ALCOA, Tenn. — Upgrades to an Alcoa business and new housing are planned for Alcoa's North Hall Road and West Bessemer Street corridor.
City leaders approved plans from Blackhorse Pub and Brewery to upgrade and expand its brewery, beer garden and parking lot.
Jeremy Pearson, the Alcoa City Planner, said the project is in two phases and also includes plans to bring housing.
"So, phase one, it includes improvements to the brewery, and outdoor area in conjunction with an expansion of the dining interior," Pearson said. "There was previously a covered outdoor patio area that's being enclosed. And as a result of that enclosure, the developers expanding some of the outdoor space that was already in place."
The second phase of the project is a mixed-use development, that will include retail and residential space, Pearson said. He has been with Alcoa for more than 20 years and said he's proud of the changes the city is making.
"The city of Alcoa has industrial roots, (it) transitioned from an industrial town, a company town, to what it is today," he said. "Which is more diverse in terms of what it offers as a full-service city."
Jeff Robinson, the owner of Blackhorse Brewery and Pub, said the goal is to bring more than 88 residential units to the area around the brewery, but there's no timeline on when construction will start.
For now, the brewery is focusing on its expansion, he said.
"The changes that you can see going on right now are mostly in the beer garden area. We changed from where we had gravel and gas to a synthetic turf," Robinson said. "We took out a small bar in the process of installing, literally this week, a larger bar and a taco stand. We are adding outdoor bathrooms in a modified container. It's just a little more of the ability to enjoy the outdoors."
Robinson said he expects the improvements to the beer garden to be finished in the coming weeks.