Tue
Sep 16 2014
08:03 am
City of Alcoa-Sam's Club first step in New Urbanism?
By: bizgrrl

Big story in the Maryville Daily Times is a Sam's Club proposed for the ALCOA West Plant site. The large Sam's Club building and all that pavement for parking is proposed for the space right next to Alcoa Highway, Hunt Road, and Hall Road. A couple of years ago all the large pine trees were cut down along this section. The pine trees blocked the view of the ALCOA plant, but now won't block the view of the generally ugly Sam's Club.

In the past, the site has been promoted as a new urbanism town center for the City of Alcoa.

The City of Alcoa has a lot of history with great neighborhoods.

The City of Alcoa originated in 1918 as the first planned community in the State of Tennessee. A planned community is any community that was carefully planned from its inception. In the original plans, Alcoa, Inc., included one acre of park space for every 100 city inhabitants. In addition, between 1918 and 1924 approximately 300 shade trees were planted along city streets and parks. This type of planning has gone by the wayside.

What are the Mayor, City Manager, etc. thinking? Do they not care about what the community has to offer and how this could change everything forever?

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bizgrrl's picture

In 2008, Kinsey, Probasco,

Submitted by bizgrrl on Tue, 2014/09/16 - 8:27am.

In 2008, Kinsey, Probasco, Hayes (KPH) announced the ALCOA West Plant development.

we feel it is an opportunity to really do something world class for that area and provide a new downtown for the city of Alcoa, which does not have one presently.”

Here is the original site plan, which is no longer available on the KPH website.

KPH_PressReleasePlan_Small090708.jpg

How is it Sam's Club is world class?

R. Neal's picture

So this is the big deal?

Submitted by R. Neal on Tue, 2014/09/16 - 8:31am.

April, 2012: Major retailer eyes West Plant property

City Manager Mark Johnson:

“This is a retailer we want that we don’t have and they have big sales,” Johnson said.

The retailer would be a big enough draw to make people in the region drive here to shop with us, he said. It would be a catalyst for other development because they would want to locate beside the new store that would draw customers.

This is the new "town center" development for Alcoa promised by Probasco Hays (KPH)? The one with mixed use retail, residential, office and entertainment and a light rail system connecting the town center, the airport and Knoxville?

Average Guy's picture

The only thing sure about that project,

Submitted by Average Guy on Tue, 2014/09/16 - 9:45am.

is that nobody ever seemed sure of anything.

Until now that is.

Wynnonymous's picture

Light Rail in Alcoa

Submitted by Wynnonymous (not verified) on Tue, 2014/09/16 - 7:53pm.

Although Light Rail would help alleviate traffic on Alcoa Highway, bring curious tourists from around the region to ride it, and give parents of UTK students a bit of a piece of mind; I think I've heard from local folks that Light Rail was actually a plot from the UN as part of their Agenda 21 plan to take over the world and round us all up on trains to take us to FEMA death camps. So says Tennessee House Joint Resolution 587 ( (link...) ).

John in Knoxville's picture

First Planned Community in Tennessee

Submitted by John in Knoxville (not verified) on Wed, 2014/09/17 - 10:45am.

"The City of Alcoa originated in 1918 as the first planned community in the State of Tennessee. A planned community is any community that was carefully planned from its inception."

I suppose the promoters for the city of Alcoa have never heard of Rugby, TN.

bizgrrl's picture

Named after Thomas Hughes’

Submitted by bizgrrl on Wed, 2014/09/17 - 11:02am.
(in reply to John in Knoxville)

Named after Thomas Hughes’ alma mater in England, Rugby was originally conceived as a class-free, agricultural community for younger sons of English gentry and others wishing to start a new life in America.

At its peak in the mid-1880s, some 300 people lived in the colony. More than 60 buildings of Victorian design graced the townscape on East Tennessee’s beautiful Cumberland Plateau. By 1900 most colonists had left for other places, but we are fortunate that enough folks remained in Rugby to ensure that it survived to present day.

Not exactly a good comparison.

John in Knoxville's picture

Rugby was an earlier, planned

Submitted by John in Knoxville (not verified) on Fri, 2014/09/19 - 9:50am.
(in reply to bizgrrl)

Rugby was an earlier, planned community nonetheless. If one were to visit, one would see the maps and plans.

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