Construction has commenced on the historic Sanitary Laundry Building in North Knoxville, marking a significant achievement for Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) and the City of Knoxville. The building, located at 625 N. Broadway, has a storied past, operating as a dry cleaning business from 1925 until 1993. Due to chemical residues left behind, the site faced challenges for traditional resale and development.
The City of Knoxville acquired the property through a tax foreclosure in 2014 and handed it over to KCDC earlier this year. KCDC’s role was crucial in the remediation and redevelopment process. In 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provided $350,000 in Brownfield Grants for contamination remediation, a portion of which was allocated to this site. More information can be found here.
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KCDC secured an additional $500,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to address remaining hazards. The renovations will convert the two-story, 30,000-square-foot building into an architectural firm headquarters and commercial rental space.
Knoxville City Council approved payment-in-lieu-of-tax (PILOT) incentives for the project, making it financially viable. The building, characterized by its historic arched windows, is set to contribute to the revitalization of the North Knoxville corridor, in proximity to other developments like Emory Place and Axle Logistics headquarters.
The redevelopment will preserve the building’s historic character while accommodating modern commercial needs. McCarty Holsaple McCarty, the architecture firm spearheading the project, plans to occupy over half of the renovated space and make the remainder available for commercial tenants, with amenities such as a meeting room and community cafe.
Nathan Honeycutt, a principal at McCarty Holsaple McCarty, expressed enthusiasm for revitalizing the building and fostering a collaborative environment for local entrepreneurs. The firm aims to complete construction by fall 2025, with federal historic tax credits being sought to assist with renovation costs.
This project is one of many successful partnerships between KCDC and the City of Knoxville, which have previously included Market Square and World’s Fair Park redevelopments.
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