HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. — There are new developments in the future of the Hamilton County business incubator as elected officials unveil a new vision for the program.
This comes as concerns grow for the businesses already there.
Hamilton County leaders say the incubator would move into the new Franklin-Roberts Future Ready Center downtown.
New renderings show the space would take up the third and fourth floors of the building as part of a larger effort to expand career and technical education.
Rendering provided by Hamilton Co. Government
Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp says the goal is to give students direct access to entrepreneurship opportunities, while also reducing millions in annual costs to maintain the current building on Cherokee Boulevard.
However, business owners inside the current incubator say they were caught off guard by the proposed change.
Kalena Goldsworthy, COO of Proof Programs, which supports entrepreneurs, told commissioners Wednesday the rollout has left dozens of businesses in limbo.
“This proposal to sell was shared with 34 active businesses two days ago with no discussion on what was next. Very excited about the new building, but we are currently in a facility that’s about 175,000 square feet,” said Goldsworthy. “We’d be moving to approximately 40,000 square feet with no freight elevator for our manufacturing friends, you can’t relocate dozens of manufacturing dependent businesses on such short notice.
Mayor Wamp spoke earlier Wednesday about those very concerns.
” We’re willing to do everything we can to make this a seamless transition for tenants of our current incubator. But this is us doubling down financially and in terms of our energy and interest in an incubator.”
Goldsworthy says the current space supports dozens of businesses, including manufacturing companies that rely on specialized equipment that can’t be easily relocated.
County leaders have not yet made a final decision, but say they’re moving forward with plans to relocate the incubator.
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The Chamber of Commerce says the incubator has supported hundreds of businesses, and generated tens of millions of dollars in economic impact for the community.