225-Unit South Knoxville Waterfront Apartments Deadlocked 5-5 at Planning Commission

The Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission split 5-5 at its July 9 meeting on a six-story, 225-unit apartment complex proposed for the hill just south of the Gay Street Bridge, sending the developer back to community stakeholders instead of forward to approval.

What happened to the South Knoxville waterfront apartment project?

Commissioners deadlocked, with lingering concerns about connectivity and how a six-story building fits the neighborhood's identity. CR Endeavors, a Birmingham, Alabama-based developer, first filed for the 5.7-acre parcel in February and has revised the plan several times since. The commission asked the developer to field concerns from the South Waterfront Advisory and Advocacy Group (SWAAG) and other stakeholders before resubmitting.

Why does the city keep pushing back on this site?

The parcel sits inside the footprint of Knoxville's South Waterfront Vision Plan, which since 2005 has guided redevelopment along the riverfront opposite downtown. SWAAG has opposed the project since it was proposed and asked for first-floor retail and pedestrian walkways. The latest revision, filed ahead of the July meeting, added a public tunnel through the site but left retail out — the developer said that was to avoid competing with Kern's Food Hall. The site is the former Kerbela Shriner property and once held the JFG Coffee sign, removed in 2023.

Who would live there?

The stated target demographic is active adults 55 and older. Plans across revisions have included a courtyard, an outdoor pool and an underground parking garage. That matters locally: a 225-unit downsizer product would pull demand from the exact buyer pool that currently competes for single-story and low-maintenance homes across Knox County.

What is the Knoxville housing market doing right now?

Knox County's median sale price was $400,162, essentially flat year over year, with 800 closed sales (up 5.9%) and under one month of supply — still firmly a seller's market.

Nearly half of all homes sold at or above asking price in the latest reporting period. Under one month of supply and a 97.9% sale-to-list ratio mean sellers are not giving much back at the table — but the two-day uptick in days on market shows buyers are taking longer to move from search to offer at current rates.

What this means if you own or buy here

• South Knoxville owners: the 5-5 split is not a denial. The project is very likely to return in revised form, and 225 units plus a public tunnel would reshape access on that hillside. Watch the next Planning Commission agenda.
• Downsizing owners 55+: if this product eventually gets built, it competes with the same low-maintenance inventory you would be selling into. Under one month of supply is the strongest seller position you will see for a while.
• Buyers: at 0.94 months of supply and 97.9% sale-to-list, waiting for a discount is not a strategy in Knox County. Get fully underwritten before you shop.
• Move-up sellers: with half of homes selling at or above ask, the risk is not selling — it is being homeless in the middle. A guaranteed-sale plan* fixes your sale date first so your purchase is not a coin flip.

Sources: Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission, July 9, 2026 meeting (Knox News, July 10, 2026); East Tennessee REALTORS June 2026 Market Pulse; Redfin Knox County housing market data, three months ending May 2026.

*Tracy and seller must agree on price and possession date