Demolition permit approved for contested downtown Knoxville parking garage

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KNOXVILLE (WATE) - A demolition permit has been approved for Downtown Knoxville's Pryor Brown garage.

The garage, more than 80 years old, had been a mixed use building, with retail shops on its bottom floor. It had originally been the site of a livery stable owned by Pryor Brown.

The owners of the garage, Royal Properties Inc., applied for a rezoning request last year to demolish that building and create surface parking until they could develop the site.

The permit was denied at that time by the Metropolitan Planning Commission. A lawsuit was filed over that decision.

The building's owners say the building is in poor condition and is unsalvageable.

The city says with the permit approved and no legal reason to deny it, the garage could come down at any time.

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Demolition permit approved for contested downtown Knoxville parking garage