Springbrook Farm rounds offerings with UT Federal Credit Union

The financial sector is coming to Springbrook Farm in the form of UT Federal Credit Union’s first Blount County location. The branch, which will be the credit union’s eighth overall, will boast state-of-the-art automated equipment and walk-in capabilities.

Credit union staff hope to have the branch, which sits at 1858 Pauling Street, operational by July 1 with a grand opening planned for August.

Debbie Jones, president and chief executive officer for the credit union, said the group has been eyeing the Springbrook development for about six years. The project, which is turning the site of an old ALCOA plant into residences, businesses and other developments, ran into difficulties that pushed UTFCU to the sidelines for several years until new developers R ealtyLink took over in 2022.

Jones said the group has wanted to break into the Blount County market for some time. The credit union had a “hefty” plan for expansion decades ago, but fallout from the economic recession in 2007 meant many of those plans had to be put on hold. Now, Jones said it’s time to continue moving forward. Many of the credit union’s members already live in Blount County and have to drive to Knoxville to talk to employees in person.

“We’ve done a lot of demographic research based on our current membership and potential membership,” she said in a phone interview. “We feel like this area between the Maryville and Alcoa markets is perfectly split.”

The credit union brought an assistant branch manager for the new location from another of its sites, but Jones said the rest of the staff has been hired from the Blount County area.

It’s also bringing new technology. A feature at the Springbrook Farm location Jones is excited to see is two “interactive teller machines,” a high-tech version of the classic ATM that offers all the functions of its low-tech cousins alongside additional customer services. Members, Jones said, will be able to video call with credit union employees at the Knoxville headquarters directly from the machines in the drive-through.

“With most things moving digital, a lot of our reinvestment has been in the technological and digital side,” she said.

UTFCU is the latest in a string of businesses to open shop in Springbrook Farm in recent months. After years in production, the development now boasts apartments, two hotels, a Food City and multiple restaurants.

In May, Alcoa planning commissioners approved plans for the addition of Jim N’ Nick’s Community Barbecue, adding an additional flavor to the development.

Other businesses slated for development include Just Love Coffee, Republic Finance, The Chophouse and Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers.