Major redevelopment of North Waterfront coming
By Mike Steely
Senior Writer
steelym@knoxfocus.com
Knoxville’s North Waterfront redevelopment began last week when the Knoxville City Council approved the first step of a three-part plan. Knoxville’s Community Development Corp introduced the tentative plan to study redeveloping the waterfront from the Henley Street Bridge to Kingston Pike.
The University of Tennessee will play a large part in the project, in cooperation with the city, and has purchased the Maplehurst area and plans an Innovation District there for research, technology and entrepreneurship. UT’s entertainment district next to Neyland Stadium is within the proposed boundary, as is development around the future pedestrian bridge.
Ben Bentley, executive director of KCDC, spoke on the overall plan. He said numerous public input sessions will be held with a final plan introduced after research is completed on historic and other structures in the area. That master plan will probably be announced in January. Bentley promised that no owner-occupied properties would be taken, no eminent domain used, and residents of Maplehurst would be consulted.
At-large Councilwoman Lynne Fugate said she was disappointed the public wasn’t notified earlier and pushed Bentley to have a “public process.” District One’s Karyn Adams urged Bentley to add the map and plan to the KCDC website.
District Two’s Nathan Honeycutt said his understanding is that the redevelopment would come in three phases: establishment of the boundary, creation of a plan with public input and implementation of the final plan.
UT’s Matthew Scoggins commented on the importance of planning and noted UT’s wishes for the waterfront. He pointed out the university’s purchase of the Maplehurst property and its plans there.
Fugate said UT is the “elephant in the room” and called for the “town and gown” to work together.
At-Large Councilmember Amelia Parker was critical of the strategies used in redevelopment and expressed concern as to what properties might be taken.
Mayor Indya Kincannon said the plan has “a lot of moving parts with more to come.”
The overall plan would have KCDC oversee its operation that would eventually include a network of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle infrastructure, open spaces, waterfront amenities and preservation and reuse of historic structures.
With Councilman Denzel Grant absent, the council voted 7-1 with Parker voting “No.”
