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SPOTLIGHT
THE ARCADE BUILDING
BY CASSIE DOBSON & KATHRYN GAGE
As Knoxville begins its renewal of central city areas, such as Gay Street and Market Square, it is important to remember the buildings which have long been associated with the downtown vista. One of these buildings located in the historic Gay Street commercial district is the Arcade Building, formerly known as the Journal Arcade Building. This structure was home to such historic Knoxville businesses as Blaufeld’s Deli, which had been part of downtown Knoxville for ninety years.
Designed in 1924 by the architectural firm R.F. Graf & Sons of Knoxville, the Arcade Building was renovated in 1992 by previous owner, Joan Allen. Some of the changes include a professionally landscaped atrium on the second floor, marble-adorned corridors and stairs, and solid wood-paneled entrance doors for each office suite. These offices are occupied by a variety of businesses.
BDT DEVELOPMENT
BDT Development, a real estate management and development company, is owned by LeRoy Thompson. His initial focus was on commercial and urban projects around the Knoxville area: Cherokee Health Systems, a medical facility; Five Points Village Plaza in east Knoxville, a retail development; the Shops at Brookside, located at I-40 Exit 407 (near the Bass Pro Shop). More recently, BDT Development has been responsible for residential projects, including Mari-Ben Acres and Mountain Lake subdivision. The firm is now branching out even more with federal developments and construction.
BDT was originally an affiliate company of Holrob Investments, where Thompson formed a partnership with owner and founder Robert S. Talbott. He refers to Talbott as “one of the most respected developers in the Southeastern region.” Thompson credits Talbott with providing the mentoring he needed to start his own firm, the only minority company of its type in the state. BDT has a knack for completing projects on budget, on time, and of the highest quality. For more your real estate or construction needs, contact LeRoy Thompson at 865-523-9011 or 865-388-7641.
Via email: lthompson@bdtmanagement.com.
MORGAN STANLEY
The Morgan Stanley satellite office of Richard Ruh has been in the Arcade Building since May 1999. When asked why Morgan Stanley chose the Arcade Building as the location for its downtown offices, Ruh says that the historic atmosphere of the building and the beautiful architecture served as the main draws. In addition, Ruh enjoys the Arcade location because of the downtown vibe; he likes observing the growth and progress of the central city. His clients enjoy coming downtown, as well, he reports.
Ruh has been a financial advisor for 24 years; he builds and monitors investment portfolios and retirement accounts using conservative growth and income strategies. His professional approach “helps clients realize where financial plans can be flexible and where they must stay firm.” Ruh recognizes that “the most viable financial plans evolve over time,” and he brings a disciplined approach to the investment strategies of those he serves. He currently works alongside his sister Michelle Gregory, also a financial planner, and plans to bring in additional brokers in the near future. To contact Richard Ruh, call 865- 521-2040. Or email him at Richard.Ruh@morganstanley.com.
Other tenants in the Arcade Building include: Arning Insurance; Shields & Shields Optometry; Isaacs Ramsey Law Firm; Peggy Comstock, Esq.; Karla Roche, Esq.; Republic Parking; McSpadden Real Estate Services. The Arcade Building was purchased in 2006 by Daylight Properties, LLC. For any inquiries regarding commercial leasing opportunities, contact Matthew Fentress, NAI Knoxville, 865-777-3037 or mfentress@naiknoxville.com.
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