Maryville College to provide housing for Blount Memorial Hospital employees

Maryville College announced Tuesday that it plans to open two of its residence halls for employees of the Blount Memorial Hospital amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The college closed its doors in March.

Beginning April 20, Maryville College said they will be able to provide temporary housing for up to 80 staff members at no cost to the hospital, per a signed memorandum agreement.

“For decades, the College and the hospital have been strong partners, and we are happy to be able to fill this need for housing,” said Dr. Tom Bogart, president of Maryville College. “Most importantly, we recognize that our agreement supports the health and vitality of the entire community.

“Our current strategic plan commits the College to ‘living our mission as a community and with our community,’ and this kind of collaboration is exactly what that commitment looks like.”

The college said hospital staff members will be housed in the Court Street Apartments and suites inside Beeson Village. The college added that all are self-contained units with separate bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens.

The hospital is located across the street from the campus, and the college hopes it will mean "a reduction on staff members' commute times after long shifts."

“We appreciate the College’s continued support of the hospital’s efforts to prepare for an outbreak of COVID-19 in our community,” Don Heinemann, chief executive officer for Blount Memorial Hospital, said. “Our partnership with the College began long before we first opened our doors to the community in 1947, as the College was instrumental in helping us secure land and funds to open a new hospital.

The housing will be provided through no later than July 31, the college said, and the hospital has agreed to thoroughly clean the used sites.