River & Rail Theatre Will Renovate Historic Knoxville Mansion

A $4 million donation will help convert the Sterchi-Audigier House into a new performance venue.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Philanthropy

Isometric editorial illustration of a historic brick mansion, depicting the planned architectural renovation of the local property. — River & Rail Theatre Company plans to transform the historic Sterchi-Audigier House in Knoxville into a new performance venue by February 2028. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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River & Rail Theatre Company plans to transform the historic Sterchi-Audigier House in Knoxville into a theater by February 2028. The project is supported by a $4 million donation from the Boyd Foundation and the Boyd family.

Why it matters

The donation marks a major milestone in a $7.5 million campaign to restore the 1925 property at 2651 E. Magnolia Ave. Converting the mansion aims to preserve local history while creating a dedicated space for performing arts.

The Boyd Foundation and Boyd family provided $4 million toward the $7.5 million renovation goal. River & Rail purchased the property in 2025 for $1,650,000.

The players

River & Rail Theatre Company

This is a professional theater company that produces various theatrical works in the Knoxville area.

The Boyd Foundation

This is a charitable organization that supports various community and cultural projects in Knoxville.

The details

The project includes building an artist house, a scenic shop, and a 100-spot parking lot on the site. Plans feature converting a former Masonic addition into the main performance space, while the upstairs of the mansion will transition into office areas.

The mansion was originally constructed by 1925.
A fire damaged the home's second floor in October 2022.
River & Rail purchased the mansion in 2025.
Renovation work is expected to start around February 2027.
The theater space is expected to be complete by February 2028.

Market Landscape

This project marks a departure from the 2021 state plan to convert the Sterchi-Audigier House into a parole office. The transformation into a performance venue repurposes a historic site, shifting local real estate use from administrative to cultural.

Residents can expect the conversion of the historic site into a functional 250-seat theater and a new 100-spot parking facility. This project will eventually provide the local community with a new venue for arts performances in the East Magnolia Avenue corridor.

The takeaway

The Sterchi-Audigier House project demonstrates how private philanthropy can preserve historic assets that were previously slated for institutional use. Future visitors should prepare for significant construction activity in the area leading up to the 2028 opening.

What happens next

Demolition and interior preparation for the mansion are scheduled to begin around the end of 2026, followed by the start of major renovation work in February 2027.