For the first time in nearly 100 years, the residents of Chattanooga and Hamilton County could soon see the construction of a new federal courthouse.
After careful consideration and discussion, we as the mayors of Chattanooga and Hamilton County believe the best site for this new courthouse is the downtown TVA complex.
TVA is currently engaged in a public process to reconsider its need for office space in Chattanooga, as the advent of work-from-home has reduced its need for large downtown office buildings.
A new federal courthouse has the potential to transform the underused TVA facility into a significant new landmark in our region that will promote public safety while enhancing downtown Chattanooga.
Of the three available options for a new courthouse site, the TVA footprint offers the best compatibility with both current and future uses of the property. It will breathe new life into Chattanooga's downtown business district. And choosing the TVA site makes the other sites being considered for the courthouse available for more appropriate projects.
Staff file Photo / The mayors of Chattanooga and Hamilton County have recommended that the new federal courthouse be built on the site of the Tennessee Valley Authority complex, shown, for which the federal utility has said it is reconsidering its usage.The U.S. General Services Administration has already received authorization from Congress to spend $218 million for the acquisition, design and construction of a new 190,478-square-foot federal courthouse in Chattanooga. Using TVA's property, which is already owned by the federal government, will allow more funds to flow to the construction itself, resulting in a better building.
The Joel W. Solomon Federal Building is one of the most beautiful buildings in Chattanooga's downtown business district, and it is our hope that it will be constructively reused as part of this process. But as our community has grown, so have the needs of our federal courts and agencies, and the existing Great Depression-era building can no longer securely accommodate our federal partners.
Given that both the federal courthouse and the TVA complex are managed by the U.S. General Services Administration, we see this as an opportunity to seamlessly replace the old with the new, beautifying our community and consolidating our region's federal footprint into a more secure and efficient structure.
We hope all parties will remain engaged with local officials for the highest and best use of unused portions of the TVA site.
Tim Kelly is the mayor of Chattanooga. Weston Wamp is the mayor of Hamilton County.