One of the biggest new housing and commercial projects in the South Broad Street corridor in years is planned with hundreds of townhouses, apartments or condos slated for the site.
A 15.6-acre tract off West 33rd Street across from Chattanooga Christian School could hold up to about 450 housing units, according to planning documents submitted to the city.
What's next
A developer of proposed housing and commercial project off South Broad Street is to seek rezoning of land before the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission on Jan. 14.
An adjacent parcel at South Broad and West 33rd streets also would hold about 48,000 square feet of small-shop space, said Justin Tirsun of Chazen Engineering.
Tirsun said a rezoning of the Southside site from manufacturing to urban general commercial (UGC) will be sought from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission in January.
The land that would hold commercial shops is already zoned UGC, he said.
The housing site is currently owned by CCS, but a development group would put up the project, Tirsun said. He said he didn't know the developer's name and a CCS official did not return phone calls on Thursday.
Ann Weeks, president-emeritus of the South Broad Redevelopment Group, said the timing is right for the proposed new housing.
"We need rooftops to bring businesses," she said.
Weeks said the developer believes the corridor is a growth area. She noted that a separate housing project called The 100 at South Broad nearby is selling well.
Tirsun said that UGC zoning on the West 33rd Street land, which now holds warehouses and vacant sites, is sought because it allows for different types of housing. Tirsun said he didn't know any price points.
But the developer is looking at a urban-style project. Vehicle parking will be in garages or alleyways, Tirsun said.
Plans are to have a couple of acres of green space as well, he said.
Tirsun said the small shop space could hold a lot of the amenities needed by people living in the area.
"The vision for Broad Street is much more of a community and urban fabric that provides those kinds of opportunities for businesses," he said.
Tirsun said he's hopeful the rezoning is complete by the first quarter of next year, with work starting as soon as possible.
Mike Harrell, the South Broad group's president, said new housing in the area would be "fun and exciting."
"It would be a good development for that entire area," he said.
Nearby, an Atlanta developer wants to build a new Publix supermarket with some small shop space as well.
The South Broad District Plan that was recently completed calls for an array of new housing along with commercial and retail space, upgraded parks, streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure.
That plan includes a new minor league ballpark and entertainment facility to serve as a catalyst for development on the 141-acre foundry site that sits between South Broad Street and Interstate-24.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.