A new apartment community in Maryville is set to make it official later this month.
Hillpointe, the developer behind the Pointe Grand apartment brand, will hold a groundbreaking for Pointe Grand Foothills at Maryville on Monday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon Eastern time. The Blount Partnership's chamber event listing gives the address as 222 Big Springs Road in Maryville.
A 300-unit plan cleared in July
The project got its key approval earlier this year. On July 2, the Blount County Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3-1 to approve special exceptions for two big apartment projects, WBIR reported. The station said that vote cleared the way for both developments, with no other approvals or votes needed.
According to paperwork submitted to the board, property owner Harmony Investments LLC and Hillpointe proposed a 300-unit complex at South Odell Road and West Lamar Alexander Parkway. Hillpointe vice president of external affairs Marcus Wiedower called the development Pointe Grand Maryville.
The chamber listing uses a Big Springs Road address and the Foothills name, while WBIR described the site by its location on South Odell Road. Neither the chamber listing nor Hillpointe's website gives a unit count.
The second project the board approved at the same meeting is not part of Hillpointe's plan. It is a 524-unit complex at 3652 U.S. 411, near Clover Hill Road and Calderwood Highway. According to the memorandum and paperwork WBIR reviewed, that complex would include pickleball courts, dog parks and a swimming pool. Together, the two would bring more than 800 apartments to Blount County.
Wiedower told WBIR the Maryville complex would offer upscale homes and outdoor amenities for young professionals.
"Our goal is for people to have a quality place to live while also being able to save money and ultimately be able to obtain homeownership," he said.
What is planned
Hillpointe's website for the community lists it as coming soon and pre-leasing. Every home is a two-bedroom, two-bath layout of about 1,170 square feet with a full-size washer and dryer. The company says every Pointe Grand community is "built to one standard," and it lists what is coming to Maryville:
- A resort-style pool with poolside cabanas
- A 24-hour fitness center
- Pickleball courts
- A clubhouse with a business center and the "Sip with Me" coffee and tea bar
- A leash-free dog park and pet spa
- A fire pit, picnic area and grills
- EV charging stations
- Valet trash and high-speed Wi-Fi bundled into a services package
The site says the community will be pet-friendly, with no breed or weight limits. It invites renters to join an interest list and says the first residents will get first choice of homes. The 3D tours on the site were filmed at a finished Pointe Grand community elsewhere, and Hillpointe notes that the Maryville finishes and features will vary.
Why it matters for Contractors
The most important detail for local trades is how Hillpointe works. "We do it through vertical integration," Wiedower told WBIR. "We are the developer, we're the builder, we are the owner-operator, we have our own in-house leasing, we are long-term owners."
He added, "We are soup to nuts, and we want to be part of the community for the long haul."
That means there is no outside general contractor to pitch. Subcontractors and suppliers who want work on this job will need to deal with Hillpointe's own construction team.
The company says every community is built to one standard, and every home uses the same two-bedroom, two-bath plan. For framing, drywall, plumbing, electrical, cabinet and flooring crews, that means doing the same unit over and over, which suits trades that can staff up and keep pace with a schedule from one building to the next.
Hillpointe has not announced a construction schedule or completion date. The groundbreaking will be the first public sign that work is starting on the Maryville site. Contractors interested in the job can contact the company directly or ask the Blount Partnership for an introduction.
The 524-unit project on U.S. 411 has also been cleared, though WBIR's report did not name its developer or builder. Trades in Blount County should watch both projects as they move from approvals to construction.