The Villas on Bell housing project in Knoxville is no longer just lines on a planning map. Streets are prepped, foundations are going in, and the first phase is edging toward completion later this year. When fully built, the development is set to bring about 247 market-rate rental units in roughly 70 single-story buildings, mixing detached homes, duplexes, four-plexes, and six-plexes in two phases. The site sits just north of Kading Properties’ Terrace View community, adding a hefty batch of new rentals to Knoxville’s growing south side.
All told, the project will deliver about 247 market-rate units across those single-story buildings, with roughly 150 units from Phase I expected to come online later this year. City officials say the plan also includes extending Bell Avenue to Roche Street, with paving on that connector expected to start soon. That new stretch of pavement will give residents a second route into downtown that does not depend on Highway 14. As reported by KNIA - KRLS, City Manager Heather Ussery said crews have already been prepping the extension, and paving should begin within a matter of weeks.
What Kading Is Building
Kading Properties describes Villas on Bell as a townhome-style rental community offering two- and three-bedroom floorplans, attached garages and in-unit laundry hookups, with Phase I listed as under development and occupancy targeted for later this year. The company’s site lists 247 leasable units in total and calls out features such as individual front doors and standard kitchen appliances. According to Kading Properties, the community is already taking names on a wait list while construction continues.
Why The Road Matters
City staff have described the Bell–Roche connection as a required life-safety egress that will improve emergency access for the expanding south side neighborhood. At the May council meeting, councilors signed off on a letter supporting workforce housing tax credits for Phase II, a move Kading hopes will help make the later buildings pencil out financially, per KNIA - KRLS. Planning documents place Villas on Bell inside a broader annexation and tax-increment financing framework intended to pay for roads and utilities (City of Knoxville).
With pavement going down and foundations taking shape, residents can expect to see steady, visible progress through the summer and into Fall 2026 as Phase I units open up. The project page for the development lays out community details, offers a wait list for interested renters, and confirms that Phase I remains under active development, according to Kading Properties.
