Metro Pulse/Urban Renewal

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Mechanicsville Commons

Homes range from 1260-1720 sq. ft
3 bdrm, 2 bath
3 bdrm, 2&1/2 bath
$81,000-$119,000
Contact: Lewis Holmes
Renaissance Realty
523-2688

by Matt Edens

I believe in America. Not in the bumper sticker, go-team kind of way that seems to be going around lately, but deep down, at the root level. E. Pluribus Unum—out of many, one. If a motley assortment of Pennsylvania Quakers, New England puritans, New York patroons, and Virginia planters—English and Dutch, German and French, Scots and Irish—could get past a couple centuries worth of whupping up on one another in the old country and come to think of themselves as Americans, I suspect that we can get past our current cultural conundrum. It's not that the left and right, rich and poor, black and white won't always be factors in the equation. It's just that at the end of the day the sum ought to work out to one—E. Pluribus Unum.

Yet how can our various ideologies, classes and races share a nation if they're not even willing to share a neighborhood? That, ultimately, is one of the ideas at the back of the New Urbanism movement. By embracing the notion of mixed-income, mixed-race, mixed-tenure neighborhoods, it's more than just an urban planning concept; it's a civics lesson as well. And few New Urbanist-inspired developments—resorts like Seaside in Florida or suburban enclaves like Kentlands outside D.C.—embody that idea better than Mechanicsville Commons, right here in Knoxville.

Funded in part by HUD's HOPE VI initiative, the plan is transforming a dysfunctional housing project—College Homes—into a thriving community combining lower and middle-income renters and homeowners. And before you libertarians out there start ranting about big government social engineering, stop for a moment, and look around the cul-de-sac. Then ponder things like single-use zoning, traffic engineering standards, FHA lending guidelines, and home interest deductibility. Modern American suburbia is the single biggest government social engineering program in history—except, that is, the American nation itself, founded July 4, 1776, after months of committee work—not to mention a national motto that sounds like something Mr. Spock would say on Star Trek.

But I digress, sort of. What made America work—or suburbia for that matter—was the sense of opportunity they both offered (whether they lived up to it or not). Mechanicsville Commons is no different. Don't believe me? Go see the transformation for yourself. And compare it with any other development in the county offering new homes in the $81,000 to $119,000 range (better yet, first try finding one). With their historic-inspired designs, attention to detail and spacious front porches, I doubt you'll find anything with as much charm, character, and grace as Mechanicsville Commons offers. And some features you only get in the priciest of suburban developments: like underground utilities and tree-lined streets with honest-to-God sidewalks.

There's no need to be Bob Villa and no trade-off in modern conveniences, either. These are brand new energy-efficient three bedroom homes with two or more baths, central heat and air, plenty of closet space, laundry rooms (washer and dryer furnished), and eat-in kitchens complete with refrigerator, range, dishwasher, and disposal, as well as plenty of cabinet space. And, as the site slopes up towards Knoxville College, several plans feature great views of downtown plus garages tucked underneath. They also have an unfinished bonus room (how's that for taking on suburbia?) complete with plumbing roughed in for an extra bath (even unfinished they offer plenty of space for your bikes, outdoor gear, and exercise equipment).

Buyers that meet certain income restrictions (under $41,600 for a family of four) may qualify for forgivable second-mortgage subsidies and down-payment assistance. Market-rate buyers can— at additional cost—customize interior finishes and fixtures, modify floor plans, even add rooms or garages.