Healy Says Bass Pro Shop At East Ridge To Get Underway Next Month, New Hotel, Restaurants Planned Nearby; Sewers Are An Issue

  • Thursday, July 2, 2015

Commercial realtor John Healy said Thursday that construction is set to start next month on the Bass Pro Shop at Exit 1 in East Ridge. He said it is due to open next May.

Mr. Healy also said Wolftever Development that is carrying out the project has also bought additional land near the Bass Pro Shop site at the entrance to Camp Jordan Park. He said one purchase is America's Best Value Inn that is by Camp Jordan Road.

He said a new hotel will be constructed as well as two full-service restaurants and three fast food restaurants. There will be up to 300,000 square feet of retail space.

He stated, "We have just signed another deal with a restaurant."

Mr. Healy, who spoke to a committee of the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority (WWTA) board, said Wolftever Development has some 50 acres under option at Exit 1 and plans to acquire more.

He noted that the site is a part of the Border Region program that gives significant tax incentives. He said Bristol is also operating under the program and is "two years ahead of us. They have one million square feet of retail." 

Mr. Healy said he was not making a request of the sewer board, but was just advising the members of the scale of the planned project.

WWTA officials noted that this section of East Ridge is under a "self-imposed" moratorium.

WWTA Attorney Chris Clem said afterward that the Bass Pro Shop location was "grandfathered in" because the permit was filed before the moratorium was put into place.

He said the WWTA has put millions of dollars into sewer improvements in that vicinity and will be spending many millions more.

Just across the freeway, Life Care Centers of America is planning to replace its current East Ridge facility.

Cleveland Grimes, WWTA executive director, said that it will be able to go forward because the new facility will have fewer beds and less sewer output than the current facility.

Architect Jim Franklin said the current facility has 130 beds and the new one will have 108 beds. He said it would be using new water-saving fixtures and that clay sewer pipes will be replaced. Sewer lines are to be moved from their current location.

Mr. Grimes conceded that this area still has "overflows five times a year from a manhole."

 

 

 

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