Diocesan House Will Have New Address in August

Ground has been broken at the site of the new Diocesan House to be built on the campus of the Episcopal School of Knoxville near Lovell Road.

More than a year ago, members of the St. John’s Cathedral Chapter approached Bishop vonRosenberg with a proposal to purchase the current Diocesan House that sits across the parking lot from the Cathedral.

An explosive growth of young families at St. John’s forced the chapter to explore ways to expand the church’s facilities and ministries.

In March 2002, the diocese closed on the sale of the building to St. John’s for $1.2 million.

This past summer the diocese purchased two acres of land from ESK on which to build the new Diocesan House.

Funds from the sale of Diocesan House were used to purchase the property and will be used to pay for construction of the new facility.

The new building will be located on the lower sweep of the ESK campus. Nestled among a grove of maple trees, the one-story building is a blend of East Tennessee vernacular with a flavor of the Craftsman style. The exterior is clad in staggered shingles with a stacked stone base and deep eves. 

The vestibule, a natural combination of stone/heavy-timber, leads to a central space filled with the warmth of hard wood floors, exposed heavy-timber trusses and a welcoming fireplace. 

The general “footprint” of the building is roughly 7200 sq.ft., and will include a book store, conference area and chapel space.

There is a 16' x16' terrace on the north side of the building that will provide an outdoor space for gathering and outdoor dining.

The deadline for vacating the current Diocesan House is Aug. 1, 2003.