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HOME + DESIGN T I M E T O U P G R AD E T O A SM AR T H O USE K N OX VI L L E ’ S PIZ Z A M AN LI F E + C U LTU R E SH O EB OX C O L L EC T I O NS F RO M K N OX VI L L E H IS T O RY PR OJ EC T

The word Amicus is synonymous with what sets our attorneys apart and truly defines the weight we place in our relationship with our clients. We are here to serve as friends, allies, loyal and trusted advisors during what is often a difficult time for our clients, their families or their business.

Mital D. Patel

Julie D. Eisenhower

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Founder/Managing Partner

Attorney/Appellate Counsel

Attorney

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

MARCH 2021 PUBLISHER

Marc Rochelson | marc.rochelson@lifestylepubs.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Looking Forward to Spring

Jennie Treadway-Miller | jennie.miller@lifestylepubs.com AD DESIGNER

Evan Deuvall

THANK GOODNESS SPRING IS COMING! AND WITH SPRING COME

L AYO UT DESIGNER

THOUGHTS OF FRESH BEGINNINGS, DOGWOOD BLOOMS, GARDENING,

Jayme Emery

AND HOME IMPROVEMENTS.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Eric Foster, Paul James, Jack Neely, Mital Patel

In this issue, we bring you stories from various perspectives focused on the theme of “home.”

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Pedro Mendoza

We want to express our sincere thanks to our advertising partners that you see on the pages of this issue. We could not feature stories of community members without them! With gratitude and thanks for your readership and support, we look forward to all the promises springtime holds! Amy Campbell-Rochelson and Marc Rochelson

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson AD MANAGER Chad Jensen REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO

ON THE COVER The view from inside Summit 86.

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY BARRET HAGEN 4

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

CityLifestyle.com/WestKnoxville

Proverbs 3:5-6 West Knoxville Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the West Knoxville area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in West Knoxville Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

INSIDE THE ISSUE MARCH 2021

FEATURES 10 The Pizza Man Knows Plaster Mike Pizzolongo, Knoxville’s Go-To Guy

18 You Should See the View from Up Here East Tennessee is the Place To Be

24 Time to Upgrade to a Smart House Your Future Home is Here

18 24

28 Is Your Home a Good Investment? Homeowner Advice from PYA Waltman

DEPARTMENTS 4

Lifestyle Letter

Around Town

Renovate & Refine

Times Past

24 Tech Savvy 28 Financial Buzz 32 Locals Only 34 Legal Compass

AROUND TOWN

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR MOBILE MEALS Mobile

Meals, the

Meals

Wheels program in Knox County, is now

serving

1,200

homebound

seniors each weekday across 70 routes. Volunteers deliver a lunchtime meal and provide an important safety check to our most vulnerable neighbors, traveling to every zip code in Knoxville. Volunteers can deliver as a group day of service, seasonally (summer / school breaks with kids), or just once to obtain service hours. Volunteers are welcome to set up a regular schedule too, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Mobile Meals always need help, and the goal is to find a fit that suits people's preferences. Getting started is easy and the process is streamlined by using a Mobile Meals App. For more information, go to KnoxSeniors.org.

(Nutella flavor shown)

NOURISH KNOXVILLE WINTER FARMERS' MARKET This month, visit the 2021 Winter

There’s no better way to say THANK YOU!

Farmers’ Market at Mary Costa

Custom gift boxes with your logo on each cookie!

baked goods, artisan crafts, and more.

Plaza (the Knoxville Civic AuditoriumColiseum) on March 6 and 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The outdoor market hosts vendors selling pasture-raised meats, eggs, winter produce, honey, Free

available

Baker Jr. Avenue from Mary Costa Plaza. Additional free parking is available along Howard Baker Jr. Avenue. A full list of participating vendors, as well as a map of the plaza,

Made right here in West Knoxville!

parking

Garages A and B across Howard

available

online

NourishKnoxville.org.

SLEEP AWARENESS WEEK IS MARCH 14-20 March 14-20 is dedicated to

ORDER AT

www.kookycookie.com 8

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

making

people

aware

vari-

ous Sleep Disorders, which are not only disruptive, but they also contribute to a variety of health

issues that can be treated. Some, but not all, disorders treated at Tranquility Sleep Specialists include Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Central Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, Narcolepsy,

Thinking about

Family Planning?

