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 Oak Ridge High School Class of 1966 - Latest News 02-02-2010 - Alexander Inn Updade . Historic Inn revitalization ‘Alexander’ repairs’ timeline meeting topic. By John Huotari | john.huotari@oakridger.com The Oak Ridger Posted Feb 01, 2010 @ 09:00 AM OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — .A local nonprofit says a $500,000 fund-raising drive could start by this spring to revitalize the historic-but-dilapidated Alexander Inn -- demolishing its ballroom and stabilizing a collapsing section of the original structure. The inn's swimming pool, unused for years, has been filled in already with gravel donated by Rogers Group Inc. and Oak Ridge Associated Universities has offered to help evaluate hazards at the vacant two-story property, said Oak Ridge Revitalization Effort's executive director Kate Groover. ORRE announced an agreement had been reached to purchase the World War II-era hotel two months ago. Now, Oak Ridge City Council is being asked to allow the municipal staff to set up a framework and timeline for ORRE to repair some 70 code violations at the three-acre property on Madison Road. A Council agenda review session is set for 6:30 tonight in the Central Services Complex. If approved by Council during its Feb. 8 meeting, the framework and timeline would then be presented at a code violation hearing in Oak Ridge City Court on March 1. ORRE gave an overview of its work and the Alexander Inn project during a last week's City Council work session. The Alexander Inn is Phase I of the group's work, which includes trying to revitalize Jackson Square and Grove Center, as well as neighborhoods in between, Groover said. "The project is much larger than the Alexander," she said. Code violations at the hotel range from broken windows and a leaky roof to damaged support walls and steel I-beams. A Knoxville engineering firm has reported that the historic inn near Jackson Square could collapse. The previous owner, Oak Ridge Alexander Inn Inc., had initially been cited for the code violations, but ORRE is now expected to be responsible for repairing them. Consideration of the resolution to establish a framework and timeline for repairs follows a discussion that City Council members had during last week's work session. Though they did not reach a decision, Council members briefly debated whether to put the code violations "on hold" for the new owner, with the expectation that the city would still see some kind of "proof of results." "This project has the potential to be the kind of project in the city of Oak Ridge that almost everyone, and even the industries ... could get behind," City Council member Anne Garcia Garland said. Also known as The Guest House, the hotel was built in 1943 and once housed famed World War II scientists and leaders. During the war, Oak Ridge played a key role in the top-secret Manhattan Project, a federal program to develop atomic weapons. The Alexander Inn ceased operations in the 1990s, and local preservationists have been lobbying to save its boarded-up buildings for a decade. ORRE bought the property in December for 353,700, which is its tax appraisal value. Groover said $8,000 has been raised for the hotel, even though the fund-raising drive hasn't officially started. Those involved in the project have said they do not yet know what the restoration cost might be, but they're working to get input from the community and others regarding what should be included in the project. The hotel has drawn interest from local, state and national historic preservation officials. The National Trust for Historic Preservation reportedly toured the hotel last year and said they've seen properties in worse shape that have been saved. Groover said ORRE wants to maintain the hotel's front facade, and would like a restaurant, bar and ballroom space inside, as well as guest suites. John Huotari can be contacted at (865) 220-5533. Copyright © 2010 GateHouse Media, Inc. Some Rights Reserved. Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted..  Return to Latest News |
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