Chattanooga: Union Gospel Mission finds new location

After being located at the Salvation Army temporarily for more than a month, Union Gospel Mission has found a new space at the old Senter School, officials announced Tuesday.

The Rev. Jon Rector, executive director of Union Gospel Mission, said the nonprofit homeless services organization established a six-month lease at the Holtzclaw Avenue property. After that, he said, the organization either will look to buy the property or possibly try to buy land to build a new structure at the old Farmers’ Market site, where a homeless services complex is planned.

Union Gospel Mission had to find a new home after its old Main Street location was bought last year by the RiverCity Co., whose officials have said they want to redevelop the property for mixed use in line with the revamping of the neighborhood. The mission moved out at the end of May to meet a June 1 deadline.

“We’ve been looking at the Senter School for … a number of months, in fact, before our deadline was up,” Mr. Rector said Tuesday. “We thought the facility would make a good place for us to have our programs and have our operation.”

Union Gospel Mission’s new building is 32,000 square feet, compared to the 13,000-square-foot Main Street space, Mr. Rector said.

While Mr. Rector said he is excited about the move from the temporary space at the Salvation Army into the Senter School building, a Highland Park Neighborhood Association board member said Tuesday that she’s displeased about the announcement.

Shari Jump, who lives on Bailey Avenue, said she is concerned about those who stay at the shelter loitering near homes after they leave the mission.

“There’s nothing out here for them to do,” she said. “I just think it’s a bad idea to have something like that next to a strictly residential area.”

Mr. Rector said his overnight guests must leave the building each morning between 5:30 and 6. After leaving for the day, most mission guests go to places such as the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, the library or to find work, he said.

“I can’t guarantee there’s not going to be any increase in loitering, but I don’t think it’s going to be a major issue,” Mr. Rector said.

In February, neighbors from Oak Grove, Ridgedale, Ferger Place and Highland Park gathered to speak out against the mission moving to the old Senter School. Mr. Rector said it could take a little time for neighbors to accept the mission.

“We want to be a good neighbor,” he said. “We want our presence in the neighborhood to be a positive and not a negative.”