Parasomnias, Restless legs, and many more. Dr. Dewey McWhirter is a Board Certified Sleep Specialist and is accredited by the American Academy Sleep Medicine. He treats patients from the age of five and up. Visit TranquilitySleep.com for more information.

Full-scope Family Care including No-Scalpel Vasectomies

Schedule With Us Today! Now Accepting Telehealth Appointments Would you like to get in touch with us? We would love to hear from you! Contact us at CityLifestyle.com/ WestKnoxville using the Get In Touch link and let us know what you think.

Call us at 865-675-4342 or visit www.FHCPLLC.com FAMILY HEALTH CENTER | 11217 WEST POINT DR. STE. 2 | FARRAGUT, TN CityLifestyle.com/WestKnoxville

RENOVATE & REFINE

THE PIZZ A M AN

KNOWS PLASTER SAY “PIZZA MAN” IN SEQUOYAH HILLS, AND EVERYONE KNOWS WHO YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT. Mike Pizzolongo - no pressure to pronounce the last name - has been the go-to plaster and stucco guy in East Tennessee since the mid-90s, not just for private homes but also for historical landmarks such as the Tennessee Theatre, the Bijou, and Blount Mansion. Mike puts it plainly: “When ARTICLE JENNIE TREADWAYMILLER | PHOTOGRAPHY PEDRO MENDOZA

there’s a plaster job, they call me.” “I tell everybody that I was born and raised in the south, and then they look at me and say, ‘Yeah right,’ and I say, ‘Yeah, South Bronx’,” says Mike, laughing. His accent and disposition is everything you want it to be. Originally from New York, Mike’s family moved to New Jersey, which

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

is where he got his feet (or hands?) wet in plastering alongside Louie Iorio, who taught Mike everything he needed to know to start his own business. When his parents moved to Florida, Mike and his wife, Cheryl, followed them, and soon he was plastering for Pete Rose and other athletes who had luxury homes. When the Pizzolongos tired of Florida, a cousin suggested they check out East Tennessee. By 1995, they’d moved to Pigeon Forge. “Plaster work is all interior, so that’s mainly walls and ceilings in older homes, built prior to 1950, before they started using drywall. Stucco is on the outside. Some places use white styrofoam, energy-efficient stuff from the 80s, but I still prefer the old way,” says Mike. “I’m a dinosaur.” By dinosaur, he means classic - the attention to texture, aesthetic, longevity - the way a fireplace or rangehood or ceiling can look like it’s been there a hundred years and will stand for a hundred more. Mike and his son, also named Mike, take on the kind of jobs that require high-level expertise, like a recent

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/WestKnoxville

RENOVATE & REFINE (CONTINUED)

crown moulding gig at The Vault, a new cocktail lounge on Gay Street. Over the last 25 years, Mike’s reputation for plaster and stucco work led him from a steady work schedule and a stint on a DIY television show to not needing advertising at all. His daughter, Laura, manages his Instagram account

(@PizzolongoPlastering),

and word-of-mouth does the rest. Eventually, Mike’s son will take over the business so he can ease into some version of a proper retirement. “I still push, but I don’t have to anymore. It’s in me. You stop, you die. Even if I just do a day or two a week, just to help out,” says Mike. “I enjoy everything I do. I take pride in everything I do. My son is the same.”

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

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TIMES PAST

SHOEBOX COLLECTIONS

THE KNOXVILLE HISTORY PROJECT CONTINUES SERIES OF LITTLE-KNOWN PHOTOGRAPHS SUBMITTED BY LOCALS

THE FOLLOWING IMAGES WERE SHARED BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH THE KNOXVILLE HISTORY PROJECT AS PART OF AN ONGOING EFFORT TO EXPAND WHAT WE KNOW VISUALLY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CULTURE OF THE CITY. If you have interesting old photographs of your own, from any era, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Paul James at the Knoxville History Project at 865-337-7723 or Paul@KnoxHistoryProject.org. Learn more at KnoxvilleHistoryProject. org/Knoxville-Shoebox. Blount Mansion

