Some of Knoxville's most prominent properties are poised for change, with developers breaking ground on major projects, plans advancing for long-vacant sites and the city weighing what's next for underutilized land.
Some high-profile projects are advancing rapidly. Others are stalled indefinitely. And ones you might have forgotten about are nearing milestones that could bring big announcements by year's end.
The leaves aren't the only things changing in Knoxville this fall. From downtown to the waterfront, projects across the city are entering new phases. If you haven't been keeping up with Knoxville's development news, here are 16 storylines you may have missed.
300 block of Gay Street property changing hands
PWA Properties has listed two prominent Gay Street sites for a combined $8.4 million
after multiple ownership changes since 2020. Jeffrey Dealejandro, senior adviser for PWA, said the properties could support a mixed-use development.
- 304 S. Gay St.: Previous plans for this building, known as Friedman's Loft, included a boutique hotel. Most recently, it has been used as an Airbnb
- 308 S. Gay St.: This empty lot sits next door to Friedman's Loft.
865 Neyland entertainment district plans unveiled
The 865 Neyland entertainment district adjacent to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville's football stadium will include a condo-hotel with a rooftop bar, indoor and outdoor entertainment space, restaurants, shops and event space.
- The $280 million project is expected to transform the space between Neyland Stadium and Food City Center by 2028.
- The condo-hotel portion is scheduled for completion in 2029.
Belltown bringing in new business and residents
The massive community development between Karns and Powell has welcomed 275 families since construction began in 2023. In total, 4,000 residents are expected to live in Belltown once the community is complete with townhomes and apartments.
- The townhome project is scheduled to wrap up in 2027.
- Crews will soon begin building the next phase of single-family homes to be completed next winter.
Chilhowee Park redevelopment takes key step
The city is the sole manager of Chilhowee Park as of July and has committed $2 million a year for improvements. An advisory group made up of 17 community members outlined its goals for the future of the park.
- The group held its final meeting in September, though there's no timeline for when a final plan will be published.
- Children's museum Muse Knoxville is preparing for a $50 million renovation of the Jacob Building on site.
Downtown North restaurant building under construction
A new $1.7 million restaurant space will fill a long-abandoned property next to Axle Logistics' headquarters just north of downtown. Paragon purchased the land in 2025 for $495,000 and subsequently demolished most of the vacant office building on the site.
- No tenant has been identified by Paragon Development, but work has started on the building's exterior.
- The project received $75,000 from the city's Historic Preservation and Facade Improvement Fund.
Hill Avenue, Locust Street parking lot could be hotel
First Baptist Church of Knoxville on July 16 sold its 70-space parking lot at 909 Locust St. to a company registered to local developer Shailesh Patel of The 9 Group.
- The property sits at the corner of Hill Avenue and Locust Street.
- The 9 Group has expanded its footprint across Knoxville in recent years, spending $35.14 million in October to acquire the seven-story, 130-room Cumberland House Knoxville hotel just west of World's Fair Park.
Kerbela Shriners apartment site has stalled
After months of debate and a successful appeal to the Knoxville City Council by a community group, plans for the 225-unit apartment complex just south of the Gay Street Bridge have been scrapped.
- Seven deviations from the South Knoxville building code ultimately convinced councilmembers to vote against the proposal by Alabama-based CR Endeavors.
- If CR Endeavors wants to proceed with the project, it could take the matter to chancery court or start the approval process over with amended plans.
Knoxville Municipal Golf Course needs feedback
The city-county Sports Authority is working to gather feedback on a plan to transform the municipal golf course on Schaad Road.
- Plans call for reducing the course from 18 holes to nine while making room for sports fields geared toward local leagues and weekend tournaments.
- Public input gathered through a survey and in-person meetings will inform how the Sports Authority identifies a private developer.
KPD headquarters site needs a new vision
Knoxville and KCDC are gathering feedback on the future of the former KPD headquarters site after plans for a state-of-the-art Knoxville Science Museum fell through in 2025.
- Community members can provide input on the site's future at kcdc.org/hillavenueinput.
- A request for proposals, site renderings and approvals won't happen until the community feedback process is complete.
McClung Warehouses site finds a developer
Knoxville's Community Development Corporation, the city's redevelopment arm, has identified a developer for the McClung Warehouses site near the railroad tracks between Gay Street and North Broadway. The warehouses were destroyed by two fires, one in 2007 and another in 2014.
- As of September, a formal agreement was still being finalized.
- KCDC CEO Ben Bentley expects to make a formal announcement before the end of 2026.
North Waterfront Redevelopment on the horizon
KCDC has been tasked with creating a North Waterfront Redevelopment plan aimed at connecting World's Fair Park and the riverfront, as well as the upcoming Maplehurst Innovation and Neyland entertainment districts.
- The goal is to create a more walkable and user-oriented space on what's now underutilized land.
- KCDC has created a draft map and plans, but it hasn't started searching for private developers.
St. Mary's Hospital site adding affordable housing
A 170-unit housing project at the former St. Mary's Hospital site was approved by the Knoxville City Council this summer and is expected to reserve 87 units for "extremely low-income" households.
- Knoxville is contributing $2 million to the project, and 67 of the 87 units are funded through KCDC Project-Based Vouchers.
- The $43 million complex will join other facilities on the site, including Lincoln Memorial University's College of Dental Medicine and the city's Public Safety Complex.
South Waterfront needs a developer
Developers can now submit proposals to build a walkable, mixed-use development along 1,400 linear feet of the South Waterfront.
- The parcels include 2323 W. Blount Ave., 2547 Scottish Pike and 0 Scottish Pike.
- KCDC launched a request for proposals in May after gathering community feedback and relying on the South Waterfront Vision Plan.
Standard Knitting Mill is starting over
A South Carolina-based developer abandoned its plans for the vacant Standard Knitting Mill site in the Magnolia Warehouse District after pandemic-related delays and the discovery of an unmarked water line under the building.
- The departure leaves the long-awaited redevelopment without a developer.
- KCDC and the city are looking for another developer willing to get creative with the long-abandoned textile mill.
Vintage Cal is under construction
Construction is underway at the corner of State Street and Union Avenue on the 170-unit Vintage Cal apartments from the same developer behind the neighboring Marble Alley Lofts.
- The $5 million project started in early 2025, with plans for a level of indoor parking and commercial space.
- Construction is slated for completion in 2027.
Women's Suffrage Museum is moving along
The Women's Suffrage Museum at 706 and 708 S. Gay St. is scheduled to open in 2028, with immersive exhibits telling the stories of women involved in the movement.
- The space also will feature dining and event space, a library and a bridal suite.
- The museum was funded through a capital campaign, local donations and the Suffrage Coalition.
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: 16 Knoxville developments filling in, building up and starting fresh
