Alcoa’s New Town Center Is Taking Shape

Springbrook Farm project is integrating working and living spaces with walkability a major focus.

By Brianna Williams on January 2, 2024

Colby McLemore

Alcoa, TN, doesn’t have a town center – yet. In fact, for almost 70 years, the city primarily revolved around industrial facilities. That’s why, when residents expressed the desire for a town center, the dormant 360-acre site of a former plant was the obvious choice for the development of a true Alcoa town center. 

A Walkable Future

In a redevelopment project that’s already been in the works for roughly 20 years, Springbrook Farm is on its way to becoming a walkable Alcoa town center that is intentionally integrated with working and living spaces. 

The project’s initial goals include establishing corridor infrastructure and homing in on sidewalk connectivity. While Deputy City Manager Bruce Applegate says that it may not be the “sexy stuff,” working on this infrastructure has been incredibly important to the walkability goals of Springbrook Farm. 

“This entire town center is walkable for residents in the Springbrook area – folks who work nearby, students in school. It’s all walkable, and all within a convenient location,” says Emily Assenmacher, Alcoa public information officer. 

Walkability is a significant feature of the Alcoa town center, but what inhabits the development – where people can walk to while downtown – is just as important. Once completed, Springbrook Farm will feature restaurants, retail, housing and green spaces, with the goal of serving as a place for the community to gather. 

New Developments 

Currently, the mixed-use development hosts a Fairfield Inn and Home2 by Hilton, a resort-style apartment complex called Vital at Springbrook, a Food City grocery store and a few restaurants, including a Texas Roadhouse said to be among the busiest in Tennessee, Applegate says. 

The Vital at Springbrook apartments serve as “the face” of the Alcoa town center, says Sarah Harris, the complex’s director of acquisitions and investments. 

The recently opened 300-unit apartment complex features a large clubhouse with office components for those who work from home, a gym, pool, dog park, courtyard and golf simulator. 

“We really wanted to focus on community and having a good environment to collaborate, come together, and have incredible amenities while having a great place to call home,” Harris says. 

Looking Forward

Springbrook Farm has plans for the near future, including the addition of a linear park, activation of the connecting greenway trail and development of Company Distilling. Once completed, the distillery will feature plenty of outdoor event space and a food hall element for food trucks or prep kitchens, says Applegate, while adaptively reusing components of the existing structure. 

The city also plans to bring in additional residential developments, including townhomes and single-family residences. As for a completion date, Applegate says that there really isn’t one, because developments like Springbrook Farm are constantly growing and evolving. 

“Even if it takes another 20 years to get this project right, we’ve got to commit the time to making sure that this is the downtown we like,” Applegate says.