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

KNOXVILLE ARTICLE JACK NEELY AND PAUL JAMES

BLOUNT MANSION

STATE CAPITOL BUILDING

The 1792 frame house that is known today as

It has long been claimed that this home, once known as

Blount Mansion is Knoxville’s only National Historic

Anthony’s Tavern, downtown at the corner of State Street

Landmark. The building, still serving as a private

and E. Cumberland Avenue, served for a time as the first

residence, was perhaps only a century old when

Capitol Building of Tennessee. That’s hard to prove, and

this photograph was taken in the late 1800s. Across

likely lost to time, as Knoxville was the new state’s capital

from the house, on the corner of Hill Avenue and

only before 1818 when it moved to Murfreesboro and later

State Street, is a rather surprising hill or mound. The

Nashville. However, around the state’s first centennial in

neighborhood’s topography was flattened by the

1896, Knoxvillians looked to it as the former capital building.

time of construction of the Andrew Johnson Hotel in

What is fact is that the state’s Constitution was signed by 55

the 1920s. Also visible on the street is perhaps an

delegates, including chair William Blount, at federal Indian

original gaslight. Streetlamps fueled by gas were first

Agent Col. David Henley’s office not far from here at Gay

introduced in the 1850s, and Knoxville had some gas

Street and Church Avenue. The Constitution was signed 225

street lamps as late as the 1890s. Shared by Lynn

years ago on February 6, 1796 and became official several

Tarpy and Blount Mansion.

months later with President Washington’s signature on June 1, now recognized as statehood day. Shared by Alec Riedl.

First State Capitol

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/WestKnoxville

HISTORY TIMES PAST (CONTINUED)

ISLAND HOME AVENUE

later became the President of East Tennessee

In the early 1800s, Moses White, son of the city’s

College (now UT). Dickinson became a wealthy

founder James White, owned property in South

merchant and banker in Knoxville.

Knoxville including a small Island in the river

The Italianate mansion seen here, built during

upstream from the city. That property was later

the 1870s, was part of a 200-acre model farm

known as “Williams Island” after the subsequent

that featured formal gardens surrounded by roll-

owner, Col Thomas Williams, who then sold

ing hills. A long driveway led to the estate’s front

much of the land to Massachusetts-born Perez

gate, which was topped with eagle finials. The

Dickinson, a cousin of poet Emily Dickinson.

house now is occupied by the Superintendent

Dickinson moved to Knoxville in 1829 where

of the Tennessee School for the Deaf, which

his brother-in-law, Joseph Estabrook, was the

moved to the property from downtown in the

principal of the Knoxville Female Academy, and

1920s. Shared by Cindy and Mark Proteau.

Island Home

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

East Vine Street House

4. EAST VINE STREET HOUSE This house, formerly 1106 East Vine Avenue, was

PROJECT

once part of the Black community that was drastically changed by Urban Renewal efforts in the 1950s and ‘60s. The photograph was taken as part of a visual

record of poor neighborhoods in the 1930s just east of Downtown. Close to this house was a dance hall and the public high school for African Americans.

These, and many other Black-owned businesses,

as well as thousands of houses, were displaced by Urban Renewal. Shared by Cindy and Mark Proteau.

5. KNOXVILLE HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS BOOK St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, celebrated extravagantly by Knoxville’s Irish immigrants by the 1850s, is just one holiday celebrated by Knoxvillians over the years that is featured in Holidays & Festivals, one story collection in an ongoing series produced by the Knoxville History Project. Like music, literature, and cuisine, holidays can tell us much about our culture, and how it has evolved. Holidays & Festivals highlights local traditions surrounding Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, Halloween, Christmas, as well as Veterans Day, Emancipation Day on the Eighth of August, and more.

The Knoxville History Project is a local educational nonprofit with a mission to research, preserve and promote the history and culture of Knoxville. KHP gives talks, presentations, writes books, and engages the public online through stories, oral history conversations, driving tours and much more. Learn more at KnoxvilleHistoryProject.org.

Holidays and Festivals CityLifestyle.com/WestKnoxville

you should see the view from up here EAST TENNESSEE IS THE PLACE TO BE

ARTICLE JENNIE TREADWAY-MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

"I just buil t a house for a client using 150-year-old recl aimed wood and wit h all W ol f and V iking appli ances," says Bri an. "I build cust om, high-end homes, and I just h ave a different ment ality about it." TENNESSEE HOMEOWNERS ALREADY

quickly that real estate was undervalued,

KNOW HOW GOOD THEY HAVE IT, BUT

and there was a noticeable lack of luxury

WORD IS GETTING AROUND. In January,

vacation rentals.

