The University of Tennessee at Knoxville could soon move into the station with a new plan to expand the College of Architecture and Design into Old Town Knoxville.
UT is proposing to rent out the historic buildings of the Southern Railway Depot, just north of downtown, for art and architecture classes, offices and a design studio.
The UT System Council will vote on the lease during the annual meeting on June 25. If the proposal is approved, UT would use the vacant train station for five years, with the option for additional years. The base rent would be $705,625 per year with a potential annual increase of 3%. Over five years, total rent would be more than $3.74 million.
Details on Southern Depot’s proposed lease:
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UT would pay $2.7 million to equip and furnish the space.
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Sixty-five parking spaces would be available, for which UT would pay $100 per month per space, or $6,500 per month total. Costs per space could increase by 3% annually.
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The landlord is Knoxville Southern Station LLC, which is managed by Dewhirst Properties. Dewhirst also manages The Standard, The Mill & Mine, the Arnstein Building on Gay Street and other properties.
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The landlord would continue to carry out interior and exterior maintenance. The landlord would be responsible for repairs and replacements of the roof, foundation, load-bearing walls, mechanical systems, electrical systems, plumbing, landscaping, parking, driveways, elevators and lighting. The landlord would also handle insurance, property taxes and pest control.
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The landlord would provide more than $2.6 million in infrastructure improvements and support the overall build-out of the space for UT.
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UT would handle the metered utilities such as water, electricity and gas.
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UT could terminate the lease at any time during the lease term with a fee for improvements and 120 days’ notice. If the landlord is in default, the UT can terminate the rental agreement without refund.
A UT spokesperson had no further details about the plan, but was working on answers as the trustees’ meeting approached.
What is the Southern Train Station and Depot?
The Southern Railway Station was built in 1903 by Southern Railway to accommodate passenger trains and travelers. It remained in use until 1970 with the Birmingham Special being the last passenger train to pass through the station.
When the depot opened, it had a dining room and a post office. The firm’s architect, Frank Pierce Milburn, designed both buildings in a vernacular style with Classical Revival architectural influences. The station and depot are built of brick with stepped gables.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Railroad Landmarks in 2003 and became a destination for offices and private events. Blue Slip Winery moved into the station in 2015 and announced earlier this year that it planned to move.
Keenan Thomas is a higher education reporter. Email Keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter @specialk2real.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: University of Tennessee proposes lease for Southern Railway Station
