For a site that has spent years in the planning phase, the dirt is finally doing something. Construction is getting underway at the former MAC Auto Loans property on the north edge of downtown Knoxville, where a five-story apartment building is set to replace the old auto-loan office.
The project, called MAC at Fifth, will bring 144 market-rate apartments to the site, along with a coworking lounge and space for small businesses. Knox News reports that Bluedog Capital Partners plans to open the development by summer 2028 after clearing the property and moving toward a long-delayed groundbreaking.
Bluedog’s project description divides the building into 134 traditional residential units and 10 live-work units, with about 2,300 square feet of retail space. The Rhode Island-based developer also lists on-site parking, a rooftop area, a fitness center and a coworking lounge with a makers space among the planned features, according to Bluedog Capital Partners.
The live-work concept is the twist
Ten ground-level units are being reserved for local entrepreneurs who could live in the building, operate a small business and sell products from the same address. That could mean a more active street-level presence than a standard apartment project, particularly with downtown destinations such as A Dopo Pizza and Xul Beer Company nearby, Knox News notes.
A familiar MAC sign may get a second life
The original building was demolished after developers determined that structural problems, asbestos and other environmental hazards made preservation impractical. Earlier plans still called for incorporating the recognizable MAC Auto Loans sign into the new project, a small nod to the site’s former identity, according to Bluedog’s project materials.
Another housing project is rising along Fifth Avenue
MAC at Fifth is arriving as the corridor gains more housing of different types. Just north of downtown, Riella on 5th broke ground in May on 121 affordable units, creating a sharper contrast with MAC at Fifth’s primarily market-rate approach, as Inside of Knoxville reported.
The MAC project was once expected to open in 2024, according to a 2022 update from the Knoxville Chamber. With construction now beginning and a summer 2028 target on the books, the former auto-loan site is finally moving from longtime proposal to a very visible piece of downtown’s next chapter.
