The bold new banners are going up on the south side of the Walnut Street Garage.
The three large banners being installed - measuring a total of 223 feet in length and 58 feet in height - are reproductions of historical photographs from the McClung Historical Collection.
"This is a great opportunity to turn what we could politely call a functional part of the downtown landscape into a real showcase for Knoxville history and heritage," Bill Lyons, Deputy to Mayor Madeline Rogero and the City's Chief Policy Officer, said earlier when the project was announced. "Seeing these landmark photographs at such an impressive scale will help connect our present to our past. It shows us how much has changed over the years but also how much we have preserved, and the importance of protecting our city's unique character."
The three images are of the historic Market House taken from Union Avenue, the exterior of Peter Kern Co. Confectioners, and a Vestal-bound streetcar on Gay Street. These are just three of more than 23,000 items preserved and made accessible through the McClung Collection's Digital Collection.
The Kern Confectioners banner was the first to be installed on the garage wall.
The Walnut Street Garage is a privately-owned 1,060-space parking garage at the corner of Summer Place and Locust Street, but the City partnered with the owners on its development. The City spent a total of about $3.5 million to purchase, prepare and clear the garage site. The garage offers free public parking on nights, weekends and holidays. All combined, there are more than 7,500 parking spaces in the downtown area.