Find a contractor Buyer's guide Partner with us
MCAA Logo
Log in Sign up Join Hi, there Account
World of Concrete 2027 registration is LIVE
Find a contractor Buyer's guide Partner
Log in Sign up Join Account

Design/Build Partnership Leads to New Urban Agriculture Education Center

Words: Kathleen AbrahamsOn May 9, 2016, Knoxville (Tenn.) mayor Madeline Rogero, the city council and other officials opened a new urban agriculture community education center as part of CAC Beardsley Community Farm. The center includes 1,200 square feet of indoor education space and 1,800 square feet of covered outdoor education space. The LEED-certified building also includes offices for three CAC Urban Agriculture staff and two CAC AmeriCorps members, much needed accessible restrooms, fully accessible parking and a water catchment system for irrigation.

Beardsley Community Farm is operated by CAC Urban Agriculture and CAC AmeriCorps, and was one of the earliest urban farms in the region, servicing community members, especially children in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods and schools. The facility is open to the public for visitors to develop their urban agriculture skills at no cost.

The new urban agriculture facility was a collaboration between the City of Knoxville, CAC Beardsley Community Farm, UT’s College of Architecture and Design, Elizabeth Eason Architecture LLC, Merit Construction and the Public Building Authority. Additional funding and materials support were provided by the Siddiqi Charitable Foundation, General Shale Brick Inc., the Thompson Charitable Foundation, former mayor and ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe, StonePeak Ceramics Inc., American Institute of Architects — East Tennessee, Paulk & Co., Keene Building Products, Columbia Forest Products Inc., Baird & Wilson Sheet Metal, and many other local sponsors.

City Public Service crews contributed a major construction effort, along with student volunteers from UT’s College of Architecture and Design on the concept of a design/build partnership. The students collaborated for one full semester with Elizabeth Eason Architecture to create the structure’s design. Professors Bob French and Jennifer Akerman and more than 50 University of Tennessee (UT) student volunteers worked over the past two years with project partners to see the facility through, even assisting with construction.

The new building will serve as a home base for the farm, creating a new front door to their educational program.

The primary structure is triple-wythe load-bearing brick, detailed to take advantage of historic structural methods while also addressing thermal performance and water mitigation. General Shale donated all brick and mortar for the project and provided support for students to learn the craft of masonry from master mason J.C. Newman.

Staff at the farm worked with the designers and students so that the facility would enhance all aspects of operations. For example, the outdoor wash area was designed with a bench and counter spaces so that gardeners could wash up while also having convenient space to wash produce from the garden. A pass-through window at the wash area will allow cleaned produce and tools to be easily moved to interior storage.

For more information, visit www.beardsleyfarm.org.
 0
The Return of Restraint: How "Quiet Luxury" Is Influencing Masonry Design
November 2026

For years, exterior design seemed to follow a familiar cycle: bigger statements, bolder contrasts, and whatever trend happened to dominate social media that season. Today, many customers are asking for something different. They're asking for homes that fe

Chad Riley
Stone Savvy
Sponsored
Read More
Rent or Buy? Making Smarter Mixer Equipment Decisions
November 2026

For masonry contractors, deciding whether to rent or purchase a concrete or mortar mixer involves more than comparing rental rates with purchase prices. Equipment availability, crew productivity, maintenance, and frequency of use can all influence the lon

Abigail Spung Allyssa Costanza
MAP Partner
Read More
Bonding with Masonry 2026: Q4
November 2026

This issue’s questions come from an Engineer and a Masonry Inspector. What questions do you have? Send them to info@masonrymagazine.com, attention: Technical Talk. Q. An Engineer states that he attended a seminar and was told that to design reinforced

David Biggs
Technical Talks
Read More
Hohmann & Barnard, Inc. Returns as a Cornerstone Partner in 2027
November 2026

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is thrilled to announce that Hohmann & Barnard, Inc. will return as a Cornerstone Partner in the 2027 Masonry Alliance Program.

MAP Partner
MAP Partner
Read More