:cheers: http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_5552324,00.html

This is good news. I hope it gets built.:D

Very good looking tower :okay: Great work, g-man!!!

^^I'm jealous that Knoxville and Asheville can get stuff like this proposed, but Greenville can't. :lol:

Good news for Knoxville :) I could see Mobile getting a tower like this... very unlikely for Augusta :tongue2:

^^I'm jealous that Knoxville and Asheville can get stuff like this proposed, but Greenville can't. :lol:

I wonder why... Georgia has a similar problem, that I've mentioned before. Atlanta of course can get towers of any kind. Try getting a decent highrise in Augusta, Savannah, Columbus or Macon. Whatever we do get is ugly, and never more than 20 stories.

Of course SC has Myrtle Beach, but besides that and Columbia, there just aren't too many highrises in SC. Greenville has one or two, Spartanburg has one, but the rest of the state is mostly low-rise.

Nice!
http://mas.scripps.com/KNS/2007/05/23/0524bid1e_w500.jpg

very nice project!

I wonder why... Georgia has a similar problem, that I've mentioned before. Atlanta of course can get towers of any kind. Try getting a decent highrise in Augusta, Savannah, Columbus or Macon. Whatever we do get is ugly, and never more than 20 stories.

Of course SC has Myrtle Beach, but besides that and Columbia, there just aren't too many highrises in SC. Greenville has one or two, Spartanburg has one, but the rest of the state is mostly low-rise.

I agree with that! You think by now that Columbus or Augusta would have built some new highrises, especially since these two cities have seen tremendous growth over the last 10 years. Great tower Knoxville!

^^Gay and Church? :lol: Wow. :lol:

hahahaha, what an oxymoron.

Nice looking tower. Hope it gets built. :)

Any new news ?

^^ Yeah, that's what I would love to know. :yes:

My sources tell me that this will break ground in Q1 of 2008. Plus, a bit more from the local papers:

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/business/article/0,1406,KNS_376_5584802,00.html

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/jun/26/sentinel-tower-project-receives-tax-break/

Very cool! :yes: Thanks for the update. :yes: :)

http://media.knoxnews.com/kns/content/img/photos/2007/06/13/0614tower1_e.jpg

A very nice addition to the city and it's skyline, IMHO. :yes: :)

Maybe we spoke a little too soon. I did a little bit of more indepth research on this project and this is the last article concerning it:

Prime parcel may stay put
County rethinks plans to sell downtown property
By Josh Flory (Contact)
Thursday, September 6, 2007

A prime piece of downtown property may not be sold after all.

Knox County Commissioners last week set aside a measure that would have paved the way for a sale of several parcels just north of the State Street Parking Garage.

The 4-acre property is one of three downtown sites the county has considered selling in recent months. A private development group plans to build a 21-story tower on a lot at State Street and Church Avenue that was formerly home to the News Sentinel, while county Mayor Mike Ragsdale has also floated the idea of selling the Andrew Johnson building, at 912 S. Gay St.

For now, a sale of the State Street site — which is bounded by Commerce and Union avenues, and State and South Central streets — appears to be off the table.

The site had previously been considered for a city transit center or a new county jail. In an interview, Commissioner Frank Leuthold said that if the site is sold, a downtown jail “goes out the window.”

“We don’t know that we will not be needing that site,” he said.

Asked for comment, Ragsdale wrote in an e-mail response: “With the heightened interest in downtown redevelopment, we felt it was a good time to put the State Street property back on the tax rolls. But if the commissioners feel it should be held in reserve in case the county ever needs it, that’s certainly their prerogative and we support their position.”

The State Street site would likely be attractive to developers if it were put on the market. It is only steps away from some of downtown’s most prominent redevelopment projects, such as the Mast General Store at 402 S. Gay St.,

and the new downtown movie theater in the 500 block of Gay Street.

On the other hand, the spot is bounded by parking garages on two sides, and by the James White Parkway on another side.

