Three miles of riverfront adjacent to the downtown contains a mix of active and abandoned heavy industrial land, restricting adjacent neighborhoods and the public from accessing and enjoying the river.
A series of open space “windows” orient new development perpendicular to the water while three parallel “ribbons” differentiate pedestrian, car and future light rail corridors. Five distinct neighborhoods nested within the study area require varying degrees of density and building typology to be dictated through a Form-Based Code, rewriting the existing zoning for the area. Extensive public process established the vision for the Knoxville South Waterfront.
Implementation began with the construction of public realm and infrastructure investments in the form of a new riverfront drive, eight-acre urban wild and a continuous pedestrian and bicycle riverwalk that has spurred private investment. The Form Based Code streamlined development processes and is integrated into the City’s zoning ordinance, providing a template that other Knoxville neighborhoods have used. Suttree Landing Park, completed in 2017, has catalyzed over 550 market rate residential units overlooking the South Waterfront.
- Hargreaves Associates
- Chan Krieger Sieniewicz
- Development Strategies
This project was initiated or completed at the firm of Chan Krieger Sieniewicz.
City of Knoxville
