A 112-year-old building that held the Classic Coin and Jewelry store in downtown Chattanooga for decades is seeing a restoration aimed at bringing back the shine to the historic three-story brick structure.
“It’s a labor of love,” said Lawrence Dossche of KRE Development in an interview at the 109 E. Seventh St. building on Monday.
Workers already have torn away the metal cladding that had hidden the original exterior for many years.
Dossche said the $3 million project is expected to be ready early next year and offer both retail and office space to potential users of the vacant 9,700-square-foot building near the Hamilton County Courthouse.
Inside is a large vault, which the developer plans to keep, where collectibles were stored. Dossche said he found old baseball cards and records in the vault that’s located on the first floor and is anchored into the basement.