Knoxville to get new d'town 12-story building

[Guest]

Good news for Knoxville this will add some height as it will be replacing the old 2-story court building. No timeline given but approval has been finalized per Gov.

Here is an excerpt from the ear-to-the-ground section of this weeks Metropulse newspaper

"New Office Tower?

We understand that Gov. Phil Bredesen

[fieldmarshaldj]

Good news for Knoxville this will add some height as it will be replacing the old 2-story court building. No timeline given but approval has been finalized per Gov.

Does someone have a picture of the old structure ? Is it of any historic value ?

[Hankster]

This is very good news for Knoxville. I'm especially glad to see new construction slated for downtown. I too am anxious to see a rendering of this new building.

[ATLBrain]

One point that doesn't get made much on this board is the fact that there are millions of $ being spent on loft development and other commercial rehab projects in downtown Knoxville, which has a sizable stock of impressive older (early 20th C) buildings.

[Hankster]

One point that doesn't get made much on this board is the fact that there are millions of $ being spent on loft development and other commercial rehab projects in downtown Knoxville, which has a sizable stock of impressive older (early 20th C) buildings.

Does anyone have details?

[1337hax0r]

Has anyone from Knoxville done a photo tour sort of thing lately? I have heard that theres a lot changing, but I haven't been downtown in forever. Cool news though.

[ATLBrain]

Does anyone have details?

I'm sure somebody from Knoxville can add to this.

OK, since I brought this one up, I'll start off. I'm not from Knoxville (my in-laws are), but everytime I'm up there, the newspaper has an announcement of a new project. So I don't know the names of most of them. Off the top of my head, I don't know the respective investment amounts. These are only the ones I know of (and they've been started or completed). There are tons of smaller rehab projects along Gay and in Old City.

1. Sterchi lofts

2. New 9 story Gay Street loft

3. New Market Square Development

4. Riverfront (Northside is finished with floating restaurant and Women's Basketball HOF). Southside is being planned.

5. New Convention Center (finished about 3 years ago)

6. New IMAX theater in transit center

7. New 8-10 story hotel (downtown adjacent to UT)

8. Knoxville Place Condos (12 stories)

In addition to this state office building, there have been discussions for about a year for a mixed use project with CC hotel near the Worlds Fair. So there's movement and investment downtown (and of course along Kingston) despite the inertia.

Plus, has anybody been through Holston Hills lately? I'd like to see pics of that area of Knoxville if you can post. Thanks.

[smeagolsfree]

They definitely need to do more in Knoxville about the urban sprawl there. The city needs to encourage more growth like this in the downtown area instead of West Town.

[Guest]

An interesting thing about Knoxville is that if you want to reduce sprawl you should build at the demographic center of the community and in Knoxville that is located in the Cedar Bluff area actually 3 miles West of West town Mall. This has become the the new downtown or hub area.