Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) invites community members to an open house to learn about input gathered so far and provide additional feedback to shape the master plan for the revitalization of its Austin Homes property.
Residents and community members ask questions and share input as part of the master planning process for the Austin Homes site at an open house at Green Magnet Academy on Feb. 5. Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation and its master planning team of Gensler and Johnson Architecture invite the public to a second open house on Feb. 27 to learn about input gathered so far and to provide additional feedback to help shape the master plan for the nearly 23-acre Austin Homes site, which is located just east of downtown Knoxville.
The open house will be held Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 4:30-7 p.m., at Green Magnet Academy, 801 Lula Powell Drive. Austin Homes residents, stakeholders and community members are encouraged to attend the event, which is a continuation of the master planning process that started in December.
Established in 1941, Austin Homes is a nearly 23-acre site located just east of downtown Knoxville. KCDC plans to replace the existing affordable housing on the site, while adding a mix of housing choices for families and individuals of varied income levels and other appropriate non-residential uses.
“We are encouraged by the community engagement in the master planning process for Austin Homes,” KCDC Executive Director and CEO Ben Bentley said. “We look forward to sharing what the planning team has learned so far and gathering additional input that will shape the master plan for the Austin Homes site.”
At the Feb. 27 open house, KCDC’s design team of Gensler, a global architecture firm based in San Francisco, and Knoxville-based Johnson Architecture will provide an overview of the master planning process and a summary of initial input gathered from Austin Homes residents and community stakeholders. Attendees will be able to share with members of the design team additional input on the redevelopment possibilities for the Austin Homes site and surrounding areas.
Following analyses of current conditions and the market – and also several rounds of community input – KCDC anticipates finalizing a master plan for the site in mid-2019. KCDC is pursuing Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and private financing to support the first phase of redevelopment.
For updates on the Austin Homes master plan development, visit the Austin Homes Revitalization section.