Construction Begins on New Administrative Building at TCAT-McKenzie

McKENZIE (March 2025) — Tennessee College of Applied Technology Henry/Carroll hosted a groundbreaking for its new academic and administrative building on June 25 at the McKenzie campus. Last week, construction began on the new complex.

TCAT-Henry/Carroll in McKenzie’s new 18,000 square-foot facility will provide modern facilities for the 59-year-old campus. The new complex will be situated front and right of the existing administrative building. It will have administrative offices, classrooms, and a community room. Once complete, the existing administrative building will be razed.

The instructional wing to the rear of the campus will remain. That is where welding, automotive technology, heat and air condition, industrial maintenance, and information system technology classes are held.

A walkway will connect the current classrooms to the new administrative/classroom building.

TCAT Henry/Carroll’s Paris new campus is also under construction.

The funding, approved in 2022 by Governor Bill Lee and the General Assembly, has provided new capital outlay and maintenance investments for six new Tennessee College of Applied Technology campuses, seven outdated facilities, and the expansion and improvement of 16 existing campuses. This historic statewide revitalization for technical education across the state increases accessibility to our graduates and assures local businesses & industries have the highly skilled workforce they need to fill jobs.

A History of TCAT-McKenzie
The construction of the McKenzie school began in the spring of 1964 and was completed in 1965. It began operation under the local direction of Guy R. Kirk, who was appointed superintendent of the school by then Assistant Commissioner of Vocational Education in Tennessee, Charlie Dunn. The School enrolled its first students in July of 1965 in Automotive Mechanics, Drafting and Office Occupations. The first students to graduate from the Center did so in 1966.

In 1999, the Center underwent a two-million-dollar renovation project. This project included building new shop classrooms, installing a new heat and air system and an electrical system in the industrial building, renovating the administrative building, and connecting the two shop buildings to the administrative building by adding two new classrooms.