Roughly 2 years to finish is Merit’s build goal
‘To start in earnest May 5,’ new Town K-5 school has ‘720 day’ build period; plan is to open Aug. 2027: Heins
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An aerial rendering of the new Farragut elementary school, kindergarten through fifth-grade. - Renderings courtesy of Buddy Heins/vice president, Merit Construction, Inc.
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A rendering of the new school’s front reception desk. - Renderings courtesy of Buddy Heins/vice president, Merit Construction, Inc.
The new Farragut elementary school plans got the unanimous blessing of Knox County Board of
Education Thursday, April 10, clearing the way for construction of the $43.7 million school to begin early next month along what will be an extension of Village Commons Boulevard near Boring Road behind Ingles.
“We’re expected to start in earnest May 5,” said Buddy Heins, vice president of Merit Construction, Inc. — low bidder on the project. “It’ll take about two years; I think we proposed a 720 day construction period.”
If that deadline is met, the new school would open for the start of the 2027-28 school year with the capability of teaching up to 1,400 students kindergarten through fifth grade. “It will be the biggest elementary school that Knox County Schools has ever built, and it’s also going to be a state-of-the-art elementary school,” said Lauren Morgan, District 5 Board of Education representative (including Farragut schools).
With the current Farragut Primary and Farragut Intermediate schools also becoming K-through-fifth upon the new school’s opening, each will take on new names. “That definitely going to be an interesting topic,” said Morgan, adding renovations to FPS and FIS buildings “began this time last year with bathrooms.”
Knox County Schools “has a Naming Committee ... there’s a whole process they go through in looking at school names,” she said. “... Of course, they will take community input.”
Total building square footage, Hines said, is 144,255, featuring 66 classrooms in addition to a gymnasium, media center and cafeteria, plus “a small playground.” The company also would construct all driveway and parking areas.
The main public/parent entrance will be from Village Commons Boulevard, with the school’s Boring Road entrance/exit “for buses and staff only,” Morgan said. “That was the last I heard about that.”
Overall, “I’m very happy how it’s gone,” the District 5 rep said about the new school plans. “Everything is moving along just as Knox County Schools said it would.
“... We had a lot of good community engagement,” Morgan added.
As for Merit, “We’re delighted to be involved,” Heins said. “Merit Construction builds a lot of schools — probably more than anybody else around (Knoxville).
“There’s a big need, and we’re very excited to help the community fill those needs.”
Merit became low bidder on the project as decided “through the Knox County Purchase Office March 4,” Heins said.
Funding will be through part of Knox County School’s 5-Year Capital Plan.
