Crossing the River

Crossing the River

The southside development proposal brings with it lots of friends, lots of potential, and some very big questions

In the interests of full disclosure, we should point out that Brian Conley, the publisher of Metro Pulse, owns about five acres of the land under discussion, on which stand two warehouses. His brother Ron Conley owns another five-acre tract. A third brother, Mike Conley, with whom Brian Conley is not financially associated, owns about 20 acres, and has been involved in the discussions with the project; Mike Conley was out of the country and unavailable for comment.

by Jack Neely

The southern bank of the Tennessee River downtown has always been one of our handiest dilemmas. It’s right there. It always has been. We’ve stared at it as long as we can remember. It dominates the view from the windows of the highest government officials in the City County Building. We gaze at it from the decks and broad windows of several of our most popular restaurants. Every fall, it’s the background of a thousand tailgate parties.

Haslam is aware that several other mayors have had exactly the same view that he has; some tried to get something working over there in the kudzu, but failed, often facing community or industry opposition. Still, he seems optimistic. “We need to find opportunities to grow that don’t affect the quality of life, take away the sledding hill or the ball park,” he says. Historically nearly everything in South Knoxville in controversial, but he’s heartened by the reception. So far, he says, “Nobody’s saying, ‘No way.’”

“One of the key lessons learned is that the South Knoxville Waterfront area is really quite large,” states the Fregonese Calthorpe study.

For most of the 19th century, the south bank and the rest of South Knoxville were so remote they were known as South America. It was so remote that merchant-prince Perez Dickinson built his second home, his “Island Home,” over there near Dickinson Island, hardly one mile from his first home on Main Street. Rarely have a first and second home been so close, but his “island home’s” location on the south side made it seem like a remote retreat.

The neighbors are justifiably skeptical. Some of them fiercely opposed earlier plans; others felt let down when nothing came of them.

One uncomfortable irony of the whole riverfront-development trend is that the land that seems to be commanding top dollar from people who want a conspicuous place to park a cabin cruiser is that this same property is also some of the easiest property for poor people to live on. From Scottish Pike to Sevier Avenue, locals don’t have to worry much about rising gas prices; some claim they don’t really even need a car. They can walk downtown to the courthouse or banks; they can walk to Baptist Hospital or to a couple of convenience stores. And some, for better or worse, fish in the river.

Water’s also more traditionally appealing to industry, chiefly for the heavy-duty transportation options it offers. Factories and warehouses have dominated much of the southside riverbank for decades. It has been a good place for industry over the years, partly because of its barge and railroad access, but partly just because until lately the land’s been cheap.

“Waterfront property is the best opportunity for a downtown to revitalize itself,” says Mike Edwards. “Water sells.”

If industry is unlikely in the long-range prospects for the south side, office buildings are a different story. Just a five-minute walk from the courthouse, several banks, and the region’s largest public library, the south bank would seem a natural for several sorts of business offices.

For the near future, we’re not likely to see anything dramatic, other than the six-story condos at the end of Scottish Pike, and possibly work on the glove factory on Blount. Haslam and others say the city is likely to concentrate on one side of Chapman Highway or the other to begin with, but won’t hazard a guess about which one that might be.

In the interests of full disclosure, we should point out that Brian Conley, the publisher of Metro Pulse, owns about five acres of the land under discussion, on which stand two warehouses. His brother Ron Conley owns another five-acre tract. A third brother, Mike Conley, with whom Brian Conley is not financially associated, owns about 20 acres, and has been involved in the discussions with the project; Mike Conley was out of the country and unavailable for comment.

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