NEWS

Preserve Chattanooga, Chattanooga’s only historic preservation organization, protects the city’s extraordinary architectural heritage through preservation education and advocacy. Our city’s historic assets include landmarks known to many Chattanoogans such as the Terminal Station (Chattanooga Choo Choo), the Dome building, Brown’s Ferry Tavern, and local historic districts such as Fort Wood and Ferger Place.

Through the generous support of the Lyndhurst Foundation, Preserve Chattanooga was able to hire its first development manager, Bea Lurie (bio attached). Using her expertise in fund development and fundraising, she will raise the money needed to expand the impact of Preserve Chattanooga by identifying new partnerships, protecting historic assets that are not currently protected in commercial and residential neighborhoods, offering for the first time programming for neighborhoods, saving more historic buildings, and creating excitement in Chattanooga about preserving our heritage through marketing and outreach.

As part of the Lyndhurst Foundation’s support, Preserve Chattanooga will work in partnership with the Chattanooga Hamilton County Regional Plan Association to update the county’s 1977 Preservation Plan and lay out a community-based road map for expanded areas of impact through Preserve Chattanooga.

When a historically significant place is destroyed through neglect or demolition, it is gone forever. Every such loss means that our city’s unique character fades away. Historic places that are properly maintained and utilized present valuable economic, environmental, and cultural benefits for everyone and are a draw for tourists. Through preservation, Chattanoogans are good stewards of the architectural gifts we’ve been blessed to inherit for ourselves and future generations.

The Lyndhurst Foundation will provide a grant of $116,000.00 to Preserve Chattanooga for the development of a Chattanooga Preservation Plan in partnership with CHCRP A as well as for additional staffing during 2024-2025.

Preserve Chattanooga is grateful for the opportunity to update Hamilton County's 1977 Plan and expand its services to the community.

Preserve Chattanooga, the historic preservation organization, has sold its portion of the Terminal Station complex on Market Street after protecting it with preservation façade easements. Formerly known as Cornerstones, the preservation historic nonprofit received the domed former passenger lobby space as a gift in 2018 from Choo Choo Partners LP led by its partners Jon Kinsey, Frank Fowler, Ben Probasco and Fred Skillern. The space continued to be used as a hotel lobby until 2022. In February of 2024, Preserve Chattanooga agreed to sell the centerpiece of the complex to NorthPond Partners LLC, a real estate investment and management company based in Chicago, Illinois. NorthPond had previously purchased the north and south wings of the building along with the Glenn Miller Gardens from Choo Choo Partners LP and has been actively engaged with site improvements.

Under its ownership, Preserve Chattanooga invested over $230,000 on stabilizing and improving the structure. Work completed includes a new roof, various repairs, and preservation studies. A recent grant from the State of Tennessee was used to custom build new front doors that replicated the original design. As part of the sale agreement, NorthPond Partners donated a preservation easement to Preserve Chattanooga that protects both the interior dome and the exterior facade from demolition or inappropriate architectural changes.

“The passenger lobby space is an integral part of how the entire complex functions,” according to Todd Morgan, the Executive Director of Preserve Chattanooga. “It was never meant to be an independent space, separated from the complex as a whole. Our organization is doing what we do best by holding a preservation easement that now protects this landmark property,” said Morgan. Preserve Chattanooga currently holds preservation easements on important Chattanooga buildings such as the Dome Building, the Customs House, and the Tivoli Center among others.

Since 1909, the 82-foot-high domed passenger lobby has greeted visitors to Chattanooga. Designed by architect Donn Barber in the Beaux Arts style, the Terminal Station was a strong statement to the city’s emergence as an important railroad crossroads. It was the first train station in the South to open a pathway to the North by connecting with Cincinnati. Eventually, the Terminal Station was serving fifty passenger trains per day plus freight and package service.

The Terminal Station entrance featured the largest arched window system in the world at the time.

The last train departed in 1970 and the Station was closed to the public. It reopened as a hotel complex in 1973 and a new era began. Today, the Terminal Station is home to popular restaurants and entertainment venues and remains a must-see Chattanooga attraction.

