Georgia-based development firm Blanchard & Calhoun announced an estimated $120 million plan to develop the former Baptist Hospital site in South Knoxville this morning.  The commercial development firm has had the property under contract since 2012 and announced this morning plans to level the former Baptist building except for the office tower currently occupied by Tennova. The development firms plans to then construct a hotel and 2 condominium/apartment complexes on the site. The proposed development will also include retail space.

“Finally we have the answer to the former Baptist hospital site. This is a game changer not only for South Knoxville but for all of Knoxville. This will be the catalyst for more development and the amenities such as restaurants and more retail that South Knoxville starves for,” stated Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis.

No stranger to the Knoxville area, Blanchard & Calhoun also developed Brooklawn Village in Farragut which is anchored by the 200,000 SF Kroger Marketplace in 2009. Tenants of that particular site include PetCo, Firehouse Subs, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Great Clips, Spring, China Pearl, Elite Nails, Wow Massage, CeCe’s Yogurt, KoKo Fitclub, Little Gym, and Pinnacle Bank. They were also responsible for the new Kroger location at Cedar Bluff in West Knoxville.

The project mean long-anticipated momentum for the highly touted South Waterfront Vision Plan adopted by the City in 2006. The plan describes a long-term improvement strategy for an approximate 750-acre area fronting the 3-mile shoreline of the Tennessee River, directly south of downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

“I am so excited for all my constituents in South Knoxville,” Pavlis added.

Tasha Mahurin reporting…