South Broad District proposal seen as ‘new frontier’ for Chattanooga

Wally Reece, left, and Larry Aulich shake hands as they look at plans for the South Broad District revitalization before a community meeting at the Development Resource Center on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

By Mike Pare February 27, 2018 4 min read

Photo Gallery

South Broad Street District

Vehicles travel down South Broad Street in the South Broad Street District on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Chattanooga Creek is seen looking west from Market Street in the South Broad Street District on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Howard School is seen looking east down 26th Street in the South Broad Street District on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Tennessee Riverwalk is seen looking south past part of the Wheland/U.S. Pipe site in the South Broad Street District on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The land between 25th Street and Interstate 24 is seen in the South Broad Street District on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. The New Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church can be seen on the right.

Signage is seen on a light pole along South Broad Street in the South Broad Street District on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Doors to the former Howard Middle School are seen in the South Broad Street District on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The athletic fields and Howard School are seen looking west from the backside of the school in the South Broad Street District on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The U.S. Pipe building is seen in the South Broad Street District on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The South Broad District was seen Monday as “a new frontier” for Chattanooga with housing for rich and poor, a revitalized Howard School and entertainment including a multi-use ballpark.

More than 60 people showed up for the public unveiling of a plan expected to guide future development in the area bounded by vacant foundry land, Howard, Interstate-24 and Chattanooga Creek.

What’s next

› The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission will hold a hearing to adopt the South Broad District plan on March 12.› The Chattanooga City Council will have a chance to publicly adopt the plan on April 10.

People line up outside of the room to hear as Chattanooga Design Studio Executive Director Eric Myers speaks on the South Broad District plans at the Development Resource Center on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

District 7 Councilman and Economic and Community Development Committee Chair Erskine Oglesby speaks during a community meeting on the South Broad District revitalization plans at the Development Resource Center on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

“This is going to be a ‘wow’ kind of development,” said City Councilman Erskine Oglesby Jr.

Jim Thompson of Chattanooga said he’s excited by the potential for housing for people with a broad mix of incomes in the area where there’s fewer than 1,200 now living in a district more than 10 square blocks in size just outside the city’s burgeoning downtown.