Hamilton County’s launching pad for businesses soon will receive a sweeping overhaul.
The Hamilton County Commission on Wednesday awarded a $4.28 million contract to Construction Consultants to renovate the Business Development Center on Cherokee Boulevard.
“It’s a very old, old building,” Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey said. “We’re remodeling it where it’s easier to operate.”
The building serves as a business incubator, housing small startups and allowing them to share some overhead costs, Ramsey said.
The money for the renovations will come from federal Economic Development Administration and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants and $1.4 million in county bond funds. Work will include renovating common areas and remodeling the conference and training center.
Ramsey said there will be a symbolic groundbreaking for the site in the next two to three weeks.
Commissioner John Allen Brooks said the building also would be more energy efficient after renovations.
J.Ed Marston, vice president of marketing and communications for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, said the remodeled training center would allow expansion of programs to businesses outside the center. He said the center is home to about 55 businesses employing 400 people.
“We’re aiming to extend it for small businesses throughout the county,” he said.
Marston said the Chamber is looking to educate businesses on what challenges they need to address at any given time and give them a “network of resources.”
“For example, if they need support developing a business plan or developing a marketing plan, we’re building a network of experts to help with those things,” he said.
The 90-year-old building for many years housed the 3M Co. It opened as the city-county business incubator in 1988.
In other business Wednesday, the commission accepted receipt of two VW Jettas valued at $28,000 each from Volkswagen Group of America for use by the sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Allen Branum said the office would use them in its fleet, but not for patrols.
The commission also received a $107,000 Homeland Security grant to purchase 40 800-megahertz radios. Scott Schoolfield, the county human services administrator, said the radios would be used by emergency responders.