The three Victorian houses located on the 1300 block of White Ave. each have a distinctly rich heritage associated with the history of Knoxville and the University of Tennessee. Removing vernacular architecture is detrimental to the city landscape, and also sets a dangerous precedent likely to be emulated by private owners and developers. If the University of Tennessee endorses the destruction of these houses, it undermines the authority of the city and its establishments which have fought to protect Knoxville from unscrupulous profiteers who disregard the city's history in favor of development. This petition urges UT to seek an alternate site for its proposed building project and to reaffirm its cooperation with and commitment to the City of Knoxville and its ongoing efforts towards historic preservation.

By permission of Jack Neely, here is a link to his recent article outlining the historical significance of these houses:  http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jun/20/three-historic-houses-threatened-ut-expansion-plan/