KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville City Council is set to meet Tuesday and discuss an agenda that could halt the development of a new apartment building. The city could also spend around $1 million to address concerns about the city's bridges.
The council is also expected to discuss a proposal that would change the city's capital budget and its general fund operating budget by a total of around $4.5 million. Part of that money would be used to help pay for work on repairs to the Gay Street Bridge, which has been closed for more than two months after the Tennessee Department of Transportation found that it wasn't safe to drive on.
Additional information about Knoxville City Council's agenda is available below.
Bridge maintenance and repairs
Two proposals directly involve paying for work to keep the city's bridges in working order. The first proposal would involve spending around $56,000 to identify preventative bridge maintenance measures and minor repairs on Boyd's Bridge Pike Bridge. The money would go to Gresham Smith, Inc.
The city said it would be the first phase of a two-step project. After the firm completes its work studying the bridge, the city will decide on which measures and repairs to proceed with. The firm would then submit the fees for the repair and maintenance work to be approved by the council.
The second proposal would involve spending $70,400 for similar services on the East Greenway Drive Bridge. The money would go to CDM Smith, Inc. The firm would be responsible for studying the bridge and identifying parts that need to be fixed, before submitting fees to repair them.
Third, Knoxville City Council will consider whether to take steps to fix the Gay Street Bridge. It has been closed for more than two months after the Tennessee Department of Transportation said it was not safe following a routine inspection. The department said it found a distorted steel truss on the bridge and identified other issues.
In a proposal to amend the city's budgets, the council suggested allocating $850,000 to hire an engineering firm to "provide professional analysis and design services specific to future repairs for the Gay Street Bridge."
In total, the city could spend around $1 million to identify issues with its bridges and take steps toward fixing them.
City council members will also consider whether to amend the city's budgets, increasing a few of the city's funds by a total of around $4.5 million. The proposal said the Capital Budget would increase by around $3.3 million and the General Fund Operating Budget would increase by around $1 million. Its Enterprise Funds 504 and 503 would increase by a total of $262,440.
Increases in the Capital Fund would help pay for repairs to the Gay Street Bride, as well as infrastructure improvements at the Knoxville Coliseum and Auditorium. That project would take around $1.5 million and would install a new electrical vault at the coliseum.
"The current vault is original to the building and must be replaced because it is often inoperative due to electrical surges while trying to supply power for modern day shows/events. The new vault equipment was funded in FY 23/24 but the equipment had a long arrival lead time so the build-out and installation was not funded at that time. However, the City has learned that the equipment is set to arrive this fall/winter so the infrastructure must be built to house and install the new electrical vault," the city said.
Another $642,750 from the new Capital Budget funds would go to the Urban Wilderness Gateway Park Project, helping pay for its final phase. The city said the funds were originally appropriated in the 2016-2017 fiscal year, but the "cost of the build-out of the James White Pavilion and other planned amenities has recently come in over the remaining project balance."
The additional money in the Operating Budget would be used to change the departments responsible for various city efforts. It would move funds to the Public Building Authority so it could provide security for the city's parks. A Safety City Coordinator and training specialists would be transferred from the Knoxville Police Department to the Parks and Recreation Department as well.
The city would provide $500,000 to the Beck Cultural Exchange Center for the Historic Delaney House project, helping preserve the historic home of an artist who helped shape the Harlem Renaissance. Another $200,000 would be given to the Family Justice Center for safety improvements at the building, and to hire a consultant to recommend policy improvements. Half that amount would be paid for by Knox County.
The proposal would go through its first reading on Tuesday.
Downtown apartment building appeal - DENIED
After the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission previously denied a request from a group of property owners in the downtown area to reconsider letting developers build an apartment building near Henley Bridge, the city council heard their appeal. It was denied again on Tuesday.
The Overlook Owners Association is made up of property owners near the site of the proposed apartment building and filed the initial appeal. The group said developers' plans would violate guidelines and "poses significant risks to the continued growth and revitalization of our city."
The group argues that the apartment building's proposed parking garage could dominate street fronts and prevent opportunities for commerce or community spaces to be built along them. It also said the garage could lead to dangerous situations for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The lawyer representing the property owners said his clients want to protect downtown Knoxville's character.
Plans call for the Hill and Locust apartment complex to be built near Hill Avenue and Locust Street, an "L" shaped building with views of the Tennessee River. It would be a total of 18 stories tall, with between nine and 14 stories of residential apartments built above a five-story parking garage built into a steep hill near the Henley Bridge.
The apartment complex would also have a partial penthouse floor, which developers said would give pedestrians the appearance that the building had one fewer floor. They said it would provide more "articulation in the roofline, providing massing relief while making the building feel less monolithic."
It would also be a short walk from the Neyland Greenway and Volunteer Landing Park. Knoxville's Design Review Board previously said the parcels where the building would be built "have historically been cleared and used as occasional surface parking." Documents for the project said amenities for residents would include a pool terrace, a club room, fitness amenities and a lobby.
The Planning Commission previously approved the plans contingent on five requirements, listed below.
- Final site plan, pedestrian improvements, and parking garage to meet City Engineering standards;
- Final landscaping plan to meet standards of City zoning code;
- Any mechanical equipment or service utilities not shown on plans to be placed on secondary elevations and receive screening as necessary;
- Signage to return to DRB as a separate application;
- Final material specifications for parking garage screening to be submitted to staff for review.