Introduction
The southside neighborhood of Chattanooga, Tennessee was once an area of industry and manufacturing. During the twentieth century, the warehouses and old buildings that made up the south side were closed, and left abandoned. The neighborhood for the past ten years has been undergoing revitalization projects to bring culture, art, food, and entertainment to the area (Hendrickson n.d.). The goal of our project was to see if all of this change really was good for the neighborhood and the residents who live there. To do this, our group visited seven different local businesses in the Southside neighborhood of Chattanooga to see what local businesses thought of the gentrification project happening within their neighborhood. The objective of this project is to determine through interviews and site observations if the portrayal of the success of the Southside initiative in Chattanooga advertisements are accurate, if the original goals of the project were accomplished, and to analyze the current status of the project.
The southside neighborhood of Chattanooga, Tennessee was once an area of industry and manufacturing. During the twentieth century, the warehouses and old buildings that made up the south side were closed, and left abandoned. The neighborhood for the past ten years has been undergoing revitalization projects to bring culture, art, food, and entertainment to the area (Hendrickson n.d.). The goal of our project was to see if all of this change really was good for the neighborhood and the residents who live there. To do this, our group visited seven different local businesses in the Southside neighborhood of Chattanooga to see what local businesses thought of the gentrification project happening within their neighborhood. The objective of this project is to determine through interviews and site observations if the portrayal of the success of the Southside initiative in Chattanooga advertisements are accurate, if the original goals of the project were accomplished, and to analyze the current status of the project.
Background
Through the 20th century, Chattanooga was a city of great prosperous driven by industries, like manufacturing, to run the economy. At this time in Chattanooga, foundries manufactured parts for automobiles and consumer products, like yarn and textiles. The local soft drink company was a major contributor to the economy with the manufacturing of glass bottles, wooden crates, and vending machines. Chattanooga was also home to the the company Davis Hosiery Mills. This business was founded in 1902, and produced children's clothing in the eastern side of Chattanooga. Like many historic cities in the United States, Chattanooga’s major industries suffered at the turn of the century. Companies like the Davis Hosiery Mills went out of business close to the early 21st century leaving their employees jobless. The Davis Hosiery Mills company was closed in 1999 and left 1,500 workers unemployed (Jolley 2009). With the loss of manufacturing and industry in a city that heavily relied on both of these for its livelihood, a new economic system was needed in order to drive new development in the area (Childers).
Over the past 30 years, the city of Chattanooga has been working to revitalize its economy and bring modern development into the city (Childers). The Southside neighborhood of Chattanooga over the past ten years has experienced many changes. The neighborhood has evolved from an old, worn down, post-industrial area with high crime levels, to a place where locals would raise a family and bring economic industry back to the Southside. This idea became known as the “South Central Business District Plan” and was lead by the Chattanooga River City Company. This project included a new football stadium, continuing the development of the convention center, new housing, and new commercial improvements. The first step in the revitalization project which began in the middle to late 1990’s, was to bring reasonably priced housing to the area. The Chattanooga River City Company lead this development, and in order to draw people to the south side area, they also funded the development of a major elementary school called Battle Academy. The hope was that through generating quality educational options in the area, families would be enticed to move to the Southside (Hendrickson). The Chattanooga River City Company also worked directly with existing locals to develop the housing and living accommodations they desired. In 1996 the twenty-eight million dollar construction of Finley Stadium located in the Southside neighborhood helped to develop the tourism industry in the area (Childers).
The Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise (CNE) was crucial in turning the South side of Chattanooga from a place with the nickname “Rustville,” to a place where homeowners were proud of their property. The concern with crime was also diminished by placing a new fire station right on Main Street, making locals feel safer. Inclusion of modern restaurants in renovated storefronts, were a crucial part in showing that the Southside can provide a safe nightlife atmosphere, which led to the public becoming accepting of the new development and improvements of the neighborhood (Childers).
The Southside development also benefited from incorporating local art into the public spaces of the south side. The south side neighborhood was the first time sculpture was used in an outdoor space in Chattanooga other than along the riverfront downtown area. The art placed in the Southside downtown brought benefits such as it slowed down traffic making the streets safer. The art scene produced in the south side drew the attention of local and out of town people. Locals began enjoying these public spaces more by using it for recreation like running and paying more attention to the architecture in the area (Childers n.d.).
