The Christman Company has been awarded a two-phase construction project for the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) to demolish and rebuild its Ellington Plant Sciences building.

The project will begin this fall, starting with construction of a 20,000-square-foot permanent building that will house the facility and staff members from the current Ellington facility. In the second phase, the current Ellington Plant Sciences building will be demolished and replaced by an additional 160,000-square-foot facility.

“This project for the UT Institute of Agriculture and the University of Tennessee will provide flexible and modern research and education spaces,” said Marty Gibbs, vice president and general manager for Christman’s Knoxville operations. “We appreciate the opportunity to bring another major addition to the UT campus.”

The $67 million project, officially called the Energy and Environmental Science Research Building, will include teaching and research labs, offices, classrooms and a 500-seat teaching and learning center. It will house several UTIA departments – including biosystems engineering and soil science; entomology and plant pathology; plant sciences; animal science; and forestry, wildlife and fisheries – along with the UTIA Safety Office.

The Christman team will work with design partners BarberMcMurry Architects and Lord Aeck Sargent on the project.

Christman’s recent University of Tennessee projects include the recently opened $187 million, 390,000-square-foot University of Tennessee Student Union; the Ken and Blaire Mossman Building, a $96 million, 250,000-square-foot science facility; and the UT West Campus Housing Development, a $63 million, village-style complex.