City of Clarksville offers update on Public Safety, Quality-of-Life projects

The City of Clarksville continues to make excellent progress on constructing and adding key public safety and quality-of-life facilities and amenities, in every geographical quadrant of the City, that are budgeted on its approved list of capital projects.

"We are very proud to share with our citizens that, steady progress continues toward the goal of realizing many capital projects that will serve the entire City of Clarksville with vital public safety, necessary municipal services, and neighborhood recreational opportunities," said Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.

"These projects have been carefully and thoughtfully conceived to serve every geographical area of Clarksville, and they are budgeted and funded," Mayor Pitts said.

In this latest progress report, we detail these select projects:

• Exit 8 Athletic Complex - Roadway construction that provides access to the planned, large park off of Interstate 24 Exit 8 is about 91% complete.

Construction of the actual park amenities such as multipurpose fields, pavilions, restrooms, and an Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant playground are expected to begin after roadway completion.

The park will be constructed in two phases - mass grading and utilities, and then buildings and remaining site work.

• Frosty Morn Revitalization - An initial "selective demolition" phase has just concluded for the revitalization of the historic, former Frosty Morn industrial facility in the Red River District.

This initial phase has removed existing interior finishes, unnecessary walls, and roofing, to expose the core structure.

This initial phase has facilitated ongoing engineering and design as well as future construction.

A follow-up "dry-in" phase is expected to bid in the Spring 2024. These two phases will make way for future site development and build-out phases.

Programming of the site has not been solidified, but may include event space, a community kitchen, makers spaces, a food court, restaurants, food truck vending, a farmers market, an outdoor amphitheater, and office space for nonprofits and City offices.

• Red River Pedestrian Bridge - The Red River Pedestrian Bridge will connect the City's Greenways between Red River East and Austin Peay State University Trails (off Kraft Street), and the Pollard Road Trail at the end of Pollard Road. This will result in approximately 11 miles of interconnected Greenway Trails.

This project is awaiting Tennessee Department of Transportation final approvals before moving to construction. It is predominantly funded (80-20 match) by a TDOT Local Programs grant.

This project has been delayed by slow TDOT approvals and requests for additional information. TDOT has agreed to apply additional grant funding to the project. The City is seeking an extension of the grant through December 2025. The current funding expires in December 2024.

• Red River East Marina Dredging - This old marina that is located on the Red River off Kraft Street now adjoins the City's Red River East Greenway Trail.

The old marina is silted in. The City has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. USACE will pay for 90% of the cost to dredge this marina, with the City paying approximately 10%.

The plan is to dredge approximately 60% of the existing marina to a depth of 5 feet. The excavated materials would be deposited elsewhere in the marina basin, creating wetlands areas that will enhance wildlife habitat.

This marina will be used exclusively for non-motorized boats. Plans have been approved by USACE.

USACE is procuring a vendor to perform this work. Project construction timing is currently unclear due to construction methods.

• Outlaw Field Public Safety Complex -The Clarksville Regional Airport Authority has conveyed to the City approximately 7.25 acres of Outlaw Field, directly behind Clarksville Fire Rescue (CFR) Station #7.

This site will enhance overall public safety responsiveness and efficiency as the City grows. The site will host the new Clarksville Police Department (CPD) District 4 Precinct; an additional Montgomery County-funded Emergency Medical Service (EMS) station; a north Clarksville refueling point for gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and electric-powered vehicles and equipment; a salt shed for street crews to utilize; an equipment lot; and a joint departments operations and storage building.

These improvements will greatly increase efficiency by reducing travel times and distances for department operations in north Clarksville. This site is expected to be utilized by all departments for refueling, for operations and storage by Clarksville Street Department, Clarksville Gas & Water, Parks and Recreation, CPD, and CFR. Design has begun for the overall site as well as design of the new refueling point, CPD #4, and a salt shed.

Mass site grading is expected to begin in Spring 2024, followed by fuel point, salt shed, and new Police precinct construction in 2025.

• CFR Administration/Training Facility- This new facility replaces the old Clarksville Fire Rescue Administrative, Training, Fire Safety, and Fire Prevention offices, which were housed in two old, repurposed wood-framed structures. Additionally the CFR storage building was replaced along Main Street on the CFR #1 campus, making way for the Admin/Training facility.

With a workforce that exceeds 250, CFR has long-since outgrown the old, non-compliant structures.

Rather than spending money and time sending firefighters to train at the State or other municipalities, CFR conducts much of its training in-house, saving the City time and money.

The new facility is located on Franklin Street where the Fire Prevention Office was previously located. The new facility is two stories and 20,000-plus square feet. The ground level is for training, and the second story for Administrative, Fire Safety, and Fire Prevention offices.

Construction was started in February 2023 and is expected to be completed in May 2024.

• New Parking Garage at First and Commerce Streets & Cumberland Garage Rehabilitation -With the opening of the F&M Bank Arena, a planned Performing Arts Center (Roxy Regional), and the continuing, overall downtown growth trend, the need for additional parking is being addressed by the City through construction of a new 587-space parking garage.

