In 2015, Hickory Construction completed Phase One of The Village for The Restoration House (TRH). Hickory’s relationship with the organization began in 2012, when the team participated in TRH’s episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Since 2005, Daniel and Mandy Watson have worked to provide single mothers and their kids with safe, transitional housing and a reliable support system. As co-founders of TRH, the husband and wife team are passionate about serving the Knoxville community through dynamic family advocacy that includes financial planning, career development, and more. The couple is a remarkable example of how pursuing a lifelong dream can transform lives in your own backyard.

After two years of planning and eight months of construction, Hickory put the finishing touches on Phase Two of The Village. TRH recently welcomed guests to the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the project, a community for low-income single mother families in West Knoxville.

Phase One of The Village included six single-family units, as well as a community center, basketball court, and community garden. Phase Two added 12 units. The final phase of the 24-unit project includes the remaining six units. The Village will enable TRH to impact 140 to 160 single mothers and 280 to 320 children over the next 10 years. TRH is currently raising funds for the final units.

During the March 28 ceremony, guests gathered to celebrate the successful completion of Phase Two, while also lifting up TRH team and the future families who will call The Village home. Attendees were encouraged to tour the units and participate in art projects to welcome future tenants. To kick things off, various community and TRH leaders addressed the crowd.

“It takes a village to build a village,” Becky Paylor, Chair of TRH Board of Directors, explained as she welcomed guests. “We’re honored to make this dream a reality.”

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero was on hand to praise the dramatic difference TRH has made on the environment. “It is astonishing to see how this landscape has changed since 2008,” she said. “Mandy and Daniel started small with their sights set on real change and making a real impact in our community.”

Hickory President Ben Pinnell also addressed attendees, saying: “Thank you for asking us to be a part of this. What a long way The Restoration House has come since we worked with Daniel and Mandy on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It’s been an honor to perform the construction … Building a solid, safe shelter is always a number one priority.”

As the ceremony drew to a close, the Watsons expressed their gratitude to everyone involved in the project and shared stories of the impact TRH has made on participating families. Mandy summed up the core of what the organization achieves.

“There’s no better feeling in the world than being welcomed home.”

To learn more and get involved with The Restoration House, visit therestorationhouse.net.

It doesn’t get much better than delivering an exceptional project ahead of schedule. For Hickory, that was exactly the case with Alcoa Tenn Federal Credit Union’s new Eagleton Branch.

Located on East Broadway Avenue in Maryville, Tenn., construction on the Alcoa Tenn project kicked off at the beginning of May, 2017, and was completed on October 4, 2017—a full month ahead of schedule.

“It’s always our goal to be ahead of schedule,” explains Hickory Project Manager John Knight. “And when the owner of the project is pleased, it makes it even better. The community is continuously raving about the building. It’s a great feeling.”

A single-story, 4,200-square-foot space, designed by Knoxville-based Johnson Architecture, Inc., the Alcoa Tenn building is made of structural steel and wood trusses, with brick veneer and a metal roof. Inside, the building features three drive-thru lanes, a concrete vault, teller stands, private offices, and a spacious reception area. Accents including elaborate trim and detailed millwork welcome visitors with warm design.

“Everyone on the project was a pleasure to work with,” Knight says. “Alcoa Tenn President David Profitt and Vice President of Operations David Gill were exceptional.”

Alcoa Tenn Federal Credit Union has been serving Blount County and surrounding areas for more than 80 years. Over that time, the institution’s membership has grown from single digits to thousands. Hickory is proud to help Alcoa Tenn continue to build its legacy of “Creating a place where you belong.”

The Eagleton Branch officially opened its doors in December and hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with local leaders, including Maryville Mayor Tom Taylor, in early February.

For the second year in a row, Hickory Construction teamed with Michael Brady Inc. to participate in Knoxville’s Holiday Canstruction competition benefitting Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.

The objective? To build holiday-themed sculptures made entirely out of cans. For the last 10 years, teams of architects, engineers, designers and other construction professionals have come together to create aluminum works of art for various awards such as ‘Best Use of Labels,’ ‘Best Execution of Concept,’ and ‘Holiday Hilarity.’

Hickory Construction’s team member Tyler Fest explains, “As an industry, being able to get together and do something to benefit the Second Harvest is fantastic. Especially when it involves contractors, architects, and engineers using their creative brains to design awesome structures. We had to put a huge effort into getting as many cans as we could donated to Second Harvest, in addition to creating a good looking product”

In September, Hickory began collaborating with Michael Brady Inc. to come up with a design. The original concept featured a canned R2D2 but wanted to go above and beyond. The team put their heads together and decided to add BB8 and four lightsabers to their display.

A few days leading up to Canstruction, the team began cutting and assembling the foundational structure of the design. This allowed them to stack the cans into the desired shapes the day of the build. Their final design, “Silent Night, Jedi Knight,” was awarded the Kids’ Choice Award voted on by children from East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

“It’s always fun to come together in a little friendly competition between construction companies,” Fest says. “It’s interesting to look around and see the designs everybody comes up with and how they put them together.”

To learn more about Canstruction, visit the organization’s website.

The holidays are a time for giving back and giving thanks. At Hickory, we recognize that our skilled team is a huge part of our success, which is why we look forward to celebrating staff at our annual holiday party.

This year’s party took place Saturday, December 9, at Bearden Banquet Hall in West Knoxville. Surrounded by fun decorations and delicious food, guests were treated to live music from local Americana duo, Pale Root, as well as games including Name That Tune, Jeopardy, and various door prizes.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of employee awards, a treasured tradition that Hickory has held for more than 30 years.

Congratulations to the 2017 winners!

Special Recognition Awards

For outstanding steady, dependable hard production work:
Paul Presley

For dedication, positive attitude, and great customer attention:
Shawn West

Most Safety-Conscious
Greg Helton

Most Enthusiastic
Charlie Walton

Most Responsible
Richard Sterrie

Jim McMillan Individual Improvement Award
Michelle Atkins

Most Professional
Tyler Fest

Step Up (to the Plate) Award
Connie Lane

Master Craftsman
George Moore

Master Builder Award
Junior Ford

Employee of the Year
Steve Sanderson