Lakeshore Mental Health Institute buildings slated for removal starting July 7

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Demolition of nine buildings that were part of the state's Lakeshore Mental Health Institute campus in Knoxville is slated to begin July 7.

A spokesperson for the City of Knoxville says crews from NEO Corp. will raze nine surplus buildings over the course of the next nine months.

As part of the project, the city will begin renovating the historic Lakeshore Administration Building. The project will cost $1.1 million and restore 14-thousand square feet of space.

All combined, the city is expected to spend about $5.2 million this year on infrastructure, demolition and other improvements at Lakeshore Park.

A spokesperson says Knoxville hopes demolition will remove unsafe buildings often used by vagrants and trespassers as well as bring aesthetic improvements to the park.

Five former state-owned buildings will remain at Lakeshore Park: Two cottages, the Administration Building, the chapel and a central services warehouse.

To be razed, in this order, will be the upholstery building, smoke stack, laundry building, Waterside Building, Department of Health Building, Chota Building, Village Mall, Baker Building, Keller Building, and the boilerhouse.

This is a huge step in transitioning the park to be an even greater community asset, said David Brace, the Citys Public Service Director, whose crews maintain City park properties.

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Lakeshore Mental Health Institute buildings slated for removal starting July 7