Developer Wayne Blasius, whose Phoenix building is located at 418 S. Gay St., wrote in an e-mail message that the site is the best opportunity downtown for a major mixed-use development when the market is ready.

“ ‘Land banking’ this property benefits not just downtown, but all of Knox County taxpayers, so that we have a great site to offer a Fortune 500 company or other significant development that may come along,” Blasius said.” Under-utilizing this site by building a too-small project there in the short run takes it out of inventory for something really special in the future.”

Business writer Josh Flory may be reached at 865-342-6994.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.

http://media.knoxnews.com/kns/content/img/photos/2007/09/05/statestreetmap0906_t600.jpg

:( So, it may not happen. :(

Actually, the site of the Sentinel Tower is one block south of this property on the other side of the State Street Garage. If you look at the picture, Sentinel will go on the property in green, a portion of which is seen at bottom. Knoxville wants to market the property in pink to a developer for another large project, preferably residential and office like Sentinel.

The sale of the Sentinel property has been approved by Council along with the tax package.

Really? :? :? Well, that's cool then. :yes: You know, one of the articles said, "Sentinel Towers. Not tower. Was there a second tower proposed? :?

Really? :? :? Well, that's cool then. :yes: You know, one of the articles said, "Sentinel Towers. Not tower. Was there a second tower proposed? :?

If that's the official name, it may be because it's considered two towers (one on top of the other). I do know that the top floors are to be residential while the bottom floors will be office space. Retail on street. I'm not familiar with the details of this project, just what I've picked up regarding financing.

I highly doubt you will see this highrise get built due to the economy right now. Look no further then to where I live for proof. Over 10 highrises have been proposed here in Greenville over the last 10 years and only one has been built.

Actually, the site of the Sentinel Tower is one block south of this property on the other side of the State Street Garage. If you look at the picture, Sentinel will go on the property in green, a portion of which is seen at bottom. Knoxville wants to market the property in pink to a developer for another large project, preferably residential and office like Sentinel.

The sale of the Sentinel property has been approved by Council along with the tax package.

That's good to hear. But why is the city considering a downtown jail on prime development land?

Good question. I'm not overly familiar with the leaders' opinions of that site, but from what I've learned through my branch affiliate manager of East TN, the prison is not a popular option even with them. It's simply because they own the property. FYI: I've learned that Knoxville has just recently discovered the potential of its downtown.

To Gman's point about these projects being canceled, I can't say with certainty that any of them will be built. However, I will say that the Knoxville market is my bank's fastest growing large market --- even more than Nashville which is growing like a weed. It's so under the radar, but there have been tons of business relo and expansions in the last five years. Our market data predict that Knoxville will have just under 200,000 residents and the county will have 430,000 in 2010. The metro area will have over 800,000. And our data show the growth to accelerate in the next 5 years. We're showing a population in the six county metro of 1 million by 2017. So the growth appears to be there.

Now on the potential downside, there is more than 1 million square feet of office space under development, and market wide vacancy of 8%. So it's a bit high, but the west side fills up everything that gets built. It might help to bear in mind that Knoxville is still a third-tier market, and it did not experience an overbuilt residential market. There was no bubble. Still, there is the effect of the national slowdown. We'll just have to see.

As a banker who is responsible for looking ahead in such projects, I'd say the timing looks good for both of these buildings. I am not involved in either of them. Still, they'll come online in late 2009 and early 2010. They are each more than a third spoken for and in the case of the Fountains, another third is committed in office condo sales. So the basis looks good for that one. The Sentinel has a lot of public support behind it with tif and the extra padding of condos. And Knoxville does not have 10 or 12 other large projects like these announced either. So I give both of them a very good chance.

I'd also say that there are more dissimiliarities between Greenville and Knoxville than similarities. To my surprise, I've learned that Knoxville is very white collar.

knoxville, you never fail to amaze me :ohno:

^ Is this g-man ?

^ Is this g-man ?

In your dreams yes. In real life no. :) The link that forum member gave doesn't even work. :nuts: