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Help save 11th St. Expresso House and Fort Kid

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:50 pm
by Scorptrio
Some of you may have heard, the city has plans to move or demolish all the victorian houses in the Fort and move Fort Kid, all to put up track housing. For many of us, the Expresso House is a second home. Over ten classes of UT students have enjoyed the atmosphere and events. I know none of you who love the Expresso House want it moved or demolished. Now is the time to make our views known. I'll post links and info as I find them. Here are the first I've found.

http://www.oldnorthknoxville.org/newsle ... ns11th.htm

Address of the Public Building Authority:

http://ktnpba.org/index.htm

Note from webmaster of oldnorthknoxville.org : One of the houses featured in the photographs accompanying the July 4, 2000 KNS article about front porches was the 11th Street Expresso House in the Fort Sanders neighborhood. According to the Worsham/Watkins plan for downtown, this is one of the seven houses slated to be "removed" from the neighborhood, along with the Fort Kid playground and all the surrounding trees, in order to build 88 condominums (click here to see an artist's rendition). On August 18, the KNS wrote an editorial opposing this part of the plan (click here to read this). Please contact the Public Building Authority at Downtown@ktnpba.org and members of City Council to express your view on this controversial element of the downtown redevelopment plan.

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 9:05 pm
by JaNell
Damn, beat me to it! :D

Email City Council Members

CITY COUNCIL
Council Members
Composed of nine members, City Council has six members elected from districts and three elected 'at-large' representing the entire city.
Cindy Mitchell and the staff of the City Recorder's Office supply assistance to City Council. Council members can be reached by phone through the City Recorder's Office at 865-215-2075 or fax at 865-215-4269 or by mail at City of Knoxville, P.O. Box 1631, Knoxville, TN 37901.[/url]

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 9:07 pm
by Vachy
That's horrible. I love 11th Street now, and have a lot of childhood memories from Fort Kid. Also, if they were moved it would destroy the atmosphere of the area. Sad. :cry:

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 9:19 pm
by JaNell
So write them ASAP. The decision will be made by the end of the month.

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 9:53 pm
by QueenOfTheFlock
I sent an e-mail with all of the addresses on it!

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 9:58 pm
by QueenOfTheFlock
Oops...that was supposed to say I sent an e-mail to all of the addresses ON that website

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:16 am
by jenna
Does anyone have an information source that is more up to date on this subject?

i love old victorian houses in general, and 11th St in particular, so i definately would like to do something about it.

However before writing a letter, it would be nice to have information on what is going on that is more current than the newsletter that is linked to on this thread from Aug. 2000. i just don't want to quote anything that is out of date and end up making things worse rather than better.

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 7:29 am
by JaNell
I'll be seeing the letter Loretta received, hopefully today, and getting info from that. I've also written Jack Neely about it and (YEAH!) the potential buyers for Pickle Mansion who want to restore it and get it on the National Historic Registry.

Making a big fuss based on inaccurate information does tend to cause problems, doesn't it?
:twisted:

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 9:41 am
by QueenOfTheFlock
Here are the two responses I received so far:

From Chris Woohull: Thank you for your concern. I appreciate your input. Please do not hesitate to write me again. Chris Woodhull

From Rob Frost: I am not aware of any desire to tear down these houses or move Fort Kid.
Where did this information come from?

thanks,

Rob Frost


Rob Frost responded to all. Granted, I sent this to ALL the people, whether it was the right district or not, so hopefully if other people over other districts didn't know about this, maybe they'll be on our side now that they know. I'm hoping anyway.

Oh, and I got a short "Thank You" from Joe D Bailey just now.

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:17 pm
by JaNell
After talking to two shop owners who received the letter, I've discovered two things:

1) The whole Victorian Houses/Ft. Kid area will be sold as one unit, if it's sold. This means that individuals shop owners like Loretta can't simply buy their house - they'd have to buy them all.

2) At least one person has been told that the decision has already been made, but that it won't be announced, even to shop owners, until the end of the month.

Email/write/call anyway.

The fact that Ft. Kid was created from public donations doesn't seem to have been taken into consideration, either.

meh

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 3:02 pm
by Scorptrio
I'm getting the sinking feeling that it's already too late. We were having a lot of fun and not paying attention to the future. I'm afraid we'll get the news at the end of the month that the demolishon and moving will begin soon. This is what you have to look forward to...

http://ktnpba.org/redevprop/bb1main.htm

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 3:37 pm
by QueenOfTheFlock
I hope it's not too late...there has to be SOMETHING we can do. :cry:

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 3:53 pm
by JaNell
Mayor Bill Haslam
Phone: 865-215-2040
Fax: 865-215-2085
mayor@cityofknoxville.org

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 4:45 pm
by Mother Mo
I don't know how much good it'll do, but I emailed him. This has me worried.

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 4:55 pm
by Sir Diddimus
The most recent news from the Mayor's office regarding the World's Fair Park......

http://www.ci.knoxville.tn.us/Press_Rel ... 4/0902.asp




I propose they sell the building to Loretta for $1 since they have not been keeping up with repairs, and it does not meet current building standards.....

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 5:36 pm
by JaNell
Mother Mo wrote:I don't know how much good it'll do, but I emailed him. This has me worried.


Sherby's not sure if her shop, Mountain Laurel Gallery in The Candy Factory, will be there past December (because of this), Mo.

11th Street

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 8:09 pm
by Nigredo
What the Hell. Those dirty damn city planners. :evil:

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 9:07 pm
by Spam
JaNell wrote:Mayor Bill Haslam
Phone: 865-215-2040
Fax: 865-215-2085
mayor@cityofknoxville.org


Hahahahahaha
Man that was funny, this is not a slight to you at all JaNell, I am all for saving this area, but Haslam is just like Ashe.

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 11:17 pm
by JaNell
Spam wrote:
JaNell wrote:Mayor Bill Haslam
Phone: 865-215-2040
Fax: 865-215-2085
mayor@cityofknoxville.org


Hahahahahaha
Man that was funny, this is not a slight to you at all JaNell, I am all for saving this area, but Haslam is just like Ashe.


I'm not taking it as a slight; I didn't vote for him, either! :twisted:

Maybe every e-mail should have "I VOTE" somewhere really big. :jazilla:

Or even, "Go ahead and give in or we will bitch you into insanity".

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 11:41 pm
by judas gnb
just saw the art work for future and personally i think its very pretty and a good idea but oh well thats neither here nor there if you have the need to hang out with coffee buy a coffee machine and go to each other houses