EPB plans new operations center near Chattanooga's Volkswagen plant

Staff file photo by Robin Rudd/ EPB's headquarters building in downtown Chattanooga is shown in this file photo. The power distributor employs about 600 people.
Staff file photo by Robin Rudd/ EPB's headquarters building in downtown Chattanooga is shown in this file photo. The power distributor employs about 600 people.

EPB is planning to expand to Enterprise South industrial park near the Volkswagen assembly plant where it wants to build a $16 million operations center in that fast-growing part of Hamilton County.

According to Chattanooga's Industrial Development Board, the power distributor is looking at constructing a 10,000-square-foot office building along with 60,000-square-feet of warehouse space.

Also, EPB wants to build a 70,000-square-foot covered garage for vehicles, wire and large items, said a proposal slated to go before the IDB on Monday.

In addition, the 17-acre site is to hold parking for 100 employees, the proposal said. Plans are to have 25 employees at the facility in the first year and then 75 workers within five years, it said.

Construction at the site, dubbed EPB's East operations center, likely would start around July 1 if approved by the IDB. Completion would be in about a year, the proposal said.

The property is located at 7372 Volkswagen Drive. The IDB officially owns the parcel on behalf of the city and is selling the tract for $65,000 per acre.

The site is located near Erlanger at Volkswagen Drive. The property was previously optioned to Erlanger in an agreement with Volkswagen Group of America, which itself has an agreement with IDB over hundreds of acres at Enterprise South for its assembly plant and future expansion.

Erlanger indicated it's prepared to release the 17-acre parcel to make way for the EPB facility.

Britt Tabor, Erlanger's executive vice president, in a letter to EPB said that the health system has no intent to exercise its option for the tract.

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, in a letter to Volkswagen Group of America, supported EPB's intention to create an additional operations center.

He said the parcel "will allow EPB to expand to an area in our community that is also experiencing a significant amount of growth."

Berke said that EPB will be able to create "a much-needed presence in the Enterprise South area and respond to needs more efficiently."

Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.

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