The city of Chattanooga has a promotional website called “Downtown Chattanooga” which portrays the south side of the city as “flourishing” and “eclectic”. The website also describes the area as a “sustainable urban neighborhood with various housing options, parks, restaurants, retailers, grocers and small businesses”. The website displays photos of modern homes, parks, and small local store fronts (“Live with Us Neighborhoods: Southside” n.d.). Our research project aimed to check the reality of this portrayal and assess the actual improvements made to the neighborhood. The study also aimed to see how these modifications affected the people who lived there.
Study Area
The area covered by this project ranges from Carter Street on the West, Martin Luther king Boulevard to the North, Market Street to the East, and not farther South than Main Street. This area is well known in the city of Chattanooga as the Southside or the ChoCho District. This area is shown in Figure 1 below.
The area covered by this project ranges from Carter Street on the West, Martin Luther king Boulevard to the North, Market Street to the East, and not farther South than Main Street. This area is well known in the city of Chattanooga as the Southside or the ChoCho District. This area is shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: Study Area
Methods
A series of informal interviews were conducted as a means to obtain the information necessary to analyze the success of the South Central Business District Plan. The interviews were conducted at random businesses in the study area, shown in Figure 2. A total of seven interviews were conducted. The name of each business was recorded as well as the address. At each location, a predefined set of questions were delivered to the interviewee. The rank of the person interviewed varied, but the most experienced or knowledgeable person was requested upon entering a business. Most often the interviewee was a manager or owner of the establishment. After requesting to speak to someone about the recent development in the area the following questions were asked:
In Figure 2 the businesses visited corresponding to the map numbering scheme are as follows:
A series of informal interviews were conducted as a means to obtain the information necessary to analyze the success of the South Central Business District Plan. The interviews were conducted at random businesses in the study area, shown in Figure 2. A total of seven interviews were conducted. The name of each business was recorded as well as the address. At each location, a predefined set of questions were delivered to the interviewee. The rank of the person interviewed varied, but the most experienced or knowledgeable person was requested upon entering a business. Most often the interviewee was a manager or owner of the establishment. After requesting to speak to someone about the recent development in the area the following questions were asked:
- How long have you (the establishment) been in business?
- What is the primary customer demographic for the establishment?
- If known, what was the previous business in the location?
- Is the establishment a chain or local business?
- What is your opinion on the redevelopment of Chattanooga?
- What is your opinion on crime in the area? Have you noticed any recent changes?
In Figure 2 the businesses visited corresponding to the map numbering scheme are as follows:
- Artech Design Group
- Feed Table and Tavern
- Mean Mug Coffeehouse South
- Scout Boutique
- The Galleries on Williams Street
- Locals Only
- Wildflower Tea Shop & Apothecary
The responses to the interview questions varied, but as much information as possible was recorded. One person posed the questions to each interviewee and maintained the conversation. Meanwhile two other group members recorded the responses, by hand, to achieve the most well-rounded account possible.
Additional information was collected through qualitative observations of the area. The observations are an important aspect of the methods used to analyze the success of the South Central Business District Plan. Qualitative information about businesses in there area was recorded in notes and photography. The observations begin at the intersection of Carter Street and West Martin Luther King Boulevard. Names of the businesses were recorded as well as their addresses. The purpose of this qualitative analysis was to develop a general understanding of the business types in the area. Further, the observations provide insight into the continuing development of the area.
The first business interviewed was Artech Design Group. Founded in April of 1985, the company has been in their new location on Cowart Street for 20 years. During the interview, it was mentioned that the area has seen a lot of new development to which the architecture company has contributed directly. Another notable aspect of the interview was mention of the Southside initiative; also known as the South Central Business District Plan. The purpose of this plan is to encourage new development in the area.
The Feed Table and Tavern was established in 2014 and is located on West Main Street in the Southside neighborhood. The local restaurant’s primary customer demographic consists of younger business men; ages 21-35. A bank was the previous tenant of the location. A concern that arose during the interview process was if the pungent smell of a nearby chicken factory affected the customer’s desire to sit out on the restaurant patio. The manager explained that the smell didn't seem to bother many people.
