A former elementary school on Chattanooga’s Westside will undergo a $14.5 million renovation and expansion over the next year to expand the local Head Start program, add a health clinic and improve classrooms, art work and playgrounds on the site.
The Chattanooga Housing Authority has contracted with Tricon Inc. to begin the first phase of an upgrade of the James A. Henry building on Grove Street as one of the first projects in what officials hope will eventually become a billion-dollar, decadelong remake of the city’s oldest public housing project. Housing authority directors this week approved the first phase of the expansion and upgrade of the James A. Henry building, which is expected to begin in July and be completed by July 2025.
“This has been a vision of many people developed over several years, and to now be getting starting on this work I think will show the residents and others that we are serious about improving and revitalizing this neighborhood,” authority Executive Director Betsy McCright said Friday in a telephone interview. “We’re starting with the school and shortly thereafter we will start working on new residential units, so people will see this coming out of the ground. Everyone is excited to see this get started.”
(READ MORE: Developer in talks for $1.3 billion of new development at The Bend in Chattanooga)
The former school and surrounding park and other property is being developed in four phases to be the community hub for the Westside.