The Groves Park Commons plan is a leader in green initiatives

Press Release


Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon’s Community Plan for the Groves Park Commons, a Traditional Neighborhood Development, Receives the Outstanding Planning Award for a Green Development.

The Outstanding Planning Award for a Green Development is the first green award presented by TAPA. The judging panel selected BWSC as the recipient because, “The Groves Park Commons plan is a leader in green initiatives in Traditional Neighborhood Developments”

Oak Ridge, TN. September 25, 2008: The engineering firm of Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon (BWSC) received the Outstanding Green Community Award from the Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association (TAPA) in Johnson City, Tennessee. BWSC received the award in recognition of their community plan for the Groves Park Commons, a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND), that utilizes a macro-green planning approach by focusing on an overall mixed use of land development and conservation.



The awards ceremony was held on Thursday, September 25th and was the culmination of TAPA’s annual three-day conference. Other awards presented were: Outstanding Award for a Plan, Outstanding Planning Award for a Project, Program or Tool, Outstanding Planning Award for Implementation, Planner of the Year, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.



The Outstanding Planning Award for a Green Development is the first green award presented by TAPA. The judging panel selected BWSC as the recipient because, “The Groves Park Commons plan is a leader in green initiatives in Traditional Neighborhood Developments. It serves as a benchmark and sends a message to other developers that you can have a quality development and still preserve as much as possible.” said Angie Charles, TAPA Awards Committee Chairman. Groves Park Commons developers Walter Wise, Bill Kennedy, Christos Christopoulos, and Terry Wheeler selected BWSC to design this project because of their experience in outstanding design of neighborhoods “As the developers, we are extremely proud of this award and feel like everyone’s hard work has really paid off. This award emphasizes the exact reason we selected BWSC; they are the best at what they do.”



Located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the Groves Park Commons is a mixed-use development utilizing TND design principles in an environmentally sensitive manner. The plan includes a total of 300 single-family detached homes and town homes and provides a wide array of amenities: a community pool, a 67-acre common park area, two regulation sized soccer fields, and retail space. “There is a real movement in construction where energy conservation is paramount in the design. Components such as the use of bio-swales, a natural rainwater drainage system that keeps run-off out of storm drains and away from local rivers and water sources, site selection and orientation of the homes on the site to facilitate energy focus, converting a landfill into a park, being within a mile to shopping venues and allocating trails and sidewalks for pedestrian traffic and alternative transportation methods made it possible to win this award.” said Daniel Boutte, BWSC representative and landscape architect intern on the project. “We visited several developments similar to this across the southeast in order to see what worked and what didn’t. We’re not original thinkers, we’re just good copiers.” added Wise.



“I’ve heard it said that the theme of the TND is to take the best aspect of the site and give it to the public-- so everybody can enjoy it.” said Kathryn Baldwin, Community Director for the city of Oak Ridge. “Groves Park Commons does that. It’s an innovative new product that is full of fresh ideas. To be a successful community, you have to have something for everybody. A healthy community serves everyone’s needs. GPC is going to move us a long way towards meeting the needs for our diversified market. I’m proud of the planning profession in that they recognized something that had become a tidal wave trend and wanted to recognize a good job when they saw it.”

Groves Park Commons is now actively selling homes. For sales inquires please call Sharon Power, REALTOR® of Realty Executives at (865) 482-3232.

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IMAGES FOR THIS PRESS RELEASE:
3-D Renderings:
http://www.pr.com/company-profile/image-gallery-c/46057-1341

Groves Park Commons Logo / Identity:
http://www.pr.com/company-profile/image-gallery-c/46057-1317

Groves Park Commons Master Plan:
http://www.pr.com/company-profile/image-gallery-item/46057-2727

ABOUT:
Groves Park Commons (http://www.grovesparkcommons.com/)
A Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) developed by partners Walter B. Wise, Terry Wheeler, Bill Kennedy, and Christos Christopoulos. Groves Park Commons – a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) is a 325 housing unit community currently being constructed on the Old South Hills Golf Course site located at 795 Tuskegee Dr. Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Blog: (http://gpctnd.blogspot.com/)

Walter B. Wise (Groves Park Commons Developer / Partner)
Founder of MidPark Business Park in Knoxville. In business since 1957. There is not much that Mr. Wise has not built. (865) 588-5717

Christopoulos & Kennedy Construction (http://www.ckgcinc.com/) (Groves Park Commons Developer / Partner)
Strive to produce a product that they are proud to present to you. Christopoulos & Kennedy was incorporated in 1995. Prior to this, Bill and Christos both worked as estimators and project managers for a regional general contractor. The majority of their projects were comprised of large retail franchises. (865) 330-3541.

