Kingsport's 2026 capital projects underway

KINGSPORT — Millions of dollars in capital projects are reshaping Kingsport, with city leaders reporting steady progress and several major efforts on track to wrap up this year. LIBRARY RENOVATION One of the city's largest active projects — the renovation of the Kingsport Public Library — has shifted from demolition to the framing stage, according to Assistant City Manager Michael Borders. Framing will involve the rebuilding of the interior structure, which includes installing wall studs and preparing spaces for finishes such as drywall and fixtures. The roughly $9 million renovation was originally expected to wrap up in December, but additional asbestos discovered during demolition caused delays. Construction is now expected to finish in the first quarter of 2027, with a grand opening planned for late first quarter or early second quarter of 2027. Once construction ends, crews will still need to install furniture and shelving, set up computers and servers, and move collections back into the building before reopening. The renovation will double the children's area, add a dedicated teen space and makerspace and create multiple study rooms. There will also be a new history and genealogy section. Funding includes $6 million in ARPA funds, a $2 million state grant and $1 million from the city's general fund. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen awarded the construction bid to BurWil Construction Inc. in August 2025. JUSTICE CENTER EXPANSION Construction is also progressing on the $19 million expansion and renovation of the Kingsport Justice Center. The project will add more than 17,000 square feet to the late-1980s building — about 9,000 square feet on the first floor and 8,600 on the second — modernizing court and police facilities while improving safety and accessibility. The expansion will consolidate county offices currently housed in the old City Hall with city departments inside the Justice Center, which includes the Kingsport Police Department and several courtrooms. Plans call for a redesigned front façade extending toward Center Street, a new sign and a new parking lot between the Justice Center and old City Hall. A staff-only elevator will also be added so judges, attorneys and court employees no longer have to use public elevators. Current work includes brick installation, window installation and interior mechanical, electrical and plumbing, according to city documents. BLUECROSS HEALTHY PLACE Work continues on Kingsport's second BlueCross Healthy Place at Brickyard Park along the Holston River. The 8.8-acre park will connect to the Kingsport Greenbelt trail system. Borders said water line work is underway and the project remains on track to open in mid- to late second quarter of this year. The BlueCross Foundation is providing $6.5 million for construction and $1.3 million for a maintenance fund, totaling a $7.8 million investment. Planned features include an inclusive play area, community pavilions, sports courts, a splash pad, fitness area, recreational water access and restrooms. The city's first BlueCross Healthy Place opened in 2020 at the Miracle League Complex. BAYS MOUNTAIN PROJECTS Several projects are underway at Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium, including construction of a new otter habitat. City leaders awarded the contract for the exhibit to BurWil Construction Company in November. The habitat will mark the return of otters to Bays Mountain for the first time since 2019. The previous exhibit no longer met modern standards under the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Plans include a four-foot underwater viewing area, life-support systems to maintain water clarity and multiple viewing angles from shallow and deep pools. Visitors will also be able to view the habitat from the Nature Center balcony. The exhibit will house up to three otters. Funding includes a lead $500,000 donation from Eastman Chemical Co. in 2020 as part of its Centennial gift to the city, along with other private support that helped secure a $2.9 million Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant awarded in August 2024. The Nature Center roof is also being replaced using a Tennessee Museums grant. "We received a grant through Tennessee Museums through Helene, which is allowing us to replace the roof on the Nature Center," Borders said. In addition, Phase 2 of the Nature Center project is in design with Cain Rash West Architects. The project will include an event terrace on the lower level and improvements to the entry walk. "Nature Center Phase 2's design is currently underway. We anticipate work beginning on this project by the end of this calendar year," Borders said. AQUATIC CENTER IMPROVEMENTS At the Kingsport Aquatic Center, a major replastering project is in the design phase. Renovations will include replacing pool tiles and depth markers, installing new drain covers, chlorinators and hydrostatic valves and replastering the Competition Pool, Warm Pool, Play Pool, Leisure Pool and Lazy River. "The Aquatic Center replastering project is under design. We anticipate going to bid in March with work commencing after waterpark season and into the fall," Borders said. City officials are coordinating the timing with the YMCA, which is planning its own improvements. "We're timing it to where we will both be doing construction at the same time to limit disruption to the patrons," Borders said. WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS Several major water and sewer projects are also underway. Utilities Director Niki Ensor said improvements to the High Service Pump Station at Kingsport's water treatment plant are nearing completion. The multi-year, $8 million project adds a fourth high-service pump, a new electrical building and associated upgrades, including piping connections, valves and flow metering equipment. "The High Service pump station pumps water from the water treatment plant to the rest of the system," Ensor said. "It is a huge investment in the city's water infrastructure that benefits every water customer in our system." The upgrades are designed to improve reliability and redundancy and were funded in part through a 2.13% low-interest loan and an EDA grant secured with assistance from the First Tennessee Development District. In the Ridgefields area, the city will begin a $740,000 sewer tap rehabilitation project around the golf course in late spring. As sewer pipes age, defects can allow rainwater to enter the system during storms, reducing capacity and straining infrastructure. The issues were identified through smoke testing and sewer evaluations conducted in 2024. Replacing aging sewer taps — where connections between lateral and main lines are compromised — is expected to "eliminate a lot of water getting in the sewer line during rain events, therefore freeing up capacity in the lines," Ensor said. Work is scheduled to continue through the end of 2026.