Preserve Chattanooga has partnered with WUTC’s Scenic Roots to offer another preservation-themed mini-series. The 2023 interviews include discussion about grassroots preservation in neighborhoods like Orchard Knob and Ridgedale, the additional of new Landmark structures, and the partnership with UTC on a Historic Preservation Minor for students.

Preserve Chattanooga has received a 2023 Cultural Tourism Advancement Grant from Chattanooga Tourism Company to produce new walking tours. The new tours will provide more interactive experiences and will focus on the Historic Downtown District, MLK District and Southside, and UTC campus and Fort Wood.

Preserve Chattanooga Executive Director Todd Morgan has been selected to participate in Leadership Chattanooga’s Class of 2024.

"Leadership Chattanooga is the premier leadership-development and civic-engagement program for greater Chattanooga professionals – promoting excellence through experiential learning opportunities, community service projects, and access to local and state leaders," officials said.

The 2024 Leadership Chattanooga class includes:

• Juan Aguinaga - Chattanooga Preparatory School

• Shireena Avery - Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga

• Olivia Bagby - Hamilton County Schools

• Mike Beckwith - BlueGrace Logistics

• Miller Blain - Metropolitan Ministries, Inc.

• Cory Brooks - Connect Event Group

• Amy Burba - Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation

• Callie Burnette - Chattanooga Tourism Co.

• Nicole Burney - CBL Properties

• Jeff Cogburn - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, UC Foundation

• Reginald Cooper - BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee

• Philip Coyle - Hamilton County District Attorney's Office

• Meghan Creecy - Northside Neighborhood House

• Susan Day - Hunter Museum of American Art

• Rosite Delgado - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

• Prentice Gilbert - Tennessee Valley Authority

• Rachel Hargis - Unum

• Alyson Haugland - Chattanooga Ballet

• Arielle Hayes - University High School

• Beth Irwin - Mental Health Cooperative

• Kate Izell - Izell Marketing Group

• Donna Davis Johnson - Johnson Grisham Agency

• Courtney Keehan - Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C.

• Mackenzie Kelly - Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition

• Akil Lloyd - Cempa Community Care

• Bill Lupia - Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce

• Jacki Madding - Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise, Inc.

• Jessica Malloy-Thorpe - Miller & Martin, PLLC

• Todd Morgan - Preserve Chattanooga, Inc.

• Shane Morrow - RISE Chattanooga

• Hannah Oliver - Partnership for Families, Children, and Adults

• Chad Prevost - Big Self School

• Jasmine Ray - McNabb Center

• Nikki Riemen Sevigny - United Way of Greater Chattanooga

• Madalyn Roberts - Astec Industries

• Ralph Romero - Southern Champion Tray

• Elliot Scott - Tennessee Valley Authority

• Whitney Summers - Neel-Schaffer Engineering

• Kaitlyn Thomas - Center for Policing Equity

• Ashley Valencia - La Paz Chattanooga

• Damien Vinson - Chattanooga Fire Department

• Taylor Vinson - Lee-Smith, Inc.

• Savannah Ward – CARTA

• Thessela White - US Xpress

• Jason Willard - Chattanooga Gas

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2023/7/3/471370/Chattanooga-Chamber-Announces-2024.aspx

Community nominations identified the top priorities.

CHATTANOOGA, TN, May 19, 2023 – May is Preservation Month across America. During April, Preserve Chattanooga asked the community to nominate historic places they would like to see preserved next. Chattanooga has an ever-growing list of historic places preserved and adapted to new uses. Historic buildings showcase our city’s unique history and architectural heritage and are worthy of investment. Preserve Chattanooga seeks to raise awareness of places that could be the next great preservation success story through its PreserveNEXT program.

The Williams-Hardy House, also known as Littleholme, retains community interest despite the National Park’s long-term goal to demolish the house for parking. Located adjacent to the Cravens House, Littleholme was designed by Chattanooga architect Clarence T. Jones for Edith Soper Hardy and dates to 1928. Mrs. Hardy was the founder of the Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga and would later become a national figure among humanitarians as a director of The American Humane Association. The property was donated to the National Park Service by the Williams family in 2001.

