The City of Clarksville continues to make significant headway on a variety of budgeted capital projects, as summarized in the latest report from the City's Project Manager's office.
"As our City continues to grow, so, too, should our investment in projects that enhance the quality of life and add value to our City services," said Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.
"From recreation facilities to preservation of historic structures like the Smith-Trahern Mansion, I am grateful to our city council for their support of ensuring these facilities are first-class, and available to our citizens and visitors. I also appreciate the hard work of our Project Management team, who are small in number but huge in impact, for the excellent way they oversee all these activities," Mayor Pitts said.
Here is the latest summary of some of the key projects:
- Exit 8 Athletic Complex- Roadway construction that provides access to the park off Interstate 24 Exit 8 is about 70% complete. The roadway completion is expected in late December 2023. Construction of the actual park amenities such as multipurpose fields, pavilions, restrooms, and an Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant playground is expected to begin after roadway completion.
Silicon Ranch Solar Farm- In late January 2023, Silicon Ranch completed the purchase of the property from the City, and began construction of a solar array just South of the new Athletic Complex. CDE has negotiated a contract with Silicon Ranch to purchase electricity for nearly 50% less than TVA and power transmission costs. This will result in continuous cost savings to the City as well as an opportunity to purchase green energy.
Frosty Morn Revitalization- An initial “selective demolition” phase has continued through Summer and is expected to be completed in 2023. This initial phase will remove existing interior finishes, unnecessary walls, and roofing to expose the core structure. This initial phase will facilitate ongoing engineering and design as well as future construction. A follow-up “dry-in” phase is expected to begin in late 2023. These two phases will make way for future site development and build-out phases. The site may include event space, a community kitchen, makers spaces, a food court, restaurants, food truck vending, a farmers market, an outdoor amphitheater, and office space for nonprofits and City offices.
Red River Pedestrian Bridge- The Red River Pedestrian Bridge will connect the City's greenways between Red River East and Austin Peay State University Trails (off Kraft Street), and the Pollard Road Trail at the end of Pollard Road. This will result in approximately 11 miles of interconnected greenway trails. This project is awaiting Tennessee Department of Transportation final approval before moving to construction. This project is expected to be completed by December 2024.
Red River East Marina Dredging- This old marina that is located on the Red River off Kraft Street now adjoins the city’s Red River East Greenway trail. The City has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. USACE will pay for 90% of the cost to dredge this marina, with the city paying approximately 10%. The plan is to dredge approximately 60% of the existing marina to a depth of 5 feet. The excavated materials would be deposited elsewhere in the marina basin creating wetlands areas that will enhance wildlife habitat. This marina will be used exclusively for non-motorized boats. Plans have been approved by USACE. Final project funding from USACE is pending. This project is currently expected to be completed in Summer 2024.
Outlaw Field Public Safety Complex- The Airport Authority has conveyed to the City approximately 7.25 acres of Outlaw Field, directly behind Clarksville Fire Rescue (CFR) station #7. This site will enhance overall public safety responsiveness and efficiency as the City grows. This site will host the new Clarksville Police Department (CPD) District 4 Precinct; an additional Montgomery County-funded Emergency Medical Service (EMS) station; a North Clarksville refueling point for gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and electric-powered vehicles and equipment; a salt shed; an equipment lot; and a joint departments operations and storage building. This will greatly increase efficiency by reducing travel times and distances for department operations in North Clarksville. This site is expected to be utilized by all departments for refueling, for operations and storage by Clarksville Street Department, Clarksville Gas & Water, Parks and Recreation, CPD, and CFR. Design has begun for the overall site as well as design of the new refueling point, CPD #4, and a salt shed. Mass site grading is expected to begin in Fall 2023, followed by fuel point, salt shed, and Police precinct construction. An interdepartmental operations and storage building is also planned for this location.
CFR Administration/Training Facility- This new facility will replace the existing Clarksville Fire Rescue Administrative, Training, Fire Safety, and Fire Prevention offices, which were housed in two old, repurposed wood-framed structures. Additionally the CFR storage building has been replaced along Main Street on the CFR #1 campus, making way for the Admin/Training facility. With a workforce that exceeds 250, CFR has long since outgrown these two old, non-compliant structures. Rather than spending money and time sending firefighters to train at the State or other municipalities, CFR conducts much of their training in-house, saving the City time and money. The new facility is located on Franklin Street where the Fire Prevention Office was previously located. The new facility will have two stories and 20,000-plus square feet. The ground level is planned for training, and the second story is planned for Administrative, Fire Safety, and Fire Prevention offices. Infrastructure for electric vehicle charging has been planned for this site. Construction began in February 2023 and is expected to be complete in April 2024.
