Located at 447 N. Broadway, Minvilla Manor dates to 1913, when the property was developed as a collection of upscale brick row houses. Over the decades, the property underwent significant changes and eventually became known as the Fifth Avenue Motel. By the early 2000s, years of deterioration had left the property in severely compromised condition, and the City of Knoxville condemned the building in 2002.

Despite its condition, the property retained substantial architectural and historical significance. Its preservation became an important part of Knoxville’s broader efforts to revitalize the Downtown North area. The City of Knoxville established a historic overlay to protect the buildings from demolition, and VMC ultimately acquired the property in 2006.

Over the following four years, VMC and its partners undertook an extensive rehabilitation, carefully restoring historic features while transforming the deteriorated property into 57 permanent supportive housing apartments. The rehabilitation was recognized nationally with the 2011 National Trust/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation.

Minvilla Manor opened in 2010 and became a cornerstone of Knoxville’s response to chronic homelessness. Today, VMC describes its permanent supportive housing program as serving individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness and whose housing needs are compounded by physical or mental disabilities.

VMC currently operates Minvilla Manor as part of its permanent supportive housing program, alongside Caswell Manor, which opened in 2023 with an additional 48 apartments. Together, the properties provide more than 100 permanent supportive housing units in Knoxville.