Morristown shows off its signature feature — a two-story sidewalk — at a downtown street festival.
Photo courtesy Joe Moore
The Town That Took Downtown Renewal to the Next Level
Decades ago, business leaders in Morristown, Tennessee, came up with a radical infrastructure plan to rescue their struggling Main Street. Here’s how it worked out.
Morristown, Tennessee, was bursting with civic pride in May 1967. After years of planning and construction, the Appalachian town of around 20,000 was ready to unveil the Skymart, its new crown jewel.
Curious residents headed downtown to check out Morristown’s latest piece of public infrastructure: a four-block lattice of elevated sidewalks perched atop Main Street. The Skymart stood directly above the old sidewalks, with ramps and stairs providing access to the upper level. Pedestrians on the Skymart could stroll along the north or south side of Main Street, visiting storefronts or looking down on the cars and people below. Five concrete bridges allowed them to cross from one side of the street to the other.