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Magnolia Avenue streetscape plans draw mixed reviews

"Green is the new grey," according to city leaders. A major makeover is in the works for Magnolia Avenue.

(KNOXVILLE) "Green is the new grey," according to city leaders. A major makeover is in the works for Magnolia Avenue.

"We're giving it a facelift by creating landscaping along the streetscapes and also providing better accommodations for pedestrian connectivity, improved bike lanes and connection," City Redevelopment Director Dawn Michelle Foster said.

The two-phase project could cost up to $8 million, and it aims to add more KAT stops, better lighting and way-finding around Magnolia.

She also said the design team plans to add amenities like benches, bike racks at bus stops, trash receptacles and shrubbery.

Several dozen people attended.

"As you can tell from the attendance tonight, these folks are very excited about what we're bringing to the table," Foster said.

The goal of the Magnolia Avenue Streetscape Project is to attract investors to the area.

“"I think it's a start," said Dale Thompson, who owns businesses along the corridor. "What it hopefully will do is bring private investors in to start doing some things and revitalizing. There's one out of three properties on Magnolia that are empty, either an empty building or lot, and we need to get that at least to 50/50."

But some think investors aren't the answer when it comes to improving East Knoxville.

"If we're going to reconstruct that area and rebuild it and put trees and sidewalks out, what are we going to do to try to bring that area back up and safe for families?" Jequitta Winton said.

She and other community members pushed to support existing businesses and the legacy of the culture in that area.

"A lot of people don't have other areas that they can go to to get their black history - like we had the Martin Luther King parade there," Winton said. "That's our area to do all of that type of thing, so with this reconstruction, will it take all of that away from us?"

Plans are not finalized, and the city is asking for community suggestions and opinions through Feb. 4. You can submit those to the city's redevelopment website.

Until then, the community hopes it can find some middle ground with city leaders.

"I just hope everybody can get together and work on it together as Knoxville," Winton said.

If the project gets enough funding, construction could start by the end of this year.

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