Knoxville residents will have an opportunity next week to see - and comment on - the proposed designs for the first phase of public improvements on the South Waterfront Project.

The public meeting will be at 6 p.m., Tuesday, November 13, 2007, at the Kerbela Shriners Temple at 315 Mimosa Avenue and will be moderated by Dave Hill, senior director of the South Waterfront Development.

"We're in a critical stage of the South Waterfront process and we want feedback from our citizens," said Mayor Bill Haslam, "and this meeting will give them a chance to let us know what they like.""We're making progress and intend to get some projects started in 2008," he added. "These first projects will set the tone for the quality of design and character consistent with the Vision Plan and we want to get as much input as we can."The meeting will provide the first opportunity for public review of draft designs for projects to be considered for construction during the next five years including:

the Cityview Riverwalk and Blount Avenue streetscape, Knoxville Shoals Promenade Riverwalk (in front of Baptist Hospital) the western segment of River Road, River Plain Park and Lincoln Street Sevier Avenue/Gay Street road improvements Henley Gateway Goose Creek Landing Cherokee Trail Underpass Island Home Avenue realignment The University of Tennessee Pedestrian Bridge

All of the proposed projects were recommended in the city's South Waterfront Vision Plan and Action Plan, adopted by the Knoxville City Council in 2006. The meeting format will include an open house from 6-6:30 p.m. followed by a presentation by the city's consultant team, Hargreaves Associates, for the South Waterfront that will include draft schematic designs for the Phase I Public Improvements.Those in attendance will also be able to examine several displays of possible construction materials, lighting fixtures and other items to help them visualize how the designs might look. Comment forms will be available.Hargreaves directed the project designs under a contract that began in May of 2007 and runs through February of 2008. As part of that agreement the firm will prepare the applications for the necessary environmental permits for the various projects.The design work was based on fieldwork conducted by several local subcontractors including design firms, Benefield-Richters and Ross/Fowler and the engineering firms of Cannon & Cannon and Wilbur Smith Associates.Once the project designs the individual projects will be selected for final design and construction based on available funding.For more information about next week's meeting or the South Waterfront Development please contact Dave Hill at 215-3764.