Contractor: Crossville community-center construction moving; Livingston Road closure likely for 6–9 months

At a Crossville Board meeting, a project representative for the contractor Uplands said construction of the new community center is progressing and that crews are likely to begin digging footings "probably tomorrow or Thursday," with the first concrete expected shortly afterward.

The contractor representative told the board the gravel visible on site marks the upper-level pad and the footprint of the gymnasium and administration area, and that the pool wall and mat court are located on a lower level. The representative said aerial drone photos are being taken daily to document work and that the project currently has "no holdups on anything at this point." The representative added that shop drawings and some metal deliveries remain under review and will continue to be handled over the next "probably 60 days or so." (Uplands representative)

Why this matters: the work will affect local traffic and generate large contractor invoices as construction progresses. The contractor said the board will be asked to grant permission to close Livingston Road, a local access route, for an extended period to allow rerouting and construction work. The representative forecast the closure would last "about 6 to 9 months." (Uplands representative)

The representative also said the project is awaiting final approvals from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and that TDOT and TDEC staff have given verbal indications that the work is acceptable. The contractor reported, however, that TDEC "said they shut down. They're not issuing t and TDEC. Not issuing any general ARECs right now because some bills passed in the legislature that threw a couple of wrenches into their works," and said the pause has slowed issuance of one environmental clearance but is "not holding up the job." (Uplands representative)

Board members and staff were warned that as the project moves above grade the town should expect larger invoices. The contractor representative said invoices will come in quickly as work ramps up and that the contractor will provide information and be available to answer questions.

The representative said contractor-installed signs and traffic rerouting will be put in place during the closure; the board did not take a formal vote on the closure during the meeting but was told it will be asked for permission at the next meeting or in a special call. (Uplands representative)

Clarifying details noted in the meeting included the contractor's description of the site elements (upper-level pad for gymnasium/administration, pool wall and mat court on the lower level), the projected timing for footings and first concrete, and that aerial drone photos are being used to document daily progress. The representative said TDEC and TDOT had given verbal approvals but that formal TDEC clearances were delayed by recent state legislative changes. (Uplands representative)

The board did not adopt any motion on construction work or road closure at the meeting; the contractor said it will ask the board for a formal closure authorization likely "a week from tomorrow." (Uplands representative)

The meeting discussion included a financial note from staff that the construction account balance is approximately 38,400,000 (amount as stated in the meeting) and that the account had about $120,000 in interest earnings last month. The board did not change funding levels during the meeting.