U-Haul ranked the Volunteer State as hav-

“I felt like there was enough tourism

ing the highest one-way growth rate for

there that there had to be someone who

folks packing up and joining the influx of

didn’t want a log cabin. I designed Summit

homeowners wanting to take advantage of

86 and Brian built it,” says Barret, owner of

the financial benefits, the vast outdoor play-

Hagen Engineering. “We’re not even trying

ground, and, for some, the incredible views

to bridge the gap between log cabin and

from atop the Great Smoky Mountains.

modern. There’s a lot of glass, which isn’t

Now that Amazon announced Alcoa as

typical in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area.

the location for its newest $200 million ful-

If we have a view lot, we’re focused on the

fillment center, bringing more than 800 jobs

view. I want you to feel like you’re a part of

to the area, locals can bank on more movers

the mountains from inside the house.”

coming this way in 2022.

Initially, the Hagens planned to move to

Brian Carroll, owner of Evergreen Design

East Tennessee once their daughters, Maisie

& Construction, moved to East Tennessee

and Lucy, graduated from high school, but

from Florida after the wildfires in 2016 to

after visiting last summer, they decided not

be a part of the rebuilding process in the

to wait. They bought property on Loudoun

Smokies. In the last four years, he’s built

Lake, Dr. Hagen secured a position at Blount

upwards of 30 houses for folks who lost their

Memorial, and Barret drew up plans for their

personal homes and rental houses, taking

new home.

his own approach to design.

“I love the fact that we’re going to be in

“I just built a house for a client using

SEC Football Country. My wife went to

150-year-old reclaimed wood and with all

Georgia, and I went to Auburn. It’s only a

Wolf and Viking appliances,” says Brian. “I

problem for our marriage one day a year,”

build custom, high-end homes, and I just

says Barret, laughing. “Moving to Tennessee

have a different mentality about it.”

is moving to a place that’s familiar. I get a

Brian leaves the traditional log cabins to

breath of fresh air every time I’m there.”

other builders and opts instead for inno-

The Hagen family likes adventures on

vation. Clean lines, open spaces, windows

their own vacations, like skiing or scuba

everywhere there can be a window. The

diving, so investing in East Tennessee rental

view, after all, is everything.

property falls in line with wanting to provide

Barret Hagen of Greensboro, NC agrees.

vacationers with luxury but also easy access

When he and his wife, Dr. Christine Hagen,

to the adventures they want to go on in the

visited Gatlinburg a few years ago, they saw

Great Smoky Mountains. CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/WestKnoxville

YOU SHOULD SEE THE VIEW FROM UP HERE (CONTINUED) “My goal was to build a house that would remind you of resorts,” says Barret. “If you’re splitting the house with other families and couples, you don’t

The Hagen family will be moving to East Tennessee this summer. (L-R Maisie, Barret, Christine, and Lucy)

want to split the views.” Jenn and Scott Osborne of Hershey, PA, are on the one-way track to the Volunteer State, too. As an executive with Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Scott’s travel schedule brought him regularly to East Tennessee and quickly fell in love with the area. Jenn always wanted to invest in rental homes, and the opportune time finally came last year after meeting Brian and deciding to work with him. “He has such smart ideas. Brian puts his heart and soul into it,” she says. “The area is attractive to us. Pigeon Forge is like Ocean City, Maryland, which is where we grew up. But I like that you can get away and be in the mountains. By the end of the year, we should have four properties. It started out as an investment thing, but my husband wants to retire there in about ten years.” The Osbornes spent Christmas and New Year’s in their A-frame house with friends from Alabama. The ease of access to the mountains is one of the things that pulled the Osbornes into investing. “Everything is so easy. We fly into the Knoxville airport and just love the ease of it. There’s not enough things you can say about it,” says Jenn. “It draws us there. People are happy there and they want to go where they can get everything.

Summit 86 was voted one of the Top 10 Rentals in 2020 by TheSmokies.org

DETAILS: Follow @EvergreenDesignConstruction on Instagram

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

Jenn and Scott Osborne of Hershey, PA, love spending time in their A-Frame near Pigeon Forge.

