History
Market Street in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, has been a commercial center since the mid-1800s when local farmers brought their wares to sell at this central location. Early photographs of this area show a long shed-type building surrounded by horse-drawn wagons and carts.

In 1897, the city built a large Victorian-style Market House between the existing buildings. Flanked by paving on both sides, the area was first filled with wagons and carts, and then with automobiles, a testimony to the longevity of this thriving commercial center. Unfortunately, the Market House burned in 1959 and was eventually torn down in 1960, but continuing commercial activity spawned the construction of new buildings that line both sides of the square as it appears today. Market Square was subsequently added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Early Planning
Around 2000, development pressure led the City of Knoxville to take a fresh look at the site. The declining Market Square reflected the decline of the downtown area in general. The city considered redevelopment as critical to the revitalization of downtown Knoxville and the restoration of what had become multiple underutilized and vacant buildings was a key element in the renewal plan. Through the city's redevelopment agency, Knoxville's Community Development Corporation (KCDC), the Historic Market Square Redevelopment and Urban Renewal Plan was prepared. The plan considered three major components: the buildings that frame the Square, the open space between the buildings, and the need for parking that would support the revitalized area.

 
The redesign anticipated that renovation and rehabilitation of the buildings would include the preservation and restoration of the historic architectural fa????ades, so financial assistance was provided for a fa????ade improvement program.

The success of the plan, in part, was the creation of a meaningful public-private cooperation that facilitated a timely and coordinated redevelopment effort. To implement the various improvements envisioned, a "coordinating developer" was selected. This developer worked with the city and private property owners to develop the plan that gave existing property owners the option of rehabilitating their property themselves or making it available to the coordinating developer for redevelopment.

Design Redevelopment Process Event
Over time, the configuration of previous open-space designs had contributed to the area becoming a haven for the homeless, so redefining the public open space was vital to the project success in the eyes of the public. The renovated Market Square was envisioned as a new pedestrian mall which included concrete canopies fronting the buildings on either side of a central open space, a shelter, and public restrooms for agricultural merchants who continued to sell produce in the traditional merchant space.

One of the early activities undertaken in the redevelopment process was a public design charrette for the public realm open space of the Square. The event, conducted in cooperation with the City of Knoxville and KCDC staff, the University of Tennessee architecture faculty, the coordinating developer, and Ross/Fowler landscape architects, was well attended and resulted in three separate concepts. These concepts were reviewed by the event participants, and at that point, a consensus concept was selected.

Final Design Plan
The final design of the public open space was a refinement of the selected concept. It included saving existing trees at the south end of the Square that was originally planted as part of the
1960 plan. Public realm improvements included a new covered stage, new paving, decorative lighting, fountains, street furniture, plantings, lawns, and environmental graphics.

The new stage design is open on all sides. This design accommodates performances but also becomes a public open space between events. The floor of the Square is detailed in a geometric pattern of custom concrete with four different finishes reminiscent of European plazas. Interpretive markers placed in the pavement recount the history of the Square and include quotes from such native Knoxville authors as Cormack McCarthy and James Agee. The multi-purpose venue is host to a re-invigorated farmers market, concerts, and events of all sorts.

A key element of the plan was the establishment of a 10' zone at the front of the buildings where businesses were allowed to obtain an easement from the City of Knoxville to conduct business in this zone. The plethora of outdoor caf???(C)s that line Market Square is a testament to the success of this easement program as outdoor dining spaces now enliven the place and offer a plethora
of social opportunities.

Finally, the plan called for the construction of a new parking garage on the site of an existing surface parking lot on the west side of the site to provide the parking resources needed to create a successful destination. With that, the effort successfully revitalized Market Square and made it, once again, a thriving, nationally recognized commercial center.