Red Bank sees surge in residential growth

Houses of different size with different value on stacks of coins. Concept of property, mortgage and real estate investment. 3d illustration mortgage tile real estate housing tile / Getty Images
Houses of different size with different value on stacks of coins. Concept of property, mortgage and real estate investment. 3d illustration mortgage tile real estate housing tile / Getty Images

The city of Red Bank is seeing a surge of residential growth, a trend that's been gaining speed over the past few years, according to City Manager Tim Thornbury.

Red Bank issued 165 permits for new residential construction from 2017 until now, a 143% increase from the 67 permits issued from 2014-2016.

Thornbury said 70 new homes were added in GreenTech Homes' North Point Ridge development located atop Stringers Ridge off of Ashmore Avenue. Collier Construction's development off of Delashmitt Road and Cary Lane includes 30 new homes. And a new development off of Pine Breeze Road includes a mix of townhomes and single-family homes for a total of 29 new residences, he said.

Thornbury credits the increase in new residential properties to spillover from the North Shore, a more expensive area with few buildable properties for new development.

Red Bank's relatively low property tax rate of $1.39 - compared to Chattanooga's rate of $2.777 - is also a draw, said Vice Mayor Ruth Jeno.

Thornbury said he expects business growth in the city to increase with the surge of new residents.

"The city wants sustainable growth that powers and fuels the city's economy," he said. "The city will continue to look to the future to make sure we maintain that balance of quality of life and economic opportunity."

To keep up with the increase in residential development, the city is upgrading and maintaining its infrastructure, said Thornbury. Plans include repaving Dayton Boulevard from Greenleaf Street to Browntown Road, as well as the creation of a right-turn-only lane from Dayton Boulevard onto Ashland Terrace to help with traffic congestion in the city's main business district.

Upgrades to traffic signals on Signal Mountain Road, Morrison Springs Road and Ashland Terrace should also reduce congestion, he said.

Other projects include continuing existing sidewalks on Dayton Boulevard and Ashland Terrace, as well as the addition of more pedestrian crossings and ADA-compliant skid pads.

Work on the infrastructure projects is expected to begin in the spring and summer of 2020, said Thornbury.

Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com

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