The property occupied the by the new Public Defender facility was once a vacant lot. The County owns the property. Though ideas like an animal shelter were considered, environmental issues prevented development of the land. Remediation of the soil made the property safe for office use and by entering into a brownfield agreement with the State of Tennessee, this property is now a community resource.

     In 2001, Knox County arranged bond issue financing to the Public Defenders Office for the construction of the building. That means that the bond will be paid back to the County in full. No outlays or appropriation of tax dollars made this project an outright gift to the Public Defenders Office.

     Prior to the construction of this building, the Public Defenders Office made monthly rent payments to a landlord. Now the Public Defender's will repay the bond issue to Knox County. The payments will be about the same as the old rent payments but, in the end, the County will own this community asset.