Mechanicsville

Mechanicsville is a neighborhood that has been separated into two parts, which are known as Old Mechanicsville and New Mechanicsville due to its vast growth in recent years. The entire neighborhood of Mechanicsville is located west of downtown Knoxville and can be accessed quite easily by either Western Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Interstate 40, or University Avenue.

The smaller community of Old Mechanicsville is filled with a mass of history and is where the once budding neighborhood got its name from. In fact, this area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. All the way back from the late eighteenth century up until the early twentieth century, factories surrounded this community and it was here that those factory workers settled and began raising their families around 1880. Currently, this area contains one of the largest collections in Knoxville of nineteenth century architecture, which includes Italianate and Queen Anne houses. Many of these historical homes either have been or are currently being restored to their former beauty.

Just north of this historical area is New Mechanicsville where newer developments continue to be constructed with the help of a rather large grant to restore the area. This portion of Mechansville is were the revitalization is occurring and Knoxvillians are standing up and taking notice. Even though the changes within this area have been slow, they have made a positive impact on the entire neighborhood. With Knoxville College located within the neighborhood and the University of Tennessee close by, many college students are making this neighborhood their home. Traffic does tend to get hectic at times as well.

Mechanicsville use to be a crime center in Knoxville. Before that era, it was a beautiful area close to downtown. For the last twenty years several changes have been made in the neighborhood. Change is somewhat of a slow process. Most of the homes in the area are historical and require special specs when doing remodeling. While this can be an interesting challenge and make for a gorgeous home, it can be a tad expensive for the endeavor. A lot of the homes here are being rented for college students. Being close to UT does have several pluses. It is close to the strip, with all of the night life and restaurants. It is close to the Campus, so walking or biking to class is feasible.

The area may not be the best for children. The school system is not generally regarded as the best in Knoxville, but is becoming better. A lot of the houses are also still in great disrepair from lack of maintenance and care. Some children may find hazards in the old houses. Overall, this area has a lot of potential for people who like fixing up challenges. It can be a great area for starting life with your first house. The traffic in the area can be problematic at times, and the proximity to UT and downtown can be noisy at times. However, with a little elbow grease and hard work, these homes could be reformed to their former shine. The area has great restaurants, shopping and nightlife for young couples.

What was once a booming African American neighborhood fell to waste and crime picked up and forced businesses out of the area. A once beautiful, historic district wasted away and it's only residents were the poorest of Knoxville's residents. In the late 90's Knoxville received a rather large grant and rebuilt the area. Now the area is undergoing a major revitalization. Unfortunately, some of the oldest structures have, or are slated for demolition. There are some great deals to be had if you are one who loves to renovate houses. This area has been deemed a historic area, so you do have to have some things approved by the historic board, exterior paint colors mainly. There are still a lot of houses that are in rough shape and are in great disrepair. The area is definitely on it's way up though. Traffic is definitely a problem since this neighborhood is very close to downtown, which can be noisy. Mechanicsville is also home to Knoxville College. With a large college population from Knoxville College and the nearby U.T., that can also lend to noise, parking, and litter. Add the almost constant construction activity to the mix, and the two hospitals nearby, you have quite the loud and busy neighborhood. Overall, the neighborhood is great for investors, renters, and those who want to live Downtown, but can't really afford the Downtown price tag.