orre overview
DESCRIPTION
An overview of the Oak Ridge Revitalization EffortTRANSCRIPT
The Oak Ridge Revitalization Effort [ORRE] is a private, not for profit, organization,
dedicated to the revitalization of Oak Ridge’s historic shopping areas &
neighborhoods.
We are composed of dedicated property owners, area merchants, corporate partners, citizens, and
other friends of ORRE who recognize the role a vital retail district plays in preserving
and furthering our community’s identity, spirit, and economy.
OUR PURPOSE
The purpose of the Oak Ridge Revitalization Effort is to promote, protect and enhance Jackson Square and Grove
Center as the historic core of our city by encouraging business diversity and enhancing the unique physical
characteristics through remedial actions that eliminate the physical, economic and social deterioration of these areas by actively promoting revitalization, rehabilitation and adaptive
reuse of existing properties.
HOW WE OPERATE
The Oak Ridge Revitalization Effort is coordinated by an Executive Director, a Board of Directors,
volunteer committees, business owners, property owners, residents, and community leaders to
achieve our objectives.
MISSION STATEMENT
To invest in existing infrastructure, create new jobs, retain and attract new businesses, returning long
vacant properties to the tax rolls & bringing shoppers to our historic centers and improving our neighborhoods while engaging citizens in creating
stronger communities to live, work and play in.
Why Have a Revitalization Effort?1. Our retail centers are a reflection of how we, as a community, see ourselves
and how we are perceived by others2. Vital retail centers can be a prominent source of employment3. ORRE’s designated district is the historic core of our community4. ORRE’s district represents a vast amount of public and private investment in
our community including but not limited to Methodist Medical Center, Oak Ridge High School, the Oak Ridge Swimming Pool, historic Jackson Square, Grove Center, the Alexander Inn/Guest House, and alphabet housing
5. Our district provides a sense of community and place6. A vital district can be a tourist draw for Oak Ridge7. A significant portion of our community’s tax base comes from the retail sales8. ORRE can become a good incubator for new small businesses which are the
building blocks of a healthy economy
The ORRE’s vision includes offering more to Oak Ridge every day - more activities, more
shops, more homes, more offices and more LIFE. This vision will not “just happen”.
It will succeed through ongoing unified efforts of our business community, our citizens, like minded
groups and support from our City.
OUR VISION
Based on the proven Main Street Four Point Approach, ORRE plans to:
1. Organize broad based community support2. Promote all that ORRE’s district has to offer now
and what our future plans are3. Revitalize the existing historic shopping areas and
residential neighborhoods4. Increase commercial potential through economic
restructuring
Why have we chosen to follow the Main Street approach?
The Main Street approach is not a quick fix, but rather one based upon the Four-Point Approach of the
National Main Street Center.
Design
Promotion
Development
Economic Restructuring
Design…
Means getting our district into top physical shape. Capitalizing on our assets such as the Alexander Inn,
Jackson Square and Grove Center.
ORRE will strive to create an inviting atmosphere through parking areas, signs, identifying markers,
sidewalks, street lights and landscaping. [all of these elements will be addressed in our design charette]
KEEPING UP APPEARANCES
There is no single formula to a successful Retail District. Product, price, display, service, location and marketing all play
an important part. But, the outward appearance of the buildings is of vast importance.
Experience shows, time and time again, that appearance is important to a healthy commercial district. With merchants and property owners working together to create an attractive image,
Oak Ridge as a whole can benefit.
Without gimmicks or themes, we plan to build on resources and strengths that already exist in our
traditional commercial centers.
Promotion…
Means selling the image and promise of ORRE to all prospects. By marketing the district’s
unique characteristics through advertising, retail promotional activities, special events and marketing campaigns. ORRE hopes to forge a
positive image to shoppers, investors, new businesses and visitors.
Twice weekly Farmer’s Market [spring through fall]
Weekly “Munch-a-Lunch” [spring through fall]
Spring Concert
Lavender Festival
Taste of Oak Ridge
Pumpkin Fest
Santa In The Grove
Jackson Square Community Tree Lighting
2010 Calendar of Events
Development…
Means getting everyone working towards common goals. The tough work of building
consensus and cooperation among the groups that have an important stake in our
community can be eased by using the common-sense formula of a
volunteer-driven program and an organizational structure of a board and committees.
Economic Restructuring…
Means finding new or better purposes for ORRE enterprises…helping existing businesses expand
and recruiting new ones.
ORRE will strive to convert unused space into productive property and sharpen the competitiveness of our businesses.
Who Will Benefit…1. Building owners, by helping them protect their property values. The
more the district is promoted as the place to be, the more the economic climate will improve, thereby creating a better merchant mix and increasing retail retention.
2. Merchants, by promoting, communicating, advertising, bringing in new business, encouraging repeat business, and by being a conduit through which merchants can work together to make the public aware of what the district has to offer.
3. The public, by creating pride in their city, an entertainment center for their community, a revitalized image of the heart of their city, and a shopping alternative.
4. The corporate sector, by enhancing community livability and, in turn, attracting economic development and making the city an attractive place for employees to live, work and play.
5. Realtors, by marketing the community as a very special place in which to live, work & play, thus increasing property values and creating a demand for both residential and commercial properties.
6. Financial institutions, by protecting their extensive investments, both in their own physical plants and in loans to local businesses. The healthier the financial condition of a community's merchants, the healthier the financial institutions which support them.
