Downtown Knoxville is full of cool buildings, each with their own history as well as their own contributions to our city. Sunday afternoon, while moving a few things into Brad's new office at Pathway Lending, I found a very cool building. Here, I wanted to share this history with you:The Medical Arts Building was constructed in 1932 withunique architectural elements consisting of Eclectic Gothic Revival with Art Deco influence...Designed by the architectural firm Manley & Young of Lexington, Kentucky, the Medical Arts Building was built by contractor Earl Worsham (who had his firms offices there after it opened) and Dr. M.M. Copenhaver, who began construction in 1929 for $750,000. However, the building was taken over during the Depression by Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., which sold it to an Alabama businessman in the 1930s...The building originally was designed as a 13-story structure, but only 10 were built because of the Depression...Over the years, its modern equipment and outstanding facilities made it attractive to Knoxville's leading physicians and dentists, as well as to firms as diverse as Hollywood Beauty Studio, Insurance Service Co. and Johnson's Flowers. Despite the fact that it was built at the onset of the Depression, its ornate brass elevator doors and marble interior details give it a feeling of opulence. The interior has marble and terrazzo floors, marble walls and mahogany doors inlaid with walnut. Many of the offices have arched doors and vaulted ceilings. Uncharacteristically, it also once had its own bowling alley...The Medical Arts Building now serves the Knoxville community as a premiere provider of commercial office space for all types of businesses. Throughout the development of downtown, the Medical Arts Building has remained "Knoxville's Best Kept Secret."
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