Western Heights | a Choice Neighborhood Community designed by Shapiro & Company Architects
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
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Western Heights in Knoxville is part of the Transforming Western redevelopment, a major project funded through the HUD Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, one of the federal government’s most competitive programs for transforming aging public housing into mixed-income communities.
The redevelopment replaces Knoxville’s historic Western Heights public housing with a new neighborhood that integrates housing, services, and community infrastructure. The plan includes nine new buildings, seven of which are residential, offering one to five bedroom apartments designed to accommodate a wide range of household sizes.
A central mixed-use building anchors the development, with a police substation, local health clinic, and arts center on the ground floor. These uses help establish Western Heights as a neighborhood destination while providing services that support both residents and the surrounding community.
The master planning effort was led through collaboration between Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC), Brinshore Development, and Urban Design Associates, supported by extensive community outreach and neighborhood planning. The design prioritizes walkability and integration with surrounding Knoxville neighborhoods.
Architecturally, the buildings draw from downtown Knoxville and traditional neighborhood precedents, grounding the development in local character. Residential buildings use pitched roof forms and neighborhood-scaled architecture, while amenity and civic buildings express a more commercial identity.
The development is also designed to be multifamily ENERGY STAR certified and exceeds HUD accessibility requirements, supporting long-term performance and livability. Large-scale Choice Neighborhoods projects like Western Heights require deep coordination between housing authorities, developers, planners, and architects to deliver housing that is both financially viable and community-focused.
