The 24-story hybrid condo-hotel planned for the 865 Neyland entertainment district will join the list of Knoxville's tallest buildings, but it won't be considered a skyscraper.
The $215 million condo-hotel,
overlooking Neyland Stadium and featuring a rooftop bar, will be tied with the downtown Riverview Tower as the second-tallest building in Knoxville. First Horizon Plaza, also on Gay Street, surpasses both at 27 stories.
Construction on the condo-hotel will wrap up in 2029, according to the University of Tennessee's formal announcement Sept. 16. The development's branding has not been announced.
While Yardley Flats apartments and The Delaney condos opened in the last few years overlooking Covenant Health Park, UT's condo-hotel will be the first residential development of its size and caliber in Knoxville.
Neither the high-rises towering over Gay Street nor the planned condo-hotel at Neyland can be classified as skyscrapers. First Horizon Plaza is still 150 feet shorter than the 490-foot standard minimum height for that designation.
What else is coming to 865 Neyland?
The 865 Neyland condo-hotel is the largest component of the $280 million entertainment district. The rest of the project will include 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor entertainment space, restaurants, shops, event space and fan experiences.
Tennessee plans for the 865 Neyland entertainment district to be a year-round destination for UT fans, Knoxville residents and visitors. It's expected to create more than 1,300 construction jobs and 450 permanent jobs, ultimately attracting more than 2.5 million annual visitors, according to the UT release.
The district is also part of an all-encompassing connectivity project spearheaded by the city and KCDC, Knoxville's redevelopment arm. The North Waterfront Redevelopment Plan will focus on pedestrian connectivity between World's Fair Park, UT's upcoming Maplehurst District, the river and, of course, the entertainment district.
While the hybrid condo-hotel is unique to Knoxville, it's not unique to college football. About a dozen other universities are building similar districts, some with hotels. Those schools include Iowa State, Wake Forest and Kansas.
Sophia Tiedge is the growth and transformation reporter for Knox News. Email: sophia.tiedge@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: 865 Neyland condo-hotel will be one of Knoxville's tallest buildings
