Developers still plan to build $3 million boat business on Andersonville Highway
Since getting approval of the necessary rezoning to build their business in Norris, developers of a proposed $3 million boat sales, service and storage business said last week that they’re still not ready to bring their plans to the city, but have not abandoned the project.
Big Creek Marine, LLC., plans to sell and service luxury boats and provide year-round protected storage for pleasure boats. The site is on the south side of Andersonville Highway between Exit 122 Outdoor Power Equipment and Meadow View Senior Living.
City officials had expected Big Creek Marine to bring its proposed site and building plans to the Norris Planning Commission in April or May, after the City Council OK’d the rezoning in March.
But with the project still not on the agenda for this Monday’s meeting of the Planning Commission, some Norris officials had been wondering if the new business was still a “go.”
“We’re running a little behind, but we’re still planning to move ahead with our plans,” James Broyles, one of the owners, said last week.
“We’re still working on some engineering stuff,” he said. “Someone is cutting the grass for some additional surveys, and hopefully we can take our plans to the September [Planning Commission] meeting.
“We would like to see the dealership part open sometime next spring,” Broyles said. “We will do the storage part later. We felt like it would be better to focus on the dealership side first. We will rent the storage units out as we build them.”
Big Creek Marine, which now operates a similar facility in the LaFollette area, plans a single building to house the sales, service and parts operations, Broyles said. The storage part will consist of “three or four buildings” at the rear of the property “to get started,” he said.
He said he still has the necessary financing “locked in” for the project.
Big Creek Marine closed on the purchase of the land for the business on May 18, and set up a “Future Home of Big Creek Marine” sign for the business.
The company paid $800,000 for the two parcels, one with 2.65 acres fronting on Andersonville Highway, and the other with 5.55 acres fronting on Acuff Lane, right behind the other tract.
The land was purchased from Clayton Holding Company, which is part of the Clayton Homes business. Clayton had been trying to sell the property for several years, since acquiring it in a foreclosure action.
Broyles owns the business with his wife, Jessica.
Rezoning was requested in January by Clayton HC for the boat business to change the front, 2.65-acre parcel to C-2 (Commercial) for the sales and service part of the business, and the second, 5.55-acre parcel to I-1 (Light Industrial) for the boat storage area.
James Broyles said the front lot would be the site of the boat sales and service operation, while the back lot would be used for covered, secure year-round boat storage.