The next interview was conducted at Mean Mug Coffee House. Located on West Main Street in the Southside neighborhood, Mean Mug Coffee House is a popular chain within the city of Chattanooga. Previous tenants of the location include an Asian grocery store and a Jazz club during the early 90’s. The coffee house has a varied customer demographic that mirrors the diversifying demographic of the Southside neighborhood. One very talkative barista provided their insight into the rapidly changing development of the area. It was mentioned that the change can be seen weekly and incorporation of local art in the area is becoming popular. New development mentioned included: an IT consultant company, Southside Pizza, a skate shop, and various new housing developments. Seven years ago people didn’t visit the Southside because of frequent gang and crime activity. “This side of town is a place you didn’t go.” said one barista. Although improvements can be seen, crime continues to be an issue in the area. One barista mentioned that two weeks prior, a girl had been shot and killed a few blocks from his home in the neighborhood. Two of the baristas mentioned that they had recently moved back to the area.
The next interview was conducted at a small boutique called Scout. Established in September of 2015, Scout is located on Williams Street. The local men’s boutique has a varied customer demographic. Private offices utilized the space prior to Scout. The sales associate mentioned that Scout is looking to expand and will eventually include options for women as well. When asked about crime in the area, the sales associate mentioned a decrease in crime.
The Galleries have been at their current location on Williams street for 8 years. The local business has a varied customer demographic. The sales associate was eager to answer our questions. The area is becoming increasingly more touristy but strives to maintain the old architecture and character alongside the new development. New businesses continue to pop up as the revitalization of the area continues. The sales associate described the revitalization with a positive outlook. Mention of new development included: The Hot Chocolatier, Locals Only, Stir, Frothy Monkey, a parking lot, and five new town-homes.
Locals Only is a local business that has been at their new location for one month. The location used to house a photography studio. The customer demographic includes tourists and locals. The shop owner explained how crime in the area had led to white flight years ago. Transformation of Chattanooga’s riverfront area, including the Tennessee Aquarium and the Hunter Museum of American Art, trickled down to the Southside. Incorporation of local art is important to the revitalization. The Main Street area has been revitalized in the past ten years and the Southside is said to be the next big thing. The store owner also mentioned a rapidly changing demographic that mirrors the introduction of various new businesses. Wealthy people are moving into the area and the poverty is moving elsewhere. Expensive condos are going up in the area as well.
Wildflower Tea Shop and Apothecary is a local business that has been at their new location on Market Street since August of 2016. Their customer demographic includes both tourists and locals, but is mostly women ages 18 to 44 years old. The building had been abandoned before that. The shop owner mentioned, “the Southside has changed a lot,” and the change has been rapid. The owner said they’ve had no trouble with crime.
Additional information was collected through qualitative observations of the area. The observations are an important aspect of the methods used to analyze the success of the South Central Business District Plan. Qualitative information about businesses in there area was recorded in notes and photography. The observations begin at the intersection of Carter Street and West Martin Luther King Boulevard. Names of the businesses were recorded as well as their addresses. The purpose of this qualitative analysis was to develop a general understanding of the business types in the area. Further, the observations provide insight into the continuing development of the area.
The first business interviewed was Artech Design Group. Founded in April of 1985, the company has been in their new location on Cowart Street for 20 years. During the interview, it was mentioned that the area has seen a lot of new development to which the architecture company has contributed directly. Another notable aspect of the interview was mention of the Southside initiative; also known as the South Central Business District Plan. The purpose of this plan is to encourage new development in the area.
The Feed Table and Tavern was established in 2014 and is located on West Main Street in the Southside neighborhood. The local restaurant’s primary customer demographic consists of younger business men; ages 21-35. A bank was the previous tenant of the location. A concern that arose during the interview process was if the pungent smell of a nearby chicken factory affected the customer’s desire to sit out on the restaurant patio. The manager explained that the smell didn't seem to bother many people.
