Wow! What a concept. For some reason it made me think of the Annie Lennox song, Sweet Dreams (are made of these).

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?

I mean, really. It appears Blount Ave disappears on the east side of Chapman Hwy. It also appears the "concept" would take more than just the Baptist Hospital site. Also, what is it with the side west of Chapman Hwy? The "concept" make it look like there is not the 20-30+ ft drop down the hill from Chapman Hwy.

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?

From the same song:

Some just want to abuse you
Some just want to be abused

Everybody's looking for something

Just to head off any naysayers, I think it is fair to point out that the rendering is a fanciful representation by real estate marketers trying to communicate the VAST usage opportunities that the property represents. Obviously, substantial creative license has been taken with some of the topography and structure types. But despite that, the rendering does communicate that this is a once-in-a-century opportunity for a grand urban architectural space that goes way beyond a mere commercial development. Given its location and proximity to downtown, its position at a crossroads, and the effect that it would have on the South Waterfront, it is clear that the development of this property needs to driven by look-ahead CIVIC needs, as well as commercial.

If it's not going to be a hospital serving South Knoxville, the rendering looks great to me. As long as it has a nice waterfront bar/restaurant.

I can't imagine, though, where anyone is going to be able to raise the money for that kind of redevelopment in this economy anytime in the foreseeable future.

P.S. Where's the Smoky Mountain Market in that rendering? That ain't right!

Is that a roundabout at the intersection of Blount and Gay Street?

I'm probably going to poke fun at it over the years, but really I think it's a great name.

I like the fact that the promoters seem to be encouraging adaptive reuse of some of the buildings.

BTW, Smoky Mtn market is still there - you can see it and the muffler shop just above the turn lane from Chapman to blount. The buildings you see in the foreground sit on the Baptist parking lots.

---- posted from The Bungalow at Riverpark

I like the spirit and the overall goal.
I don't like the demolition of the vast majority of the perfectly good buildings on the site.
I see only one existing building integrated into the plan.

Granted, Baptist is nothing much to look at, but in this age of limited resources shouldn't architects be using their creative genius to turn ugly buildings into pretty ones? Instead it seems these guys are rather un-creatively wasting a lot of perfectly good buildings at astronomical cost to "someone else". If this whole thing is funded by taxpayers that someone else is us. If thats the most likely scenario, then I think they'd better go back to the drawing board and come up with something that preserves, or at least builds on, at least 80% of the site as is. Otherwise this admirable vision will remain a pipe dream.

I can't tell if they may be cutting through the main building and reusing some of it? Seems to be the same scale. The existing drive north of the building makes for a great promenade.

Yes smalc, I think I see some goats on the bank.

I recall being told some years ago that the family who willed the land to Baptist many years ago stipulated that it had to be used for a hospital that would serve South Knox. Was that just folklore?

.......are quite the rage in the suburban Indianapolis community of Carmel. The last I heard, they have something like 37 already built and many more in planning. The mayor, Jim Brainerd, seems to believe they are the solution to every problem known to humanity. My personal opinion is that they handle light-to-moderate traffic reasonably well, but I have serious doubts about rush-hours.

(link...)

a friend of mine had suggested Mercy Arms as a name. it's good, though, that the building will be recycled rather than torn down. just hope it doesn't get dryvit-encrusted like the UT housing on cumberland.

Is there as much land between the buildings and the edge of the water as the image indicates?

I think there is as much green space, but it is vertical more than horizontal. The steps as they are shown aren't going to work. It's a good site for a funicular like you see at the steps to Montmartre. That would adress ADA issues.

A couple of photos for perspective on the bluff. The first one was taken a couple of weeks ago. The second one was taken in April 2009. Click images for larger views.

Bob, I imagine the developers will keep the existing parking garage, also there could be garages incorporated into the new structures W of the bridge. People might walk over from downtown and from the surrounding neighborhoods. Then or course there are the people who live and work in the proposed/repurposed structures.

I know I'm taking things too personally by noting that every location I've thrown onto the table as a possible part of the homeless solution suddenly has an alternate use

I think your tin foil hat is buzzing a little to loud on this one. The process to close Baptist and market it for reuse was started years ago, before the TYP was in the spotlight.