PROCESS ARCHIVES
Missing Middle Housing is house-scale buildings with multiple units in walkable neighborhoods.
These neighborhood complimenting structures provide diversity of housing stock with simple, well-designed options between the scales of single-family homes and mid-rise apartments.
Why is this type of housing “missing”?
Decades ago, zoning codes pushed residential projects into two extremes: single-family homes and larger-scale apartment buildings and complexes.
At one time, we knew how to deliver these types of housing. They were prevalent in our community and across the country. They were even available for order from the Sears Catalog, like so many housing options at the time.
So, what happened?
No single thing occurred to cause the change. Changes in zoning, federal government programs supporting single-family homes, and shifts in financing all contributed to these housing types becoming much less common.
Knoxville’s current code has a lot of barriers that restrict the ability for people to build a new duplex, triplex, and other types of middle housing.
Project applications using the Middle Housing standards and review process are required to use only the Middle Housing types as defined below:
DUPLEX (side-by-side):
 A structure up to two stories, containing two dwelling units next to each other with one shared wall. The type has a building depth, width, and height similar to a typical single-family house. Both units may share a stoop or porch at the center of the building; or each unit may have its own stoop or porch. One unit may face the street with another facing the interior or corner side or rear yard.
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DUPLEX (stacked):
 A structure up to two stories, containing two dwelling units, with one on the ground floor and the other on top. The type has a building depth, width, and height similar to a typical single-family house. Both entries may face the street, or one unit may face the street with another facing the interior or corner side or rear yard.
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TRIPLEX:
 A structure up to three stories, containing three dwelling units typically stacked on top of each other, in locations where there is a transition from a commercial corridor and / or higher intensity area into single-family neighborhoods. Within neighborhoods, away from transition areas adjacent to corridors, a 2.5-story triplex may feature other configurations to accommodate three units.
FOURPLEX:
A structure up to 2.5 stories, containing two units on the ground floor and two units stacked directly above. The type has a building depth, width, and height similar to a single-family house.
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TOWNHOUSE (small):
 A small-to-medium sized structure up to two stories with up to four attached units, featuring shared side walls between units. The narrow side of the unit faces the street, with an entry oriented towards the street, and the larger attached side along the depth of the lot.
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TOWNHOUSE (large):
 A medium-sized structure up to 2.5 stories with up to eight units, featuring shared side walls between units. The narrow side of the unit faces the street, with an entry oriented towards the street, and the larger attached side along the depth of the lot.
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MULTIPLEX (small):
 A small-to-medium-sized structure that consists of five to ten units arranged side-by-side and/or stacked, often with a shared entry on the ground floor.
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Examples of Missing Middle Housing in Knoxville
If you look close enough, you can see examples of Middle Housing already in many Knoxville neighborhoods. Duplexes, four-plexes, and other types of middle housing used to be quite popular in the early part of the 20th century.
Fairmont Blvd.
Duplex (side-by-side) |
Luttrell St.
Duplex (side-by-side) |
Forest Ave.
Duplex (stacked) |
E. Fifth Ave.
Duplex (side-by-side) |
Clinch Ave.
Fourplex |
University Ave.
Fourplex |
Monroe Senter St.
Duplex (side-by-side) |
Morgan Street
Multiplex (small) |
Lovenia Ave.
Townhomes
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Dixie St.
Townhomes
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