Overlook Apartments reps clear hurdle with FMPC
The Overlook at Campbell Station Apartments development took another step toward breaking ground.
With the words “we move to approve the facade” from Louise Povlin, Town Alderman and a member of Farragut Municipal Planning Commission, building elevations and materials requested for this 32-acre development — with 267 units and 13 total buildings — received unanimous FMPC approval during its meeting Thursday, Sept. 21, in Town Hall.
Representatives of the project had better luck with the FMPC this go-round. The last time they had come with plans that hadn’t been updated.
“This is a $37 million development,” said John Gumpert, president of Camden Management Partners in Atlanta, part of the development team. “About $1.8 million is on masonry. We’re taking that seriously.”
“My concern is that it still looks nice in 10 years,” Povlin said.
Member Rose Ann Kile asked if Gumpert had done similar projects in this area. Gumpert said he had done River’s Edge, 1701 Island Home Ave.
“This project is designed to be truly a Class A project,” he said, pointing out granite countertops and other amenities.
“I just saw the River’s Edge on Louise’s phone,” Kile said, “and saw all those air conditioning units on the front. Is that the way this is going to be?”
“Yes,” Gumpert said. “They will be screened.”
“I would like permission to allow us to start setting up the erosion control while we’re doing this I-dotting and T-crossing stuff,” engineer Mark Bialik said.
“We don’t do that,” Mark Shipley, Community Development director, said. “We require plans stamped. We would have to have letters of credit.”
“I don’t want to set a precedent here for down the road,” said FMPC chair Rita Holladay.
“You can’t blame a guy for asking,” Bialik responded.
Meanwhile, the concept plan for the third phase of renovations for the Campbell Station Inn site, at the corner of Campbell Station Road and Kingston Pike, was approved for submission onto the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
“I’m excited to see this happen. It’s going to make that corner really beautiful,” Povlin said about the future of the two-story red brick house, also known as Avery Russell House, which was purchased by the Town of Farragut a few years ago.
Gary Palmer, assistant Town Administrator, presented the plan to FMPC. Phase I involved HAZMAT abatement of the site. Now, construction drawings for the stabilizing of the Inn [Phase II] are being finalized.
“I’m looking for approval for the concept plan,” Palmer said. “I wanted to get some sort of approval to Brewer, Ingram Fuller [architects] before we spend any money. In talking to the design team. We thought we should bring it back again before we dove into Phase III.”
Palmer said the small building to the side of the house is an old milk barn that will probably be torn down in Spring 2018. He said the wings on the building will be removed and the structure will be tightened up with new mortar since the existing mortar is “like sand.”
During the final phase, a deceleration lane will be installed, as well as a plaza area with sidewalks, greenspace and a restroom.
Commissions also voted to approve a curb cut into the property of John and Sarah Mailen, who own 4.6 acres along Concord Road between Loop Road and Second Drive. The Mailens have requested the cut be made during the widening of Concord Road. They would like to develop the property and came with engineer Robert Campbell and a concept plan for a shopping/office area.
“We wanted to be very clear there would never be a curb cut allowed in the median and they’re not requesting that,” Shipley said about the Mailens.
Campbell said Tennessee Department of Transportation construction won’t begin for nine months to a year.
The Mailens’ development will “be several years [away],” he said. “It’s nothing imminent.”
In other business, FMPC:
• approved the concept plan for phase three of Bridgemore subdivision, which includes a Charleston-type development in one corner of the nearly 300 acres.
• approved a new addition to the Farragut ENT building, 144 Concord Road, and the developer was granted a variance on the new requirement of 75 percent brick.
“When we looked at the initial addition back in July, one question the staff posed was whether they could continue in the same building percentages of masonry,” Shipley said. “The addition really is in kind of a non-visible location. To have 75 percent masonry on that scale of building might look a little out of place.”
• approved changes to language in the Town’s sinkhole ordinance, subject to comments from Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation “not being significant” concerning those changes, according to Bart Hose, assistant Community Development director who explained the changes.
The commission discussed its role in making decisions for developers who find a sinkhole on their property.
