Sat
Mar 28 2026
10:48 am
Kerbela Shriners Site Development Proposal Meetings Announced
By: jlynn

There will be two meetings next week regarding the Kerbela Shriners site. The meetings are:

Wednesday, April 1, 6pm - 7:30pm
Kerbela Shriner's Headquarters
315 Kerbela
Refreshments will be provided by CR Endeavors.

Thursday, April 2, 8:30am - 10am
Kern's Food Hall
2201 Kerns Rising Way
Light breakfast provided by CR Endeavors.

The time and date and location of meetings was selected by CR Endeavors, the developer proposing the project for the Kerbela Temple site.

Both of these meetings are intended to introduce the project, to answer questions, and to hear the community's feedback and input.

Some additional facts to share:

1 - This is not a City-led project. This is a private developer. CR Endeavors is from Birmingham, AL and have been working with the Kerbela owners.

2 - CR Endeavors originally had a spot on the Planning Commission agenda for April 9th, for their project's review and potential approval/denial. They have agreed to postpone for one month to engage with the public.

3 - You can access the files for the project draft in advance of the meeting here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11H5BbA_OyX8XOkWWkwXwsE4iPeKYgD3W
Thanks to John Cadotte of the South Waterfront Advisory Group for setting up the shareable file space.

4 - The site sits in two different zones of the Southwaterfront's form-based code - SW-6 and SW-5. The proposal, as it is drafted now, will require several variances from the South Waterfront form-based code. You can access the form-based code here:
https://library.municode.com/tn/knoxville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=APXBZOCO_ART7FOSECODI_7.1SWSOWAZODI

5 - The overall idea of the proposal is to develop an apartment property for the 55+ active-senior demographic. To be clear (as some folks have been confused when hearing this demographic), this is not a "retirement community" or "continuity of care" community.

Please come to one or both of the meetings next week and engage with the developers, ask questions, and give this proposal some serious thought. The Kerbela site is one of our City's most incredible views and sits at the terminus of one of our most important arteries, Gay Street. Your voice and engagement make a difference.

Topics:
bizgrrl's picture

I wish there could be more

Submitted by bizgrrl on Sat, 2026/03/28 - 1:04pm.

I wish there could be more walkable communities developed. Walkable meaning walking access to grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, etc. within a quarter mile or less.

Is there such a community in the Knoxville area?

Up Goose Creek's picture

Walkable

Submitted by Up Goose Creek on Sun, 2026/03/29 - 8:43am.
(in reply to bizgrrl)

Bubba will remember when Sevier Avenue had a White Stores, drug store & pharmacy. Not sure about restaurants.

North Shore town center is designed with walkability in mind. There are a few other nodes where one can walk to services. I'm thinking Bearden, Chapman at Young High, Magnolia east of Burlington, and the vicinity of both Krogers on Broadway. Problem is the busy traffic running through hinders the walking experience. But the traffic is needed to bring enough customers to the stores.

Happy Holler is a node where it is pleasant to walk and Burlington has that potential, but they won't be home to all the commercial services.

bizgrrl's picture

I, too, remember Sevier

Submitted by bizgrrl on Sun, 2026/03/29 - 10:31am.
(in reply to Up Goose Creek)

I, too, remember Sevier Avenue with all those stores. We lived on Feather Street, so a little further, but loved the ability to walk to Sevier Ave. It was easier back then, 1974, because the James White Parkway was not there dissecting the neighborhood.

No, not many restaurants. There was/is the Roundup toward the end of our time there, maybe 1978. There was a small grocery up Sevier near to Moody, Townsends, that served prepared food. They had awesome hamburgers.

bizgrrl's picture

Thanks for the reminders of

Submitted by bizgrrl on Sun, 2026/03/29 - 12:42pm.
(in reply to Up Goose Creek)

Thanks for the reminders of walkable neighborhoods. I do like Northshore Town Center and the Bearden areas. Not familiar with North areas. Chapman at Young High Pike is losing appeal.

Up Goose Creek's picture

Appealing vs practical

Submitted by Up Goose Creek on Sun, 2026/03/29 - 4:25pm.
(in reply to bizgrrl)

I believe there's a disconnect between what is appealing and what is practical. There's a huge demand for what is called walkable neighborhoods, that is a place that is pleasant to walk around and there is some place to walk to. There are a number of neighborhoods in Knoxville that fit this description.

Then there are areas where one can attend to most of one's daily needs without a car and there is decent bus access to get elsewhere. As you comment, they aren't necessarily appealing.

Up Goose Creek's picture

Active seniors

Submitted by Up Goose Creek on Sun, 2026/03/29 - 5:10pm.

Back to the subject at hand: with the planned art trail it would be an appealing walk to the Sevier Avenue businesses. Then you might not be aware that the 41 bus is now routed via the new bridge up Sevier with stops at One Riverwalk. So one could ride the bus home. Then it goes on down Chapman Highway for practical needs.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

TN Progressive

TN Politics

Knox TN Today

Local TV News

News Sentinel

    State News

    Wire Reports

    Lost Medicaid Funding

    To date, the failure to expand Medicaid/TennCare has cost the State of Tennessee ? in lost federal funding. (Source)

    Search and Archives