b'SpringbrookFarmDEVELOPMENT HITTING MILESTONES, PUTTING DOWN ROOTSBy Sherri Gardner Howell August 2018, when Tesla Boule- green space, town center and vard opened, marking the end ofconference center. It has a nice ring to it: a 16-month construction project.The new concept, says Mikk Ive just done some shoppingIncluded in the building of theAnderson, is built around urban-on Marconi Boulevard. road that now connects with theism. People want to live, work Meet me on Tesla at that newexisting Hunt Road interchangeand play in the same develop-restaurant for lunch. was the installation of utilities andment, he says. When we Spent some time today at thelandscaping.started this process and created community garden at the Farm. It is the first of three accessthe first master plan, it was dif-With all the moving dirt androads planned for the develop- ferent. The recession significantly heavy rigs rolling in and out ofment, which is a public-privatedelayed the project and business what for decades has been Alcoapartnership between the city ofmodels changed.West Plant site, sometimes itsAlcoa, the aluminum companyThe will of the partnersthe hard to imagine those statementsArconic (formerly ALCOA) andcity of Alcoa, Arconic and the as reality. Springbrook Farm developersdevelopersheld steady, however. Look closely. Every day it getsRESIGHT. We got seed money for an LIC more real. Its just the beginning, say Mikk(local interstate connector) and In 2019, Food City purchasedAnderson and Chris Stecker ofTesla Boulevard, did master plans 7.2 acres in Springbrook Farms toRESIGHT, a Colorado firm that spe- around urbanism and then added build a new supermarket, replac- cializes in redeveloping old indus- agrahood, which is an agricul-ing the current store at 121 N. Halltrial sites. Mikk Anderson is execu- tural neighborhood, the concept Road.tive vice president of RESIGHT, andaround the farm part.In 2018, Knoxville-basedStecker is vice president of busi- In todays business and residen-hospitality firm Gibson Hotelness development. Brent Andersontial climate, having a functioning, Management purchased 2.26is CEO of RESIGHT and a partnerworking farm is viewed as a big acres at the evolving site and an- in the project. amenity, says Anderson. In addi-nounced a new hotel, Fairfield InnRESIGHT has been on the scenetion, the farm will be linked with and Suites, would go up on theat the Springbrook Farm develop- the schools for all manner of edu-corner of the newly finished Teslament for approximately 10 years,cational opportunities on agricul-Boulevard and Alcoa Highway. first with planning and then break- ture. There have even been brief In doing so, the hotel, expecteding ground in 2017. Springbrookconversations with the University to be completed in 2020, becameFarm is envisioned as a single- of Tennessee on possibly partner-the first commercial land deal offamily, senior and multifamilying with them.the 360-acre Springbrook Farmhousing and retail and commercialAnother player on the scene development. development that will include anow is Realtylink out of South Another milestone was inworking farm,Carolina, says Stecker. They are 14 Basically Blount 2021'