DUANE SHERRILLEditor

A new apartment complex is being planned for Tullahoma off Old Estill Springs Road.

The Lofts of Tullahoma site plan was submitted to the Tullahoma Planning Commission at their recent meeting. The property is planned to be a 98-unit apartment complex at 1020 Old Estill Springs Road and is the plan of New Doors Development LLC. Estimated time of completion is about one year after work begins on the site.

Lucas Lampkin with Alliance Engineering told the planning commission noted there will be a street to the complex, adequate parking and sidewalks connecting the property at Washington and Old Estill. However, Lampkin pointed out there will be no vehicular access or egress onto Washington. It was noted during planning that passing a through street into the complex could cause issues as some might use the pass through as a cut-through, thereby causing safety issues.

“This project will bring some much needed apartments here and will develop an area of town that could need some development,” said Interim Director of Planning and Development Samuel Luthi while presenting the plan to the board.

Tullahoma Mayor Lynn Sebourn, speaking as a member of the Planning Commission, had one caveat about the development that being the upcoming street improvement work across the city. He pointed out that Old Estill is one of the first places targeted for street repairs and he would hate to see that work damaged by heavy construction vehicles.

 “I’d very much like to not see big trucks tearing up the pavement,” Sebourn said, noting he thinks a plan can be worked out to avoid having construction traffic traveling across the repaved area of Old Estill near the construction site.

After a brief discussion about whether a turn lane should be looked at given the amount of traffic that will be going in and out of the apartment complex, the commission approved the plan.