CityLifestyle.com/WestKnoxville

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TECH SAVVY

time to upgrade to a smart house ARTICLE JENNIE TREADWAY-MILLER

YOUR FUTURE HOME IS HERE AS A SALES EXECUTIVE FOR A LOCAL IT COMPANY,

Last year, when the entire world moved online due to

PEE JAY ALEXANDER HAS HIS MIND ON ADVANCED

COVID-19, Pee Jay saw an opportunity he was uniquely

TECHNOLOGY ALL DAY LONG. At heart, he’s a tinker,

qualified for: upgrading traditional homes to smart homes.

someone who’s always looking to make life easier but

“We like to entertain, and before 2020, we’d have peo-

also a little cooler, always on the hunt for ways to upgrade

ple over and they’d see us interact with our house. They’d

his family’s way of life. Don’t let the mid-century modern

ask me to come over and do the same thing for them,”

furniture fool you: almost everything is controlled by

says Pee Jay. “Even just improving their WiFi was some-

voice-activation or a tap on a cell phone app.

thing. Then, at the beginning of the pandemic, one of our

Pee Jay Alexander

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

customers was needing support at his home, which isn’t something

“We want to help redirect WiFi so it’s not first-come, first served.

I did through managed IT, so I just told him I’d come over after work

It’s like letting the ambulance come down the interstate. They get

and give him some suggestions. We talked and he said he wanted

priority, right? We are able to say that Mom’s computer gets the bet-

me to do all of the work to his house. In this climate, we really need it.

ter WiFi from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” he says. “We can prioritize meetings

That’s the thing that pushed me.”

and online school over TV.”

Pee Jay decided to start a side business helping homeowners

Purple Mouse Smart House specializes in a slew of technology

upgrade some or all of their technology to smart technology. When

designed to make daily living easier, starting with a free, in-depth

it came to naming the business, that job fell to their young daughter,

smart home assessment. Then, the options are plenty. Purple Mouse

India. Purple Mouse Smart House was born.

Smart House can:

“The first thing I do is assess the house. I need to see the attic and basement and evaluate your internet provider, your router and security. Then, I build a system based on the homeowners requirements,” he says. “You can go really far, like Iron Man or the Jetsons, with lights, sinks, custom home theaters, and virtual meeting spaces.” The single best entry to service is complete smart property WiFi

+ Provide a Home Firewall or Cyber Security Device to protect privacy and internet-connected devices + Set up parental controls, internet traffic controls, and prioritize Zoom calls and other virtual school applications + Streamline infrastructure needs, such as how the internet is distributed throughout the property

blanketing with access points and prioritizing devices.

"Hey Google, tell me a joke!" - India

The Ideal At-Home Student SetUp: A camera for Zoom and a second camera for the parent to keep an eye on things.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/WestKnoxville

TECH SAVVY (CONTINUED) Thermostats, ceiling fans, door locks, family devices - all controllable from your cell phone.

“We like to entertain, and before 2020, we’d have people over and they’d see us interact with our house. They’d ask me to come over and do the same thing for them” + Provide complete turn-key solutions for all hardware, software, and services required to meet your smart home needs, removing confusion and maintaining your home’s personal style + Install advanced programming for automation, such as lights turning on when you enter a room or lights that flash when the doorbell rings + Schedule a separate, detailed training session for each installation that explains device usage and management

add smart products and services and need to ensure they will work with your current ecosystem,” says Pee Jay. Whether you want to prioritize your WiFi, install any number of smart devices, including thermostats, smart displays, speakers and cameras, or build a custom home theater, Purple Mouse Smart House is online and ready to help. “There are other people doing this stuff, but what makes us unique

Monthly support is critical as technology changes over time, which

is that we take the time to listen to you. We future-proof your house

translates to maintenance and additional training and configuration.

so that if you want to expand, some of those early steps have already

“Plus, the longer you’re in your smart home, the more things you will inevitably want to do with it. You may want to change the location of a few devices to match your home’s flow. You may want to 26

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

been taken. The groundwork is already done,” says Pee Jay. For more information, visit PurpleMouseSmartHouse.com.

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FINANCIAL BUZZ AR

TIC

LE E RIC F

YOUR HOME A GOOD INVESTMENT?

