What's that University of Tennessee construction near the Student Union? (original) (raw)
May 26, 2026, 5:05 a.m. ET
With students away for the summer, a construction project to build a modern plaza is happening alongside one of the busiest buildings on the University of Tennessee at Knoxville campus.
The open area in front of the eastern side of the Student Union is under construction at UT to create a new student plaza, while the lawn area further west along Cumberland Avenue is getting ready to welcome a new campus landmark.
UT expects the east plaza project to be finished Aug. 15, two days before classes begin, at a cost of $3.5 million.
Renderings show a multi-level patio, lawn and garden with chairs and umbrellas to help students relax near the Student Union entrance before they descend down a multi-tiered lawn and plaza to more areas designed for socializing.
The bottom level features grassy areas to gather, along with a covered stage for performances. Students will be able to sit in orange chairs, huddled around a table with a built-in firepit on cooler nights, or enjoy lunch beneath the shade of colorful kite-shaped overhangs on warmer afternoons.
UT has carved out space in the plans for food trucks to set up and cater to students' cravings. And on the existing north plaza, the university will install a new landmark: V-O-L-S letters "to create a welcoming and photographic space to celebrate the Volunteer spirit," according to UT's Division of Student Life.
The V-O-L-S part of the project, according to UT, costs $1 million and is scheduled to be completed during fall break in October.
The development will add more gathering spaces for students and visiting families at one of UT's busiest buildings, which opened in two phases in 2015 and 2019. It's one of multiple construction projects happening on campus, including the Charles and Julie Wharton Chemistry Building, the Randy Boyd Hall business school building and the Torchbearer Hall dorm.
Keenan Thomas is the higher education reporter for Knox News. Email: keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.
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