A public pedestrian plaza between the Axle Logistics headquarters and its second building will permanently close a section of Pruett Place when construction wraps up in February.
Tres Markham, director of facilities and campus management for Axle, told Knox News the company started planning the plaza in 2023 when construction began on its second facility on Central Street.
"We've got these two beautiful buildings," he said. "We kind of wanted to tie it all together."
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Last November, Axle received unanimous City Council approval to close the street, and the company started working with local construction, landscaping and architecture firms to bring
the vision to life.
Renderings show trees, benches, brick walkways and a water feature at the company's Downtown North headquarters. Construction crews are installing a crosswalk from the east side of Central Street into the pedestrian plaza.
Axle already brings food trucks and other entertainment to its Central Street campus almost daily, and Ali Fraley, Axle's vice president of learning and development, told Knox News the plaza will make the area inviting to employees and neighbors alike.
The plaza will encompass only the section of Pruett Place between the two Axle buildings, so residents with homes on nearby Tyson Street won't be affected.
The massive third-party logistics company has expanded quickly in the past five years. Its two buildings are equipped with perks like cold plunges, saunas, a basketball court, a weight room and a golf simulator. The rooftop and balcony seating invite workers to linger.
Axle has been an integral component of growth north of downtown. With help from the city in the form of a tax incentive, the local company brings 750 employees to the office daily.
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: Axle Logistics builds new pedestrian plaza 'to tie it all together'
