Groundbreaking at Arrowmont
By Frances L. Day, Director of Institutional Advancement, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts –
On Tuesday, August 8, the Arrowmont community participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new dormitory and the new main entrance off Baskins Creek By-Pass.
Arrowmont Board of Governors President Steve Gottlieb commended the firefighters for their work in helping to save the community, and said, “Though the fire caused a serious problem for Arrowmont, it served as a catalyst to move us along the path we were planning to go anyway—it forced us to go there sooner.”
Bill May, executive director, thanked the local community and national supporters and said, “Your support has enabled us to recover and take an important step forward.”
Approximately 50 people attended including Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner, City Manager Cindy Ogle, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters, members of the City and County Commission, the Arrowmont Board of Governors, Arrowmont staff, and community members.
The four-story dormitory will be built on the site of Hughes Hall and Wild Wing, dormitories that were lost in the November wildfires. The dorm will have 43 private rooms and baths, a kitchen, screened porch with outdoor fireplace and gathering place, and an elevator. Designed by Tom Trotter, Trotter and Associates, Architects, the new dorm design is based on the design of the original buildings. The dorm will be constructed by D&S Builders of Sevierville, TN.
Recently, Arrowmont developed a campus master plan. One outcome of the plan was to change the main entrance of the campus from the Parkway to Baskins Creek. Work has begun on the entrance and new road into the campus. Charles Blalock & Sons Construction is building the entrance and road.
