After years of waiting and more than a few neighborhood debates, Knoxville’s Design Review Board has officially signed off on new townhomes at the northern edge of the former St. Mary’s Hospital campus, nudging the long-discussed redevelopment a step closer to the construction phase.
Board Signs Off
The townhome plan appears on the April 15 meeting agenda as 1914 Huron St. (parcel ID 81 E H 006), listed under case 4-B-26-IH as “new primary structures (townhouses)” for Infill Housing review. According to Knoxville-Knox County Planning, the proposal was part of the board’s regular April docket.
Local Coverage Of Approval
Local TV crews were ready for the news. Coverage of Wednesday’s meeting reported that the Design Review Board gave the townhome designs a thumbs up, moving the concept into the realm of buildable plans instead of just glossy renderings. As reported by WVLT, the decision clears a major design hurdle for new housing on the historic hospital property.
Part Of A Larger Redevelopment
The townhomes are only one slice of a much bigger vision that Knoxville’s Community Development Corp. (KCDC) and a private development team have been refining for the roughly 30-acre site. The plan calls for preserving the original 1929 hospital building for senior housing, adding additional multifamily units, and carving out new green space. HEREKnoxville reported that the Dominion Group is expected to lead private redevelopment efforts on the northern end of the campus.
City Investments And Site Context
The city has already sunk significant time and money into turning part of the former hospital into a Public Safety Complex while stabilizing historic structures so private projects could follow. The City of Knoxville project archives describe how repurposed buildings now host police, fire, and court functions and note that the northern slice of the property was intentionally cleared and reserved for private redevelopment.
Neighbors, Outreach And Concerns
Neighborhood leaders around Oakwood–Lincoln Park have largely cheered the plan to preserve the landmark hospital structure, while still sounding cautious about how much housing is being added and what that might mean for traffic, parking, and overall density. According to HEREKnoxville, KCDC has been working with the neighborhood association as concept plans evolved, aiming to keep residents in the loop as the design took shape.
What Comes Next
Design Review Board approval settles questions about the look and placement of the townhome buildings, but it is far from the final green light. The project will still need any required zoning approvals, utility coordination, and building permits before anyone starts pouring foundations. Knoxville-Knox County Planning’s Knoxville-Knox County Planning guidance explains how public notice, follow-up reviews, and additional approvals typically unfold after a board decision, so interested neighbors will have more chances to track what happens next.
