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Posted February 2005

Since April 16, 2001, the day that Mayor Bob Corker and the City Council were inaugurated and began their service, Chattanooga has experienced enormous investment and development citywide.

A tabulation of building permits which have been pulled during that time period, together with announced projects, totals more than $2.1 billion in investment citywide and approximately $875 million in the downtown area alone (the downtown borders were Frasier Avenue to the North, Riverfront Parkway to the West, I-24 to the South and Central Avenue to the east).

Mayor Corker said, "The unprecedented development underway throughout this city is a powerful indicator of Chattanooga’s vibrancy and momentum and demonstrates that the city is well positioned for the future. These projects demonstrate that through the partnership and hard work of our citizens, we have laid the foundation for building a great city, a city like no other, and that through the momentum that has been created Chattanooga’s greatest days are ahead."

Great progress is occurring throughout the community and almost every week exciting new projects are being announced in areas all over the city. Major projects which have occurred or been announced during this time period include:

• The $200 million BlueCross BlueShield headquarters
• The $30 million Electric Power Board Headquarters
• A $17 million rental housing development on Chestnut and 6th
• The creation of significant new student housing for UTC
• The massive $84 million Hope VI project which is transforming the Alton Park community
• Major retail projects in Brainerd, East Brainerd and Hixson
• Major new residential developments underway in East Brainerd and Hixson
• Multiple mixed use developments which are underway or have been announced on the North Shore
• New housing in the Tiftonia community
• Significant residential development in the MLK community
• The construction of the new Engineering Building at UTC
• The development of Loveman’s on Market
• A major renovation of the Central Building
• A major renovation of the Read House

Clearly, a major catalyst for the investment that has occurred downtown has been the implementation of the $120 million 21st Century Waterfront Plan, a project which will be completed by May 1, 2005 and which relied on no City of Chattanooga general funds. Although not yet complete, in the Waterfront footprint alone, nearly $100 million in new downtown mixed use and residential development is completed, underway, or has already been announced. In addition, BlueCross indicated that the implementation of the Waterfront Plan was key in their decision to keep their headquarters downtown.

Before the concepts for the 21st Century Waterfront Plan were even conceived and stakeholders were interviewing firms interested in serving as the architect for the waterfront, many proposed simply reworking Ross’s Landing into a new city park that created no energy or momentum nor envisioned complementary development. While making great public spaces available to citizens is absolutely essential, there was a great need to create them in ways which stimulated other investment in the city.

After hearing the presentations from those firms, Mayor Corker told them, "We’re not building a park, we’re building a city," setting the tone for the tremendous progress Chattanooga is currently experiencing. Next, after hiring Hargreaves and Associates to serve as the architect, the Mayor engaged the entire city in a public meeting where the citizens of Chattanooga created the blueprint for the project now nearing completion at the river’s edge.

This example, where a bold, shared vision was implemented through partnerships in the public and private sectors illustrates a powerful key to Chattanooga’s success and the way in which it is becoming a great American city.

In addition to substantially increasing the tax rolls, the projects that are underway or have been announced will dramatically change Chattanooga’s skyline in the next 5 years.

"In Chattanooga, we are building a great city in every sense of the word, and our progress certainly transcends just the addition of physical structures," added Mayor Corker. "But I have found that there is nothing like physical change to build self-esteem and create energy and vitality in a community."



About the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce

The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce is the leading business and economic development organization for the Chattanooga region. For over 100 years, the Chattanooga Chamber has provided community engagement and opportunities for businesses, large and small, including networking, business promotion, business discounts, and public policy advocacy, as well as leadership development and training opportunities.

In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber is a one-stop-shop for site selectors and business decision-makers considering investments and job creation projects in the Chattanooga region. The Chattanooga Chamber is also responsible for marketing Enterprise South Industrial Park, a top-tier industrial park that offers significant strategic business advantages. In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber administers the Chattanooga Hamilton County Business Development Center, the largest business incubator in the U.S. in terms of the number of start up companies it houses, and the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth, an innovative effort to nurture technology-based start-up companies.

As the first stop for people interested in moving to the Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Chamber provides a range of relocation information including demographics, informational videos, connections to Chattanooga Area jobs, and frequently asked questions.