BusinessTN

Developer Jon Kinsey of Chattanooga-based Kinsey Probasco Hays is well-known for redeveloping downtowns. His résumé includes projects such as the Sunsphere in downtown Knoxville—one of Tennessee's most recognizable landmarks.

The former Chattanooga mayor is currently lead developer of a 350-acre property in Blount County—site of the Alcoa aluminum company's first manufacturing plant built in 1920. (The aluminum giant produced pie plates, siding and patio furniture there.) Idled in 1989 and demolished a few years later, the plant represents a blank canvas for Kinsey and partners, who have been granted creative control by Pennsylvania-based Alcoa.

Though Kinsey and his project partners, which include Colorado-based brownfield specialists IRG and Memphis-based planners Looney Ricks Kiss, are still in the process of finalizing development plans, the vision is for an intensive mixed-use project (residential, retail and office).

"We want to do a downtown for Alcoa that the city does not really have," Kinsey says, adding, "I've done a lot of work in trying to redevelop downtowns, but I've never had the opportunity to make one from scratch."

Near Alcoa Highway and just a few miles from a major interstate, the location also abuts City of Alcoa school properties, is just miles from both Oak Ridge and a new research park planned near Pellissippi Parkway, has direct access to the 60-mile greenway running from Alcoa to Maryville, and is a mere 12 miles from downtown Knoxville. Plans are brewing to use existing Alcoa rail lines to connect downtown Knoxville to Alcoa's new downtown.