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

C F P, C P

The best financial investment you will make is unlikely to be your primary residence. It might be learning how to run a business, an education, developing a network, or investing in income producing real estate. It might be the discipline to save and invest into the world’s leading companies over multiple decades. It might be opening a donor-advised fund and investing some of your assets back into your community or church. My personal assumption is that the real rate of return on my primary residence will be zero, at least in a quantitative sense. At the same time, it will be unmeasurable from a family enjoyment and memory producing perspective. At some point, my home will transEVERY

OFTEN,

COME

ACROSS

SOMEONE

fer to a younger generation of my family who will benefit from all

SOMETHING THAT CLAIMS YOUR HOME IS THE BEST

my projects (assuming I finish them) and many years of disciplined

INVESTMENT YOU WILL EVER MAKE. Now those claims might

payments. That likely will not help my wife and I, but we are not

come from a home builder, mortgage broker, or realtor, so we will

seeing ourselves as the only beneficiary in the equation. Will a home

need to recognize the possible conflicts of interest in such claims. Is

have been a good investment? Sure, but it really depends on how

your primary residence really a great investment? The answer likely

you measure it.

depends on how you measure it. We have owned a few houses over the years. Owning certainly

The opinions expressed are those of PYAW’s Investment Team. The

has its advantages. If I did not own my home, I probably could not be

opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject

working on a two-year multiple bathroom renovation project. I am a

to change due to changes in the market or economic conditions and

self-professed jack of all trades, master of none. I have a fence that

may not necessarily come to pass. Forward looking statements can-

cannot currently contain my goats, a pathway extension that needs

not be guaranteed.

something between the fieldstone, some siding that needs caulk and

PYA Waltman Capital, LLC (“PYAW”) is an investment adviser regis-

paint, and a smashed driveway gutter downspout. Please do not ask

tered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration

my lovely wife for a list, as I am sure there is a much longer list of

does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information

things I have started and not (yet) completed.

about PYAW’s investment advisory services can be found in its Form

All those projects are memories and milestones within our fam-

ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. PYA-21-04

ily in some way. The upstairs bathroom renovation started when my younger son was locked in the bathroom and his older brother kicked down the door to rescue him. The siding was a “quarantine” project for a college age son that really needed something to do over winter break. That extended pathway connects to a driveway expansion project for a family of six, budding with multiple young drivers

Eric Foster, CFP, CP

who sometimes smash new gutters three days after installed (cue parental eye roll). Owning real estate protects me from rent increases that could be set by someone else. Once a mortgage has been satisfied, a home offers efficient housing, especially in retirement. But can I really make money on my primary residence? I guess the current period of ultralow interest rates gives someone the best chance they might ever have. Borrowing money for 30 years at 3% or less is unheard of. Real estate can give you access to leverage, which is borrowing money at a fixed cost to buy something that can grow at a higher rate. Leverage can be good and bad (see 2008). Can the value of your home increase faster than your mortgage rate? Maybe, but if you sell you will have to buy something else. If property prices have been increasing in your area, you will sell and purchase at elevated prices.

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ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY AMY CAMPBELL-ROCHELSON

Advice on planting your spring kitchen garden A Q&A WITH STAN SHARP OF MY PERSONAL GARDENER

PERSONAL

GARDENER

FAMILY

BUSINESS. Owned and operated by Mark Sharp, Stan Sharp, and Morgan Carr, along with a well qualified crew. Serving Knoxville since 2006, this business has grown by word of mouth and quality work. We are all itching for spring, and planting a spring vegetable garden may be in your future. Stan Sharp shares some basics on where to start. Read more at MPGLandscaping.com. 1. HOW DOES SOMEONE START A VEGETABLE GARDEN? Any garden project should start with a plan. It is vital that your fruits and vegetables have ample light and water. So pick a place that is sunny and can be easily accessed with a water hose. I am also a firm believer that you should consider the proximity of your garden to your kitchen. It will be much easier to use the foods you are growing if your garden is seen often. 2. ONCE I’VE PICKED A SPOT, HOW DO I “BREAK GROUND” ON MY GARDEN PROJECT? Whether you are growing your vegetables in native soil, raised beds, or even in back porch containers; make sure that your soil is fit for growing. This may include tilling the soil that you have, or bringing in a planting medium. Maybe the best thing you can do to

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

ensure a successful garden is to have your soil tested

Just be careful not to use immature composts like

through the University of Tennessee Extension Office.

fresh grass clippings or fresh manure. Often these

This simple test will tell you the pH of your soil, and

substances are high in nitrogen and can cause young

will explain how to best amend your garden plot for

plants to burn. Plastic coverings may be used to retain

optimal growth. Healthy soil makes healthy plants.

moisture and prevent weeds, but can be problematic if there is insufficient drainage. A good organic mulch

3. HOW SHOULD I CHOOSE WHAT TO GROW?

will break down overtime and add soil fertility.

