• Land Use, Urban Design and Environmental Portection
• Downtown
• Environmental Protection
• Transportation

Land Use, Urban Design and Environmental Portection

The land use plan and policies outlined in the previous section form the basis for One Year Plan and zoning decisions. Additionally, the following are needed to realize the land use plan proposals.

• Create mixed-use development districts, including necessary zoning ordinance changes and design guidelines.
• Create corridor development guidelines for the East 5th Avenue, Emory Place and North Central Street areas.
• Consider area-wide rezonings:
  • Oakwood-Lincoln Park: changing from general residential to single family residential
  • Perkins School vicinity: changing from industrial to office
  • Knox County Health Department vicinity: changing from industrial to office.

Downtown
The major element of urban design is the completion and implementation of the Downtown Plan; other urban design priorities are included in the recommended Transportation and Building Stronger Neighborhoods sections on the following pages.

• Complete and adopt the Downtown Plan, currently being prepared through Nine Counties One Vision by Crandall Arambula and their associates.
• Develop two sets of guidelines: one for historic districts and landmark buildings (historic zoning overlay areas), and another for the design of new buildings in other parts of downtown.
• Begin implementation of the Jackson Avenue redevelopment plan, particularly the stabilization and reuse of warehouse structures.
• Support residential and other reuse with the construction of new parking structures.

One of the proposed mixed-use development districts is the 5th Avenue-Emory Place area.

Considerable investment has been made in office reuse in the Perkins School vicinity; consideration should be given to office rezoning.

The reuse of Jackson Avenue warehouses is part of the redevelopment plan that should be pursued in the next few years.

Environmental Protection
Slope protection, flood protection and water quality are the foremost areas of concern.

• Slope protection:
  • Sharps Ridge: Acquire greenway space on the southwest part of the ridge (specifically, the “paper platted” area above Texas Avenue).
  • Reforestation: Plant trees where slopes have been graded and left bare or merely seeded in grass (priorities are Sharps Ridge and James White Parkway near Morningside).
• Flood protection and water quality improvements:
  • Revise the floodway and floodplain boundaries along Second Creek, particularly in the I-275/Coster Shop area (the existing information is based on the topography that was present when I- 275 was on an elevated viaduct). Establish an open space system along the creek as part of industrial redevelopment programs.
  • Continue flood protection programs along First Creek, including conservation of streamside trees and other vegetation, and acquisition of open space in areas prone to flooding (adding such areas to the greenway system).

   

Transportation
Highway improvements are a major component of the improvement program. The top priority should be the reconstruction of the I-40/James White Parkway interchange. However, funding needs to be allocated to sidewalk, transit and bicycle facility improvements, creating a balance that meets the transportation needs of all residents.

• I-40/James White Parkway/ Broadway interchange reconstruction, including:
  • Redesign to remove cul-de-sac on 5th Avenue (keeping that street open and making Caswell Park and neighborhoods more accessible)
  • Consider a slip ramp from the Church Street Bridge, allowing development on the east side of the James White Parkway as proposed in the Crandall Arambula plan
  • Redesign and reconstruct the Church Street Bridge to include a more pedestrian-oriented connection to the Coliseum and related tourism/ entertainment venues

   

This design of the Church Street bridge by Crandall Arambula is another example of an improved linkage, providing a safe, pleasant connection over the James White Parkway. (Illustration courtesy of Crandall Arambula and Benefield Richters.)

• Gay Street viaduct construction, including consideration of the design offered by Crandall Arambula
• Western Avenue construction, redesigning to include a median, separated sidewalks, a greenway trail and street trees
• Cumberland Avenue improvements, including an engineering and design study to promote pedestrian safety and comfort
• North Central Street and Broadway design studies, addressing neighborhood protection, industrial and commercial access, beautification, opportunities for on-street parking, and consistency and road design
• Henley Street bridge renovation
• Pleasant Ridge Road construction
• Gap Road connection to Texas Avenue
• Industrial access study for I-275 corridor (also see “Building a Stronger Economy” section)
• Gay Street intersection repairs
• Traffic calming program development and implementation in Old North, Lonsdale, Oakwood and Lincoln Park neighborhoods

Such traffic calming devices as “bulb outs” in Fourth and Gill should be used in more central city neighborhoods.

Cumberland Avenue improvements should include wider sidewalks, promoting greater safety and a pleasing retail environment.

Transit
Areawide improvements and programs are identified in the Knoxville Area Transit Action Plan 2010 and the Downtown Knoxville Transportation Linkages Study. High priorities in this sector include:

• Knoxville Central Station
• Other downtown linkage improvements, including new trolley routes and electric buses
• Increased frequencies of buses along the transit routes

Greenway trails
In addition to recreation, greenways should be established for transportation purposes. The following are the foremost priorities:

• First Creek: complete connection to Caswell Park and Downtown
• Second Creek and Downtown Loop: complete connection from World’s Fair Park to the waterfront (working with UT to reclaim the Lower Second Creek parking area as open space when the 11th Street garage is completed); create connection from Old City to World’s Fair Park
• Riverfront/Neyland Greenway: complete section from Volunteer Landing to South Knoxville
• A greenway loop around downtown Knoxville, including World’s Fair Park, the Old City, and the State Street and Central Street corridors
• Second Creek: set aside easements for a greenway trail as redevelopment programs are initiated
• Morningside: renovate greenway trail and extend to South Knoxville Bridge

Sidewalks
In developing the sidewalk network, priority should be given to those streets served by transit lines. People should be able to walk along thoroughfares to reach a bus or trolley stop. Many of the transit-oriented streets are missing sidewalks.

Creating continuous sidewalks along the following streets should be a first priority:

• Texas Avenue
• Chicamauga Avenue
• Keith Avenue
• Nadine Street
• Wilder Street
• St. Mary’s Street, Huron Street and other streets around St. Mary’s Hospital and Fulton High School

Priorities for sidewalk repair are:

• Broadway
• Beaumont Avenue
• Washington Avenue
• Jefferson Avenue
• College Street

Streetscape improvements
Streets should function well and be attractive. Sidewalks, landscaped medians and tree-lined streets are essential.

• Include street trees and sidewalk construction with all thoroughfare improvements, keeping sidewalks separated from the road edge
• Plant street trees as part of sidewalk improvement programs and Street Tree Master Plan implementation

An open space and pedestrian/bicycle loop should be completed around downtown (illustration courtesy of Crandell Arambula and Benefield Richters).

Priority sidewalk improvements include transit corridors and such areas as the streets near St. Mary’s Hospital.

In response to citizen preferences, street trees and separated sidewalks should be programmed in making street improvements.