About Knoxville's Downtown Knoxville

Knoxville as a city is heavily influenced by it proximity to the Great Smokey Mountains with its rich Appalachian culture. Knoxville, because it is home to the University of Tennessee, is also heavily influenced by the diverse intellectual and artistic curiosity that characterizes any major university. The convergence of these influences have given rise to a number of distinctively diverse hot spots around town. One of the most distinctive of these is the World Grotto!

World Grotto is located at 16 Market Square in Knoxville (click HERE for a map). They are open: Tueday thru Wednesday 5:00 PM until 1:00 AM, Thursday thru Friday 5:00 PM until 3:00 AM, Saturday 8:00 PM thru 3:00 AM, and Sunday varies.

This unique Knoxville hot spot is characterized by an art gallery and marketplace on the main level which highlights art from around the area and around the world! There is also an underground performance grotto! This one-of-a-kind crystal grotto, so called because its walls are adorned with 8,000 pounds of crystals and semi-precious stones, provides the perfect place to highlight some of the best performances in dance, spoken word, music, and world DJs. Additionally, World Grotto hosts classes, seminars, films, private parties, corporate events, art openings, wine and liquor tastings, charitable fund-raisers, and masked balls.

Here is a sampling of some of the upcoming events at World Grotto:

Aug 14 2008 11:45P Bass Block Beats with Mic 1 & Simon Belmont

Aug 15 2008 6:00P Poetry Slam (Every 1st & 3rd Friday of the Month)

Aug 15 2008 10:00P Shadowwax

Aug 16 2008 10:00P Quartjar - Randall Brown Turns __!!

Aug 18 2008 7:00P Grotto Hoop Group (Weekly)

Aug 18 2008 8:00P Salsa Dance Lessons & Free Style (Weekly)

Aug 20 2008 6:00P Girls Night Out: Martinis, Manicures, & Massages (Weekly)

Aug 21 2008 10:00P Zach Deputy

Aug 21 2008 11:45P Bass Block Beats with Mic 1 & Simon Belmont

Aug 22 2008 10:00P Garage A Go-Go: Bitter Pills & The Infidels 45 DANCE PARTY

Aug 23 2008 10:00P Erick Baker

Aug 28 2008 11:45P Bass Block Beats with Mic 1 & Simon Belmont

Aug 29 2008 12:00A Dual Boot

Aug 30 2008 10:00P Bellfield w/Arpetrio

Sep 4 2008 11:45P Bass Block Beats with Mic 1 & Simon Belmont

Sep 6 2008 12:00A International Dancy Party (Weekly)

Sep 10 2008 10:00P TEA LEAF GREEN with Moonalice

Sep 11 2008 10:00P Albannach w/Cutthroat Shamrock

Sep 11 2008 11:45P Bass Block Beats with Mic 1 & Simon Belmont

Sep 12 2008 10:00P Garage Deluxe CD Release Show

Sep 13 2008 10:00P The Coveralls

Sep 18 2008 11:45P Bass Block Beats with Mic 1 & Simon Belmont

Sep 20 2008 10:00P New Riders of the Purple Sage

Sep 25 2008 11:00P Bass Block Beats with Mic 1 & Simon Belmont

Sep 26 2008 10:00P Dubconscious

Sep 27 2008 6:00P Funktion 2.0

Oct 24 2008 10:00P MoonTaxi

About the Author

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact Danny or Rich of the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approval in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@homeamericamortgage.com or call us @ 865-951-0522.

With all the music history, from Memphis on the western border, Nashville in the north central part, and the Appalachian Mountains forming the eastern border of the state of Tennessee, Knoxville is fortunate to have "The Official State Theatre of Tennessee." The Tennessee Theatre opened October 1, 1928 with almost 2,000 seats. From the Czechoslovakian crystals in the French-style chandeliers to the overall Spanish-Moorish style, the Chicago architects, Graven & Mayger, incorporated a hodgepodge of design elements from all parts of the world. The overall effect is visually stunning and provides an intimate setting in which to see some of the most acclaimed performers from around the world. The theatre underwent a complete renovation lasting from June 2003 until its grand reopening on January 14, 2005. The renovations cost about $25.5 million and was funded through both public and private donations. Included in the renovation was the Wurlitzer which originally cost $50,000 and was part of the theatre when it originally opened. This magnificent pipe organ, termed "The Princess Elenoir, the Jewel of the Great Smoky Mountains" has its very pipes embedded in the theater's walls!

