This article was originally published on Nooga.com.
Property development company Urban Story Ventures has two downtown area projects underway that will add to the changing landscape of the Scenic City.
Developer Jimmy White—who is the owner of Urban Story Ventures and president of both King Street Station Property and West End Property—has projects on King Street and on what he’s dubbing the West End, which is on the site of the old Alstom plant.
King Street Station
The $30 million mixed-use project on the corner of King and Market streets includes two restaurants, Wanderlinger Brewery, office space, condos, a park and the Moxy Hotel.
There’s about 70,000 square feet of office space and 14,000 square feet of retail space, which is completely leased already.
About 70 percent of the office space has been reserved, but there’s still some available.
The development also includes several hundred parking spaces and White said the project will draw about 120 workers to the building, which is under renovation
Both restaurants and office space will anchor the lower floors with residences planned for the top.
Other amenities in the project include a rooftop space and a private park, which White said will be unique.
“The park is huge,” he said. “It’s in the heart of the Southside. It’s a massive area, where we envision music events and things like that.”
There will be a beer garden where food trucks can set up, too, he said.
The restaurants, brewery and office space building at King Street Station is set to open late fall, with some tenants opening in early winter.
The Moxy Hotel is slated to open in October.
West End
Urban Story Ventures is also working to revitalize the former Alstom plant and adjacent buildings and land, which will revamp prime riverfront property with a project that will essentially double the downtown footprint.
“It’s basically a whole new district,” White said of the 120 acres and $30-million investment. “It’s larger than the North Shore and Southside combined.”
Urban Story Ventures and West End Property plan to keep the Alstom turbine plant, recruit a manufacturer and renovate the remaining area for mixed-use, which will provide living, working and recreation opportunities and create hundreds of jobs.
“That facility will attract another user of its size,” White said referencing Alstom. “We are going to try to attract that kind of user, another Volkswagen-type of user. That structure will stay and the rest of the site will be completely redeveloped.”
That facility makes up 10 percent of the entire site, he also said.
The site adjacent to the former Alstom plant will include office spaces, restaurants and residences as well as a combination distillery, brewery and winery.
White said he thinks the resulting district will be a model for mixed-use projects that include industry alongside residential, retail and recreational areas.
Inspiration for the mixed-use project comes from communities like Seaside in Florida, Navy Pier in Chicago and Venice, Italy.
“We want to create something here that is special for Chattanooga—something that Chattanooga does not have yet, something the city can be proud of, ” White said. “[This is kind of] a legacy product for the city.”
The Tennessee Riverwalk runs through the West End and the planned renovations include access for smaller watercraft like paddleboards and kayaks.
“In acquiring the property, we want to be responsible stewards of the facility, keep it in local hands and return this property to productive use,” White said. “The development of this site is important to Chattanooga’s long-term growth. We’re eager to have industry return and good-paying jobs, while adding live, work and play options for the entire district.”
The entire West End will be built out over the next 10 years with work already happening.
And it’s not to be confused with the newly dubbed West Village, which is the area around the Westin Hotel downtown