Behind Those Doors: Development in the City

Winter isn't the biggest time of the year for construction, though with the winter we've had, conditions would have been pretty good for constructing on all but a few days. There are several projects about which people downtown are pretty excited or interested and here's what seems to be going on with a couple.

Recent View inside 304 S. Gay

The dental offices are quickly being put in place at 304 S. Gay Street on the bottom floor of the residence there. I think I heard something about hours being added by sometime this spring. I'm also pretty sure this gives us two dentists downtown, as I believe another works out of the, appropriately, Medical Arts Building on Main.

415 S. Gay

Doors at 415 S. Gay, Knoxville

The other doors I noticed this week were at 415 S. Gay. And beautiful doors, they are. If I remember correctly, this was slated to be a bar, but I have to say the doors look too pretty for a common bar. Maybe the plan is for something really upscale. Unless I'm mistaken, a business (restaurant first, then bar) has been in the works at this address for three years. It looks like something is finally happening.

In the category of not so much going on:

120 S. Central Street: The former home of Big Don's Elegant Junk, the owner promised "something completely different," but so far there is little sign of much going on.

1 Market Square: I thought once the CBID grant was offered, we'd see work begin immediately on the former Market Square Kitchen as it transforms to Tupelo Honey. I hope the inactivity simply means it's winter and not that there's a snag.

400 Block of Union Avenue: These retail fronts look like they have since the garage to which they are attached was built. The floors in some of the units are still gravel and the facades which are slated, with $12,000 of CBID money to be upgraded and changed, still look the same. Again, I'm hoping spring.

Arnstein Building: I saw a guy hammering inside a fifth floor window today. Supposedly the upper floors are leased as soon as they are finished, but the lower floor is, so far, pretty windows with numerous rumors attached. I wish it would become something that would make a splash. We need a little splash.