KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knox Area Rescue Ministries said it does not plan to turn its recently purchased building in North Knoxville, near the corner of North Broadway and Edgewood Avenue, into a homeless shelter. Instead, it says it plans to move offices to the building and make room for additional services for its existing building in the "Mission District" area.
KARM bought the building for around $2.15 million. At the time, the nonprofit's leaders said the goal when buying the building was to expand services and help more women get off the streets. Some neighbors in the Oakwood and Lincoln Park neighborhoods began getting concerned that the building could become a new homeless shelter.
"We've had some problems with homeless camps before. Because this backs up to a residential neighborhood, we did have some neighbors express some concerns, but we're happy to lay those to rest," said Michelle Ivester, from the Oakwood-Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association.
Before the building was bought, it was the home of the Second Baptist Church.
KARM said it is in the process of having the area around the property rezoned, to protect the new administrative building from returning back to a church. It said it would not allow the property to become a homeless shelter.
Todd Gilbert, KARM's COO, also said there are opportunities for some career development classes at this new location, but it would not be used as an overnight shelter or a storefront.