Council clears zoning steps for St. Mary's campus redevelopment, including protection of historic hospital building

Knoxville City Council approved two zoning ordinance changes intended to advance redevelopment of the former St. Mary's hospital campus, allowing higher-density housing in portions of the site while preserving special-purpose and overlay protections and a historic building.

Council considered two items (12c and 12d) to change base zoning on parcels around the St. Mary's campus from institutional (INST) to RN6 and from INST to RN4 for adjacent parcels. Supporters, KCDC representatives and neighborhood leaders said the changes would allow a financially viable redevelopment that also preserves the historic hospital building and creates new housing and green-space connections.

Ben Bentley of the Knoxville Community Development Corporation (KCDC) told council that preservation of the historic St. Mary's building was a consistent theme in community meetings, that preservation increases project cost but is a priority for the district and neighborhood stakeholders. "We're committed to that," Bentley said, adding that the RN6/RN4 zoning approach provides a development framework to enable preservation and deliver housing that can be compatible with neighboring blocks.

Councilmember Thomas and other councilmembers noted the parcel mix on the 8-acre site includes public-safety facilities, medical and educational services, and that the zoning changes would support a mix of housing types with stepped-down density along neighborhood edges. Council voted to approve both rezoning items.

Council members emphasized continued neighborhood engagement, transportation and green-space planning for the campus and said staff will continue to coordinate with KCDC and neighborhood leaders on next steps.