City manager: Construction of five stores to begin soon – Oak Ridger

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. City Manager Mark Watson told a crowd of about 50 people last week that construction will begin on a line of five stores in the next couple of weeks at the Main Street Oak Ridge development.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. City Manager Mark Watson told a crowd of about 50 people last week that construction will begin on a line of five stores in the next couple of weeks at the Main Street Oak Ridge development.

The stores, as stated on developer RealtyLinks website, will include Five Below, a discount store. The other four stores are not identified.

Watsons announcement came during a talk at the League of Women Voters Lunch with the League meeting which took place Tuesday, March 3.

The line of stores, proposed by RealtyLink, has faced its share of controversy. Among other issues, citizens have criticized it for closing off a previous entrance to the development from South Rutgers Avenue which had a roundabout.

However, Watson spoke of the five upcoming businesses and the development as a sign of progress.

We all remember the black hole in the center of our community, Watson said regarding the vacant spaces at Oak Ridge Mall in its last days.

At an earlier meeting of the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board, Watson said the transfer date for the new businesses will be in August.

Itll move pretty fast during this time, he said.

Watson said the contractor is Vanoy Construction, which he described as the folks that knocked down the old Sears Building, also at the Main Street Oak Ridge site.

The five new stores fit with Watsons general theme about change in Oak Ridge.

He described the current South Illinois Avenue shopping center which includes Aldi, Panera, Dos Bros, Aubreys, Fast Pace Urgent Care and Aspen Dental as formerly just a grassy lot that now is jam packed with users.

Watson spoke positively about recent and upcoming changes in the city during his time as manager, including the new Senior Center, new fountain in the center of Jackson Square, new housing for the International Friendship Bell, and residential developments like The Preserve at Oak Ridge, formerly Rarity Ridge.

He also spoke of several developments in the future including the new Water Treatment Plant, renovations to Scarboro Park and the new Oak Ridge Schools Preschool.

Applewood Apartments

Watson spoke positively about the demolition of the Applewood Apartments on West Hunter Circle, East Hunter Circle and Hillside Road, which were in violation of several city codes. He described working with the owner as an obstacle.

Today the old site is ready for development. Unfortunately it still has the same owner, he told the crowd. That owner, although Watson did not mention him by name, is Joe Levitt.

Vacant buildings

An audience member asked Watson about vacant retail buildings.

Watson said the city can take some vacant buildings owners to court for not upgrading their buildings. For example, he said, the city is currently looking at an old Chinese restaurant site that was not inhabitable.

When the market changes, youll begin to see some new things happen, he said.

Data Center, test track

Watson spoke about a future data center either at the Heritage Center or the Horizon Center. He said there had been inquiries over the last five years, including one the city is negotiating now. During an interview, when asked about the low number of jobs data centers generate, Watson explained the data center would generate new property tax revenue for the city.

Also at the meeting, Watson touched on another Horizon Center project, a proposed motorsports complex and test track. City IDB Chairman David Wilson is still negotiating the projects details and the IDB will also have to agree to sell the land. At the meeting, however, Watson did give some details about the proposal. He said people would use it for some testing of cars and some recreation.

This is not Bristol, he said, referencing the Bristol Motor Speedway. Were not talking 100,000 people coming to watch a race. He also said the project wont sear the landscape with total tree clearing.

Main Street Lofts

Another development Watson talked about to the League of Women Voters was the Main Street Lofts apartment development at the former American Museum of Science and Energy site. The project will involve demolishing the old building to build the apartments.

Watson has said there have been continued delays with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development concerning the development.

Well continue to push that along, he recently told the IDB.

Ben Pounds is a staff reporter for The Oak Ridger. Call him at (865) 220-5502 and follow him on Twitter @Bpoundsjournal.

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City manager: Construction of five stores to begin soon - Oak Ridger