Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse 101 – Best Practices

Posted: Thu, Mar 13, 2025

Hollie Cook, Director of Preservation Services at Knox Heritage, will be our speaker at the April chapter meeting and will present an informative session that explores the rich history and core values of Knox Heritage. This overview will provide attendees with a foundational understanding of the organization's mission, goals, and the importance of preserving historic buildings.

In addition, the presenter will also provide a comprehensive overview of the various tools and resources available to architects, designers, and contractors for identifying historical significance in existing buildings and sites. This will include a detailed discussion on how to assess and document the historical value of structures, as well as the techniques and methodologies for conducting thorough site evaluations. The session will cover legal protections available to historically significant properties, including local, state, and federal designations such as landmark status and National Register listings.

Lastly, participants will explore preservation treatments and best practices for maintaining the architectural integrity of historical buildings while adapting them for modern use. The course will highlight the financial incentives available to property owners and developers working on preservation projects, such as tax credits, grants, and low-interest loans.

The presenter will examine the interplay between local, state, and federal regulations governing historical preservation, offering insights into how these laws shape design decisions and project timelines. By the end of the session, attendees will have a deeper understanding of the complex regulatory environment surrounding historical buildings and the tools they can utilize to navigate these challenges successfully.

Ms. Cook holds a BA in Art History from the University of Tennessee, which she earned in 2002. Hollie served on the Board of Directors for the East Tennessee Community Design Center from 2014 to 2020 and is presently a member of the Board of Directors for AIA East Tennessee.

Earns 1 hour AIA/CES credit.

We meet at the AGC Building at 3306 Ragsdale Ave. Lunch is served at 11:45 and the program begins at noon. Reservations are required. Register Here.

Welcome to New Member Joshua Hankins

Posted: Wed, Jan 15, 2025

Welcome to one of our newest members, Joshua Hankins. Joshua serves as a manufacturer's representative through Smart Roof Solutions, which is an independent rep firm primarily for GAF and Siplast roofing materials. He specifically supports the design community and specifiers to assist them with plans and specifications. “I regularly do plan and specification reviews (roofing specific) and assist to help obtain the higher quality finished product that is closer to what the specifier originally intended. I'm not a typical sales rep in that I don't quote jobs, I don't work with pricing, and I don't work with contractors. Again, my only job is to support the specifiers”.

Joshua became an IIBEC member in 2006 and obtained his RRO (Registered Roofing Observer) in 2009. For the past five years he has been a juror for the annual IIBEC project of the year awards and has served on several international IIBEC committees including Emerging Professionals and Bylaws, and multiple tasks teams.

Joshua had been a roof consultant with Roof Design and Consulting Services here in Knoxville. “I jumped the fence to the dark side and I've been a manufacturer's representative since May 2024. I'm specifically responsible for assisting the design community and owners as an enclosure consultant”.

Joshua's grew up immersed in design and construction, as his father, Sid Hankins, has practiced architecture in Knoxville for over 50 years. He said, “many family vacations were long weekends when my father would do site inspections, and I would tag along. I spent more hours than I can count after school in his office looking at blueprints and specifications.”

When asked why he joined CSI, he said, “I've long been aware of CSI, and at one point planned on obtaining my CDT, but never had the time or opportunity. Katherine Fuller Richardson invited me to attend the last meeting as her guest. I enjoyed the last presentation and look forward to being involved.”

Joshua has lived in Knoxville all his life and appears to be a fan of both the UT basketball and football. For the past 20 years, he has served as the backup for the scorer’s table (scoreboard operator, shot clock operator, game clock operator, and TV timeout coordinator) for UT men's basketball. He's also the spotter for the PA announcer (Jeff Jarnigan) at the UT football games. Currently he resides in the Fountain City area with his wife and 13-year-old daughter.

Please introduce yourself to Joshua at our next meeting. He has a lot to offer our design community!

Bag of Toys to Toys for Tots

Posted: Fri, Dec 13, 2024

The Knoxville Chapter collected toys at our annual Christmas Party for Toys for Tots. This has been a tradition in the chapter since Curtis Rosenbaun served as Chapter President from 1996 - 1998. A Santa bag full of toys was delivered to the Alcoa Hwy Marine Base to the arms of a grateful Marine. He said they will be distributing the toys to needy children the weekend of December 21. Thank you for helping make a child's Christmas a wonderful delight!

Come to the Chapter Christmas Party

Posted: Mon, Dec 02, 2024

Deck yourself in your favorite Christmas attire and join the Knoxville Chapter at our annual Christmas celebration on December 11, 2024. The party will be at Brent Williams' office at Advantage Solutions. Party starts at 6 PM. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Please bring an unwrapped toy for our Toys for Tots donations, a wrapped gift for the White Elephant Gift Exchange (one per attendee), and BYOB.

You must RSVP. There is no charge for the CSI member or their plus one.

You will receive a map by email from the Chapter.

Denver Chapter's Outreach to Knoxville CSI Student

Posted: Fri, Nov 15, 2024

By Angeline Guifarro, CSI Staff

When fourth-year UTK architecture student, Karina Kane, faced the challenge of outdated online images for her Denver-based project, she didn't let it hold her back. Karina, a part-time team member in the Kelso-Regen Associates mechanical engineering office and a dedicated CSI Knoxville student member, knew more accurate site data would make a world of difference. Taking a leap of faith, she reached out to the Denver CSI Chapter, sharing her journey with CSI and how its network of professionals had been a guiding force in her career. 

My name is Karina Kane, I am a fourth-year architecture student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a student member of the CSI Knoxville Chapter. Being a part of CSI has been one of the greatest decisions in my life. The people I have been connected with, by being involved with the Knoxville, Nashville, and even Chattanooga chapters have taught me so much valuable information that I will carry with me for the rest of my career. When I first got involved, the CSI community welcomed me with open arms. Now, they have made a wonderful effort to help me grow in this profession by teaching me from their own experiences. I have to say, this community has the most hard-working, passionate, caring, intelligent, and creative people I've ever met and I am so honored to be part of CSI.  

With CSI being such a compassionate organization, I am reaching out about a potential sponsorship through the Denver, CO Chapter for a one-day site visit located at 1338 N Emerson St, Denver, CO, 80218. This site visit would be for an integration school project (a project for fourth-year students only) which I am tackling this semester through the College of Architecture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Not only would visiting the site help to provide critical information including photos and written accounts, but having that contextual experience will give me a leg up in the project that is being submitted to a national competition (brief attached below). I was just presented the brief yesterday, with the final project for class due before Thanksgiving, November 20th specifically, meaning visiting the site would have to occur in the next month. I truly appreciate what CSI has been able to do for me and how beneficial being a part of the organization is to my career. If possible, working out a date to visit the site and meet you with the Denver, CO Chapter, would be more than awesome!  

Thank you so much and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon! 

Her message captured the attention of Denver's CSI board. So much so that, in less than a day, the board agreed to sponsor her travel and provide her a guest room for her time in Denver. She received a tour of the project site, invaluable for gathering the insights and context she needs to excel in her project as a college senior. Karina's outreach also sparked a unique opportunity to connect with Denver CSI members, who were eager to share their expertise and experiences with this a young professional. 

Karina's initiative and CSI's response are a testament to the power of community, mentorship, and a shared passion for the design and construction fields. Her trip highlights not just the support of CSI, but the collaborative spirit that drives us all forward.