Parking Garage at First and Commerce Streets- With the opening of F&M Bank Arena, a planned Performing Arts Center (Roxy Regional), and the continuing downtown growth trend, the need for additional parking is being addressed by the City through construction of a new 587-space parking garage. The new garage will be located at the corner of First and Commerce streets adjacent to the existing Cumberland Parking Garage. The new garage will connect to and through the existing garage at the Commerce and Second Streets levels. There will additionally be a pedestrian bridge that will extend from the Second Street level of the garage to Franklin Street. The pedestrian bridge will connect to Franklin Street next to 110 Franklin St., immediately adjacent to the performing arts center. The new parking garage will include infrastructure for electric vehicle charging. Additionally the utilities on Spring Alley are being replaced. Foundation construction is well underway. Precast building components will be placed beginning in December 2023. This project is expected to be completed in Summer 2024.
Performing Arts Center (Roxy Regional) -- Lyle Cook and Martin, a local architecture firm, was selected to provide architectural services for the new Performing Arts Center. The preliminary (schematic) design has been completed. That design was unveiled September 30, 2023 at the Roxy. Design and budget are planned to be completed in Spring 2024. Construction is planned to start in July 2024, pending City Council funding approval.
CPD Vista Lane Improvements- The Vista Lane Clarksville Police Department facility houses several functions for CPD to include Procurement, IT, Vehicle Upfitting, Equipment Storage, Evidence Processing and Storage, and the Special Operations Unit. The current improvements will create work areas for forensics investigations, improved evidence security, and an improved work environment for drug processing. The construction is expected to be completed in October 2023.
Smith-Trahern Mansion- The City-owned, antebellum home located adjacent to Riverview Cemetery at McClure and Spring streets is a National Register of Historic Places-designated property, and has been used for many years by Clarksville residents as a small event venue for weddings and similar events as well as educational tours. The exterior renovations have been completed. The next phase will be primarily focused on the interior, and will involve replacement of all plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems, and associated interior restoration work. Some accessibility improvements will also be addressed.
Ajax Turner Improvements- A design concept and rough opinion of probable cost was performed for the Ajax Turner Senior Center. Some items that were being considered were for better accessibility on the exterior of the building. Having accessible areas on the exterior facilitates outdoor opportunities for patrons, especially those experiencing cognitive disorders. Spending time outdoors has been shown to significantly improve cognitive function. Other items being considered were an accessible route to the facility storm shelter from the Adult Day Care area, and providing a substantial canopy for drop-off and pick-up at the Adult Day Care. Due to the more-immediate needs for roofing and HVAC, this work has been shelved for future budget planning. At present, about 60% of the roof and HVAC equipment will begin replacement in October 2023.
L&N Train Station- The station has been utilized by the Montgomery County Historical Society, and has had no significant work performed on it since 1995 when it was restored. This building needed a substantial amount of repairs to the embarkment canopy as well as painting. Work on the embarkment canopy is nearing completion. It is being used as a small events venue operated by Clarksville Parks and Recreation. Construction is expected to be completed in October 2023.
New Clarksville Fire Rescue #6- The existing CFR #6 located on Ashbury Road was originally constructed in 1968. Because of population growth, there is a need to expand the number of firefighters assigned to this station, as well as house additional needed equipment. Additionally, improved emergency response times are needed to the areas being served by this fire station. Due to a small existing site and restrictive topography, it has been determined that a new CFR #6 is needed to replace the Ashbury location. The City has purchased property located at the intersection of Arrowood Drive, and South Jordan Drive just south of Purple Heart Parkway. The project is expected to be bid for construction in October 2023.
Replacement of Clarksville Fire Rescue #3- CFR #3 is located on Maxwell Drive. This facility was originally constructed in 1965. Because of the need for additional personnel and equipment, enlarging this facility is a necessity. The existing facility also does not have male and female restrooms, is not Americans With Disabilities Act-accessible, and it does not have decontamination facilities to protect firefighter health. This project was originally planned as a renovation. Due to projected renovation costs, the project is now being planned as a demolition and reconstruction. Additional property has been purchased from an adjoining neighbor to facilitate fire truck turn radiuses. This project is expected to be fully designed during fiscal year 2023, and constructed during fiscal year 2024 if funding is approved by City Council.
Edith Pettus Park Improvements- The need for a regulation-size football field and additional practice areas with lighting in this neighborhood has driven this project. The new field layouts include a regulation-size football field, a smaller practice field, a basketball court, and new athletic field lighting. This project is approximately 60% complete. These fields are expected to be open for play in Spring 2024.
Wilma Rudolph Event Center Sign at Liberty Park- A new LED sign for the event center at the entrance to Liberty Park will be used to display upcoming events and information for both Liberty Park and the WREC. The sign is being sponsored by CDE and will consist of an 8-foot, double-sided LED board with illuminated sponsorship and park signage. This project is currently in the construction phase with a projected completion in December 2023.
The preceding project summaries are not an exhaustive list of all City General Capital Projects. This list also does not include Clarksville Gas & Water, CDE Lightband, Clarksville Transit System, or the Mayor's Transportation 2020+ capital projects.
