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Brother, Can You Spare a Hotel?
by Matt Edens
Depending on whom you ask, Downtown Knoxville is either a hotel short or it’s way too early to consider building a new one. The question is largely moot at this point, since the voters have spoken, forbidding the use of city tax dollars on a new hotel. Whether or not the voters have inadvertently signed a blank check made out to one Franklin Haney, however, remains to be seen.
Personally I’m not in too much of a hurry to exercise either option. I’m rather skeptical that—whatever the name on the marquee—downtown Knoxville’s future depends on either a new or expanded chain hotel. But, then, I’m what the biz would consider a “niche” traveler. Bed and breakfasts and historic or boutique hotels tend to get my tourism dime. Which is tough to do in this town.
There’s one small boutique hotel, the Saint Oliver on Market Square, which was originally Peter Kern’s bakery and confectionery. And, while what were once Knoxville’s two flagship hotels—the Farragut and Andrew Johnson—still stand, both are now office buildings. And, while the Maplehurst Inn squeaked by since it was on commercially-zoned real estate, bed and breakfasts in the residential areas you’d find in most cities were illegal until quite recently. Which is too bad.
In cities across the country, bed and breakfasts have been a useful revitalization tool in center-city historic districts. Nearby Asheville’s Bed and Breakfast Association (www.ashevillebba.com) has 18 member inns, and doesn’t include all of the city’s B&Bs. And the inns, many of which are adjacent to downtown in the Montford historic district, are both a symptom and cause of downtown Asheville’s revival.
Lately, thanks to the efforts of Knox Heritage, and several historic neighborhood organizations, Knoxville has finally allowed residential B&Bs in H-1 Overlay zones.
And the Brimer House Inn at the corner of Glenwood and Armstrong in Old North Knoxville is the first one out of the gate. Innkeepers Dave Whaley and Tomica Miller are old hands when it comes to old houses, active for many years in both Old North and Fourth and Gill. It shows, too. The Inn, built in 1909 as the home of building contractor Wilson Brimer (who built the Miller’s Building and the Blount County Courthouse), has been beautifully restored with original electric and gas light fixtures, ornate radiators, reproduction wallpaper and original hand-painted frescoes uncovered under 13 layers of wallpaper in the dining room. The three guest rooms all have private baths—one with an original claw foot tub—and period antique furnishings. Other amenities include a full gourmet breakfast and complementary airport shuttle.
Best of all, it didn’t cost the city taxpayers a dime.
August 26, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 35
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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