Preserving neighborhoods also emerged as a top priority with strong interest in revitalizing Olde Towne Brainerd and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Register District, once known as the “Big 9”. At its peak, the Big 9 earned comparisons to Memphis’ Beale Street. Since 1994, the neighborhood has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for being the only cohesive area left that is historically associated with Chattanooga’s African American population. Home to the Bessie Smith Center and several popular bars and restaurants, the neighborhood has lost 17 of the original contributing structures to the National Register District and gaps in the streetscape are highly visible.

Several places on the Top 10 list have been popular preservation topics for years. The Burchay Building, Ellis Restaurant, and Jazzy Buildings, all on Market Street downtown, remain on the preservation wish list. So does Engel Stadium. Nominees added three new sites this year. Rivoli Mills on E. 28th Street is an art deco brick building built in 1910. Old mills have proven to be popular adaptive reuse projects across the country. Parkway Towers on Reggie White Boulevard remains a highly visible eyesore. Built in 1920 to be a Tennessee Electric Power Company substation, it isn’t difficult to appreciate the five-story building’s imposing façade, good proportions, and its prominent spot on the Chattanooga skyline. The All Saints Academy on 8th Street was originally home to Notre Dame Academy which relocated in 1965. Still owned by the Diocese of Knoxville, the building experienced a fire in October 2022 and has had several windows boarded since then.

Preserve Chattanooga’s mission is to protect the architectural heritage of Chattanooga, be its advocate, and celebrate it. More information on the PreserveNEXT Top 10 can be found at www.preservechattanooga.com/preservenext

Preserve Chattanooga has completed a feasibility study for establishing a historic preservation focused revolving fund in Chattanooga. The study, completed by Hanbury Preservation Consulting of Raleigh, North Carolina, was made possible with the generous support of the 1772 Foundation. For over 20 years, the 1772 Foundation, based in Providence, Rhode Island, has granted more than $50 million for historic preservation work throughout the United States.

A revolving fund, also known as a historic property redevelopment program, is an active real estate-based program for protecting endangered properties using techniques such as options, purchase and resale, easements, and/or tax credits. These historic structures ultimately are returned to the private sector with deed restrictions in place. Any proceeds realized from transactions are “recycled” to sustain the proactive preservation efforts of the revolving fund program.

According to Hanbury Consulting, the study demonstrates that a revolving fund for Preserve Chattanooga meets the “four-part test” (mission, need, goals, and cost awareness). In addition, Mary Ruffin Hanbury, Founding Principal, noted that Preserve Chattanooga’s board and staff combined have the experience and skill sets for leading a successful revolving fund. Ms. Hanbury has over 20 years of experience in a broad range of historic preservation and nonprofit organizations. She has worked for the Virginia and North Carolina State Historic Preservation Offices and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

While Chattanooga has worked hard to revitalize its downtown, urban neighborhoods, and historic residential districts, an influx of new residents and investment from outside the city is placing more demands on the city’s historic infrastructure. While there are many preservation success stories, the community is aware of the need to expand the parameters of preservation programming within the city. Completion of a feasibility study was an important first step in doing so. River City Company, Chattanooga Design Studio, Lyndhurst Foundation, and private developers participated in the study.

Read the full report HERE.

Preserve Chattanooga seeks to recognize people and projects for the outstanding rehabilitation, restoration, preservation, adaptive reuse and/or long-term stewardship of historically significant places.

To do so, we have partnered with the Building Recognition in Chattanooga (BRIC) Awards, an annual event that recognizes excellence in the building industry in and around Chattanooga, Tennessee. The BRIC Awards are presented by professional organizations and their members to highlight projects of note in architecture, construction, engineering, sustainability, and design. Proceeds from the BRIC Awards benefit Chattanooga’s ACE Mentorship Program.

PRESERVATION MERIT AWARD

Ethan Collier/Collier Construction

For the preservation of the Mill Town water tower.

PRESERVATION STEWARDSHIP AWARD

Garnet Chapin

For the restoration and preservation of Grey Rocks.

PRESERVATION STEWARDSHIP AWARD

Nancy Poston

For the restoration and preservation of the Joseph L. Warner House.

