Campus Investments Support Research, Growth and Student Experience

Projects to support research and experiential learning, accommodate growth and enhance the student experience are moving forward at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus will see several construction projects nearing completion and others getting underway this fall.

"These campus investments are critical pieces to enabling the university's mission to prepare students for the workforce and meet the needs of Tennessee," said Senior Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Paul Byrnes. "Meeting the physical needs of our campus with innovative spaces for learning, experiencing campus life, and supporting our students sets them up for success."

Completed projects

The Agricultural and Natural Research Building is open for the fall 2024 semester. The five-story building includes 25 labs, 11 classrooms and a 500-seat auditorium. A green roof features soil and plants that protect the roofing material and make it last longer. It also increases stormwater quality and helps filter runoff that eventually ends up in the Tennessee River. The roof will be a learning lab maintained by students.

Construction on the Innovation South building at the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm is expected to be fully completed in fall 2024. Tenants in the office portion of the building will begin moving in mid-August. The university will lease about 39,000 square feet for the new expanded home of the Fibers and Composites Manufacturing Facility and other materials-based research units. The expanded FCMF will provide a space for industry partners to collaborate with UT students and faculty to quickly turn advanced materials and manufacturing research into products that strengthen and grow Tennessee's innovation economy. Other tenants at Innovation South include the new headquarters for IACMI-The Composites Institute, a 130-plus-member consortium of companies largely focused on the composites manufacturing sector.

Renovations to the Frieson Black Cultural Center, which houses Multicultural Student Life, are complete. Enhancements include an updated student lounge, new flooring and fresh paint, kitchen renovations, a refreshed lobby with new furniture, a new back patio space and other amenities.

New residential communities

An artist's rendering shows the exterior of the future residence hall that will be built along Andy Holt Avenue

Two of three new residential communities being built through a public-private partnership are expected to open for the fall 2025 semester. The halls are a key component of the university's strategic plan for enrollment growth and will help meet the needs of students who are seeking to stay on campus longer.

An artist's rendering shows the future residential community being built between Caledonia and Terrace Avenues

A residence hall at the intersection of Andy Holt Avenue and 20th Street will feature more than 780 beds. The second project, a two-building housing complex with approximately 1,160 beds, is under construction between Caledonia and Terrace Avenues.

The third new residence hall, at the corner of Lake Loudoun and Volunteer Boulevards, is expected to open in fall 2026 and will house approximately 1,020 students.

Projects supporting academics and the arts

The pitched roof is visible on the new Croley Nursing Building that is expected to open in fall 2025

The Croley Nursing Building is on track for a fall 2025 opening. It will feature enhanced simulation spaces, including a physical assessment lab, a lab that focuses on improving psychological and motor skills, and high-fidelity patient simulator areas that mimic hospital care and primary care. The building will also include classrooms, research labs and offices. Crews are putting up the interior walls and preparing the building for utilities.

Construction is underway at the site of the future Jenny Boyd Carousel Theatre, which is expected to open in fall 2026

Construction is underway on the new Jenny Boyd Carousel Theatre. Performances are expected to start in fall 2026.

A new building to expand the Haslam College of Business is expected to open in fall 2027. Demolition work is complete and foundations are being placed. The new facility will serve as a model to promote collaboration, attract top talent and support the continued growth of the college's nationally ranked programs.

An artist's rendering shows the outside of the future Haslam College of Business expansion

The university received permission to self-fund the planning of a new chemistry building, and design work is underway. The building is planned for the site of the current Panhellenic Building, which is scheduled to be demolished in winter 2024-25. The building will feature 33 research labs and new classrooms. The university is working to secure funding for the plan to move forward.

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