under the other bids, Phillips said.

Both projects would be funded through general obligation bonds, a type of debt that could be issued in November.

The first contract that could be awarded Thursday is for the construction of the Preschool and improvements to Scarboro Park. The contract would be worth up to about $8.4 million. The Preschool would be built at Scarboro Park. [Read more…]

Council approves initial bond resolution for Preschool, Senior Center

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A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday unanimously approved an initial bond resolution of up to $16.5 million to build a new Oak Ridge Preschool and Oak Ridge Senior Center, and redevelop Scarboro Park.

It’s not the final bond resolution for the projects. The initial bond resolution approved in a 7-0 vote on Monday sets a ceiling amount for the debt issuance. A second resolution, a bond issuance resolution, will be brought to City Council, possibly at the October 8 meeting, for the actual bond issuance amount.

The City of Oak Ridge has opened the bidding period for the two projects, which have a total estimated cost of roughly $16 million. That announcement was made Friday.

But the city doesn’t know yet what the actual bids will be. And it’s not clear how steel tariffs might affect the projects, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said. [Read more…]

City Council to consider $16.5 million in bonds for Preschool, Senior Center projects

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A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider whether to issue bonds of up to $16.5 million to build a new Oak Ridge Preschool and Oak Ridge Senior Center, and redevelop Scarboro Park.

The two projects have an estimated cost of roughly $16 million, according to the City Council agenda for Monday. The bond resolution includes about $500,000 extra for the costs of issuing the bonds and for project contingencies.

The Preschool and Scarboro Park improvements have a total estimated cost of about $12.5 million. About $11.1 million of that is for construction.

The Senior Center has a total estimated cost of roughly $3.5 million. About $3.1 million of that is for construction. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge opens bidding for Preschool, Senior Center

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A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio 4 Design)

A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The City of Oak Ridge has opened the bidding period for two major projects: the new Oak Ridge Preschool with Scarboro Park improvements and the new Oak Ridge Senior Center. Interested parties must submit bids before the deadline early next month. Studio Four Design Inc. of Knoxville is the architectural firm chosen to design both buildings.

The new preschool will be a single-story facility of about 33,000 square feet on Carver Avenue. The build site is inside Scarboro Park, a roughly 10-acre parcel, a press release said. The project includes improvements to the adjacent park area such as lighted basketball/tennis courts, a baseball field, a public pavilion, green space, and a walking trail.

The current senior center is temporarily operating out of the Civic Center’s Recreation Building. The new senior center will be built next door, just to the west of the Recreation Center. The single-story, approximately 11,000 square foot facility will overlook part of A.K. Bissell Park. Plans include a large kitchen, craft and exercise rooms, billiards parlor, lounge, and other common space, the press release said. [Read more…]

Community meeting next week to discuss new preschool, amenities at Scarboro Park

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An image showing what the Oak Ridge Schools Preschool could look like in Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge and Studio Four Design)

An image showing what the Oak Ridge Schools Preschool could look like in Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge and Studio Four Design)

 

Project could move into bid phase in September

As plans progress for the new Oak Ridge Preschool and Scarboro Park improvements, Oak Ridge municipal leaders will provide an update on the project during a community meeting on Thursday, August 30. The meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m. next Thursday at the Scarboro Community Center. Discussions will focus on recreational amenities in Scarboro Park as well as the current status and next steps for the preschool, a press release said.

WHAT: Community meeting on Scarboro Park and new preschool

WHEN: Thursday, August 30, at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Scarboro Community Center, 148 Carver Avenue, Oak Ridge [Read more…]

Council to consider design contracts for Senior Center, Preschool

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The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above in December 2016. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider design contracts for the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park and the new Oak Ridge Senior Center at the Civic Center.

The two contracts could total about $771,000. They would be awarded to Studio Four Design Inc. of Knoxville, which has been working on the projects. They would include architectural, interior design, and consulting engineering services.

The contracts could use $1 million in bond funding being considered by the Oak Ridge City Council for the design services and other initial project costs.

Council had earlier authorized a professional services agreement to Studio Four Design to provide architectural services for various projects, including the Preschool and the Senior Center, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said in an October 2 memo to City Council. [Read more…]

Community meeting on Thursday to discuss park amenities & preschool budget, costs

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The April 2017 meeting on the new Oak Ridge Preschool is pictured above at the Scarboro Community Center. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The April 2017 meeting on the new Oak Ridge Preschool is pictured above at the Scarboro Community Center. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The fifth and final public forum-style meeting on the new Oak Ridge Preschool will be at the Scarboro Community Center on Thursday. The meeting will focus on the recreational amenities in Scarboro Park as well as the current budget and estimated costs for the project, a press release said.

The meeting, which will be hosted by city leaders, is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 7. It’s part of the “ongoing dialogue with the community regarding the new Oak Ridge Preschool,” the press release said.

Four previous meetings have been held this year at Scarboro Community Center to discuss plans for the facility. Those meetings were on March 23, April 20, May 25, and July 11. Those in attendance have been able to see preliminary concepts, ask questions, and provide input on decisions, the press release said.

After the July meeting, when conceptual designs were affirmed by the community, architects began work on construction drawings, the press release said. [Read more…]

City to host fourth preschool meeting, the last step in conceptual design

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Design concepts for the new Oak Ridge Schools Preschool at Scarboro Park, as published in May 2017. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

Design concepts for the new Oak Ridge Schools Preschool at Scarboro Park, as published in May 2017. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The City of Oak Ridge will host a fourth public forum-style meeting on the Oak Ridge Preschool on July 11. It’s the last step in the conceptual design process, a press release said.

“Once plans are affirmed by the community, architects will begin work on construction drawings,” the press release said.

The preschool will be built in Scarboro Park in central Oak Ridge.

The July 11 meeting is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Scarboro Community Center. [Read more…]

See design concepts for new Oak Ridge Preschool

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Design concepts for the new Oak Ridge Schools Preschool at Scarboro Park, as published in May 2017. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

Design concepts for the new Oak Ridge Schools Preschool at Scarboro Park, as published in May 2017. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The City of Oak Ridge has posted the design concepts for the planned Oak Ridge Schools Preschool at Scarboro Park.

The design concepts are from Studio Four Design, an architectural firm in Knoxville. A general concept for the preschool building’s design is shown above.

Those who attended a public forum-style meeting at the Scarboro Community Center on Thursday, May 25, voted for their favorite of two potential site design concepts, which are shown below, the City of Oak Ridge said. Option one received 18 votes, and option two received 13.

Here are the two potential site design concepts, with option one first and option two second: [Read more…]