In 1940, Chattanooga erected its biggest public housing project as part of a federal urban renewal project on the Westside billed at the time as “slum clearance” to make way for a new highway into downtown Chattanooga.
Eighty-one years later, the city and its Chattanooga Housing Authority are using a far different approach toward re-imagining the city’s Westside into a more diverse, vibrant and connected community. The new community plan for the aging College Hill Courts and surrounding development was unveiled Saturday during a street party after more than nine months of community engagement and planning that involved more than 80% of the local residents.
The new plan envisions more than doubling the number of housing units in the area while preserving and enhancing many of the long-time fixtures of College Hill Courts, including the James A. Henry school, the historic flagpole and the Sheila Jennings community park. As proposed, the 429-unit College Hills Courts and the 132-unit Gateway Towers erected nearby in 1977 would be refurbished or replaced with other subsidized housing and private developers would be encouraged to develop more subsidized and market-rate housing as well as new retail and recreation in the area.
With more multi-story housing and pedestrian-friendly walkways through the area and connecting to downtown and the river, the new plan is designed to keep and enhance open spaces, walkways and community facilities while increasing the supply of in-demand housing.
“We think we’ve delivered a little bit of something for everyone,” said Rhae Parkes of EJP Consulting Group, the Florida consulting firm that worked with the city, residents and other stakeholders to develop the “Westside Community Evolves” plan for the future. “The plan maintains all of the subsidized housing in this area while creating opportunities for more such housing along with market-rate housing and other new development to create a more diverse and vibrant community. We’ve also preserved some of the things that the community has said are important.”