Last Updated on December 2, 2024 by Anne Brock
Liberty Place Now Open
Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) is now able to provide permanant housing along with integral support services for veterans with the opening of its new Liberty Place facility. Community leaders gathered for a late November ribbon cutting. A portion of the energy needed to run this new facility is provided from a solar array installed by Knoxville-based Solar Alliance Southeast.
“Liberty Place provides safe and essential housing for veterans who need assistance to stabilize their life,” KCDC Executive Director and CEO Ben Bentley said. “It’s also important that these residents have the necessary resources to maintain that stability. Liberty Place not only provides a safe home, but also on-site supportive services to help ensure a successful transition to permanent housing.”
Community Contributions Accepted
KCDC is seeking individual and organization donors to adopt rooms to provide soft goods, such as towels, sheets, toiletries and kitchen items. For information and to donate, visit https://www.kcdc.org/libertyplace.
A Community Effort
The project was a collaboration of county and city leadership along with multiple agencies and local businesses. Technical backing for energy planning came from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). KCDC enlisted Knoxville-based BarberMcMurry Architects as well as Jenkins & Stiles General Contractors for this milestone construction project. Also subcontracted was Knoxville’s Solar Alliance Southeast workforce for the solar installation portion. The overall project is supporting dozens of local jobs.
The solar energy production atop the facility will offset the equivalent of 80,500 miles driven by gas-powered autos annually, or the emissions from charging more than two million smartphones, or equal to 36 acres of forest sequestering carbon.
Proud to Support the Effort
Jenkins & Stiles Senior Project Manager Alex Johnson said, “Jenkins & Stiles is a proud team member in the effort to bring Liberty Place from a dream to a reality. To be part of something that provides much needed assistance to the great men and women who served our country is an honor and a privilege. The fact that this project is also utilizing sustainable building practices and renewable energy takes the excitement to a whole new level. We look forward to the wonderful impact this building will have on the community.”
Solar Alliance Southeast General Manager Jon Hamilton, himself a retired Marine officer, added, “Any time we can be part of a project that supports veterans in our community, it’s a good thing. Our team – the people designing and building this system – are a part of this community, and we appreciate being able to bring our expertise to this effort.”