There’s new life ahead for the old Giffin Grammar School in South Knoxville.

City of Knoxville officials have allocated $1 million from the Affordable Rental Development Fund and $300,000 from its Historic Preservation Program to help make an affordable housing community by Case Enterprises Development Corp. and other partners financially viable. (More information at link above.)

Mayor Indya Kincannon on February 9, 2026, led a delegation of city leaders and South Haven residents to break ground for the new development – Historic Giffin Square. The school itself will be divided into 36 affordable rental apartments and the development will have 77 total residential units, per a city press statement.

Current Giffin School building

The school was included on the 2025 Fragile and Fading list by Knox Heritage, under the “moving forward” category. Full list here.

Other news: Knoxville City Council centered on bridge-building engineering expertise, concrete and especially asphalt at its regular meeting on February 17, 2026.

Council authorized Mayor Indya Kincannon’s administration to invest $6.4 million in three major Engineering Department projects: $5 million to begin 2026 street resurfacing and $419,000 for design of a new East Greenway Drive bridge over White’s Creek.

In a third project, the council bumped up to more than $1 million an existing contract that has replaced more than 50,000 square feet of sidewalks throughout Knoxville.

2026 Resurfacing Phase I

  • 17 total miles of streets will be repaved, divided equitably among city council districts 1, 2 and 6
  • Three contractors submitted proposals; Rogers Group Inc. was selected as the lowest responsive bidder
  • Phase II, to follow later in the year, will address a similar amount of repaving in Districts 3, 4 and 5

New East Greenway Drive bridge

  • Replacing rather than repairing the bridge was deemed the most cost-effective option; its condition is currently rated as “poor,” and weight limits are in place
  • CDM Smith Inc. was selected as the most qualified firm from the top three that responded to the city’s request for professional engineering consulting services
  • CDM Smith will be designing a replacement bridge and roadway approaches and coordinating a new rail crossing, among other tasks, by the end of 2027.

Sidewalk replacement

  • Completion of this sidewalk replacement project is being extended through Feb. 28 to add improvements at nine more locations and intersections
  • The contract with Whaley Construction is being increased by $62,686 – to a total of more than $1 million – to pay for the additional upgrades.

Eric Vreeland contributed information for this report.

Beck Center honors Lois LeFlore at age 100

Lois LeFlore

On February 23, 2026, the Beck Cultural Exchange Center celebrated “100 years of life, love, leadership and legacy in the life of Ms. Lois LeFlore.”

The tribute continued: “To reach a century is extraordinary. To reach it with dignity, grace and a legacy that has touched generations is a true blessing.

“Lois LeFlore represents strength. She represents wisdom. She represents sheer beauty, inside and out. Her presence among us is a gift, a living testimony that legacy is not only what we leave behind but also what we pour into others every day.”

The entire community is invited to send a card or share a kind word. Cards and notes may be mailed to Ms. Lois LeFlore, c/o Beck Cultural Exchange Center, 1927 Dandridge Ave., Knoxville TN 37915.

Southeast Bank, Loudon County Habitat for Humanity partner

For nearly a decade, Southeast Bank has stood alongside Loudon County Habitat for Humanity in a shared mission to build safe, affordable homes and create opportunities for families to thrive.

Today, the partnership continues with significant investment in Habitat’s newest community, Hilltop Hideaway, which will provide homes for 35 families, including LCHFH’s first-ever duplex units.

In addition to sponsoring one of the first homes built in Hilltop Hideaway, Southeast Bank stepped up early with a $150,000 pledge as the neighborhood sponsor to help meet the cost of early groundwork for the overall development.

“Southeast Bank was one of the first organizations to invest in Hilltop Hideaway and commit to making it a reality,” said Rachel Rendon, development director for Loudon County Habitat for Humanity. “The early investment helped us overcome major infrastructure challenges and move forward with construction of these homes.”

Since its founding, LCHFH has built 126 new homes and completed 165 critical repairs, helping families achieve stability and independence. Southeast Bank’s contributions have supported seven new homes so far, not including the upcoming Hilltop Hideaway home.

Lauren Miller contributed information and quotes for this report.

Notes & Quotes

Free Community Health Forum is Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Lennon-Seney Methodist Church, 2084 Dandridge Ave. Knoxville. Community partners are Positively Living Inc., Choice Health Network, Planned Parenthood of East Tennessee and the Knox County Health Department. Details here.