A 6,033-square-foot vacant building on McCalla Avenue in the Magnolia Avenue Warehouse District in Knoxville will become a space for creation.
Knoxville City Council approved the sale of the city-owned property at 1200 McCalla Avenue for redevelopment. In the near future, city officials said the building will house small-scale manufacturing and creative spaces.
It'll be a maker space -- a facility where people can build and create new things.
City officials said the agreement is part of a new era in East Knoxville.
“The success of this new maker space will promote the renovation of this abandoned building and create new opportunities for a new maker district,” Redevelopment Director Dawn Michelle Foster said.
According to the council's agreement, Dewhirst Properties will purchase the property for $100,000 and renovate the building to include approximately 19 studio and co-working spaces.
The building will also include a gallery, lounge area, kitchen and restrooms. Per the agreement, Dewhirst Properties must continue using the property as a maker space for 10 years.
The agreement is part of a series of changes for Knoxville's Makers.
In July 2017, the city received a grant from Smart Growth America to examine small-scale manufacturing with a special focus on the Magnolia Avenue Warehouse District.
Mayor Rogero has also formed the Mayor’s Maker Council, which supports makers and artisans, and fosters entrepreneurial growth through its activities. Activities include a makers directory and the Maker City Summit, which draws together several hundred people annually.
