Status of Cherokee Farm
More than 200 acres of land along west and east sides of Alcoa Highway, and west of UT Knoxville campus.
Tennessee General Assembly’s $32-million appropriation in June 2007 to be used for site infrastructure including roads, base utilities, fiber optics, and construction preparation.
Anticipate beginning transport of existing dairy herd to other UT facilities by Spring 2008.
Groundbreaking on infrastructure work anticipated Winter / Spring 2009.
Planning / advisory committee group began September 2007.
Architectural/planning/engineering firms evaluation began in October 07 in conjunction with direction from Robert Ivy as a concept consultant.
Design anticipated to accommodate up to 2 million square feet of gross building space. Development will occur in phases, completed in 5-10 years.
Complex based on a set of focus areas: Advanced materials, computation science, biomedical science, and environmental / atmospheric science. These take advantage of the relationship with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT Graduate School of Medicine, and several private technology companies with potential interest.
Three buildings currently anticipated for the site. First to be built is state/federally funded Joint Institute for Advanced Materials building. Other two buildings include a privately funded imaging research facility and a funded building with an as-yet determined research focus area.
Project being modeled after several of the nation’s most successful university-based research parks, including North Carolina State. Among these, however, Cherokee Farm will be unique for combination of university, national lab and private partners.
Will operate on public-private partnerships and collaboration with state and federal agencies. Anticipate a 1/3 private, 2/3 government sector mix.
Partnership non-starter: Non-research or manufacturing concerns. Entities must operate within an identified research focus area and be willing to contribute to partnerships and collaborations.
Site plans will adhere to numerous existing regulatory requirements, including no buildings within river flood plain and building height restrictions in compliance with scenic highway requirements for Alcoa Highway.
Site plan approach will involve a low–density, low-impact building layout and pedestrian/bicycle-friendly design.
Complex will embrace energy-efficient design concepts and be LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Evolving technologies in lighting and other materials used to minimize impact on neighborhoods.
Surface parking will be minimal. Deck lots will blend with site topography and be built at varying elevations. Parking not built underground will be “wrapped around” or incorporated into campus building structures.
