Isaiah 117 House Gains Approval for National Training Facility Site Plan

Elizabethton, TN – Isaiah 117 House Steps Closer to New Facility

The Elizabethton Regional Planning Commission approved a site plan and the replat of two properties for Isaiah 117 House LLC last Thursday, paving the way for the construction of a new national training center in the Tennessee city. The proposed training center will be located at 1705 State Line Road, currently home to the Isaiah 117 House Resource Center. After a preliminary groundbreaking last fall, final approval was granted to extend the existing facility onto an adjacent lot, allowing construction of a 1,760-square-foot facility complete with 13 new parking spaces.

Marathon Realty Corp., the Virginia-based owner of the neighboring Betsytowne Shopping Center, granted the required sewer easement on February 27 to facilitate the expansion, much to the delight of the many dedicated supporters and workers of Isaiah 117 House.

About Isaiah 117 House

Isaiah 117 House is a non-profit organization founded in 2018 and based in Elizabethton. Over the past few years, it has grown to encompass 50 locations across 12 states – Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. The organization is committed to caring for and supporting children awaiting foster placement by providing a loving and welcoming space during this transitional period.

Financial Contributions and Timeline

Eastman Credit Union, in a monumental show of support, contributed $300,000 toward the cost of constructing the Eastman Credit Union Training Center. This is the first phase of a planned three-phase construction project. With local company Preston Construction taking the reins of the project, completion is targeted for this summer.

Five Road Projects Included in Updated Transportation Plan

In addition to the landmark approval of the Isaiah 117 House expansion, the city’s commissioners received a draft transportation plan aimed at improving the city’s transportation network. The detailed plan includes five proposed road projects aimed at improving city transportation and mobility. This plan is an important aspect of local and federal development strategies, and Elizabethton, as a voting member of the Johnson City Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (JCMTPO), is committed to these ongoing improvements.

Key projects include:

1. The rehabilitation of the historic covered bridge, a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant project.

2. The creation of a bicycle/pedestrian multi-use path along Hattie Avenue to connect the linear path at South Riverside Drive to the Tweetsie Trail at Cedar Avenue.

3. Constructing a roundabout at the intersection of Overmountain Drive and the Walmart access road to replace the existing three-way stop intersection.

4. Extending Overmountain Drive from the dead-end point to join the hospital access road through the Ballad Health property.

5. Installing a Traffic Management Center in the Elizabethton Engineering Department and placing CCTV cameras at various intersections along the state Route 91/67 corridor.

Planning Commission New Appointment

Other developments at the commission meeting included the approval of Richard Little as the planning commission’s representative to the Elizabethton Historic Zoning Commission. This decision is expected to bring in fresh perspectives and continued growth in the city’s planning endeavors.