n/t

How tall is the Kern's building? Could Aubry's attach to it, at the same or less height, and get grandfathered in?

Was the Kern's building added to the SoKno Waterfront later? Maybe to allow the original developers to obtain some tax credits or something?

Email from Mike Cohen, FYI:

I work with Randy Burleson. What he is seeking is something that will be on the Kerns campus and be a transition to the new zoning. We have worked with MPC and the City on this. The Aubreys would be built on the Kerns campus, using the same style windows, bricks and probably a parapet. It would absolutely blend in. It would be heavily landscaped with the pedestrian access going through landscaped areas. Even the first drawing has bike racks because we want it to be a destination that way as well, hopefully from an eventual rails to trails all the way to Ijams. This is really designed to transition from the significant setback of Kerns to a more streetside approach. It needs a transition. There is an elevation change, so building a 3 story building would block the view of the beautiful and historic Kerns for anyone coming north on Chapman Highway. This is truly a joint effort by Burleson, City of Knoxville and MPC to make Kerns, the South Waterfront and the new code along Chapman all work seamlessly. If anyone has a civic group or neighborhood association that wants to hear more, we are happy to come speak. We've already been before Old Sevier and will be at the South Knoxville Business Alliance next week. We are really trying to work with everyone.

Seems a bit odd to require public relations spokesperson to convince folks this is a good thing. But we know, in Knoxville, developers have a lot of influence.

Just a thought.

And I did not intend to be a jerk. But, in my frustration about the quality of civic discourse, it's sometimes just the little things that can set me off.

If there are legitimate problems with some of what Randy Burleson is proposing, then they should be identified and discussed. Clearly.

But casting aspersions because one is a developer - or a PR person - isn't helpful to any thoughtful dialogue.

I have no involvement, but, as a native Knoxvillian and a South Knoxville resident for 2 decades plus, I'm certainly grateful to anyone looking to invest their time, capital, and energy in transforming those blocks of Chapman Highway close to the Henley Street Bridge. We should be encouraging this.

But the form-based codes developed for the South Knoxville Waterfront are pretty sacrosanct to some and should not be given an exemption easily nor allowed to set a precedent.

Apologies to developers and PR folks who only intend the best for Knoxville.

Mercury is retrograde in Aries (which I am) and leads to this:

Frustrated thiking can lead to speaking without thinking or making a mountain out of a molehill. We may feel like we are breathing fire when we speak. Conversation can easily escalate into argument and we may be on the receiving end of others venting their frustration.

Describes me the last couple of weeks.