Knoxville — A striking home, a generous gift, a very private benefactor.
Thanks to the late Bill Shell, a University of Tennessee architecture professor, the Knoxville Museum of Art has inherited a unique Knoxville glass house that's now on the market.
Shell retired from UT in 2010 and died in June 2017, according to the university. It was his wish that KMA get his estate, which included the home he designed and an adjoining lot in the Lakemoor Hills neighborhood in South Knoxville.
Built in 2004, the Shell House features one bedroom and one bath on a 1.21-acre lot with 1,600 square feet, according to a listing on realtor.com. It's listed at $545,000.
It's inspired by his work in the 1960s with the internationally recognized modernist architect Mies van der Rohe, whose work includes the Seagram Building in Manhattan and the IBM Building in Chicago.
Shell sought no attention, not even wanting a public funeral service when he died, according to the UT College of Architecture and Design.
In summer 2017, according to KMA, a task force of museum stakeholders began studying what to do with Shell's gift. It ultimately agreed Shell's home should be offered for sale with protective easements to preserve the home's integrity.
According to KMA, area preservationist Knox Heritage will keep tabs on the protective easement going forward.
In a news release, KMA Executive Director David Butler said the museum's board will decide how best to use money raised from the property sale to both help the museum and honor Shell.
Buyers should contact Barbara Apking at Coldwell Banker, Wallace and Wallace at 865-250-5522 or bapking@coldwellbanker.com.
