MPC Honors Local Development
MPC hosted its annual Excellence Awards banquet on August 25, 2011. The Excellence Awards program, now in its 30th year, recognizes outstanding development in Knox County to encourage best practices in site planning and design. More than 100 people gathered at the Knoxville Convention Center to honor this year's winners in the following six categories.
New Development
Includes residential, commercial, office, and industrial projects.
WINNER: John J. Duncan, Jr. Knoxville Station Transit Center
The Center is the new home for Knoxville Area Transit, replacing scattered downtown stops. The planning and design team were faced with significant constraints in locating and developing the facility. Read more >>
Historic Rehabilitation
The sensitive rehabilitation of properties designated or eligible for historic registers.
WINNER: Murphy Farm
The Gothic Revival farmhouse, built in 1847, was one of the first of its style in Knox County. Kevin Murphy, is a sixth generation descendent of the original owner who started farming here in 1796. Read more >>
Renovation
The rehabilitation of non-historic properties, including the reuse of such buildings for new purposes.
WINNER: Young-Williams Animal Village
The Animal Village is located on Bearden Hill in what was once Copeland's Restaurant. The renovation brings pet-serving facilities close to the center of our population. Read more >>
Special Use
Includes, but is not limited to, parks, schools, and churches.
WINNER: Appalachian Mountain Bike Club Multi-Use Trails
Located along the ridges of south Knoxville, this series of natural surface trails connects the William Hastie Natural Area to Ijam's Nature Center. Read more >>
Environmental Sustainability
While energy and environmental conservation are considered in all categories, this award is given for an exemplary project that meets environmental sustainability criteria.
WINNER: Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. Headquarters Expansion
The Scripps Networks Interactive project resulted in a 155,000 sq. ft. addition to their campus. Read more >>
Neighborhood Achievement
This award is given to a group that has promoted planning excellence through its involvement with education, communication, or the development of projects or plans.
WINNER: Go to 2033: Urban Planning Student Manual
Students successfully used the manual's planning and design principles this past school year to develop their own plans for Bearden and Cumberland Avenue. Read more >>
MPC received 39 nominations for awards this year. All were reviewed and rated by staff, with 20 selected as finalists and presented to the Planning Commissioners for determination of winners.
In the 30-year history of the Excellence Awards program, MPC has honored more than 230 projects, plans, and volunteers. A complete list of winnerscan be found on our website along with photo galleries from 2001 to 2011.
Posted 8-25-2011, written by Sarah Powell