“Before it’s too late” isn’t a cliché. Twice in my adult life I’ve stood on the sidewalk in my pajamas, watching 19th-century Knoxville buildings burn.
First was the Pickle Mansion in Fort Sanders, 2003. I lived a half block away; before the fire trucks even arrived, a neighbor called: “Get outside NOW.”
Second was the McClung Warehouses in 2007. I was at my boyfriend’s in Sterchi Lofts when the alarm went off. His Honda Element, parked up on Jackson, melted. In the morning, ashes drifted through downtown like snow.
One was on Knox Heritage’s list—then called “Fragile 15,” since reinvented as “Fragile & Fading.” The other made the list posthumously.
Proactivity matters. Knox Heritage’s annual Fragile & Fading announcement is more than a once-a-year clickbait headline. The consequences are real—we saw it again just last November, when a Knoxville College building that had stood for more than a century went up in flames. More often, though, the ending isn’t a dramatic blaze—it’s the slow creep of time and neglect, until one day it’s simply too late.
I met with Knox Heritage executive director Christine Cloninger and board president Whitney Manahan last month to catch up on the organization’s work and came away with about three articles’ worth of content, which I’ll be rolling out soon. But first: the list.
“Fragile & Fading is our annual advocacy list that highlights those places in need of preservation strategies,” said Christine Cloninger. She noted that the list is meant to spark solutions, not shame. “Who do you need to know? What are you trying to do? What are your goals? Can we connect you to a buyer? Are there incentives you’re not aware of? We’re thoughtful about giving notice, asking for a statement on the property’s current state—because the community wants to know.”
“We’re a conduit,” she said. “Sometimes it’s us, sometimes it’s not, but if you collaborate and are straightforward about why the property is sitting vacant and vulnerable, we can help with strategies.”
It’s delicate work. “Sometimes they take my calls and sometimes they don’t,” Christine said. “But we try.”
The list has evolved, from “Fragile 15” to a more hierarchical structure of concern with three categories: “Fading Fast,” “Still Fragile” and “Moving Forward” (Hope, one reasons, deserves a place alongside urgency). This year adds a fourth category: “Ones to Watch.”
Most of the properties on the list are perennials, but there were three new additions for 2025: The Knott-York House is listed as “Fading Fast,” and Maplehurst Park and the Alfred Buffat House/The Maples christen the new category of “Ones to Watch.”
The 2025 Fragile & Fading press conference took place yesterday at the Howell House at Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, which is again included in the Moving Forward category.
Fading Fast
- The Knott-York House – 1415 Third Creek Rd. – NEW
- Situated on the median strip of Middlebrook Pike, it was constructed around 1845 for Abingdon, Va., native Andrew Knott and remained in the same family for more than 180 years before its sale last March. With an H Zoning overlay, it is protected from demolition but the proposed construction of a RaceTrac gas station in its immediate vicinity has raised concern among preservationists and community members.
- JFG Signs – 200 W. Jackson Ave. & former Gay Street Bridge Location
- Knox Heritage is working with key players including the City of Knoxville, Reily Foods and Allen Sign Company, who are committed to finding new locations for the iconic signs and solutions to the logistical complications and expense of restoring them.
- The Paul Howard House – 2921 N. Broadway
- Plans have stalled on renovating this 1910 Craftsman style house, which has been home to two City Council members, a Knox County Trustee and a Knoxville City Manager. Knox Heritage seeks to work with the property owners on solutions for its preservation or to provide resources to sell the house to a preservation-minded buyer.
- Lord Lindsey – 615 W. Hill Ave.
- Built in 1901, this iconic building is eligible for placement on the National Register of Historic Places, which opens up eligibility for potential grants and historic preservation tax credits. Knox Heritage is committed to aiding the current owner to find a viable use for the building and to offering business concepts that would benefit the historic structure.
Still Fragile
- West View Cemetery District – Keith Avenue
- Local citizens as well as nonprofit violence interruption group Turn Up Knox have rallied around this group of three abandoned Black cemeteries: Southern Chain Cemetery (est. 1898), Longview Cemetery (est. 1915) and Crestview Cemetery (est. 1922). Knox Heritage advocates for Historic Overlay (H) zoning to be placed on the cemeteries, a critical step in ensuring their protection.
- Standard Knitting Mill – 1400 Washington Ave.
- This circa 1945 building is the only remaining structure associated with Standard Knitting Mill. A fire in January 2022 severely damaged the front section of the building. Knox Heritage has reached out to the current owners multiple times but has not received a response.
- Knoxville College – 901 Knoxville College Dr.
- Knox Heritage continues to support college leadership by exploring avenues for reaccreditation, a critical step toward qualifying for preservation grants and funding for structural stabilization. A statement provided by the Knoxville College Board of Trustees thanked Knox Heritage for including the college on the list: “Your advocacy helps bring much-needed attention to our preservation efforts and can inspire collaboration with external partners to develop meaningful strategies for restoration and revitalization.”
Moving Forward
- Howard House at Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum – 2743 Wimpole Ave.
- Rehabilitation is well underway on the 1929 house, which now serves as a welcome center for garden guests with office space for staff. It is in need of further funds to restore iconic ironwork, rehabilitate windows and doors, and upgrade electrical and plumbing.
- Giffin School – 1834 Beech St.
- The school, built in 1920, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 2016. It will be restored and redeveloped by Case Enterprises as the centerpiece of a 77-unit Historic Giffin Square residential development. In collaboration with Knox Heritage, the project is currently undergoing the Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program application process, a federal program that encourages private sector investment in the rehabilitation and re-use of historic buildings. In November 2024, the application was conditionally approved.
Ones to Watch
- Maplehurst Park – NEW
- This residential downtown enclave built around 1871 was a hot topic this summer when UT released plans to explore the potential use of the site to create an innovation district. The University Financing Foundation Inc. (TUFF) is purchasing Maplehurst Park Apartments and will operate and manage the 199-unit property while UT engages in a visioning process for the 5.6 acre site. UT and TUFF say they want to preserve the neighborhood’s character, but with TUFF’s track record heavy on tech projects, Knox Heritage is pushing for safeguards like historic overlays, National Register listing and tax credit incentives.
- Alfred Buffat House/The Maples – NEW
- Built in 1867 by French-Swiss immigrant Alfred Buffat, it stands as one of the last remaining 19th-century homestead complexes in northeast Knoxville. It was awarded a grant in 2015 to support foundational and structural repairs but residents became concerned when the property was unexpectedly listed for sale in 2024. The owner is now exploring redevelopment options that would comply with zoning and environmental regulations while still aiming to make the historic structure viable.
Knox Heritage’s work is invaluable and, as Christine told me, “Advocacy never stops—every year more buildings hit the 50-year mark, and mid-century properties are starting to enter the conversation too.”
Learn more about Knox Heritage here.
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