Downtown Knoxville will soon see a large new mixed-use development on what is currently a surface parking lot. Called “The Grove,” the $30 million project will include condominiums, retail space, restaurants, and public gathering areas.
Developer Tim Hill’s vision is to connect the two sides of Gay Street currently separated by four lanes of traffic. “We want to give people a reason to walk over the divide,” Hill said. “Once they do, they’ll see how much this area has to offer.”
The half-acre lot is located next to the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the intersection of Gay Street and Summit Hill Drive. Plans call for a seven-story residential building and a three-story building housing 22,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. Hill noted that developing the same amount of space in a suburban area would require over 22 acres.
“Downtown Knoxville should be a source of pride for everyone in the city and county,” Hill said. “It’s a place for all to enjoy, so we don’t want any empty or underused spaces.”
Slated to open in 2025, the project coincides with the completion of Knoxville’s new multi-use stadium. The name “The Grove” pays homage to Cal Johnson, Knoxville’s first black millionaire who owned a nearby bar called “Lone Tree” in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
