On Tuesday, February 20, 2018, Keep Knoxville Beautiful hosted the annual Orchids Beautification Awards at the Standard, 416 West Jackson Avenue, Knoxville, TN. The event honored Knoxville’s most beautiful properties by presenting awards in six different categories: redesign / reuse, outdoor space, new architecture, public art, restaurant / café / bar / brewery, and environmental stewardship. Additionally, the Mary Lou Horner Award was presented, as well as the Felicia Harris Hoehne Award being presented for the second time this year.
The winner for redesign/reuse was The Tennessean. The winners for outdoor space were Baker Creek Preserve and the Marble Hall and Pavilion at Lakeshore Park. For public art, the winner was the Knoxville Zoo, and for new architecture, the winners were East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors. The winners for restaurant / café / bar / brewery were Elkmont Exchange and So Kno Taco. Lastly, the winner for environmental stewardship was the City of Knoxville Public Works Building.
The Mary Lou Horner Award was presented to the Knoxville Botanical Gardens and Arboretum.
City of Knoxville Public Service Director, Chad Weth, presented Fran Nichols with the Felicia Harris Hoehne Award. This is the second year this award has been presented and was created to honor a person who exemplifies KKB’s mission of making Knoxville a “clean, green, and beautiful” city.
Over 200 people attended the event, and guests enjoyed live music from the Old City Buskers, a silent auction, a specially brewed beer called “the Good Neighbor Orchid” provided by Balter Beerworks, additional drinks were provided by the Elkmont Exchange and Raddy’s Liquor Center. Post Modern Spirits provided a specialty cocktail called “the Orchid” for guest. The night’s guest speaker was Erin Gill, the City of Knoxville’s Sustainability Director.
Keep Knoxville Beautiful announced that the 2018-2019 “Community of the Year” will be North Knoxville. The 2017-2018 “Community of the Year” was East Knoxville, where KKB will continue to focus their efforts until June of 2018.
All proceeds from the Orchids Beautification Awards will go to benefit Keep Knoxville Beautiful’s education and beautification programs.
NOMINEES
Redesign/Reuse
• All Smiles Family Dental, the Asheville Highway Animal Clinic, Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum’s Mule Barn, Market Square Parking Garage Bathrooms, Master Dry, McMillan Flats, The Ely Building, The Park at Fountain City, The Prince Building, and The Tennessean.
Outdoor Space
• Baker Creek Preserve, the Cagle Terrace Garden, Fulton High School’s Garden, Marble Hall and Pavilion at Lakeshore Park, St. John's Cathedral Prayer Garden, and the Volunteer Boulevard Beautification.
New Architecture
• East Tennessee Children's Hospital Scripps Addition, Gastrointestinal Associates Medical Building, KCDC Senior Living: The Residences at Five Points, Knoxville Area Association of Realtors, the South Knoxville Elementary Library Entrance, and the Volunteer Boulevard Parking Garage.
Public Art
• Zoo Knoxville
Restaurant / Cafe / Bar / Brewery
• Elkmont Exchange, SoKno Taco Cantina, and Steamboat Central.
Environmental Stewardship
• City of Knoxville Public Works Complex and the Lakeshore Park Parking Lot