Chattanooga Developments

[ATLBrain]

I got up to Chattanooga earlier this week on business and learned of a few new tidbits.

1. Blue Cross Blue Shield is going to start razing the Cameron Hill apartments by the end of this month to make way for their $200M Office complex downtown.

2. Trafalgar development of Atlanta announced that it will build a $20M mixed use structure downtown on Market Street. It will be 8 stories and have retail, office and 50 apartments.

3. The Market Street Bridge renovation is on schedule and will be finished next year.

4. Kia Motors has said that they like Chattanooga's megasite "a lot".

5. States of TN, GA and Federal have begun long range planning for Interstate bypass around the city. I can vouch for the need for this. It was needed 15 years ago! Interesting issue is whether to go over Lookout Mtn. or through it. Of course, there's the matter of those pesky underground caves.

Over $600M in construction was permitted by the city in 2005.

[AceMentor]

How long do you think Chattanooga will pass knoxville if ever? It seems like its doing pretty well compared to its northern counterpart.

[ATLBrain]

Hmmm.... I haven't thought about it. Actually, I know more about Knoxville than Chattanooga. Just guessing, but I think Knox will always be bigger than Hamilton. Chat is penned in geographically. Knox seems to keep expanding (and has more room to grow). Mind you, I think that Chat's downtown is already better (although not bigger than) Knox. Wonder what others think.

[cheeriokid61]

It just seems to me that Chattanooga has more attractions, and has a better planned downtown. Because it is closed in, I believe that it will grow to be much denser, and could easily rival cities such as Greenville and possible even Columbia. I don't see Knoxville doing that in any way, other than size.

[Hankster]

Population growth in Knoxville is quite a bit higher right now in Knoxville than in Chattanooga. However, I think (looking far ahead in my crystal ball) that Chattanooga may one day start catching up with Knoxville. My prediction is that people living down in Atlanta will one day get totally fed up with the ridiculous urban sprawl and the endless gridlock that will almost certainly happen there within the next 20 years or so, and they will start moving to Chattanooga in droves. By then, Chattanooga will look like an absolute paradise to many Atlantans.

[Hankster]

I got up to Chattanooga earlier this week on business and learned of a few new tidbits.

1. Blue Cross Blue Shield is going to start razing the Cameron Hill apartments by the end of this month to make way for their $200M Office complex downtown.

2. Trafalgar development of Atlanta announced that it will build a $20M mixed use structure downtown on Market Street. It will be 8 stories and have retail, office and 50 apartments.

3. The Market Street Bridge renovation is on schedule and will be finished next year.

4. Kia Motors has said that they like Chattanooga's megasite "a lot".

5. States of TN, GA and Federal have begun long range planning for Interstate bypass around the city. I can vouch for the need for this. It was needed 15 years ago! Interesting issue is whether to go over Lookout Mtn. or through it. Of course, there's the matter of those pesky underground caves.

Over $600M in construction was permitted by the city in 2005.

Add to that list:

The Cherry Street Town Homes development about two blocks from the Aquarium

The huge Museum Bluffs Condo Development on the downtown riverfront

The new 9 story, $40 Million Electric Power Board Office Building opening early 2006.

The $70 Million Pier River Landing Project

I'll add some more to this list later.

[ironchapman]

Population growth in Knoxville is quite a bit higher right now in Knoxville than in Chattanooga. However, I think (looking far ahead in my crystal ball) that Chattanooga may one day start catching up with Knoxville. My prediction is that people living down in Atlanta will one day get totally fed up with the ridiculous urban sprawl and the endless gridlock that will almost certainly happen there within the next 20 years or so, and they will start moving to Chattanooga in droves. By then, Chattanooga will look like an absolute paradise to many Atlantans.

Many think Chattanooga and ATL could become a metroplex of sorts.

[MidTenn1]

Many think Chattanooga and ATL could become a metroplex of sorts.

I already call the area between the two cities, 'Chattalanta'. I travel that way more frequently, now that I have a daughter in college in Atlanta. It is growing like crazy with nearly continuous ubanization. Cities like Cartersville, Rome, Dalton and Ringold are starting to bump into each other and within 20 years, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a metroplex develop.

[Hankster]

I already call the area between the two cities, 'Chattalanta'. I travel that way more frequently, now that I have a daughter in college in Atlanta. It is growing like crazy with nearly continuous ubanization. Cities like Cartersville, Rome, Dalton and Ringold are starting to bump into each other and within 20 years, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a metroplex develop.

I know what you mean. The growth in North Georgia is insane. Still, I think people will one day focus on Chattanooga, a real urban city, to move to rather than into the endless suburbia that becoming North Georgia. People from Atlanta who want a less hectic yet urban environment to live in will one day look at Chattanooga as a much better place to live.

[HABANERO7]

On the website www.Chattanoogan.com today there is an article about a Cincinnati developer wants to drop between $15 & $20 million on 9 new private airplane hangers at Lovell field along with an office, gas pumps for planes and onsite meeting space.

[memphian]

I love Chattanooga's growth and development plans. The city has a vibe to it that is uniquely its own.I'd like to see a couple of more towers built just to give them a little height though. Overall I see Chattanooga's leadership as being much more progressive and ocncerned than that of Knoxville. If I were a business owner, I'd look to expand in Chattanooga before Knoxville.

[HABANERO7]

Hey Hankster, do you know when the clearing will be completed and construction will begin for Blue Cross on the hill?

Do you have any renderings of the way the Market St Bridge will look when the rebuild is finished?

Is there any more word on that big riverfront development west of Ross's Landing on Riverfront Parkway?

[Hankster]

Hey Hankster, do you know when the clearing will be completed and construction will begin for Blue Cross on the hill?

Do you have any renderings of the way the Market St Bridge will look when the rebuild is finished?

Is there any more word on that big riverfront development west of Ross's Landing on Riverfront Parkway?

I beleive the BCBS may start as early as by the end of this month. I don't know about the others, but I'll do a little digging and see what I can find.