Town commercial permits $9.2 million
In the calendar year through September, 122 new homes have been under construction in
the Town of Farragut according to David Smoak, Town
administrator.
“That’s about an average of $367,000 per home,” Smoak said as part of his monthly report to the Town’s Economic Development Advisory Committee during its Wednesday, Oct. 4, meeting in Town Hall.
“So far this year we’ve had seven commercial permits for around $9.2 million,” he added. “This is all new commercial.”
About Dollar General Store’s new store under construction along Kingston Pike near its intersection with Old Stage Road, Smoak said, “They’re looking to move out of their current facility at the old Ingle’s shopping center [along Kingston Pike] to that new building probably, I would say, sometime this winter.”
Asked about “any plans” for the old Ingles shopping center, with Dollar General the only remaining occupant, Smoak said, “We’ve had a lot of discussion with people over the years trying to get that re-used.”
However, “The landlord is not quite ready to do anything with it,” he added. “We are definitely trying.”
Robin “Bob” Hill, former chair of Farragut Municipal Planning commission and a Town resident, reported “a gluten-free bakery on Campbell Station Road — it’s been there for years, they serve great food — they’re looking for a new place to be. They want twice as much floor space as they have now because it’s crowded and they don’t have enough room for their customers.
“My understanding, from the people that work there, that [the owner] is looking for some place else — and not in Farragut,” Hill added. “We need to keep that fellow in Farragut and that business in Farragut. … People come off the Interstate who know about him and do business there.
“Your homework is find this person a place to [continue doing] business in Farragut.”
Stephen Krempasky, executive director of Shop Farragut/Farragut Business Alliance, said, “I knew they were looking but I didn’t know they were looking outside of Farragut.”
In her monthly report to EDAC, Julie Blaylock, CEO/president of Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce, reported 14 new members in September, five within Town limits: Cindy Kraus Keller Williams Realty, Graham & Cook Insurance, HealthMarkets, Hospital Careers.com and Premier Eyecare.
Upon hearing that dine-in service at Farragut restaurants “is down about 20 percent … probably over the last six to 12 months,” Blaylock said, “We’ve talked to several of our restaurants and asked them, ‘is that true?’ And they’ve said, ‘yes.’ So they’re trying to figure out ways to mitigate that.
“Some restaurants are upping their catering, others are trying to offer more promotions to get more people in the doors,” she added. “… We’re trying to figure out ways we can help them.”
Among explanations for the decrease, Blaylock said, “Some of our younger generations are not going out to eat much anymore because they have other options.”
