The iconic Tennessee Theatre sign is out of service until further notice. Here's why
The 600 block of Gay Street might look a little darker, as the iconic Tennessee Theatre sign is out of commission for the time being.
The state theater is adjacent to the Burwell Building, which is undergoing maintenance to the edges of its roof, though the two buildings look like one at a quick glance. Becky Hancock, the theater's executive director, told Knox News via text that the sign will be wrapped for protection during that work.
She expects work will be complete sometime in October. The sign had to be disconnected from power while it's wrapped.
The Tennessee Theatre opened in 1928 with a similar vertical sign, but it was removed in 1956 when the marquee was updated. A vertical sign did not come back until the current replica was installed during major renovations in 2005, according to the theater.
The sign is enough to light up a substantial portion of the 600 block during nighttime performances. In fact, light can seem brighter upon exiting the theater compared to the dimly lit lobby.
"The marquee's lights and electronic message boards will function as normal during this project, although there may be a protective scaffolding above it at some point," Hancock said.
The venue underwent renovations over the summer that caused it to close for a few weeks. Much of the work had to do with replacing outdated boilers and water heaters.
The theater has a busy calendar of events between now and this time next month. Tanya Tucker, Johnnyswim, Joy Oladokun and Lewis Black are among those scheduled to perform.
As of 9:45 a.m. Sept. 27, the south side of the sign was already wrapped. The north side will get the same treatment.
Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Instagram @knoxscruff.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee Theatre sign on Gay Street goes dark in downtown Knoxville
