KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday for improvements at the Larry Cox Senior Center in North Knoxville.
The senior center, located at 3109 Ocoee Trail, received a renovation along with a 960-square-foot addition. The city says the overall costs were $400,000.
The addition has a new, more accessible entrance, a lobby, larger restrooms and an employee office.
The original building was renovated with energy-efficiency and Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades.
The multi-purpose room has new acoustic tiles for senior dances and functions. New windows and additional lighting were also installed throughout the building.
"We're working to get the most out of our community centers for Knoxville residents, both through upgrading facilities to provide better programming and through energy-efficiency upgrades to save significant taxpayer dollars," said Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero in a press release.
The project is part of a long-term plan in the parks and recreation department to upgrade its recreation centers.
"Most of our community centers were built in the 1960s. Larry Cox Senior Center was built in 1962, so this is its 50th anniversary," said Parks and Recreation Director Joe Walsh. "We want our centers to keep up as our city continues to grow and improve."
The Public Building Authority oversaw the project for the city.
Elizabeth Eason Architecture LLC provided the plans and worked with the contractor, Merit Construction Inc., through the entire project.
Larry Cox Senior Center is next to Edgewood Park. It primarily serves the senior citizens of North Knoxville. During election time, it's also a voting site.
The original building was renovated with energy-efficiency and Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades.
