KCDC Seeks Teams for Knoxville South Waterfront Redevelopment

The Knoxville Community Development Corporation is seeking teams to redevelop a South Waterfront site under the Down River master plan, moving the project into a developer-selection phase rather than construction.

The solicitation advances a redevelopment vision for Knoxville’s South Waterfront that includes walkable, mixed-use development, public amenities, green space and river access. The plan is intended to strengthen connections among South Knoxville neighborhoods, the Tennessee River and downtown Knoxville.

A new step for the South Waterfront plan

KCDC’s request for redevelopment teams follows a Down River master plan that was developed in 2025 and approved by Knoxville City Council in 2026. The city and KCDC describe the effort as a Knoxville redevelopment initiative centered on the neighborhood, riverfront and downtown connections.

The current action is a procurement step. KCDC is seeking teams that could take on redevelopment of the South Waterfront site, but the approved information does not say that a developer has been selected. It also does not establish that construction has begun.

The reviewed announcement does not give a final developer-selection date. That means the next known stage is the evaluation and selection process, with additional project details dependent on the outcome of that process.

Community input shaped the vision

The redevelopment vision is based on community input. In 2023, the city and KCDC helped form the South Waterfront Advisory and Advocacy Group, known as SWAAG, with nearly 40 residents, business owners and community leaders.

That group’s involvement provides the community context for the Down River plan. The stated goals go beyond adding buildings: They include making the area more walkable, creating mixed-use development, improving access to the Tennessee River, adding green space and providing other public amenities.

For South Knoxville, the proposed connections could affect how the neighborhood relates to the river and downtown. The city’s stated vision also places public spaces and river access alongside private or mixed-use redevelopment, although the available announcement does not identify the final design or the specific improvements that will be built.

What remains unknown

The solicitation is not a completed construction approval for every element of the redevelopment. The Down River master plan sets out the approved planning framework, while the team-selection process will determine who may advance the project.

The announcement does not provide a total project cost, a housing or commercial unit count, or a construction start date. It also does not identify a final developer. Those details remain unresolved as KCDC moves through the solicitation process.

KCDC’s redevelopment portfolio includes downtown, residential, restaurant, retail and business projects in Knoxville. For the South Waterfront site, however, the immediate change is narrower and specific: KCDC is asking qualified teams to come forward for a redevelopment effort guided by the Down River plan and shaped in part by local community input.