Blog: Safety Complex Updates

Week 10: Protecting the Iconic 1929 Original St. Mary's Building

The original St. Mary's Hospital dating back to 1929 is being preserved. Crews this week will be completing masonry work to protect the exposed east-side exterior.

The original St. Mary's Hospital building, dating back to 1929, is being preserved. Crews this week will be completing masonry work to protect the exposed east-side exterior.

Crews are completing masonry work this week to protect the exposed east side of the 91-year-old original St. Mary's Hospital.

Crews are completing masonry work this week to protect the exposed east side of the 91-year-old original St. Mary's Hospital.

Deputy to the Mayor and City COO David Brace likens it to "peeling back an onion." By demolishing some of the obsolete add-on buildings, the 91-year-old original St. Mary's Hospital building, with its stately grandeur and marble accents, now stands more prominently in North Knoxville.

"It's exciting to see the re-emergence of a historic building and increase its visibility," Brace says. "Hopefully, this will become the centerpiece of the redeveloped north campus."

The City is investing $40 million to repurpose the south end of the vacant hospital site as a new Public Safety Complex - a headquarters for the Police and Fire Departments, City Court and Pension System offices. Another $6 million is being invested to prepare the north end of the site for private redevelopment.

Both are strategic investments, aiming to build community. Hundreds of City employees in the Public Safety Complex plus Lincoln Memorial University students and faculty in the Magdalen Clarke Tower would be potential shoppers and diners at area businesses and restaurants. The City also does not want to see the vacant hospital property fall into blight.

Messer Construction contractor crews this week will be protecting the east-side exterior of the 1929 building by completing a masonry project and replacing the temporary plywood siding. The original building had been adjoined to a connector building and the East Wing, and both add-ons have been demolished.

Community Empowerment Director Charles Lomax sees both the architectural value and the community value of the historic St. Mary's.

"We want to be intentional about preserving and maintaining the history and integrity of St. Mary's," he says. "This is an iconic piece of the city and the community. As we look to create something new, we are building on the foundation of what has been - and what so many hold near and dear."

Here is a vintage photo of the original St. Mary's when it opened:

St. Mary's circa 1930

Meanwhile, also on the Safety Complex construction site this week: Environmental Abatement crews are continuing to demolish and clear out the fifth, sixth and seventh floors of the former Professional Office Building, and also beginning work on the Central Annex. Last week, the company did its final cleanup of the eighth floor and started demolition of a fifth-floor wall.

Work is progressing inside the Professional Office Building.

Work is progressing inside the Professional Office Building.

Posted by evreeland On 28 April, 2020 at 11:37 AM