Public invited to June 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony for College Street Corridor linking city, MC
May 21, 2025
On June 10, officials from the City of Maryville and Maryville College will celebrate the completion of the College Street Corridor pedestrian improvement project, which will provide an enhanced connection through downtown Maryville to Maryville College.
A public ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the intersection of College Street and High Street near the pedestrian bridge.
Following remarks by Mayor Andy White and Maryville College President Dr. Bryan F. Coker, attendees are invited to cross the pedestrian bridge to the Clayton Center for the Arts (CCA), where Vienna Coffee will serve drinks and baked goods in its newest café location inside the CCA’s Building B.
“We are excited about the completion of the final phase of the corridor improvements the City started back in 2008,” White said. “The connection of the library to the College through the heart of downtown has long been envisioned to bridge these two important anchors and provide an improved pathway for residents, students and visitors to local amenities and businesses.”
This final phase of the corridor project was completed over the past 12 months at an investment of approximately $1,450,000. It replaced sidewalks, reconstructed crosswalks, installed new landscaping and decorative lighting and converted underground utilities from Ellis Avenue to High Street.
President Coker said the campus community is excited about the improved walkability, lighting, and beautification resulting from the project and expressed appreciation for the City’s investment in the work. He predicts that the corridor will become a popular thoroughfare for students, faculty and staff who want to shop, dine and enjoy the other amenities and entertainment options present in the downtown area.
“I am confident this corridor will entice more people from downtown over to the Clayton Center and our beautiful campus,” Coker said. “The City of Maryville and Maryville College have enjoyed a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship since the College’s founding in 1819, but this most recent project looks to the future — symbolic of what is possible when we work together.”
With the goal of substantively supporting Downtown Maryville’s resurgence, Maryville College opened its Downtown Center in September 2024. Located in the historic J&K Building on the corner of Church Avenue and Court Street and a block from the new corridor, the Downtown Center is a hub for the College’s new Hospitality and Regional Identity major and Fermentation Sciences minor and will serve businesses and community members through external events, lifelong learning and continuing education classes, and economic development initiatives.
“I could not be prouder and more excited for both the College and the surrounding region,” Coker said of the many improvements.
Mayor White added: “We are pleased to add this newest connectivity project to the network of vibrant and active public spaces — something we treasure in our community.”
For more information, email christy.slavick@maryvillecollege.edu.
Note: This is a joint press release from MC and the City of Maryville. For more information from the city, contact Administrative Services Director Jane Groff at 865-273-3406, or jmgroff@maryville-tn.gov.
