LOUDON, Tenn. (WATE) — The place where factories once stood along Loudon‘s waterfront is being targeted for housing, parks and walking trails. The city worked with Dover Signature Properties to create a plan for a 15-acre development along the Tennessee River on the old Smith Chair and Hutch Manufacturing/Bacon Creamery properties.

 

The project will consist of a mix of apartments and houses and include multiple parks, greenways and riverfront walking trails. Within the development, there are also plans for a number of commercial spaces that can be used for coffee shops, hair salons and other small businesses.

 

In addition to the development, the city has also received a grant to create a marina in the area to allow for additional use of the waterfront. According to Dover President Rick Dover there are plans for a number of watersports to be brought to the area.

 

The project was designed by Deklevy, a Knoxville-based architecture and planning firm. The firm also designed Knoxville High and Oak Wood School in downtown Knoxville, North Shore Senior Living in Knoxville, and the Alexander Inn in Oak Ridge.

 

According to Rick Dover, those were all historical buildings, and for this project, they let the factories that once stood at the waterfront inspire the architecture of the larger buildings.
 

On Tuesday, Dover presented the project to the public to receive input before the project goes to the City Council. If it is approved, Dover hopes to begin construction in early 2022.
 

“We’ve been working on this design for many months now, so we hope we’re really close to having it in the shape that it can be approved but we can improve things a little bit. So, we’ve got our ears open today and looking for different ways that we can improve this,” Rick Dover said.