KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The original, marble-accented building at St. Mary's Hospital went through repairs this week, as construction on the new Public Safety Complex continued.
The building is being preserved by the City of Knoxville, officials said. Restoration efforts of the 92-year landmark are part of a plan to convert the site into a complex that will house police, fire, city court and pension systems.
Crews with G&P Masonry repaired the parapet at the top of the west side of the building, officials said. It adorns the fourth floor, which wasn't built until the 1940s. The old bricks were saved and the old mortar was cleared off before masons selected new mortar matching the original color.
Debris is also being removed from the site, officials said. Work is beginning to remove an old foundation wall in some spots around the site, to prepare for a new foundation wall being installed later. The new wall will be waterproofed and backfilled.
