Page 18 - JanFeb2022 Vol 39 No 6

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS By Lisa Hood Skinner
TCAPWA Mark Miller PW Project of the Year

City of Kingsport City Hall

The Tennessee Chapter of American Kingsport’s tallest publicly-owned, non- complications naturally occurred
Public Works Association (TCAPWA) industrial building. during the COVID shutdowns, with
Project of the Year Award goes to The Vision Made a Big Step Forward materials supply and demand sometimes
Kingsport City Hall, 415 Broad Street, in 2018 challenging, but the project continued on
a key part of the initiative to centralize In 2018, the City of Kingsport to its final completion.
Kingsport’s city services…and that’s been purchased the Regions Bank Building New Benefits to the Public
in the works for more than a century. on Broad Street for the purposes For visitors and taxpayers, improved
Submitted for the award by the of the new city hall. Design and accessibility is a key benefit. The new
City of Kingsport’s Public Works construction/ renovation of this six- location is ADA-compliant, and visitors
Department, this project was described story, 74,427-square-foot building was have access to more than 270 nearby
by the nominators as “in the making for performed in two phases. parking spots. In addition to 75 parking
years,” finally “put into motion.” And During the construction in Phase spots at the new City Hall building,
it’s noteworthy that after more than 104 1 (which occurred on Floors 3-6), parking also is available in city lots
years, the new city hall is opening right Regions Bank still occupied Floors 1 located on Clay Street and New Street
across the street from where the city’s and 2. During Phase 2 construction (on and at Kingsport Public Library and East
founders originally envisioned a facility Floors 1 & 2), the building was nearing Sullivan Street.
to house city employees and municipal completion as city departments were At the fall ribboncutting and public
services. moving in on Floors 3-6. Public Works tour, former City Manager Jeff Fleming
For more than a century, Kingsport’s Administrator Sheila Catron has said that talked about how convenience and
various city departments were located type of move-in “was a little chaotic but accessibility for Kingsport citizens
in a hodgepodge of structures around it has been well worth the journey.” also means more efficiency for the city
the city. This new building, the former The city tried to keep everyone on top employees within their departments.
site of Regions Bank, consolidates those of the various moves through “Kingsport He spoke with pride about begin able to
105 workers into one location that’s is on the move” updates via the open up “one place where you can come
more convenient to a large number of Kingsport Alerts page on Facebook and and do all the business that you need to
city dwellers, because it’s in the heart the city’s website at www.kingsporttn. do.”
of downtown. The six-floor building is gov/onthemove. Construction “It’s just an amazing place and it’s a
18 TPW January/February 2022