CBL and Associates Properties, Inc., one of the largest and most experienced owners and managers of malls and shopping centers in the country, has announced a $17 million expansion

to its corporate headquarters in Chattanooga. CBL Center II will be located on Hamilton Place Boulevard next to the company’s current building, CBL Center. The new building will

include the corporate headquarters of EMJ Corporation as well as additional office space. CBL’s headquarters will remain in CBL Center. The new building is expected to result in the creation of more than 100 new jobs.

Commenting on the expansion, CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. Chief Development Officer Michael Lebovitz, said, "CBL Center II will be a four-story, 76,000 square-foot (total building area), Class A office building. Occupants of the new building will include the corporate headquarters of one of the nation’s largest retail developers, EMJ Corporation."

Lebovitz added, "CBL has experienced strong growth both internally and externally and our company will continue to grow through a multi-pronged strategy of developments, partnerships and acquisitions. This project allows us enough room in CBL Center to facilitate the current and future demands of our ever-expanding portfolio of properties."

According to Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey, CBL has long been a cornerstone for economic growth in the area. "In addition to providing hundreds of family-wage jobs to area residents, CBL created one of our most vibrant commercial districts through the development of Hamilton Place Mall and the surrounding shopping complex," Ramsey said.

"CBL is a national company that continues to make strong investments in its home city," said Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield. "CBL is not only an extremely successful company, it is an excellent corporate citizen."

"The CBL Center II project is another example of how our region’s existing companies are the most powerful engine for job creation," said Trevor Hamilton, chief economic development officer for the Chamber. "CBL’s announcement is an example of how our regional growth depends on the creation of professional office jobs, as well as manufacturing."