Where There are Dishwashers, Civilization Can't be Far Behind

Boxes of Dishwashers on the Sidewalk in Front of the Daylight Building

One of the obsessions with residents in the city is with what is happening at various spots along our daily treks. I'll write about a number of buildings and businesses in upcoming blogs, but today I'll focus on the Daylight Building, which is located on the north side of the 500 block of Union Avenue across from the Pembroke and Pete's. I pass it every day and while most of the residents passing by insist on walking through the construction zone, as opposed to crossing the street as the signs and barricades direct, we'll be glad when it grows up to become a pleasant sidewalk, hopefully fronted by bustling businesses.

Of course, for the history of the the building, no one will cover that better than Jack Neely and he does so here. In a nutshell, he notes that David Dewhirst began the renovation of the building about a year ago after a false start by another developer. In its final form, which is scheduled to be attained by late summer, there should be around 40 residential units on the top and space for businesses on the bottom floor. The building will be on the national historical registry due to its use as one of the original TVA buildings. The residential units will be rental units in the beginning and will, likely, become condos later in their life. Information on renting a unit or leasing a space for a business can be found here. According to John Flory on the Property Scope blog (and the poster in the window of the building) John Black Photography has signed a lease for the largest space on the bottom floor. WBIR reported in February that Hossein Grodhat, who has operated the Market Square Kitchen since 2004, planned to open a grocery store in the building, but even their article revealed the tenuous nature of those plans.

Meanwhile, the construction continues, and with it, the hopes of the people who live nearby that what has been a dilapidated eyesore and has turned into an annoying construction zone may soon become a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Here's hoping.