The City of Knoxville is preparing for repair and reconstruction work on the underground structures supporting the 100 block of Gay St. which was raised about 90 years ago. The project is expected to begin in the fall and will involve "extensive construction work and street closure on the 100 block."

There's a public meeting at 5:30 PM today at the Emporium Building meeting room (Level B2), 100 S. Gay Street. City officials and engineering consultants will be on hand to discuss the project with property and business owners, employees, and residents in the 100 block.

UPDATE: The KNS files this report [1] on the meeting. It sounds like an extensive undertaking, and the finished product should be pretty nice. The City has a web page for the project:

City of Knoxville - Gay Street 100 Block Project [2]

The upcoming construction project will rebuild the support structures, relocate and realign all utilities and replace surface-level streetscape features. While the primary purpose of the construction is to fix old and compromised infrastructure, the project's surface-level design includes cosmetic enhancements like wider sidewalks, street trees, and a sidewalk furnishing zone for features like benches, bike racks, etc. that will significantly improve the aesthetic condition of the block.

Numerous project plans and documents are available at the above link.