Work on a new East Brainerd grocery store and other retail space could start late this year as part of a $100 million retail and residential project endorsed Monday by Hamilton County planners.
The city council still must sign off on plans to finish the long-delayed Waterside lifestyle center off Shallowford and Gunbarrel roads, adding some 350,000 square feet of retail space, 20,000 square feet of restaurants and up to 300 apartments.
But developers are confident that project changes will overcome traffic and other worries expressed to the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission.
"It's a good opportunity to go forward," said Chattanooga developer Ken Defoor, whose Defoor Brothers Development is teaming with Branch Properties LLC of Atlanta.
He said that developing Waterside has been "quite an ordeal," with new retail drying up during the Great Recession. But Defoor said a national developer can now give the project "the ignition it needs."
The site, which sits just north of Hamilton Place mall, already includes an hhgregg store, some smaller retailers and an Embassy Suites hotel.
Jack Haylett, Branch's senior vice president, said plans are to develop the grocery store and larger retail units near Napier Road first and ultimately move toward building up to 300 apartments on the opposite side of the 62-acre tract.
He wouldn't identify the grocer, but said the company already has a store in the market. Retail will include a mix of national and local companies, Haylett said. Some of the retailers will be new to the Chattanooga market, he said.
"We feel very good about it," Haylett said, adding that plans are to put up the buildings in a continuous timeline.
But Robbin Sarine, who lives nearby on Preston Circle, said it's already difficult turning onto Gunbarrel Road from her neighborhood. Also, along with other traffic concerns in the area due to the proposed project, stormwater runoff is a problem in her neighborhood and more development will have a negative impact, she said.
In addition, Sarine worried the developers will come back later requesting more changes at the site. She said the project "looks good on paper now. It has looked good on paper in the past."
A Tennessee Department of Transportation representative cited concerns about the Napier Road and Shallowford Road intersection and Shallowford and Lifestyle Way. TDOT also wanted the city to conduct an interchange modification study.
Approval by the Planning Commission included a number of provisions drafted by the Regional Planning Agency staff and the developer to address concerns. Plans were to continue to work on those leading up to a City Council meeting.
City Councilman Larry Grohn said there have been at least three meetings with people in the community and he's "fine with most of the changes the developer as come forth with."
"In terms of doing their due diligence both with myself, the representative in the area, and the community, they've done about all they can do," he said.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.