Terry Wheeler (http://www.tkwheelerjeweler.com/) (Groves Park Commons Developer / Partner)
Terry Wheeler has been serving the Oak Ridge community with quality jewelry for past 30 years. Mr. Wheeler also develops commercial and residential properties in East Tennessee. (865) 482-3131

Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon Inc. (http://www.bargewaggoner.com/)
Barge Waggoner Sumner & Canon, Inc. is a professional services firm with offices spread across the eastern half of the United States. In business since 1955, the company has been employee owned since 1970. A true multidiscipline firm, the company offers civil, structural, environmental, transportation, aviation, mechanical, and electrical engineering services, in addition to architecture, planning, landscape architecture and surveying.

Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association (TAPA) (http://www.tnapa.org/)
TAPA is the local chapter of the American Planning Association (APA). TAPA is committed to furthering the education of its members and offers classes and workshops, certifications and other training resources, as well as providing information on local legislation and planning events.

American Planning Association (APA) (http://www.planning.org/)
A non-profit public interest and research organization committed to urban, suburban, regional, and rural planning, APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, advance the art and science of planning to meet the needs of people and society.

Oak Ridge Community Development (http://www.cortn.org/ComDev-html/commdev.asp)
The Community Development Department is comprised of the Planning Division and the Code Enforcement Division, and also provides support for the following boards and meetings: Site Review, Environmental Quality Advisory Board (EQAB), Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission (ORPC),
City Council action, Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA), Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals (BHC), Board of Plumbing Examiners (BPE), Board of Electrical Examiners (BEE),The Planning Division guides growth of the City through application of the: Comprehensive Plan and Housing Design Program, Zoning Ordinance, Sign Ordinance, Landscape and Design Standards Ordinance, Subdivision Regulations, Recommendations for Capital Improvements Program projects such as new or expanded City parks or ball fields, City schools, or major utility or road improvements.

Builders and Sales Information:
Single Family Homes
Mike Stevens Homes (http://www.mikestevenshomes.com/)
As the premier homebuilder in the greater Knoxville community, Mike Stevens Homes knows that each decision and choice you make is important to creating a home that is perfect for you and your family. Mike Stevens has brought together a talented staff with over 115 years of combined construction experience to produce beautiful homes with exceptional value.

Town Homes
Christopoulos & Kennedy Construction (http://www.ckgcinc.com/) (Groves Park Commons Developer / Partner)
Strive to produce a product that they are proud to present to you. Christopoulos & Kennedy was incorporated in 1995. Prior to this, Bill and Christos both worked as estimators and project managers for a regional general contractor. The majority of their projects were comprised of large retail franchises. (865) 330-3541.

REALTOR
Sharon Power (http://www.sharonpowerrealtor.com/)
Sharon Power of Realty Executives Associates in Oak Ridge Tennessee has been a REALTOR® since 1980. She has consistently been a top producer year after year with and is a Certified Residential Specialist. (865) 482-3232.


General Information:
Abacus Creative Management (http://www.abacuscreativemanagement.com/)
Business, Marketing, Sales and promotional planning. For more information on this press release or the Groves Park Commons please call (865)386-7860.

Real Estate Market Trends in Oak Ridge

According to the latest Zillow Real Estate Market Report, home values in Oak Ridge increased 0.30%% in the second quarter of 2008, compared to the second quarter of 2007. Nationally, home values decreased 9.9% during this same period.

Reason #99,996 why Oak Ridge is a great place to live! The Playhouse...

‘Wait Until Dark' keeps audience in the dark effectively
By by Becky Ball
The Oak Ridger
Posted Aug 25, 2008 @ 09:08 PM

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. —
No matter how you dial it, "M" for Murder, "S" for Suspense or "T" for Terror, what you'll get at the Oak Ridge Playhouse is a chilling mystery-suspense drama. Fredrick Knott's popular play, which also had a cinematic adaptation, opened Friday night, and lurking behind those curtains was a handful of actors, who led the audience into a frightening world of fear. If there's anything worse than a vicious villain, it's a vicious villain, who's part menacing and part humorous. If you know the play, you already know that the featured villain is of that sort. But we liked the head start Playhouse Director Reggie Law gave us in his opening remarks. Let's just say his dark sense of humor was memorable.

WBIR Reports: Oak Ridge's Jennifer Azzi to be inducted into WBHOF

WBIR Reports: Oak Ridge's Jennifer Azzi to be inducted into WBHOF

Former Oak Ridge basketball player Jennifer Azzi will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame next year. Azzi played college basketball at Stanford where she won the Wade Trophy and the Naismith player of the year award.

