On Wednesday July 30, 2025 RISE joined partners in Knoxville, TN to celebrate the topping out of Torchbearer Hall. To recognize this milestone, a luncheon was served by team members to the many subcontractors working to bring this project to life. The event also included a raffle drawing which included a Blackstone Griddle donated by RISE.

Torchbearer Hall is part of Phase II of the Public-Private Partnership (P3) with the University of Tennessee which will deliver 1,028 beds to campus for the Fall 2026 semester.

Phase I was completed ahead-of-schedule with two residence halls (Poplar and Beacon Halls) preparing to welcome students home for the first time in the coming weeks. This fast-tracked P3 was first-of-its-kind higher education housing P3 in the state of Tennessee and delivered 2,000 beds in a record 20 months.

RISE Senior VP of Development, Jeremy Doss, delivered remarks alongside Mike Brady (UTK Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Services) and Gary Bennett (President at Blaine Construction). They all noted the incredible teamwork necessary to reach this milestone as well as noting the prominence and transformational impact of this on-campus development.