UTHSC pushes ahead with clinic plan despite Scottish Rite's resistance

The Commercial Appeal
Jul 29, 2010
By Toby Sells

A Scottish Rite official said his group has no desire to sell their 100-year-old, Union Avenue building and its property to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Despite the organizations unwillingness to sell, a UTHSC official said Wednesday the school is still preparing a formal, $2 million bid for the property, on which it hopes to build a multi-story Clinical Services building for primary care training and delivery. School officials have even had renderings of the possible structure drawn by architects with Memphis-based TRO Jung Brannen Inc. The pictures show a glassy, multi-story building that fronts Union and looks down Dunlap. But Joseph Harrison, the local Personal Representative to the Sovereign Grand Inspector General, said the Freemason group hasnt changed its view of the offer its had for many years: We have no real desire to sell our building. Were not trying to take an obstructionist attitude about it but we cant function without that building, Harrison said. It is 100 years old, we are very happy with it, it functions well and our membership likes the building. When asked how hed respond to Scottish Rites position, Dr. Ken Brown, executive vice chancellor and UTHSCs chief of staff, said, I would go ahead and make a formal offer to them and give them an opportunity to respond to it. Then we would have to assess what our next step would be. Harrison said hes told university officials in the past that the group could only consider a purchase and a move if the school would build them a new building, on a site they liked and one that met the sometimes-theatrical needs of the Scottish Rite. He said the building now has a large stage with sophisticated lighting and sound equipment. The facility is mainly used for degree work, Harrson said, theatrical ceremonies to initiate or advance Freesmasons into or through the ranks of the order. A recent initiation ceremony involved degree work for a new class of 100, a recent record for class size, Harrison said. The ceremony could have taken the work of 300 already-accepted Masons, if every man only did one job. Harrison said roughly 3,000 Masons are served from the Scottish Rite building on Union and that the buildings 100th birthday was marked with special events, a 100-year commemorative class and a review of its history. UTHSCs Brown said should Scottish Rite refuse the schools bid, he would explore other sites on campus and in the Medical District for the multi-storied clinic. He said he doesnt want to get antagonistic with these guys at this point but wouldnt elaborate. He has said in the past that the school does have the right to use eminent domain to take the building. Brown said the resurfacing work being done to the parking lot the medical school leases from Scottish Rite is unrelated to any talks connected to the sale of the building. The lot sits just east of the Scottish Rite building.  Toby Sells: 529-2742