These places, like The Tennessee Theatre which is now a part of the National Register of Historic Places, are more than just old buildings that receive passing glances. These places hold history in the very plaster of their walls. The necessity to preserve historically significant places is an imperative. In this time which sees many of our nation's cultural and historical cathedrals succumb to the brute force of the wrecking ball or explosives, it has never been more important for grassroots efforts to say no! No to the wrecking balls! We live in an enormous country with lots of space. There is no need to demolish these living witnesses to history. If you need a new theatre or ball field, why not renovate those that are already there? The cost to renovate and modernize might be high, but so is the cost of history relegated only to fading photos and memories. While I have always been an advocate of progress, progress does not have to be built on the ruins of history. Progress can be a natural outgrowth of the history's foundation. I do not believe that progress and history are antithetical. I hope you enjoy the picture below that are thanks to The Historic Tennessee Theatre. While you look at the photos, think of the historic places in your town, with the faded murals and stained glass windows that spurred your imagination as a child.

About the Author

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact Danny or Rich of the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approval in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@homeamericamortgage.com or call us @ 865-951-0522.

Kristopher Kendrick, one the best best known of Knoxville's historical building preservationists, was honored last night at a gathering in downtown Knoxville.

Knox Heritage sponsored the event attended by over 200 Kendrick fans.

Kendrick began buying old buildings in Knoxville and refurbishing them in the early 1970s.

Some of his more notable accomplishment have been Patrick Sullivan's Saloon in the Old City, Kendrick Place Condos on Union Avenue, and the Lord Lindsey Restaurant on West Hill Avenue.

The Lord Lindsey Restaurant & Catering

Knox Heritage President Dorothy Stair said the ordanization will begin offering an annual award for those who preserve local structures of historical or cultural signifance in Mr. Kendrick's honor.

With the Tennessee vs. Auburn game approaching this evening, I must admit I'm in a bit of a quandary. Which team do I pull for? I know many people in this area would inform me, politely I'm sure, that clearly there is only one choice. I was born in Opelika, AL which is the town closest to Auburn University. It being my father's alma mater, I still proudly wear my War Eagle sweatshirt. To make things even tougher, my alma mater is what Volunteers would call the "other" UT. So, can I don that bright orange or is the Texas burnt orange still in my veins? Well...I never thought I would say it, but I'm pretty darn close to rooting for this one. Of course I must claim this is only safe to say as long as the match up is not Tennessee vs. Texas. What kind of fan would I be otherwise?

What does this have to do with luxury real estate? Not a whole lot, but I thought you might appreciate my challenge. The connection, however, is coming...

I recently had the pleasure of attending a 100.3 NewsTalk 100 radio remote at The Holston, a historic building with a story that dates back to 1913. It is currently being converted into luxury condos, and I was there as a guest of Dewhirst Properties and East Tennessee's Mountain Views for a tour of the downtown lofts. I have to say, I was quite impressed with the rennovations, interior selections and views. You can see more about all of the current Dewhirst projects here. As a luxury real estate agent, people frequently ask my opinion about what is going on in downtown Knoxville. Who is buying lofts in the $500,000 to $1,000,000+ range. Is there a demand for them? Well, I can make a bet that those UT sports fans, especially those who are responsible for the extra business at TACAir on football game days and those who have paid donation and licensing fees of up to $50,000 for luxury seats at the recently renovated Thompson-Boling Arena, are quite interested. And, with some of the businesses that already have plans to make their way downtown, I do believe it will achieve that livable downtown feel that urban dwellers demand which will make it a place for successful young professionals and retirees alike. I know those in both segments who have already purchased downtown. As for future ideas of what should come, this former resident of one of the cities consistency voted hippest in the country would love to share them with any developer/entrepreneur who's looking to capture the hearts of those who are headed for downtown living.