neighborhood

Downtown Knoxville City ParkDowntown Knoxville is moving closer to becoming a vibrant 24-hour neighborhood as investors pump millions of dollars into new projects in the central business district.

City government and business leaders have talked for years about turning downtown into a place "where people live, work and play."

Residential developments - both new construction and conversions of former office space into luxury condos - have lead the way in transforming downtown, but significant new retail and entertainment establishments have opened or soon will.

Mast General Store, a North Carolina based retailer, opened a store on Gay Street in August. The $2.5 million investment represented the first major retail development downtown since Watson's department store left Market Square in 1998.