KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Following renovations, Lincoln Memorial University is ready in January to start offering nursing classes at the renamed LMU Tower on the grounds of the old St. Mary's Hospital in North Knoxville.
It's a long-planned project for the property, which ceased hospital operations in December 2018 under the name Physicians Regional Medical Center.
LMU conducted nursing classes for nearly 30 years at the medical tower at 900 E. Oak Hill Ave. Courses then shifted to two other sites while the university renovated the tower.
Now, LMU is announcing that it's ready in January to reopen the LMU Tower for the LMU-Caylor School of Nursing Associate of Science in Nursing program among other health-focused programs.
The university aims to make it a center "for teaching excellence."
LMU also offers nursing programs at the main campus in Harrogate as well as at locations in Alcoa, Kingsport, Corbin, Ky., and Tampa, Fla.
Spring semester at the LMU tower begins Jan. 11.
The city of Knoxville, meanwhile, continues its own work at the old hospital site to make way for a public safety complex, which will occupy the former Professional Office Building, Central Wing Annex and Women's Pavilion.
It's a $40 million project.
It's expected that the Knoxville Police Department and the Knoxville Fire Department will move onto the site in 2022.
As part of work on the site near Woodland Avenue, some wings of the old hospital are being razed. The original, 1929 building will be preserved for future use.