Local entrepreneurs seeking guidance on how to turn their ideas into a business should have a new resource on M.L. King Boulevard before the end of the year.
Chattanooga officials plan to renovate the old Kelley Building at 332 E. M.L. King Blvd. using $1.8 million the city received from the federal government during the pandemic. The city expects the new center will open in October.
Sarah Mattson, the city’s director of entrepreneurship, said the facility will be a “one-stop shop” for aspiring business owners. It will aim to give local entrepreneurs, particularly those in underserved communities, a fair shot at success.
“I don’t know if it’s really a void we’re looking to fill,” Mattson said in a phone call. “It’s more of taking all the resources we have in the community and trying to pool some of them into one place to make it easier for folks to find those resources.”
The center will offer technical assistance, funding opportunities as well as legal and accounting services, according to the city. It will feature training rooms accessible for people with disabilities and on-site support from lenders. Mattson said the improvements to the building will include installing an elevator and replacing many of the structure’s systems, including HVAC.