Congratulations to all the nominees and award winners honored last week by Keep Knoxville Beautiful with its 38th annual Orchids Beautification Awards.
The City is especially proud that the Augusta Avenue entrance to Fort Dickerson Park and Augusta Quarry was recognized as the winner in the Outdoor Space category.
From L to R: Andrea Bailey-Cox (Aslan Foundation), Rebekah Jane Montgomery (City Urban Wilderness Coordinator), Brandon Pace (Sanders Pace Architecture), Sheryl Ely (City Parks and Recreation Director), Alanna McKissack (Keep Knoxville Beautiful), Jessica Rodocker (Keep Knoxville Beautiful Board President)
A $1.77 million project, completed last fall, greatly improved Augusta Quarry access while enhancing the design and landscaping of one of the City’s most beautiful natural spaces. Great team collaboration with Aslan Foundation, Sanders Pace Architecture, PORT Urbanism, Vaughn and Melton Consulting Engineers, and Design and Construction Services Inc.! The Aslan Foundation funded the Augusta Avenue entrance’s expansive design and contributed $330,000 toward construction.
Improvements include a gateway with stone walls, a paved parking lot and infrastructure to support future phases that improve the quarry lake. Construction crews also planted native trees, shrubs and perennials that complement the existing forestry.
Other projects honored by Keep Knoxville Beautiful were supported by the City of Knoxville.
Market Square Garage mural, created by Addison Karl and a team of local artists, unveiled in 2019.
The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway, and the Embassy Suites on Gay Street were winners in the Redesign / Reuse category. (The Press Room partnered with the City on a Commercial Facade Grant, and the downtown hotel was approved for Payment in Lieu of Taxes assistance that closed the financing gap and made the project financially viable. Investment by Embassy Suites increased the building's value from $6.5 million to $27.5 million, which will correlate into a proportional increase in property taxes generated when the PILOT ends.)
Similarly, The Crozier in the Old City was recognized as a co-winner in the New Architecture category. (The Crozier received assistance in closing the financing gap through a Tax Increment Financing agreement. The private investment represents a 15-fold increase in valuation and eventual tax generation.)
In addition, artist Addison Karl and a team of local painters created a 300-foot-long mural on the wall of the Market Square Garage. It was funded by the City through the Public Art Committee. The mural won in the Public Art category.