A possible 20-story landmark tower in the middle of the former Alstom site is eyed by the tract’s owners, who on Monday won rezoning approval from a Chattanooga planning panel.
“It would be like a corporate headquarters,” said Jimmy White, president of West End Property LLC. White said his group hasn’t landed a company for such a high-rise tower yet, but it’s talking with businesses which may be interested.
White and business partner Hiren Desai won the OK of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission to rezone about 75 percent of the 115-acre parcel off Riverfront Parkway near downtown. The City Council still needs to sign off on the rezoning next month.
White has said the proposed redevelopment of the property could bring $2 billion to $3 billion in investments, add over $11 million in tax revenue annually for the city and Hamilton County and spur about 5,000 jobs.
In March, after a lengthy planning effort, West End Property revealed possibilities for the tract including housing, hotels, offices, a canal, a food hall, music venue, child care center and more. Some manufacturing is slated to remain on the site.