Putting Heart into the Heart of Our Town

 

In 2009, the heart of our town was saddled with abandoned buildings leaving an impression that the Town of Farragut was in a state of decline. The Silver Spoon and the Phillips 66 gas station which sat cattycorner from each other at the Kingston Pike/Campbell Station Road intersection were abandoned, the Campbell Station Inn was in desperate need of stabilization, and the old Kroger was abandoned when the new Kroger opened  

In 2012, the residents who participated in the update of the community’s land use plan were so concerned about these empty buildings that it was listed as one of their biggest concerns secondary only to their wish to establish a mixed use town center which would provide a unique identity to the Town of Farragut.

The original conditions placed on properties zoned General Commercial in the Town center were so restrictive that the small lot properties (Phillips 66 and Silver Spoon) could not redevelop.  In 2017, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen worked with staff to ease restrictions on these small lots, which gave way to their redevelopment.

The old Silver Spoon was redeveloped and brought Starbucks and several small businesses to our Town.  Elkmont Station, a restaurant, is currently building out in the remaining space.

The old Phillips 66 was redeveloped by three local residents who dreamed of building an upscale brewpup, 35 North. Their build out gave Farragut an incredible gathering space, and now houses another small business, Summer Moon Coffee.

The Campbell Station Inn was purchased and surrounding land was purchased by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in 2012. It has been stabilized and looking very stately, and the McGill Plaza hosts a variety of events.



The old Kroger which was a continued attraction to graffiti is gone as well. Aldi has arrived and the remaining commercial area will redevelop into a walkable retail area with restaurants and shops where the Town can host our own chalk walk during Dogwood Arts and summer concerts on the community lawn. 


Some complain that the Starbucks and 35 North buildings are built too close to Kingston Pike and Campbell Station Road where two state highways intersect. With these buildings situated the way they are, there is one thing that TDOT cannot easily do, and that is to turn the intersection in the heart of our Town into the Kingston Pike/Cedar Bluff intersection. 

If the word “revival” is not the appropriate term to describe the redevelopment of the heart of our Town in the past four years, how about renewal, or recovery or renaissance.  Whatever you call it, we have exciting, unique small businesses in the heart of our Town where once there sat abandoned decaying buildings.

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