Breaking News: Former ALCOA West Plant property will be developed

By Rick Laney
of The Daily Times Staff

ALCOA announced this morning that it has signed a letter of intent with a development group to redevelop the former ALCOA West Plant property.

The 350-acre West Plant property is next to the baseball and softball fields near Alcoa High School.

The West Plant, which opened in 1920, was ALCOA’s first fabrication facility. The plant had a diverse product line and manufactured aluminum pie plates, siding and aluminum for patio furniture.

The West Plant was decommissioned in 1989 and demolished in the late 1990s.

The letter of intent, approved by ALCOA’s corporate offices, allows Chattanooga-based developers Kinsey, Probasco and Hays, and Denver-based International Risk Group (IRG) to perform a site analysis and recommend suitable developments for the property.

ALCOA spokeswoman Melissa Copelan told The Daily Times that ALCOA’s involvement in the development will be “minimal to none.”

“The beneficiary of this redevelopment is the community,” Coplean said. “We see it as a compliment to the new Pellissippi Research and Development Center.”

According to Copelan, details of the plan — including whether ALCOA would sell or lease the property — are still under discussion.

For more details, check back at www.TheDailyTimes and see Friday's edition of The Daily Times.