If you are just starting out, pick vegetables and fruit that you and your family like to eat. There’s no reason

5. ANY TIPS OR TRICKS THAT WE SHOULD

to grow eggplants if they’re not going to be eaten. Too

KNOW TO MAKE OUR GARDEN GROW?

often people are distracted by the idea of growing “a

A good vegetable garden is just as much an art as it

little bit of everything”. Also, there are so many vari-

is a science. I can’t express how important it is to sim-

eties of fruits and vegetables in every seed catalogue

ply spend time in your garden. Spending time around

and garden center. Be sure to choose varieties that

your garden will allow you to see what is blooming and

are easy to grow in the hot humid south. Do a little

what is bearing fruit. Being present will allow you to

bit of research before you purchase a bunch of seeds

see what pests are nibbling on your plants, and also

that perform best in cool arid climates. There is very

what bugs are feeding on those pests. I love to plant

important information on the back of those little seed

leafy greens and herbs so that there is always some-

packets, and on the tags of your potted plants.

thing to harvest. Whether you’re concocting ways to keep the chipmunks out of your cherry tomatoes, or

4. HOW DO I KEEP MY GARDEN GOING

daydreaming about your next culinary masterpiece,

AFTER PLANTING?

the time you spend in your garden will pay dividends.

Great question! Don’t just walk away and expect your garden to bear fruit. Be sure to make the needed

Join Amy Campbell - Rochelson weekly at “The

amendments required in testing your soil. Compost

Tennessee Farm Table Podcast & Broadcast” for

and mulch can be major game changers in your

stories of Food, Farming and Folklore. Listen on your

gardens overall productivity. Composts are great for

schedule by podcast at TennesseeFarmTable.com or by

boosting the fertility of your soil, while mulch is a great

radio Saturdays 9:00-9:30, 89.9. WDVX, Knoxville and

way to retain soil moisture and control pesky weeds.

Saturdays 2:00-2:30 WUTC, Chattanooga.

“ W h e t h e r y o u ’ r e c o n c o c t i n g way s t o k e e p t h e c h i p m u n k s o u t o f y o u r c h e r r y t o m at o e s , o r d ay d r e a m i n g a b o u t y o u r n e x t c u l i n a r y masterpiece, the time you spend in your g a r d e n w i l l p ay d i v i d e n d s .”

CityLifestyle.com/WestKnoxville

LEGAL COMPASS AN AGE-OLD QUESTION ASKED BY BUSINESS OWNERS

ARTICLE MITAL D. PATEL

LIMITED LIABILIT Y C OM PA N Y ( L L C ) V. S C O R P O R ATI O N ? YOU FINALLY DECIDE TO START A BUSINESS OR CHANGE FROM BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR AND MAKE THE DECISION TO PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL ASSETS. it is imperative you plan and by law, decide the legal formation that best fits your business. Each business is unique and you should not be bound to a “one size fits all” approach. Consider the following: 1. Protection + An LLC is the creation of a legal entity that protects its members from personal liability for debts incurred by the company. + An S Corporation is a tax status. It offers similar protections to its shareholders to avoid personal liability from corporate debts when in compliance. 2. Formation Considerations + An LLC can be owned by unlimited individuals (including nonresidents), corporations, companies or certain financial institutions. + An S Corporation can only be owned by individuals that are U.S. Citizens or legal Residents and is limited to 100 shareholders. + An LLC is easier to establish and operate because of the flexibility of the structure and limited formalities through its operating agreement. + An S Corporation is more rigid in terms of formal requirements from adopting the bylaws to the annual reporting requirements.

4. Tax Considerations + Both LLCs and S Corps are pass through entities; however, a single member LLC has the benefit of being taxed as a sole proprietorship. + Multiple member LLCs are taxed as a partnership so that the personal returns of the owners will reflect the profits or losses. + S Corps are able to avoid the double taxation that C Corps have and self-employment tax on distributions as with LLCs. These are just some important considerations; however, business

3. S Corporation Benefits

owners have many other important considerations that may factor

+ If any shareholder intends to receive a W2

into the decision-making process and other formation options.

for work performed for the business then an S Corporation may be the best choice. + Filing Fees are slightly higher for an LLC than an S Corporation. + For raising capital, venture capitalist usually funds Corporations and not Limited Liability Companies.

West Knoxville Lifestyle | March 2021

Mital D. Patel is the Founder and Managing Partner of TriAmicus Law. 217 S. Peters Rd., (865) 217-1154 TriAmicusLaw.com

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