By A.J. Kaufman, Managing Editor
Last year, Blackburn, Childers & Steagall PLC announced plans to consolidate its Johnson City and Kingsport offices under one roof. The Business Journal reported on this news with a front-page story in our July 2024 edition.
The longtime accounting firm purchased 55,000 square feet of the former Citi Solutions Center building in Gray last year and named the move as “Project Gray.”
The firm’s two alliance partners — BCS Wealth Management and First Covenant Trust & Advisors — are scheduled to move into their first-floor spaces in mid-August. Blackburn, Childers & Steagall (BCS) is targeting to move into the second floor by Thanksgiving.
Staff says changes are happening rapidly as move-in dates near.
“Every time we visit the space, a new piece of the puzzle has clicked into place,” BCS Marketing Director Kristen Jones told the Business Journal, who noted lighting, carpet, and glass office doors ‘made great headway’ during June and July. “There is still progress to be made in the coming months, but the improvement is already evident. The space is much more open and inviting, aided by the glass office doors, modern light fixtures, and updated color palette.”
There are communal areas throughout the building to encourage teamwork and brainstorming, which BCS feels are more important now than ever as they move entities under one roof.
“Premier Service is one of our core values, and we look forward to serving our clients even better than before in our new space – a regional hub for all things concerning accounting, wealth and trust,” Jones explained.
The company’s Boone, N.C., and Greeneville, Tenn. offices will remain in their same locations.
BCS used Thomas Weems Architects and general contractor Burleson Construction Company, both from Johnson City, for the renovation project.
Jones says there will be a grand opening and ribbon cutting once the group is settled. The entire building is roughly 128,000 square feet.
“We are most excited for the opportunity to better serve our region in a more central location,” Andy Hatfield, BCS Managing Partner, told the Business Journal. “The growth of our region and the increase in people moving to our area also make this the perfect time for us to move into a larger, more central space.”
In addition, the Gray Branch of the Washington County Library is planning to move into the same building soon, and Northeast State Community College’s culinary program will relocate there in January 2026.
Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy’s office confirmed that and also told the Business Journal in July that there are a couple of large training spaces under construction, and a number of community organizations have expressed interest in moving into the remaining 75,000 square foot portion of the building.
