KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville will soon have a new health center when the finishing touches are put on Knoxville's Planned Parenthood clinic.
On social media, Planned Parenthood said it plans to start seeing patients on Oct. 14 and will start taking appointments on Sept. 23. It's located at the same site as the previous health center, on Cherry Street.
The previous location was burned down by a Johnson City man on the last day of 2021. Mark Reno, then 64 years old, told a plain-clothed investigator that he was part of the "Church Militant Resistance," which opposed abortion care. Authorities said before burning down the clinic, he had also attacked it months prior by shooting an "incendiary projectile" from a shotgun into the building.
The Church Militant was recognized by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group based in Michigan. Reno died after having a medical episode while in custody in August 2022.
After the arson, Planned Parenthood promised it would rebuild. Leaders said it took around $3.5 million to build the new facility, designed to be welcoming and inclusive for all patients. It features modern equipment and will provide a range of health care.
While Tennessee has effectively banned abortion treatments since the arson, Planned Parenthood still offers a variety of other kinds of services like gender-affirming care, reproductive health care, HIV services, men's health care and family planning services.
The provider also began receiving federal Title X funds in December 2023, allowing it to provide health care for free to qualifying patients.
Anyone who needs to schedule an appointment can reach out to Planned Parenthood either by calling 1-800-230-7526 or by booking an appointment online.