Renovation and Addition

Built in 1792 in the heart of downtown Knoxville, First Presbyterian Church was the City’s first church. This iconic structure takes up an entire city block and has played a critical role in Knoxville’s storied past. A major aspect of the project was restoring the church’s architectural integrity as well as bringing historic features and treasures back to life.

Construction encompassed 65,000 s.f., involving a three-story atrium addition and renovations to all six existing floors. The project was broken down into two phases to accommodate the church’s ongoing operational needs, with Phase I focused on the south side of the building to include the chapel, classrooms, fellowship hall, parlor, and replacement of the mechanical system. Phase II involved the sanctuary, administrative offices and north side of the church. The atrium spaces, which included two new elevators and a stair tower expansion, function as the central connection space and spanned both phases. Temporary walls were installed to provide a safe division between ongoing construction and church activities.