A couple of weeks ago I shared photos updating the progress on the Axle Logistics building under construction on Central Street. For those who haven’t been following along, in that article I shared the short version of what the company is up to:
The completed building will include 85,000 square feet of mostly office space and is needed already as the company explodes. facility is designed to take them into their next phase. As of April, the company had over 600 employees whereas their projections had been to grow to to 285 by this date. The new headquarters project is being managed by LawlerWood, was designed by Design Innovation Architects and is being built by Merit Construction.
While some of the employees do not currently work on Central, enough do that questions have been raised about parking in the past. The City of Knoxville has not, thus far, felt the need to build public parking and the current Axle building plus YeeHaw and other high-traffic developments have strained street parking in the area. I’ve been asked about it many times and, not surprisingly, the issue was raised again with that article. It’s a legitimate question.
I spoke to Joe Petre, the lead developer for the project with LawlerWood. He said there have been a lot of moving parts and it has taken time to put the deals together that would lead to more parking. There are lots of smaller solutions and a larger one that is on the way for the new building and the employees it will bring.
He explained that the company has already secured some parking and has a shuttle service to make other parking a bit easier. The company owns a lot about a block behind the current building bounded by Pruett, Tyson, and Bernard. Additionally, employees park along the Stone Street Alley between Pruett and Bernard. Of course, many use street parking along Bernard and nearby, most of which is typically empty. The other large employer on that side of Central Street, the Knox County Health Department, has its own very large lots.
The next piece involves the undeveloped portion of the block beside the current building. I’d assumed the project would take the entire block and wondered what would come of this empty portion. The zoning for the building required about forty-seven spaces and, instead, the plan calls for about 130 spaces, offering handicap parking, guest parking, and employee parking.
Still, all that isn’t enough for 600 employees and growing. That’s why Mr. Petre said the company pursued another solution that involved the sheriff’s office, the Knox County government and Axle. In the end, the group found a solution that benefitted everyone: The current county impound lot at 514 Bernard Street will change hands and Axle will build a parking lot (it is currently gravel) that, once striped, should produce around 400 spaces. It’s a walkable distance from the Central Street headquarters, but the shuttle service will likely be extended to the lot.
The deal will allow the Sheriff’s office to build elsewhere and to have a better facility. Mr. Petre said all parties worked together to come up with a land and financial solution that benefitted everyone. He said Sheriff Spangler and County Mayor Glen Jacobs had been very helpful and, without them, the deal could never have happened.
The end result is that around 400 vehicles will not be parked on the streets. It’s also possible that the lot could be shared with the public or other businesses after hours, so that it might be used more than eight hours a day, but no arrangements have been made so far. It’s worth noting that the lot is closer to ShotClub Social, for example, than it is to Axle.
Parking is never going away as an issue as long as we primarily travel by car. At the very least Axle has made a real effort to reduce the strain on their area of Central Street.