UC Makerspace Moves to a New Home

UC Makerspace and Imagine Foundry are leveling up into a bigger, more visible home so more people can make, learn, launch businesses, and build community. We’ve got the space. Now we’ve gotta build it out.

Whats happening

The plan has shifted, but the mission hasn’t.

For a while, we were actively pursuing the Cookeville Mall as the future home of UC Makerspace and Imagine Foundry. We put a lot of time, planning, energy, and effort into exploring that opportunity, and we’re grateful for everyone who helped us do that.

Ultimately, though, we just couldn’t come to terms that were agreeable to both our nonprofits and mall ownership. And that’s okay. There’s no bitterness, no drama, and no loss of momentum on our side. Sometimes people work hard in good faith and still find that the fit just isn’t quite right.

The good news is that since we began working through the mall opportunity, two other properties have become available that may be an even better fit for what we’re building. We are already actively exploring those options, and we’re still confident we’ll be in a new home and ready to go by the time our July deadline arrives.

HELP US GET INTO THE RIGHT HOME

Why this move STIll matters

UC Makerspace and Imagine Foundry are still on the move.

This is not a step backward. It’s a pivot toward what may ultimately be a better long-term home for both organizations.

We are working toward securing a new space that will allow:

UC Makerspace to expand hands-on programming for makers, creators, entrepreneurs, and future tradespeople
Imagine Foundry to grow as an interactive children’s museum and discovery space
both nonprofits to operate in a way that better serves the Upper Cumberland for years to come

We’re not starting over from scratch. We’re moving forward with more clarity, more community support, and more confidence in what we’re building.

This move has always been about more than a building.

It’s about creating a place where creativity turns into skills, skills turn into confidence, and confidence turns into opportunity.

What We're Building

This space becomes two powerful things under one roof.

UC Makerspace is the hands-on build, learn, fix, and create side for teens and adults (and families in programs).

Imagine Foundry is the children’s museum side designed to spark curiosity, play-based learning, and big “aha” moments for kids.

Together, the facility becomes a place where:

kids explore and learn through play
teens discover real tools and real skills
adults build projects, learn trades, and launch ideas
families do meaningful stuff together, not just stare at screens in the same room

Together, they create something our region genuinely needs: a place where learning is active, creativity is practical, and people of all ages can walk in and find something that helps them grow.

This next home is about building a facility that works for the mission, not just settling for an address.

Honored to Be Partnered With or Supported By:

Ways You Can Help

Donate Any Amount

Help us get the doors open faster.

Every dollar goes straight into turning an empty mall space into a working UC Makerspace + Imagine Foundry facility. Build-out isn’t glamorous, but it’s what makes the lights turn on, the doors swing open, and the community start using the space.

Sponsor Something Tangible

Put your name (or company) on the build.

Want to fund a specific piece of the new facility? You can sponsor items like a workbench, a tool zone, a classroom area, or a hands-on exhibit element in Imagine Foundry. It’s a concrete way to say, “I helped build this,” because you literally did.

Give In-Kind Support

Materials, labor, services, or gear.

If you’re a contractor, supplier, tradesperson, or you’ve got access to materials, we can put that help to work immediately. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, framing, drywall, flooring, paint, fixtures, storage, fabrication, installs, and equipment all move the project forward fast.

Spread the Word

Sharing on socials still counts as helping.

What donations actually pay for

Your donation helps turn the next space into a functioning public facility.

No matter which property becomes the right fit, there are real costs involved in making a new home work.

Donations help cover things like:

deposits and transition costs
moving expenses and setup
walls, electrical, lighting, and plumbing
permits, inspections, and code compliance
safety systems and accessibility improvements
storage, shelving, and work surfaces
classroom and exhibit build-out
equipment installation and infrastructure

In other words, donations help transform an empty or unfinished space into a place where the community can actually walk in, learn, build, and belong.