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Gerald McCormick
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Staff Photo by Matt Fields-Johnson Fleetwood Development LLC plans to renovate the Fleetwood building at 11th Street and King Street and turn the five 9,000-square-feet floors into condominiums and rented business space.
Fleetwood building developer Gerald McCormick calls the landmark Southside structure "the last big missing piece" near City Hall that needs renewal.
Mr. McCormick and partner Amanda Buchanan are stepping up efforts to revamp the vacant, five-story building at King and East 11th streets and push ahead with a renaissance of that block.
Mrs. Buchanan and her family acquired the building and two adjacent structures six years ago. They've turned the former Albert Theater and a second building into offices, condominiums, a restaurant and data center.
Now the developers are focusing their attention on the century-old Fleetwood, which for many years held a coffee company by the same name.
"It's been unused since the 1960s," Mrs. Buchanan said.
Mr. McCormick, who also is a state representative, said plans are to likely turn the brick tower into office space and condominiums. He said the building could hold 36 condos.
The developers see the building as attracting young professionals and empty nesters.
Mrs. Buchanan added that because of the Fleetwood's proximity to UTC, there could be something aimed at college students.
The developers are getting quotes to fix the building's roof and windows, and they plan to clean up the structure's exterior. Also, they're planning signage that hearkens back to 50 to 60 years ago when the coffee company was still operating.
They're estimating a development cost of about $5 million.
While there's parking behind the buildings, Mrs. Buchanan said they're talking with Norfolk Southern Corp. about acquiring adjacent space.
She said she foresees highly landscaped space that could serve as a destination point for the area.
"I think it could help the Southside," Mrs. Buchanan said.
Mike Pare, the deputy Business editor at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, has worked at the paper for 27 years. In addition to editing, Mike also writes Business stories and covers Volkswagen, economic development and manufacturing in Chattanooga and the surrounding area. In the past he also has covered higher education. Mike, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Florida Atlantic University. he worked at the Rome News-Tribune before ...
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