February 4, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 4, 2013
For more information,
Contact: Amanda Shell
Moxley Carmichael
(865)544-0088
Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) was recently honored by the East Tennessee Chapter of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) with a 2012 Green Project Award for the reuse of Eastport School.
The USGBC hosted the second annual Green Light Awards on Jan. 22 at the Emporium to honor leaders in sustainable design, construction and operation. Projects are nominated and selected by an independent jury and are not required to be LEED certified. The annual event also shows appreciation to chapter members and volunteers.
The Residences at Eastport have earned KCDC several awards including a top sustainability award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a Knox Heritage Preservation Award and platinum level LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the highest level of certification awarded by the council.
The Residences at Eastport is an 85-unit complex in the Five Points community, affordable and exclusively for seniors age 62 and older. Since opening in the fall of 2011, the property has been fully leased.
Twenty-five units are housed in the former Eastport Elementary school building, which was listed in Knox Heritage’s Fragile 15 historic properties. The building retains the façade of the school constructed in 1932 and believed to be the first African American school in Five Points.
The remaining 60 units are housed in new construction incorporating the school’s unique design features into four single-story buildings.
Russ Watkins, president of Partners Development and owner’s representative for KCDC, accepted the award on behalf of KCDC, Partners Development, Denark Construction and Eastport Architects, a partnership between Barber McMurry architects and Sanders Pace Architecture.
In addition to the Eastport School Adaptive Reuse project, other 2012 Green Project Award winners included the Three Rivers Market, the ORAU Center for Science Education and the Armed Forces Reserve Center.
Additional honorees were as follows:
Green Light Award
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2012 Green Leader Award
Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero
2012 Chapter Awards
Education Award – James Rose, UT College of Architecture & Design
Advocacy Award – Susanna Sutherland, City of Knoxville Office of Sustainability
Volunteer Excellence Awards – Zane Foraker, Knox County Schools, and Monika Miller, Elizabeth Eason Architecture
2012 Green Project Student’s Choice Awards:
Armed Forces Reserve Center – Mt. Carmel, Tenn.
Honorable Mention: Ayres Hall renovation
KCDC is the housing authority and redevelopment agency for Knoxville. Since 1936, KCDC has been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Knoxville. For more information, visit http://www.kcdc.org.
