Excerpts Relevant to First Creek Greenway via May, 2011 Report: Magnolia Avenue Warehouse District Redevelopment and Urban Renewal Plan

The proposed First Creek Greenway, which runs through the Redevelopment Area, would link the Park Ridge and Old North Knoxville neighborhoods to Caswell Park and beyond to downtown. A portion of the proposed First Creek Greenway could be realized through the rails to trails program. The greenway will be an important asset to the Redevelopment Area and surrounding neighborhoods.

http://www.kcdc.org/Libraries/Redevelopment_Plans/Magnolia_Avenue_Redevelopment_Plan.sflb.ashx 


Provisions for development and historic preservation

Parks and Greenways
The First Creek Greenway is the foremost park improvement.

p .27


Recommendations for SOMAG:

First Creek Greenway should be created on the
abandoned rail line

p. 28


SOMAG Special Emphasis: First Creek
Greenway


The First Creek Greenway forms the eastern edge of the
SOMAG focus area. A significant portion of the greenway
will be realized by the SmartFix40 improvements. The
greenway will be a recreational and transportation asset
to this gateway and nearby neighborhoods. AIA provided
a vision of the greenway and potential redevelopment
along the creek (see drawing).

p. 29

The Rail Corridor:

After nearly a century of railroad-oriented uses, this area has changed.
Vacant and underutilized resources – particularly the former knitting mills – form a derelict edge between the Hall of Fame gateway and the Park Ridge neighborhood. A mix of higher density residential, wholesale commercial/distribution and utility uses should be fostered. The First
Creek greenway can be a catalyst for reuse and redevelopment. The mixed use proposal will allow reuse of Standard Mills for residential use, which should be sought.


p. 32


HALL OF FAME AND MAGNOLIA GATEWAYS 

Provisions for development historic preservation

Connectivity/circulation
Continuity in the streets, sidewalks and greenway trails are necessary to the
success of revitalization. Opportunities for redesign, like a landscaped median,
are possible.


p. 33



Parks and Greenways 

The creation of the First Creek Greenway trail, reusing the abandoned rail line, is essential to the revitalization process. That open space and trail is necessary to link Park Ridge and Old North Knoxville neighborhoods to Caswell Park and beyond to downtown. The trail should be routed under Magnolia Avenue via the edge of the Knoxville Utility Board properties. Additionally, the Caswell Park walking loop should be extended and a connection should be made across the
railroad to the Fourth and Gill neighborhood.



p. 33



Recommendations for the Hall of Fame and
Magnolia Gateways

[...]

Create a bike and trail connection from the Fourth and
Gill neighborhood to Caswell Park.

[...]

Complete First Creek Greenway with a rails-to-trails
connection to downtown.

[...]



p. 35