Tower Shops at Mountain Mile, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
RETROFIT TEAM
ARCHITECT: Johnson Architecture Inc.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: JA Fielden
CIVIL ENGINEER: Will Robinson & Associates
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Haines Structural Group
MEP/FP ENGINEER: Engineering Services Group Inc.
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Lighting Trends
DECORATIVE CORTEN STEEL, LOUVERS and SIDING: Baird and Wilson
DECORATIVE AWNINGS: Camel Custom Canvas Shop
MATERIALS
The following is a sampling of materials used in the project:
PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT: Columbia Cascade Co.
CONCRETE TROUGH SINKS: Trueform Concrete
DECORATIVE TRENCH DRAINS: ACO
THIN BRICK and BLOCK: General Shale
THE RETROFIT
A shopping mall that was past its prime had the benefit of its location. With a mile of heavily traveled road frontage in Pigeon Forge—a town that boasts more than 10 million visitors each year and is in close proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park—there was plenty of opportunity to make a grand destination.
Daryl Johnson, president, principal architect and director of design for Johnson Architecture Inc. (JAI) and members of the JAI team worked with the new owners to scrap all preconceived notions of a “tourist town outlet mall.”
First, the JAI-led master plan called for the center of the 224,000-square-foot indoor mall to be demolished and new spaces designed and themed around a Mountain Monster tower ride, the first of its kind that offers three types of thrill rides with panoramic views of the town and Smoky Mountains beyond.
Vast lawns with water features, play areas, benches, lawn games and abundant landscaping blend cohesively with the building materials and textures that were sourced to create the character of an old mining town with a nod to industrial—but historical—design. The 140,000 square feet of existing shops that line the back and sides of the property are clad with brick veneer, cedar and reclaimed barnwood siding, alongside industrial materials, such as Corten steel panels and aluminum siding.
“This region attracts all types of visitors, especially families who are often traveling with multiple generations,” Johnson says. “The Tower Shops at Mountain Mile truly accommodate the entire family with safe spaces for kids to run, shaded spots for parents and grandparents to rest, and shops and food that cater to all.”
PHOTOS: Mountain Mile