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Entrance to Public Safety Complex


City Officially Cuts Ribbon on New $70M Public Safety Complex


On October 26, 2023, Mayor Kincannon and other City leaders officially cut the ribbon on the new Public Safety Complex.

  Photos from ribbon cutting of safety complex
Click here for a Facebook Photo Gallery from the event.
   
The multi-year reconstruction project transformed the vacated St. Mary’s hospital in North Knoxville, into a new vibrant space with endless opportunities.

The Public Safety Complex consists of three repurposed former St. Mary's Hospital office buildings between St. Mary Street and Huron Street, near Woodland Avenue, just west of Fulton High School.

The cluster of buildings now brings together the City’s Police and Fire Departments, the E911 backup system, Pension System offices and City Court operations.

Next door, at the former Magdalen Clarke Tower, Lincoln Memorial University has invested nearly $40 million and opened a Nursing School and a Dental School.

On the south side of the site, the City, Knox County and McNabb Center are partnering to convert the 25,000-square-foot former St. Mary's Ambulatory Surgery Center into an urgent care and behavioral health facility.

There are also redevelopment opportunities on both ends of campus.

At the ribbon-cutting Mayor Kincannon said, “This is a massive investment in North Knoxville, but what resonates most to me about this project are the lives that will continue to be impacted because of the work being done here. So often, Mayors initiate or support projects, but are no longer in office to see the outcome or the community benefit come to life. I am getting to see it first hand!”

The Mayor, along with KFD Chief Stan Sharp and KPD Chief Paul Noel, went on to praise the new partnership with Fulton High School that was born out of the Public Safety Project.

High schoolers are now getting real-life, one-on-one mentoring in public safety fields, while the City is increasing the opportunity to recruit first responders from the North Knoxville community.

The Mayor wrapped up her remarks by reflecting on her State of the City luncheon, that was on the Public Safety Complex grounds a year and half ago, by saying “ We were right up there on the lawn overlooking a bustling construction site. The theme was celebrating the history of St. Mary’s—-while also looking to the future.  Well today, I am happy to say that future is here!

Check out this video below from the ribbon cutting event.










PROJECT NOTES


The three-year reconstruction project to transform a vacated North Knoxville hospital into the City's Public Safety Complex will be substantially completed by the end of 2022/early 2023, with employees and operations moving in incrementally.

The Public Safety Complex consists of three repurposed former St. Mary's Hospital office buildings between St. Mary Street and Huron Street, near Woodland Avenue, just west of Fulton High School.

The cluster of buildings will serve as a combined complex for the Police and Fire Departments, the E911 backup system, Pension System offices and City Court operations.

Additionally, the City cleared the northern end of the former hospital campus to make room for future private redevelopment - likely, new housing and green space. The private redevelopment will be anchored by the stalwart, stately and iconic 1929 Building, the original St. Mary's Hospital, which was carefully preserved and safeguarded by the City and its contractors. By clearing the site of obsolete, unusable buildings that had for decades surrounded the 1929 Building, this marble-accented architectural gem is now free-standing and visible from all directions.

Next door, at the former Magdalen Clarke Tower, Lincoln Memorial University is privately investing $40 million and will graduate hundreds of nursing and dental students each year. A tree-lined LMU-funded quadrangle is planned, adjacent to the new City Court.

On the south side of the site, the City, Knox County and McNabb Center are partnering to convert the 25,000-square-foot former St. Mary's Ambulatory Surgery Center into an urgent care and behavioral health facility.

By the time the Public Safety Complex opens, the City will have invested more than $70 million to consolidate key government services, prevented a vacant hospital campus from devolving into blight, and supported and enhanced with various private partners the surrounding North Knoxville neighborhoods.

Mayor Madeline Rogero announced initial plans for the Public Safety Complex in her April 27, 2018 State of the City budget address.


NEWS RELEASES


• Public Safety Complex Official Ribbon-Cutting Set for Oct. 25, 2023 - 10/17/2023
• Make Sure and Check the Safety Complex Blog
• City Pursuing New Site for Police and Fire Headquarters - 08/16/2018
• New Science Museum, Police/Fire HQ Announced in Mayor Rogero's State of the City - 04/27/2018


ARCHIVES


Archives of photos, renderings, files, blog posts, and releases are available here.


Aerial shot of the new Public Safety Complex Aerial view of the Public Safety Complex Campus