City Council strikes compromise on controversial seven-story apartments

Cowart Street Development rendering
Cowart Street Development rendering

The Chattanooga City Council postponed a vote on a proposed zoning change to allow a seven-story apartment building on Cowart Street on Tuesday evening, following a spirited argument among council members, opponents of the project and its developer.

Opposition to the project focused on the building's height and lack of ground-level commercial property.

Knoxville-based Belle Development Group wants to build a 140-unit apartment complex, with one-bedroom and efficiency units, aimed at young professionals and downtown workers.

Thomas Johnson, who owns several businesses in the area, said all the buildings in the nearby historic district have stores and offices on the ground floor, with living space above them. "This proposed building has no retail or commercial on the ground floor," he said, "and seven stories are out of scale."

Architect Stroud Watson, a Market Street resident and long-time advocate for downtown living, argued "the key to a great mid-sized city like Chattanooga is its urban public realm, its streets and sidewalks and public buildings." But private business owners also have an obligation to contribute to that public space in the design of their buildings. The proposed apartment complex does not do that, he said, because it has a solid wall on its front, with no shops to encourage pedestrians to walk down the street.

The project also was opposed by Jack Simmons, president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, which owns the adjacent building. As originally planned, the project would be so close to the rear of their building, he said, that they would be unable to make repairs to windows and the stucco facade.

But Mike Price, owner of MAP Engineers and representative for the project, told opponents that a primary goal of the complex was to get more people to live downtown. "I would think Mr. Johnson would be glad we're bringing all of these people in who would support his retail businesses."

After about 30 minutes of debate, Councilman Chris Anderson proposed an amendment to the zoning change in an attempt to temper some of the opposition. His amendment provides for a six-foot setback on the rear, and also requires the developer to put commercial space in the corners of the property facing Cowart Street.

But it retains the seven-story height. Watson said he was pleased with the proposed commercial locations but still opposed the height.

Anderson's amendments were adopted unanimously by the council, but because they substantially alter the original ordinance, it will be treated as a new proposal and will need a second reading at next week's meeting before the council can vote on it.

Contact staff writer Steve Johnson at sjohnson@timesfreepress.com, 423-757-6673, on Twitter @stevejohnsonTFP or on Facebook at stevejohnsonTFP.

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