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Rebirth of Downtown Chattanooga (2000 - 2005) II


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Here's a continuance of the list of completed project in downtown Chattanooga during the period 2000 to 2005. Following this thread, I will have another thread listing the many downtown projects that are currently under construction. Enjoy!

Courtyard by Marriott - 120 Room, 7 story hotel in 2001

CourtyardbyMarriott.jpg

Hilton Garden Inn - 94 Room, 6 story hotel in 2001

HiltonGardenInn.jpg

Sheraton Read House - $11 Million Upgrade to 10 story hotel, and two new restaurants completed 2004

SheratonReadHouse.jpg

The Chattanoogan - $43 Million, 210,000 Sq Ft conferencing center featuring 202 guest rooms, restaurant, bar and retail

TheChattanoogan.jpg

Bell South Park - State of the Art, 6,157 seat minor league ballpark for Class AA Cincinnati Red farm team complete 2000

BellSouthPark.jpg

Hunter Museum - $20 Million addition built as part of the $120 Million 21st Century Waterfront project complete in 2005

HunterMuseum.jpg

Tennessee Aquarium - $30 Million addition also built as part of the $120 Million 21st Century Waterfront project completed in 2005. Picture below shows aerial view of Aquarium and new waterfront

21stCenturyWaterfront.jpg

17 Street Landscaping - Complete 2004

17thStLandscaping.jpg

3rd and 4th Street Improvements - Complete 2003

3rd4thStImprovements.jpg

Development Research Center - New home for City of Chattanooga development related projects completed in 2001

DevelopmentResourceCenter.jpg

Market Street Redesign - Complete 2003

MarketStRedesign.jpg

Riverfront Parkway Redesign - Complete 2004

RiverfrontPkwyRedesign.jpg

City Council Building - Old jail converted to 15,000 Sq Ft city council building in 2000

CityCouncilBldg.jpg

Hamilton County Courthouse Renovation - $5.4 Million project complete in 2005

HamiltonCourthouseRenovation.jpg

Sanctuary Skate Park - ESPN regulation skatepark and in-line hockey arena complete 2000

SantuarySkatePark.jpg

Edited by Hankster
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Just great! I've really enjoyed my trips up to Chatty. Often, I get the impression that there's more going on in DT Chatty than in DT Atlanta. It's really bustling day and nighte.

I actually ate dinner last spring at that Porter's Steakhouse in the Read House Sheraton. I had a peppercorn steak (I forget the cut). It's very good if you like (make that love) pepper. That street that it fronts (I think MLK) is seeing some development too (EPB Building?). How much was that one?

Do you know how well the $200M Blue Cross Blue Shield HQ will be integrated into the fabric of DT. It will sit on top of that big hill next to DT.

Also, I was very impressed by the amount of infill all over downtown. Plus the north shore is seeing lots of activity too.

Edited by ATLBrain
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Great stuff, Hankster ! :thumbsup:

I was going to ask you something somewhat C'nooga-downtown related. I'm sure you're familiar with the First Tennessee Bank Building ( http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=124876 ). To the untrained eye, you'd assume that is simply some fairly hideous late '60s Internationalist-style monstrosity. But to most folks, what is not known is that it was built in 1911 and covered with that horrendous facade in 1966 during the "let's make everything look modern" fad du jour. I have seen pre-'66 pics of the building, and consider it to be a beauty. Will there ever be any efforts to remove that dreadful "modern" paneling and restore the structure to its beaux-arts glory anytime soon ?

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Just great! I've really enjoyed my trips up to Chatty. Often, I get the impression that there's more going on in DT Chatty than in DT Atlanta. It's really bustling day and nighte.

I actually ate dinner last spring at that Porter's Steakhouse in the Read House Sheraton. I had a peppercorn steak (I forget the cut). It's very good if you like (make that love) pepper. That street that it fronts (I think MLK) is seeing some development too (EPB Building?). How much was that one?

Do you know how well the $200M Blue Cross Blue Shield HQ will be integrated into the fabric of DT. It will sit on top of that big hill next to DT.

Also, I was very impressed by the amount of infill all over downtown. Plus the north shore is seeing lots of activity too.

