CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Common Ground, a new café offering vocational training to people with intellectual disabilities, could soon be coming to Veterans Plaza.

The café being planned by Progressive Directions Inc. is in many ways a successor to the Oasis Café, previously located at the Plaza before moving to Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville and CMCSS. Just like with Oasis, PDI plans to employ intellectually disabled citizens as a means of job training; however, where Oasis primarily employed CMCSS students, Common Ground will offer help to a wider range of Clarksvillians.

PDI President and CEO Jay Albertia told Clarksville Now they will partner with Workforce Essentials to recruit employees for The Common Ground.

“What we’re looking at redoing is a café that would take those individuals with intellectual disabilities, teach them job skills and then put them into the open market to find jobs. It’s going to be a job training site,” Albertia said.

Employees at Common Ground will learn the ins and outs of the food service industry, including food prep, front of house work and health guidelines. The cafe will employee job coaches as well as a job developer to help employees find work.

According to Albertia, PDI has 133 clients employed in the community at 89 job sites.

‘It’s almost a restaurant desert’

Albertia said the café serves another important role in providing food service to an underserved area. There are only three restaurants within a mile of Veterans Plaza, one of which is a coffee shop.

Having a café nearby provides employees and visitors a place to eat that doesn’t require a commute.

“It’s almost a restaurant desert right where the plaza sits. I think it’s going to be a great big benefit to the employees at the plaza and for the citizens that go to the plaza. It helps them, but it’s also a great training ground for then putting individuals that may not get the help out to work,” Albertia said.

According to PDI’s potential lease agreement, Common Ground Cafe will be in Suite 102 of Veterans Plaza, a 1,075-square foot space.

PDI’s lease agreement requires approval by the Montgomery County Commission, and it is on the agenda for Monday, Jan. 10. The resolution is included in the consent agenda and is expected to pass without issue.