The next interview was conducted at Mean Mug Coffee House. Located on West Main Street in the Southside neighborhood, Mean Mug Coffee House is a popular chain within the city of Chattanooga. Previous tenants of the location include an Asian grocery store and a Jazz club during the early 90’s. The coffee house has a varied customer demographic that mirrors the diversifying demographic of the Southside neighborhood. One very talkative barista provided their insight into the rapidly changing development of the area. It was mentioned that the change can be seen weekly and incorporation of local art in the area is becoming popular. New development mentioned included: an IT consultant company, Southside Pizza, a skate shop, and various new housing developments. Seven years ago people didn’t visit the Southside because of frequent gang and crime activity. “This side of town is a place you didn’t go.” said one barista. Although improvements can be seen, crime continues to be an issue in the area. One barista mentioned that two weeks prior, a girl had been shot and killed a few blocks from his home in the neighborhood. Two of the baristas mentioned that they had recently moved back to the area.
The next interview was conducted at a small boutique called Scout. Established in September of 2015, Scout is located on Williams Street. The local men’s boutique has a varied customer demographic. Private offices utilized the space prior to Scout. The sales associate mentioned that Scout is looking to expand and will eventually include options for women as well. When asked about crime in the area, the sales associate mentioned a decrease in crime.
The Galleries have been at their current location on Williams street for 8 years. The local business has a varied customer demographic. The sales associate was eager to answer our questions. The area is becoming increasingly more touristy but strives to maintain the old architecture and character alongside the new development. New businesses continue to pop up as the revitalization of the area continues. The sales associate described the revitalization with a positive outlook. Mention of new development included: The Hot Chocolatier, Locals Only, Stir, Frothy Monkey, a parking lot, and five new town-homes.
Locals Only is a local business that has been at their new location for one month. The location used to house a photography studio. The customer demographic includes tourists and locals. The shop owner explained how crime in the area had led to white flight years ago. Transformation of Chattanooga’s riverfront area, including the Tennessee Aquarium and the Hunter Museum of American Art, trickled down to the Southside. Incorporation of local art is important to the revitalization. The Main Street area has been revitalized in the past ten years and the Southside is said to be the next big thing. The store owner also mentioned a rapidly changing demographic that mirrors the introduction of various new businesses. Wealthy people are moving into the area and the poverty is moving elsewhere. Expensive condos are going up in the area as well.
Wildflower Tea Shop and Apothecary is a local business that has been at their new location on Market Street since August of 2016. Their customer demographic includes both tourists and locals, but is mostly women ages 18 to 44 years old. The building had been abandoned before that. The shop owner mentioned, “the Southside has changed a lot,” and the change has been rapid. The owner said they’ve had no trouble with crime.
Results
After performing this research, conducting interviews, and analyzing results, our group has determined that the South Central Business District Plan has had positive implication for the neighborhood and the city of Chattanooga. One of the original goals of the project was to bring affordable housing to the area. However, while this may have been the initial goal, housing prices have significantly increased in recent years due to the new popularity and appeal of the neighborhood. During our interview at Locals Only, it was revealed that the rapidly changing demographic and addition of new businesses have driven prices up in the real estate market. Figure 3 below is an example of new housing in the neighborhood. |
Figure 3: Some of the new housing development in the Southside.
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The background research showed that decreasing crime was an important goal to the South Central Business District Plan as well. It was important to the success of the project that the issue of crime was addressed by creating a safe environment. The interviews revealed an overall decline in crime and an environment in which businesses can thrive. A majority of the interviews included mention of new development with positive connotations. The project was successful in decreasing crime and creating a more welcoming environment.
Another important aspect mentioned in the literature, is the incorporation of street art. Samples of the street art seen are shown below in Figure 4 and Figure 5. The literature suggested that street art creates a more welcoming environment (Childers n.d.), which was confirmed in our study. The interview at Locals Only also indicated the importance of incorporating local art to the revitalization.
Another important aspect mentioned in the literature, is the incorporation of street art. Samples of the street art seen are shown below in Figure 4 and Figure 5. The literature suggested that street art creates a more welcoming environment (Childers n.d.), which was confirmed in our study. The interview at Locals Only also indicated the importance of incorporating local art to the revitalization.