Azzi led Stanford to a national championship in 1990. It was played at Thompson-Boiling Arena that year. She also led USA to a gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

A total of six women make up the Class of 2009. They also include: Louisiana Tech and Baylor coach Sonja Hogg, former Southern California Trojan Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, former Mississippi star Jennifer Gillom, former Illinois State coach Jill Hutchison and black basketball legend Ora Washington.

The Class of 2009 will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville on June 13.

ORNL wins again in national R&D contest; 2nd only to GE

By Frank Munger / Knoxville News Sentinel
Originally published 11:02 a.m., July 1, 2008
Updated 11:02 a.m., July 1, 2008

Oak Ridge National Laboratory was associated with six of the year's top 100 technological innovations, according to awards announced by R&D Magazine.

ORNL won six R&D 100 Awards, bringing the lab's total to 140 since the magazine began the awards program 45 years ago. That's more than any of the other national labs and second overall to General Electric.

(read the entire article here)

Oak Ridge Playhouse - My Fair Lady

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MY FAIR LADY

July 4-20

Priggish and arrogant Professor Henry Higgins bets a colleague that he can fool aristocrats into believing that a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle , is one of their own class by teaching her proper manners and speech with months of grueling phonetic training. True to his word, Eliza becomes the fair lady that the title of the show suggests. But, the one thing Higgins overlooks is that his creation has a mind of her own and ultimately she demands credit, as well, for her transformation.

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OR bucking housing trend

Developers looking toward future for city with a storied past
By Bob Fowler (Contact)Saturday, June 28, 2008

OAK RIDGE - Nationally, the economy is struggling, with housing starts down, foreclosures up, the stock market sinking like a rock and joblessness on the rise.

But in Oak Ridge, there are more than 5,000 housing units in the pipeline, or nearly half of the Atomic City's current 12,000 homes and apartments.

What's going on?

Developers sense there's an opportunity to grab a bigger share of residents from new hires at federal facilities in Oak Ridge, said Parker Hardy, president of the city's Chamber of Commerce.

"That's the challenge we have," he said. "That's the generational opportunity we must address."

Hardy said there are an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 employees at Department of Energy facilities in Oak Ridge or who work for DOE contractors that are either eligible to retire or will be soon.

The challenge, Hardy said, will be to convince those new hires - "that bubble in the hiring curve" - to live in Oak Ridge rather than Farragut or elsewhere.

There are hurdles in that game plan, officials acknowledge.

Oak Ridge is a city with an unusually large number of older residents.

It's burdened with a lingering nuclear legacy and the perception by some that the landscape is tainted with radioactive debris.

Faced with a stagnant retail environment, empty store fronts and the resulting lack of sales tax growth, there is intense pressure on an already high city property tax rate.

Officials are forecasting tax hikes of 12 cents a year for the next few years.

Still, some parts of the troubled national economy may work in favor of Oak Ridge's now-frenzied pace of housing development.

"High gas prices mean higher commuting costs, making it more attractive to live where you work," Hardy said.

There are 14 housing development projects under way or in the planning stage in Oak Ridge.
They range from $100,000 homes for up to 40 low-income families in the Scarboro community to $600,000-plus villas in a gated community called Rockbridge Green.

The biggest development, Rarity Ridge in deep west Oak Ridge, could have as many as 3,000 homes.

Developer Mike Ross recently acknowledged that the project is moving at a slower-than-expected pace.

Chamber statistics show there are 32 homes in Rarity Ridge and 44 units under construction.
Developers of Centennial Bluff, condominiums for residents age 50 and older, report they've already had brisk sales even before construction begins.

That "lifestyle community" with about 400 units will be at Edgemoor Road and Melton Lake Drive.

The latest developers to showcase plans amid much fanfare Thursday were the parties behind Groves Park Commons.

That 325-unit project bills itself as a "traditional neighborhood development" and is taking shape off Tuskegee Drive on the former South Hills Golf Course.

Prices will range from $250,000 to $490,000, and the development will feature a commons area, walking trails and lakes.

"So far, all the doors have opened," said developer Walter Wise of the efforts to date. "I'm very excited about this."

Timing may play a crucial role in the ultimate success of the new homes that are projected to be under construction soon in Oak Ridge, Hardy said.

Developers are doing what he called the "horizontal" work for their projects. They're putting in streets, sidewalks and utilities.

By the time their new homes come on line, the national economy may be on the rebound.
"When the market strengthens, we can be ready," he said.

Bob Fowler, News Sentinel Anderson County editor, may be reached at 865-481-3625.