The new garage connects to, and through the existing Cumberland Parking Garage at the Commerce and Second Streets levels.

When completed, a pedestrian bridge will extend from the Second Street level of the new garage to Franklin Street. The pedestrian bridge will connect to Franklin Street next to 110 Franklin St., immediately adjacent to the new Performing Arts Center.

The new parking garage will include 16 pay-per-use electric vehicle chargers. Additionally the utilities on Spring Alley are being replaced underground. Erection of the precast building components is now completed.

This project is anticipated to be completed in Summer 2024.

Immediately following the opening of the new garage, the Cumberland Garage will be closed for rehabilitation and upgrades. Post tensioning cables will be installed to increase the loading potentials of the existing garage to accommodate electric vehicles, which are much heavier than conventional vehicles.

Seismic reinforcements will be added to prevent building collapse resulting from an earthquake.

A new parking office will be added in the lower level to better serve the needs of the public. Traffic coatings will be added to protect the structure from road salts. Other general cosmetic improvements will be made to make the structure more aesthetically pleasing.

This rehabilitation is being designed to give the City another 30 years of useful life from this structure.

• L&N Train Station -The L&N Station has had no significant work performed on it since 1995 when it was restored. The embarkment canopy was restored this past Spring.

The building needs substantial repairs, and rehabilitation.

The next phase of this project will repair and repaint the exterior of the building, install new lighting, make the restrooms Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant, and install a small catering kitchen.

This facility is being used as a small events venue operated by Clarksville Parks and Recreation. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2024.

• Dixon Park Expansion -Because of the need for a practice field to serve the neighborhoods near Dixon Park on 10th Street, the City has acquired properties that will accommodate this need. This field will include field lighting.

This project is expected to bid for construction in Spring 2024.

• Burt Cobb Recreation Center Improvements -Constructed in 1976, the Burt Cobb Recreation Center, 1011 Franklin St., has been in need of some improvements.

Currently, rusted, metal exterior wall panels are being replaced, and new guttering installed.

Additionally, the bathrooms are undergoing some accessibility upgrades, with new partitions installed and an epoxy coating applied over the tile for a fresh, clean look.

• New Clarksville Fire Rescue Station #6 - The existing CFR #6 located on Ashbury Road was originally constructed in 1968.

Because of population growth, CFR has had to increase the number of firefighters assigned to this station, as well as house additional needed equipment.

Additionally, improved emergency response times are needed to the areas being served by this fire station. Due to a small existing site and restrictive topography, it was determined that a new CFR #6 was needed to replace the Ashbury location.

The City purchased property located at the intersection of Arrowood Drive, and South Jordan Drive just south of Purple Heart Parkway. Construction of this new facility began in January 2024 and is expected to be completed around March 2025.

• Edith Pettus Park Improvements - The need for a regulation-sized football field and additional sports practice areas with lighting in this neighborhood drove this project.

The new field layouts include a regulation-sized football field, a smaller practice field, basketball court, and new athletic field lighting.

This project is approximately 60% complete. These fields are expected to be open for play in Spring 2024.

The park is at 345 Farris Drive near Austin Peay State University.

• City Council Chambers arched entry, parapets repairs, and roof replacement - The arched entryway to 106 Public Square (City Council Chambers) had begun to separate from the brick.

The old arch has been electronically scanned and photographed for reproduction purposes. The laser-scanned arch has been cleaned up and electronically refined to facilitate a clean reproduction.

Some of the parapet walls at the top of the building have deteriorated to the point that it will be necessary to take them down and re-lay them. Additionally there is a considerable amount of tuck pointing and masonry repair that is needed, especially on the side and rear of the building.

The roof has at least four previous roofs on it that will need to be removed as a part of the roof replacement.

Additionally the manner in which the rooftop heating and air-conditioning unit was originally installed is problematic for keeping the roof watertight. Plans to appropriately install this HVAC unit on a rooftop curb are included in this work package.

This project is expected to be completed in December 2024.

• City Hall HVAC and other improvements -Most of the heating and air-conditioning equipment in City Hall is original equipment from the building construction in 1982.

After having the equipment evaluated by a mechanical engineer, it was clear that significant replacements needed to be made. The first phase was to replace the boiler, circulation pumps, storage tank, various valves, the proprietary building automation controls, and replacement of the chiller piping from the attic to the basement. This first phase is completed.

Rebuilding of the two building air handlers, along with duct cleaning and sealing for the whole building will begin in April 2024.

Additional planned improvements include accessibility improvements at the public windows on the first floor, flooring replacements, fire alarm replacement, and elevator rehabilitation.

The preceding project summaries are not an exhaustive list of all City General Capital Projects. It also does not include Clarksville Gas & Water, CDE Lightband, Clarksville Transit System, or the Mayor's Transportation 2020+ Capital Projects.

Attached Photos:

1.) Aerial site view of Exit 8 Athletic Complex

2.) Progress at Pettus Park

3.) Progress at CFR Administrative/Training Facility

4.) Progress at Downtown Parking Garage

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