Rollo Sullivan
Knoxville
Square Pegs for Square Holes
There are times in our lives when we know something big is about to happen. We can feel the tremors beneath our feet in Market Square even now—poised to become Knoxville's cultural heart and commercial hub.
Why is Market Square finding its voice now, after failing to reach its potential for so long? Not because of the interest of outside developers, I assure you. The renewed interest in the downtown is attributable to the city of Knoxville and its concerned citizens and neighbors.
Market Square doesn't need a single controlling developer to attain its potential. What Market Square needs is the city to become more directly involved with the Square's current landowners, to set timelines for the renovations that must occur, and to see that those timelines are meet.
What Market Square needs is a board, chosen from current owners of its buildings and from the city of Knoxville's support structures, to facilitate private development.
What Market Square needs is a verbalized and conceptualized vision of Market Square in keeping with its historic and cultural significance.
What Market Square needs are guidelines and rules under which it will live and grow—not stifle and limit. For example, tenants might have to meet standards in order to locate on the Square, minimum hours of operation might be set, and building owners might be required to match city funds in order to market the Square adequately.
What Market Square needs is a multi-pronged approach to bringing more people downtown; residents, locals, conventioneers and tourists.
A major developer working downtown makes sense for projects like the Convention Center and the proposed Universe Knoxville planetarium.
Market Square, however, does not need a single major developer to achieve its potential.
Neither does Market Square need to emulate and compete with Knoxville's Historic Old City as a late night or entertainment district.
Development could be occurring on Market Square by local private developers right now. (We know. We'd be doing some of it.) But privately funded development on Market Square won't occur while property seizures and multi-year closures of its space are threatened.
Market Square needs more than a single outside developer targeting tourists to succeed. It needs Knoxvillians to support and visit it too. It needs real stakeholders in the downtown's future. Real investors who rent living spaces, real people who put their own hard-earned dollars into buying and developing their own living spaces.
Earth to Old City is prepared and waiting to begin renovating its property at 18-20 Market Square. Having spent most of a decade in downtown Knoxville, we feel we know something about the consciousness of downtown life. Having grown Earth to Old City from one location in Knoxville's Historic Old City, to three locations, as well as Internet and print catalogs, we feel we understand something about the retail economy downtown and its possibilities. Having served on Knoxville's Historic Old City Association and having survived the roller coaster ride that has been the downtown's recent history, we feel we understand something about the downtown neighborhood, and about succeeding in difficult times.
Market Square doesn't need a developer who can walk away—paid—if his vision fails. Market Square needs developers who will succeed because their lives are invested in downtown Knoxville, whose sweat and money have gone into their buildings. Market Square needs local developers supported by their government with low-interest loans, grants, guidelines, and guidance. It needs players whose only team and only vision is Knoxville's Market Square.
Just look at it. Walk through it. Market Square is already a perfect space. Let us fix up its historic buildings, put our businesses inside, and our beds upstairs. Then, Market Square will be a perfect place—historic, eclectic, unique and vibrant—Knoxville's cultural hub.
Scott West
Knoxville
