From Loudon's past comes its future

Vacant buildings transformed into housing, recreation sites for seniors

CARLY HARRINGTON
Monday, July 17, 2006

LOUDON — When Rick Dover opened River Oaks assisted-living facility in Loudon eight years ago, he knew the location — situated between the county hospital and senior citizen center — was perfect.

But in 2002, the Knoxville developer got word that both adjacent health-care facilities were slated to close.

"I felt left-right sucker punched," Dover said. "They were totally compatible with what we were doing next door at River Oaks."

As rumors began to circulate about possible uses for the vacant buildings, Dover, general manager of Family Pride Corp., tapped nearly 30 years of experience in construction and his interest in elder care to transform more than 25 acres along the riverfront into affordable senior housing and recreation.

After years of collaboration between multiple government agencies, private landowners and the local historical society, Dover's vision is becoming reality.

Lakewood Place, a 35-unit assisted-living and adult day-care facility that opened June 1 in the former county hospital, is the first of a half-dozen projects to be completed. The county's new hospital opened in Lenoir City in late 2004.

"We set it up to be like an old hotel, with large gathering areas. Being a hospital, it was real enclosed. It lacked a lot of openness to the outside. We added a bunch of windows," Dover said.

The living quarters occupy the second and third floors of the hospital. The first floor houses a media room, billiards, activity center, classrooms and a snack bar. Quality Home Health is also renting space for a satellite office.

Lakewood is Dover's third assisted-living facility in Loudon County. In addition to River Oaks in Loudon, Dover renovated the old Loudon County high school in 1995 to include more than 70 assisted-living units.

But nothing, he said, compares to the magnitude of this latest project, which took 18 months to draft and required the cooperation of city and county officials, who had been at odds over the hospital move.

"We needed it all to work or forget it," Dover said.

The city provided property for a new senior center, the county agreed to construct the building and TVA provided access to land for parking.

The new single-level, 6,900-square-foot senior center, for which Dover donated architecture and design plans, is scheduled to open by the end of summer.

"It's an example of good cooperation between the city and county. Both needed each other for this to work," said Pat Phillips, president of the Loudon County Economic Development Council.

Two waterfront residential developments are also in the works. Lakeside Village will have 44 houses for one- and two-people households. River Way cottages will have about 20 units. Each will cost between $160,000 and $190,000, and residents will have access to a dock facility and community center.

Next to the senior center, Dover is planning to build a four-story, 60,000-square-foot independent living facility called River House, with all 70 one- and two-bedroom units facing the water.

Dover also acquired the nearby historic Orme Wilson building and plans to connect it to the adjacent Carmichael Inn, on which he has signed a 40-year lease.

The Orme Wilson building will house a coffee shop serving Starbucks products. The second floor will be converted to a one-bedroom apartment. The Carmichael Inn will open as a bakery, which Dover will own and operate.

The two historic buildings were ideal, Dover said, because they were within walking distance of the other projects and offered another chance to restore Loudon history.

Dover's passion for rehabilitating old buildings is evident when he talks of the antique heart pine that will be used along the 25-foot-long bar and 12-foot-high back bar in the coffee house — wood recovered from the original Lutz Mantel Factory and sawed into lumber.

"We're using premium materials. We really want them to be beautifully restored buildings," he said.

Judy Keller, president of the Loudon County Merchants Association, was thrilled when she heard of Dover's plans.

The city had considered using some of the property for a new city hall, which she said is still needed. But "in the long run, this is a better alternative because it brings people to the city," Keller said.

"That is the best possible thing for Loudon, bringing people in with buying power."

Business writer Carly Harrington may be reached at 865-342-6317.