IIRC, the EPB Building was around $31 million. I have an artist drawing of the proposed BCBST building, but its from the initial press release, so its accuracy is unknown. From the looks of things, it'll be a collection of connected 4-6 story buildings. Land value is still too low in Chat for any high rises to be economical. Considering its 800,000sq ft., if it was downtown Atlanta, we'd probably be looking at a 50-70 floor building. Here is the picture I have, looks like its on 6th st or MLK Blvd looking west from the CBD.

photo_5534_large.jpg

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Thanks for the rendering for the Blue Cross, Blue Shield complex. I have searched and searched and had not been able to come up with anything on it. It seems that the unveiling of the buildings may be guarded in secrecy. Latest I have heard is that the total cost for the project is now up to $217 Million. It will be whopping 800,000 Sq Ft in total and provide office space for all the company's 3,800 employees. The Cameron Hill apartments will start being torn down within a few weeks, and construction will begin immediately during the first quarter of 2006. Construction will last until late 2008 or early 2009. I've also heard that it will be a series of 4 to 6 story buildings just like you. If I ever get an updated rendering of the project, I plan to post it immediately.

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The Read House is beautiful. They did a fine job with the reno.

I have seen pre-'66 pics of the building, and consider it to be a beauty. Will there ever be any efforts to remove that dreadful "modern" paneling and restore the structure to its beaux-arts glory anytime soon ?

That's just sad. The 50s thru 70s were just destructive for so many places, I can attest to how much it ravaged Atlanta.

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Hank, the first pic says it's the Marriott, but isn't that the Tortilla Factory? I think I can see the original Aquarium in the background. I realize that the Courtyard is adjacent to the Tortilla Factory.

Hmm... it kinda does. Heres a picture out of my archives for reference.

DSCN0727.jpg

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I believe the picture is taken on the Marriott grounds but does not show the hotel. Thanks Smurf for posting the Marriott Hotel picture. That shows the building much better. The Tortilla Factory has an outdoor dining area but it's not the one pictured. It's on the second level and looks out toward the aquarium.

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I actually ate dinner last spring at that Porter's Steakhouse in the Read House Sheraton. I had a peppercorn steak (I forget the cut). It's very good if you like (make that love) pepper.

Chattanooga is doing a wonderful job of focusing their resources on downtown infill. The revival of development in the last 15 years has been amazing.

About the Porters; Right off exit 25 in Cleveland we had a Porters Steakhouse, If I'm not mistaken it is the same as the one at the Reed house. The reason I think this, is because I think the owner closed the Cleveland store to focus on his DT Chattanooga location

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downtown_chattanooga.jpg

In this picture of Downtown Chattanooga taken about 1 year ago you can still see a lot of things under construction, but the one thing I wanted to point out is the hill where BCBS is going to build their new headquarters. The hill is located behind the baseball field in the top of the picture. With the picture being taken in the winter you get a good feel about the location of the site and its orientation to the CBD (Taller buildings to the middle left) and the Riverfront (All the action in the baseball field

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  • 3 months later...

Chattanoogan.com is reporting that the Cameron Hill Apartments are offically coming down starting today...

It wont be long before 800,000 sq ft of office space begins to rise on the hill overlooking downtown Chattanooga.

That's a couple of week earlier than I expected. I'm still waiting to see a final rendering for the project. I believe this is the largest office project slated to be built in Tennessee in many years.

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No need to ask. :D Consider it done.

(Unless of course you don't want it pinned, then I'll unpin it. ;) )

Since you're in the pinning mood, I'd like to ask you to pin two more threads. They are both on page 2 of the threads. They are titled "Rebirth of Downtown Chattanooga (2000-2005) I" and "Rebirth of Downtown Chattanooga (2006 and on) "

Thanks.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hankster,

How is the Choo-Choo Holiday Inn holding up?

I've been wanting to come to Chattanooga for years and stay at that hotel. I'm not a huge railroad buff, but I love train stations. We have a train station/hotel where I live called the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel.

A while back I heard that the Holiday Inn was a pretty nice restoration. Have they kept the property in good condition?

Thanks.

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