Unveiling The Renaissance of South Knox

Growing up in Knoxville, I have been fortunate to have countless experiences on the Tennessee River around Downtown Knoxville. Boating to Boomsday, the Vol Navy, and many summer nights sitting on a boat with friends in the shadow of downtown has always caused me to appreciate the uniqueness of our city and its connection to the river. Going back to my childhood, I vividly remember wondering why the areas to the South of downtown sat undeveloped and largely industrial – even then I could visualize what a vibrant South Knoxville waterfront would mean for our city. I often remember hearing about the “psychological divide” that kept people from venturing across the river to South Knoxville.

Fast forward 20 years, the momentum, excitement, and energy around the South Knoxville waterfront are palpable. Gone are the days when people didn’t want to venture “over the bridge”; today the area has become one of the most dynamic, energetic areas of Knoxville. Dominion, along with many other developers, businessowners, and community leaders, has been fortunate to play a role in the renaissance of the area. It has been a joy and a privilege for our company to be able to play our part in the remaking of the South Knoxville waterfront, and we truly believe the best is yet to come for this unique area of town.

Our company received its first opportunity to invest in South Knoxville in 2014 with the development of River’s Edge Apartments, a 134-unit multi-family community located at the entrance of the historic Island Home neighborhood. While we encountered understandable skepticism from friends, lenders, and other parties regarding our early investments in South Knoxville, we remained steadfast in our belief in the potential of the area. By working closely with local stakeholders and leveraging our expertise, we were able to overcome initial challenges and pave the way for significant growth and revitalization. Working with the City of Knoxville, we transformed what was once a petroleum storage yard into a vibrant community featuring a remaking of Island Home Avenue and an 800-foot Riverwalk, which we built on behalf of the city as a new public amenity. As you might expect now, the response to the project was remarkable, and River’s Edge served as an important catalyst for much of the development momentum we see in the area today, as it proved developing housing in South Knoxville was not only economically viable but highly desired due to its connectivity to downtown Knoxville and all the amenities South Knoxville has to offer.

Spurred by our success with River’s Edge, our company began looking for additional opportunities to bring much-needed housing and retail space to the area. We were quickly presented with a second unique opportunity, a 2.5-acre site at the corner of Sevier Avenue and Davenport Road. The site was covered in several small industrial buildings in disrepair, but our team was able to quickly go to work creating something new for the Sevier Avenue retail corridor – a mixed-use housing and retail project now known as City South, which features 122 apartment units, and when combined with our acquisition of the historic 700 Sevier Avenue building, includes several vibrant retail tenants. City South features urban, loft-style residences in an amenity-rich environment and has been an enormous success. We were also fortunate to work with the City of Knoxville on this project to begin the first phase of the road and sidewalk improvements which will continue to move Sevier Avenue forward as a thriving retail and entertainment thoroughfare.

Around the same time, we were presented with an opportunity to work with the Conley family to acquire and develop property they had spent years assembling near the waterfront. Kelly and Mike Conley worked with the city to assemble and help provide some of the land that would comprise the new Suttree Landing Park and had a deep desire to see a landmark development on their site to honor its importance as a centerpiece of the South Knoxville waterfront area. Nationally renowned architecture firm Sanders Pace Architecture was engaged to create a site design and plan, as all parties involved desired to honor the site with architecture not typical for a mixed-use community. Our team worked diligently with the City of Knoxville to develop a plan for public/private partnership to construct and develop the necessary roads and sidewalks. Nearly 5 years after beginning planning and design work on this landmark project, Dominion proudly released the first units of South Banks at Suttree Landing in the summer of 2023. The project is expected to complete by Spring of 2024, bringing 230 high-end, waterfront residential units, bespoke amenities including a resort-style saltwater pool, bike and kayak storage, co-working spaces, weight and cardio studios, a rooftop entertainment venue, and two retail spaces fronting Suttree Landing Park.

Beyond our physical investments, our company has had the pleasure and privilege of making strategic investments behind other organizations who add to the fabric of this area. Our most prominent investments have been with South Knoxville Elementary School. This school, situated on Sevier Avenue, stands as a shining example of what a well-led, well-resourced school can achieve. Led by Dr. Tanna Nicely, South Knoxville Elementary has served the children of the South Knoxville waterfront area by continually improving its outcomes for students and was recently one of only a handful of elementary schools in Knox County to receive an “A” grade from the Tennessee Department of Education. Our team has passionately supported the school since 2019, contributing to physical, operational, and volunteer needs of the school, and it has been a joy to watch the school thrive as the neighborhood gains new life and traction.

One of the core beliefs of our company is that we have a responsibility to take great care as we approach development in an area, knowing that our work needs to reflect our core commitments as a company. These commitments, Constancy, Collaboration, Generosity, Resilience, and Conviction, are all on display in the work we have been fortunate to do in South Knoxville. We exhibit Constancy by being committed to more than just short-term profits; our focus is on creating sustainable value and fostering positive growth in the communities we serve. Our aim is to be an example of Collaboration in the way we work with municipalities, neighbors, local businesses, and residents. We pursue opportunities for Generosity to support organizations who serve the areas in which we work and to create spaces for public good. Our team exhibits the Resilience necessary to do the tasks, efforts, and projects that are hard, knowing that the best things often are difficult. Above all, in all things, we have the Conviction to do what is right and pursue projects that will be both successful and additive to the communities we serve.

To date, our company has invested approximately $125 million in the South Knoxville waterfront, and we are excited to continue our investment behind the people, businesses, schools, and non-profits that make this area of town so special. Look for additional announcements from Dominion in 2024 as we continue our work making the South Knoxville waterfront the place to live, work, and play.

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- Mark Taylor, CEO of Dominion