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Drury Hotel asked to respect downtown Chattanooga’s history

Staff photo by Abby White / The front of the newly opened Drury Plaza Hotel off Shallowford Road near Hamilton Place is seen Nov. 1, 2024. The company is planning another hotel in downtown Chattanooga. Staff photo by Abby White / The front of the newly opened Drury Plaza Hotel off Shallowford Road near Hamilton Place is seen Nov. 1, 2024. The company is planning another hotel in downtown Chattanooga.

By Mike Pare January 31, 2025 3 min read

Chattanooga’s historic preservation group is calling for the design of a planned downtown Drury Plaza Hotel near the riverfront to include the facade of the 139-year-old building the lodging is to replace.

“We’d like to see them respect the history,” said Todd Morgan, Preserve Chattanooga’s executive director.

Drury is planning an eight-story, 196-room hotel at Market and Third streets that’s slated as one of downtown’s largest.

The brick structure on the site for many years held the Sportsbarn fitness center before Drury bought the property in 2023. Its history goes back to 1886, when it served as a horse and mule stable, according to Preserve Chattanooga.