The journey is well underway for the completion of the largest project undertaken by the Tennessee Theatre since their 2004 $29 million renovations. The cost of the complete renovation of and connection to the adjacent 612 Building (AKA The Mechanics Bank and Trust Building) is estimated at $24 million, with $19 million raised and fundraising efforts continuing.
The building caught my fancy early on as I started writing about downtown Knoxville. I first introduced it in an article about eleven years ago, in 2014, and followed up with another in 2018. You can look back at those articles to see portions of the building as it existed then. More germane to the current project, we’ve followed it from the announcement of (most of) the building’s purchase in 2019, to the announcement of the specific plans early last year, and the construction update last fall at the launch of their capital campaign.
Interior Designer Lauren Lucchesi Explain Interior Finishes, 612 Building, 612 Gay Street, Knoxville, July 2025
Six years after the Tennessee Theatre purchased the 612 with plans of connecting it to their original building, the project has continued to evolve. The theatre has now purchased the top floor of the building and recent efforts have focused on a rethinking of plans based on that additional square footage. They aren’t ready to spill that tea just yet, but they’ve also been busy moving the construction along and undertaking the massive job of selecting finishes for the multi-floor project. If you’ve ever remodeled a bathroom or kitchen, just imagine that times several thousand, along with the pressure of having your decisions evaluated by tens of thousands of people who love their Tennessee Theatre.
Media gathered yesterday to get an update on the progress and the work by Jenkins and Stiles, McCarty Holsaple McCarty, and Partners Development. Tennessee Theatre Executive Director Becky Hancock led the tour, while McCarty Holsaple McCarty (MHM) Architect and Principal Margaret Butler and MHM Senior Interior Designer Lauren Lucchesi talked about the buildout and design choices, while offering a glimpse of the kinds of finishes we’ll all enjoy early next year.
Since we last covered the project, in addition to the purchase of the top floor, initial openings have been created in each building and construction of the connectors have begun. Major progress on the buildout of the upper floors was evident, as construction continues on restrooms, concessions and offices, as well as rehearsal, performance, educations, and outreach spaces.
Hancock began by saying “Construction is going well. It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly a year-and-a-half. It’s about 30,000 square feet spread over seven floors, including the basement . . . You may also notice that we are erecting the steel in the gap between the buildings, which is going to be the additional stairwell the fire codes require.” She thanked the building’s neighbors, Kevin and Melinda Grimac, for allowing use of their adjacent parking lot to station the crane (for weeks) required to do that work. “They’ve been wonderful neighbors, and we literally could not complete the project without their cooperation.” She said the stairwell will eventually be enclosed.
She also noted the holes in the rear of that building and the west facing side of the Tennessee Theatre have now been opened and the structure that will eventually connect the two has begun taking shape. The front stairwell has also been re-configured as codes have shifted slightly in the last 100 years. The main floor where we started our tour will eventually become the site for pre- and post-show gatherings as well as an intimate (about 120, standing) space for performances. That space will likely be renovated near the end as it has served as a staging ground for the projects above it.
As for the floors above the Gay Street level, a mezzanine will connect to the main level of the theatre and will serve as a private lounge for large donors. It will include a private lounge and bathrooms. The next level up (also pictured here) will connect to the balcony level of the theatre and will include a bar, lounge area and restrooms to take the pressure off current facilities and shorten wait times. The next floor up from that includes rehearsal, outreach, and educational spaces. Administrative space will take up the next floor, with the top floor’s usage yet to be announced.
Margaret Butler said, “As you might imagine, designing something that complements the historic Tennessee Theatre is a bit intimidating . . . but this building had a life of its own and we’re trying to respect that, as well.” She noted the plaster repair work that is ongoing on the first floor (this floor includes the only remaining truly historic features inside the building). Evergreen, who she referred to as “one of the top plaster experts in the world” is completing the restoration work.
Lucchesi discussed the finishes, some of which were displayed (see the included photo) at the beginning of the tour. She said that while they are maintaining the integrity of the first floor of the building and its past, such as keeping a similar paint color and keeping the original bank vault as “a pass-through,” and the “Old City Club” inscription from the Kristopher Kendrick Era (1980s), they are adding some elements that tie it into the theatre’s decor with some modernized twists. Of the wall paint, however, Butler pointed out that the wall paint in the Tennessee Theatre includes “layers, artistically applied,” and you’ll find similar applications in the entry space. Elegant draperies and a terrazzo tile will enhance the beauty of the space.
Most of the first-floor changes will be very simple, but she said, “As we move upstairs, and we connect to the Tennessee Theatre, that’s where the color palette will change to respect some of the original colors from the Theatre. The design concept is not to replicate the Tennessee Theatre, but to use it as an inspiration for color and pattern . . . interpreted in a modern fashion.”
Light fixtures and other pieces have been custom fabricated using the fixtures and fabrics in the theatre as connecting points. The result should be unique, yet familiar. Custom carpet will also be included on the upper floors. She added, “The Tennessee Theatre had some original metal grills, and we are incorporating those as a salvage piece. That will be the background of some of the banquettes providing a private seating nook on the second and third floors.”
When does it all come together and open to the public? Hancock wasn’t ready to set a definitive date (that will be announced in the fall in conjunction with the 97th birthday of the Theatre, but we should be looking at early 2026. “We have to wait for a certificate of occupancy for the whole building.” The top floor will likely come into use a little later since it was added to the project later. Different floors or areas of the building will be given names connected to the history of the building. Hancock is excited for the public to see and begin enjoying the space which she said wonderfully meets many of the needs of the theatre and its programs.
The fundraising continues and Hancock pointed out that revenues earned from shows (Les Miserables was loading in as we toured) sustain the Theatre but cannot pay for projects such as this one. She said the remaining funds will likely come from small donors who use, love, and value the theatre. “We did the math and if every Broadway subscriber household gave $1000, we would meet our goal. If every person who walks into the Tennessee Theatre for a concert (or event) gave $25 per event, we would reach our goal . . . That’s who we’re now asking to help reach our goal.” If you’d like to support this project and help “move the Tennessee Theatre into its next century,” you may do so here.