From the rooftop overlook atop the newly renovated Burnside development near Rossville Boulevard and Main Street, Camden Croxall can see his office at Keller Williams Realty on Washington Street on Chattanooga's redeveloping Southside.
Croxall, a 22-year-old Realtor at Keller Williams, said he wanted to live in Chattanooga's downtown area and Burnside offered a perfect blend of the past and future.
"I think it's a really cool project that shows off where Chattanooga is going and how we appreciate where Chattanooga was in the past," said Croxall, whose father Mike heads the building firm that is renovating the former paper factory into a complex of apartments and commercial space at 2100 Rossville Boulevard. "I love the concept here and thought it would be great to live in it and to be in close proximity to my work and all the great things happening downtown."
Croxall, who moved into one of the one-bedroom apartments in the three-story former Acme Box Co., warehouse in late May, was the first tenant in what the developers have branded as the Burnside neighborhood. When fully developed, Burnside is expected to include more than $25 million of apartments, new homes, a restaurant and commercial development in one of the oldest parts of Chattanooga.
The complex is named after Oliver Burnside Andrews, the founder of Andrews Paper Box Co. who built the brick structure more than a century ago.
Burnside is displaying the new 33 apartments erected within the formerly vacant brick structure during an open house from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and showing other first floor storefronts available for commercial or office tenants in the facility. Next door, 44 residential lots have been prepared for townhomes that GreenTech Homes plans to build.
"It's been quite a journey since we bought this building nearly five years ago and started this work during the pandemic last year, but it's looking great now," said DeDe Debose Engsberg, one of the key investors in the 60,000-square-foot Burnside Development. "We're already 33% leased since we started renting the apartments this month and we hope to be about 60% leased by the end of the month."
Open house shows off new development
Where: Burnside Neighborhood, 2100 Rossville BoulevardWhen: 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 8What: Tours of new apartments, potential commercial or office spaces. and residential building lots. The event will include live music by Jazz band Dexter Bell and Friends and complimentary refreshments, including various drinks and snacks, will be available. Attendees will have an opportunity to win door prizes from local Chattanooga businesses.Project: The 60,000-square-foot, converted warehouse includes 33 apartments now open, Number 10 Steakhouse planned in the future, and potential retail, office or other commercial space for lease next to 44 residential building lots for townhomes to be built by GreenTech.Developer: SEI Ventures, owned by DeDe Debose Engsberg and her husband, TowsonContractor: Croxall ConstructionWebsite: www.burnsidetn.com.
Burnside is offering a "look and lease" special for future apartment residents. Those who tour the complex Tuesday can receive up to one month of free rent (with some limitations).
The apartments, which range in size from about 750 square feet up to 12,00 square feet each, offer unique, industrial living space with exposed brick walls, modern kitchens, common areas and access to the rooftop deck. There also is additional storage space available for residents to lease.
"People are very interested in the historic location and beautiful living spaces," Engsberg said. "These apartments will not last long."
Next month, work is scheduled to begin on a new 7,000-square-foot Number 10 Steakhouse in another part of the renovated factory. The new restaurant will include both interior seating within the renovated warehouse and outdoor seating next to the Norfolk Southern rail line that carries Tennessee Valley Railroad museum passenger rail trips on the weekend.
Vern Kennedy opened the first Number 10 Steakhouse in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and decided to locate another unit at Burnside as part of an expansion of the restaurant concept in the Southeast.
"I want to re-imagine the steakhouse and bar, creating a space which honors the classics while fostering innovation," Kennedy said in explaining his restaurant concept which he says is a place to "unwind, celebrate and explore."
The Burnside Development is a partnership between SEI Ventures of TN, LLC and GreenTech Homes.
GreenTech Homes is planning to erect 42 townhomes with a variety of floor plans and include both 2-story and 3-story homes. They will range in size from 1,800 to 2,200 square feet each and focus on shared green space, outdoor living and multiple porches for every home.
"Right now, there is an incredible demand for homes," said Jeremy Fitzsimmons, sales manager at GreenTech Homes. "These townhomes have the advantage of being close to downtown where there are hundreds of places to eat, shop and explore. "
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6340