You’ve probably noticed the large tower crane and crews that for months have been erecting a new hotel at the intersection of Church Avenue and State Street.
 
For three days next week, Blaine Construction Corp. will be taking down the tower crane, and that removal will require a complete closure of a short section of Church Avenue between Gay and State streets.

Starting at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, April 24, Church Avenue at the work site will be closed. The crane removal is scheduled to be completed by 6 p.m. Thursday, April 26.

Pedestrian access will be maintained along Church Avenue throughout the street closure.

For most of those three days, the intersection at State Street and Church Avenue will remain open. Motorists will be able to go north on State Street through the intersection, or turn right (east) onto Church Avenue.

However, for a half-day on Thursday, April 26, the State Street-Church Avenue intersection will be closed during the final dismantling of the tower crane.

Motorists heading north on State or west on Church will be detoured to avoid the closed intersection. For details about KAT bus or trolley reroutings, visit www.katbus.com or call 865-637-3000.

A 144-room Courtyard by Marriott and 88-room Residence Inn are going up on what had been a vacant tract for almost two decades. The 166,000-square-foot hotels, a more than $40 million investment, will open later this year.