Cook: If our city is a body, Ochs Center is the brain

Former publisher of the Chattanooga Times and local philanthropist Ruth Holmberg makes a few remarks at a ceremony in the newly-named Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies on McCallie Avenue in this file photo. The center was named for Ms. Holmberg's grandfather Adolph Ochs who purchased the Chattanooga Times and the New York Times in the late-1800's. The Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies is an institute for research and analysis of data about census information, polls, surveys and other studies. Former publisher of the Chattanooga Times and local philanthropist Ruth Holmberg makes a few remarks at a ceremony in the newly-named Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies on McCallie Avenue in this file photo. The center was named for Ms. Holmberg's grandfather Adolph Ochs who purchased the Chattanooga Times and the New York Times in the late-1800's. The Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies is an institute for research and analysis of data about census information, polls, surveys and other studies.

By David Cook May 5, 2015 4 min read

Whew.

We are not losing our mind.

Last week, local media reported that the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies was closing its doors, which was terrible news. If our city is a body, Ochs – the research group that gathers, analyzes and make sense of our area’s most vital data – has been its brain.

Turns out, Ochs isn’t closing. At least not fully.

“We are moving out of the building,” said Dr. Mary Tanner. “We no longer have a physical office.”