Future Developments
While walking the streets of the Southside it was discovered that the development of the Southside is still underway. Many advertisements for various future developments were found while conducting the study. New businesses and new apartment complexes were advertised as coming in the near future. The ice cream shop Clumpies Ice Cream Co. as seen in Figure 6 was advertised on a renovated storefront as coming to the Southside this spring. An advertisement for unbuilt apartments in an empty lot was also found, Figure 7. The peculiar part about this advertisement was that it advertised apartments for the Summer of 2017, which has already passed. This brings to question if the apartment project has stalled and the new apartments have not been built to accomplish the advertised date, or if the company placed the sign from a previously built apartment project to advertise new apartment project that has just begun, and a new sign has yet to be made. Either way the new apartments being developed in the Southside are helping meet the need for housing in the Southside. |
Figure 6: Clumpies Ice Cream Co., coming to Market Street in the Spring of 2018.
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Figure 7: Advertisement for new apartment complexes coming to the Southside.
Figure 8: The clear distinction between developed and abandoned storefronts on Market Street.
Figure 9: Unrenovated store fronts on Market Street painted to be more appealing to residents and tourists.
Through the process of conducting research it was discovered that the new developments are very much still in process for the Southside. In the interview conducted with the shop owner of The Galleries boutique shop, it was learned of future developments planned on Williams Street. A new parking lot and five town homes are planned to go in. Through the development of the downtown area of the Southside. There has been an increasing demand housing and the removal of this green space for living space development will help meet the demand for housing.
In the literature, new projects also described bringing in new apartments for affordable housing to the Southside. The new apartment buildings will incorporate local restaurants into their modern design. The apartment building being built in the south side is at 203 East Main Street. This development is predicted to be completed in June of 2018. The building will consist of thirty-three different one and two bedroom apartment units. The goal is to keep rent low at about $850 per month (Morrison 2017). This development matches the trends we saw while conducting this research in the south side of Chattanooga.
In the literature, new projects also described bringing in new apartments for affordable housing to the Southside. The new apartment buildings will incorporate local restaurants into their modern design. The apartment building being built in the south side is at 203 East Main Street. This development is predicted to be completed in June of 2018. The building will consist of thirty-three different one and two bedroom apartment units. The goal is to keep rent low at about $850 per month (Morrison 2017). This development matches the trends we saw while conducting this research in the south side of Chattanooga.
Figure 10: Lot planned for future development on Williams Street.
Limitations of the Study
This study encountered several limitations when completing the project. One limitation encountered was the amount of time we had to conduct research. We only had half of one day, which limited the number of interviews we could conduct and the number of streets we were able to walk down to take pictures. If we had more time to conduct research, we could have collected more data. Another limitation encountered were the types of people we interviewed. We only interviewed business owners and workers. To grasp a wider scope of how the new developments were impacting the Southside, we should have interviewed local people who were not involved in business operations in the Southside, but were just residents of the Southside. To do this we could have had premade surveys to hand out to local people to gather more data for this research.
Conclusions
Overall this research shows that the development of the Southside area has had a positive impact on the neighborhood. The findings of this research support the portrayal of the Southside depicted by the “Downtown Chattanooga” promotional website. While conducting research we found many of the claims on the website about the neighborhood to be an accurate depiction of the current state of the Southside. Through interviews and photography, the improvements made to the Southside during the redevelopment of the area have been beneficial for local people and businesses. Crime is also no longer a concern of local shop owners and the economy of the Southside. After the loss of manufacturing industry in the turn of the century, the once stagnant economy of Southside Chattanooga is now flourishing, with numerous local small businesses and organizations that continue to encourage the revitalization of the neighborhood.
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References
Childers, Laura. “The Making of a District.” CityScope Magazine, www.cityscopemag.com/city-scope/the-making-of-a-district/.
Hendrickson, Alex. “Chattanooga's Southside: A Southern Neighborhood Spotlight.” StyleBlueprint, www.styleblueprint.com/everyday/chattanooga-
southside/.
Jolley, Harmon. “Chattanooga Manufacturing From Cradle to Grave.” The Chattanoogan.com, 15 Nov. 2009,
www.chattanoogan.com/2009/11/15/163201/Chattanooga-Manufacturing-From-Cradle.aspx.
“Live with Us Neighborhoods: Southside.” Downtown Chattanooga - Southside, www.downtownchattanooga.org/new/live/neighborhoods/southside.
Morrison, Chloe. “Developer John Wise Adding Apartments to Southside, North Chattanooga.”Nooga.com, 8 Aug. 2017,
www.nooga.com/203969/developer-john-wise-adding-apartments-southside-north-chattanooga/.