Executive Committee
Martin Fischer
President
Barbara Ferrell
Vice President
Bill Cross Secretary
Mary Cox Treasurer
Board of Directors
Kathryn Baldwin
Bob Bardoff
Boyd Carter
John Dolynchuk
Howard Harvey
Mark Harvey
Charlie Hensley
Ann JordanDarryl
Richardson
Executive Director
Kate Groover
Immediate Plans1. Determine district boundaries2. Work with architects & urban planners, along with members
of the community to solidify an overall vision3. Determine availability of federal, state and local grant monies
that might be helpful to the organization as well as commercial and residential property owners
4. Begin the design process for the revitalization of the historic shopping areas through a design charette
5. Begin the design process of façade improvements for surrounding neighborhoods
6. Begin the design process for the Alexander Guest House7. Begin fund raising efforts
What Are Our Boundaries?
Boundaries for the
Revitalization Effort’s
district will be determined by the
design committee with
input from the city.
Design Charetteswill be commissioned for
Jackson Square
Alphabet Houses
Grove Center
Charettes Will Include
Façade Improvements
Jackson Square Grove CenterAlphabet Houses
Landscaping Jackson Square Grove Center
Streetscaping Jackson Square Grove Center Neighborhoods
Public Space Jackson Square Grove Center
Pedestrian Connectors
Jackson Square Neighborhoods Grove Center
Project 1
THE ALEXANDER INN - GUEST HOUSE
Guest House
Guest House
Alexander Inn
The Condition Today
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Alexander Inn
Plan of Action For Alexander
• Acquisition • Initial Review• Fill in Swimming Pool • Liability Insurance• Determine Hazardous Content• Clean-up• Demolition & Stabilization• Determine Final Use For Building• Fundraising• Identify Partners• Establish Partnerships• Rough-in & Finish• Open For Business
Approach
Preservation
Retention
Restoration
Revitalization
Preservation
places a high premium on the retention of all historic fabric through conservation, maintenance and repair. It reflects a building's continuum over time, through successive occupancies, and the respectful changes and alterations that are made.
Retention
the second treatment, emphasizes the retention and repair of historic materials, but more latitude is provided for replacement because it is assumed the property is more deteriorated prior to work. (Both Preservation and Rehabilitation standards focus attention on the preservation of those materials, features, finishes, spaces, and spatial relationships that, together, give a property its historic character.)
Restoration
the third treatment, focuses on the retention of materials from the most significant time in a property's history, while permitting the removal of materials from other periods.
Revitalization
the fourth treatment, establishes limited opportunities to re-create a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object in all new materials.
Choosing the most appropriate treatment for a building requires careful decision-making about a building's historical significance, as well taking into account a number of other considerations:
Relative Importance In History
The Guest House is a nationally significant resource. Great minds, important to the success of the United States in WWII lived and worked in this historic property. The efforts of these men, General Lesley Groves, Enrico Fermi and Robert Oppenheimer had an exceptionally significant impact in the history of our Nation.
Physical Condition
While the structure is “in tact” there are significant concerns about the overall integrity of the building. There are structural concerns. The interior of the building will need to be gutted of all materials. The original form has been altered over the years but these alterations do not appear to have any historical value. The only distinctive materials found thus far are signage lettering.
Revitalization appears to be the most appropriate treatment of this property.
Proposed Use
Although no definitive use has been determined the goal is for:
• Guest Suites
• Restaurant
• Bar
• Public Meeting Space
• Public Gardens
Project 2 - TBD
SupportersWe have been amazed at the amount of
community support we have received without officially launching a
capital campaign
Community Support
Pro-Bono Professional Services
•David Flitcroft , Legal Services•Neil McBride, Legal Services•Hal Cousins, Legal Services•John Dolynchuk – Engineering Expertise •Johnson Architecture Architectural Expertise •S&R Insurance Services•David Wilson, Financial Expertise•Anderson County Visions Magazine
Volunteer Labor/Materials• Rogers Group - Gravel • Robert McNabb – Gravel Delivery • Diversified Electric – Temporary Electrical
Installation • Junk Bee Gone – Dumpsters • Howard Harvey – General Labor • Mick Wiest – General Labor • Margaret Allard - Archivist • Thaddeus Fortenberry • Mark Boody • Robert Burkitt • Katie Sparling• Willow Ridge Garden Center• Oak Ridge Floral• Staples
Financial Support
• Anonymous• Linda Brown Realty• Jane Bridges • R Boyd & Susan Carter • Charlotte Clark • CHP Consultants • CHP Dosimetry• Chuck’s Car Care Center• Edward’s Shoes• The Fabulous Bunco Girls• The Ferrell Shop • Ronald Frank • John Gunning • Roger Hale & Shirley Holt-Hale • ICX Radiation • Tony & Ann Jordan• Martha’s Needle• Jerri Melhorn-Amonett
• Mike Mahathy • Mary McAllister • Deane Medley• Maureen Musgrave • James T. Nelson• Hannah Bethany O’Banion • Chet & Jeannie O’Brien • Mona & Richard Raridon • Marsha & Gary Sega• Judy Trimble• Mildred E. Taylor• Serene Yoga & Healing • Theresa Scott • Jane Shelton• Judy Trimble• Turnkey Transportation• Mr. & Mrs. Charles Whittle