Citizens Oak Ridge

Letters to the Editor

Keep Oak Ridge unique, not Anytown, USA

6/1/2007

To the Editor:

It’s ironic we were once the Secret City and now we’re seriously considering allowing a big red Target to be built at our city gate. I m sure I’m not the only Oak Ridge resident who is less than excited about this proposed development.

No. I’m not afraid of an air raid on our city. And no, I m not opposed to expanding our tax base in retail. I’m not even opposed to investing limited — emphasis on limited — city funds into viable and worthwhile retail developments. But I DO oppose building a shopping center atop what was once a beautiful, scenic ridge full of natural life and color that welcomed our visitors and provided a picture perfect backdrop for our little town.

(I still get nauseous every time I look at the damage done to Pine Ridge in the name of development. But that’s another issue — sort of.)

As a 40-year resident/employee/tax-payer of Oak Ridge, I’ve seen periods of progress and periods of digress in our city. I commend our community leaders for their efforts to improve life and services here. But I can no longer stand quietly by and allow this shortsighted Crestpointe plan and campaign to plow forward without consideration for long-term repercussions.

Am I the only one who sees this, or is Oak Ridge seriously trying to compete with Turkey Creek? Or worse, are we just blindly turning into Anytown, USA? Where’s our uniqueness? What do we have that would make someone in Knoxville or Maryville say, Hey, let’s drive out to Oak Ridge today and see the ____, or eat at the ____, or shop at the ____!

Besides our fabulous new Flatwater Grill (thank you and congratulations to Ricky Chinn, Dean Russell and Lynn Randolph), we have Big Ed’s Pizza, the Playhouse and a couple of nationally recognized museums. Which brings me to an idea. (Again, I can’t imagine that I’m the only one who has thought of this, but I haven’t heard any discussion about it.)

Since Pine Ridge has already been defiled for the sake of development, why don’t we turn that blunder around and honor our city with a full-scale Oak Ridge visitors complex there, instead of a run-of-the-mill shopping center! Have you seen the view of Oak Ridge from there? It’s worthy of so much more than the back doors and Dumpsters of the Crestpointe stores.

Let’s build brand new, state-of-the-art science and children’s museums up there. Let’s put a conference center and maybe even a 21st-century, four-star Alexander Inn there. Let’s put our visitor’s information center and gift shop up there. Let’s put a one-of-a-kind, unique-to-Oak Ridge restaurant up there. Let’s relocate the Peace Bell up there and put a historical park/walking trail (similar to the commemorative walk at the Civic Center) there, too!

Let’s turn that ridge that overlooks Oak Ridge into a true-to-Oak Ridge space that attracts and welcomes visitors and locals alike in a grand way — not just a place to pick up toilet paper on the way home from Knoxville.

And let’s leave the retail business in the valley. In fact, let’s put Target (if we still insist on having Target in town) where the science museum is now. Yeah, let’s just trade places! Wouldn’t that make more sense for the flow of business in the long run?

And while we’re at it, let’s step up our government involvement with some of these other commercial property owners in town who are doing nothing with their property! Mr. Arnsdorff had a great plan for the mall area when he first came to Oak Ridge. What happened? Why isn’t that development moving forward? And what are our elected officials doing about it?

And why has the property at 101 S. Illinois Ave. (across from Arby’s) been mostly vacant for so long? This is one of the most visible intersections in the whole city. Have our leaders approached the Lane family to do something with that property?

There are plenty of other areas to develop retail in Oak Ridge without the need to tower over our city on Pine Ridge.

And let’s not just bring in chains and franchises that can be found off every exit of every interstate in the country. Let’s develop our uniqueness by promoting and developing small retail businesses that are exclusive to Oak Ridge. Let’s provide financial support and incentives for the little guys, too not just the big corporations.

Cities all over this country have been turning their economies around through retail revitalization that doesn’t involve recruiting large department stores. They are promoting independently owned dining and entertainment venues that often attract other small specialty shops and even downtown residential development. There’s no reason we can’t have that here. (Wouldn’t it be nice to walk around downtown Oak Ridge to eat and entertain and shop? People drive for miles to spend the day or evening in places like that.)

In summary, I believe Oak Ridge is capable of so much better than a shopping center on Pine Ridge. And I believe we have a lot of untapped retail — even tourism — potential that needs to be explored before we commit to becoming just another run-of-the-mill (yawn) American city.

I for one am voting for candidates in next week’s election who recognize, appreciate and promote the potential retail uniqueness of Oak Ridge and who support careful, long-term, synergistic planning for the future of this little town we call home.

And personally, I don t mind driving 20 minutes to Target the two times a year I shop there. But that’s just me. I’d rather shop and dine and entertain in Oak Ridge at Mom-n-Pop places I won’t find anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, there aren’t many of those places to choose from anymore. And that’s a real shame.

Gina Grubb

Oak Ridge

http://www.oakridger.com/stories/060107/opi_174087780.shtml