CUMBERLAND COUNTY – A Crossville company that’s entering its 10th year in business is looking to expand, and to do so, wants to lease roughly 2.24 acres from the city at no charge.
Cyndy and Bruce Gardner, owners of Homestead Timber Frames, a timber framing company, say the site, located across the street from their 6,624-square-foot building and location at 21 Duer Court, cornering Industrial Boulevard, would allow for additional storage space and employee parking. The company is at capacity at its current site.
Long term, the Gardners envision new office and show space on the proposed lot.
“Through the years we have steadily grown,” Bruce Gardner wrote in a letter to Crossville City Manager David Rutherford. “Our business philosophy is to operate in a conservative and responsible manner. Our expansion plan for the future is exactly what we have forecast and experienced in the past – that of approximately 25 percent per year.”
The Gardners are asking city officials to lease them the land for a two-year period at no cost, with an option to purchase during that 24-month period. If they exercise that option, they have offered to pay $25,000 per acre with a deduction of $5,000 per each new employee added to their staff.
Homestead had five employees when it moved from Crab Orchard, where the couple first called home, to Duer Court in 2010. It now employs nine; a full-time architect is set to join the staff as well.
The Gardners said they were committed to Crossville; the couple recently acquired the real estate at 21 Duer Court. Homestead, which began as a sole proprietorship in 2006, became an S-corporation last year.
“We now have a clear path to follow in addressing our needs,” Bruce Gardner said.
The Gardners brought the request to the Crossville City Council during a work session in October. The council will formally discuss the request Thursday.