Click HERE for more details.

February 17, 2023

Join us for a presentation from M(Group) partner and Cuban-American architect, Hermes Mallea, as he speaks about his newest book, Havana Living Today, on March 8th inside the beautiful and historic Carnegie Library Building in downtown Chattanooga.

This event is sponsored by Preserve Chattanooga, UTC Interior Architecture & Design, & UTC College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies. Special thanks go to Christy and Todd McCain and the team at Cumberland Title & Guaranty.

This lecture is free to the public. The number of seats is limited due to space restrictions. Reserve your place today.

February 17, 2023

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced on Thursday the recipients of Tennessee Historic Development Grants, including the Chattanooga Hotel, the Terminal Station and the Trigg-Smart Building.

The Terminal Station grant will assist with the replacement of the Terminal's main entrance doors facing Market Street. Originally, the entrance had five sets of double wood and glass doors. The former hotel removed two sets and filled-in the spaces with partial glass walls. The project involves building new doors to match the originals based on the oldest photographs on file (the existing doors are not original but also based on the original design).

December 12, 2023

Preserve Chattanooga and UTC’s Scenic Roots series have partnered on this special series of preservation-themed podcast.

The Historic River To Ridge Area Plan

A New Track for the Choo Choo

Front Lines of Preservation

Master Architect R.H. Hunt

What is Historic Preservation?

May 9, 2022

Ideas about the next chapter in the story of the 105-year-old St. George Hotel emerged Friday as the future use of the vacant art-deco structure across from the Chattanooga Choo Choo picks up steam.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga architecture and design students showed off their visions under the Choo Choo's terminal dome, imagining everything from returning the building to its former historic status as a hotel to concepts with a more modern flair such as holding open office space.

UPDATE

July 15, 2022

Chattanooga's old St. George Hotel to be torn down.

The remnants of the dilapidated 105-year-old building on Market Street across from the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo will be demolished for safety and financial reasons.

April 28, 2022

Preserve Chattanooga has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation to begin Phase one of comprehensive building database for the Downtown Chattanooga Historic District. The database will monitor and promote historic preservation and economic vitality within the Downtown Historic District and will focus on the 46 historic properties that contribute to the National Register District.

Update: Visit our webpage dedicated The Downtown Database project.

April 27, 2022

Cornerstones, Inc., Chattanooga’s historic preservation nonprofit, has officially changed its name to Preserve Chattanooga. Established in 1975 as Landmarks Chattanooga, the organization became known as Cornerstones in 1994. After 28 years as Cornerstones, the 501(c)3 nonprofit has rebranded itself to clarify its purpose and the community it serves.

The Board of Directors first began discussing a name change in 2021 after the retirement of Ann Gray, the former Cornerstones Executive Director who led preservation efforts in Chattanooga for many years. In November of 2021, Todd Morgan was selected to become the new Executive Director. During a board retreat held last January, it became clear that “cornerstone” was a term being used by a broad variety of businesses in the Chattanooga area and that the board members desired a name that more clearly conveyed what the organization does and for whom. Preserve Chattanooga emerged after much discussion and was approved unanimously.

According to Todd Morgan, the organization discussed the name change with many different community leaders and preservation enthusiasts. “Everyone is very excited about the new name and we’re looking forward to the Chattanooga community getting to know us better,” said Morgan. “When properly maintained and utilized, our historic places present valuable economic, environmental, and cultural benefits for all. Preservation is not about withholding progress. It is about being good stewards of the gifts we have inherited and often reimagining how they can be used effectively in modern times.”

Preserve Chattanooga’s mission is to protect the architectural heritage of Chattanooga, be its advocate, and celebrate it. Programming includes façade easements that protect important historic sites such as the Customs House, Tivoli Center, and Dome Building. It funds a professor-in-residence for the University of Tennessee Chattanooga’s minor in historic preservation, and hosts preservation-themed events throughout the year. Preserve Chattanooga is the current owner of the historic Terminal Dome, the centerpiece of the famous Choo-Choo complex that opened in 1909. It has embarked on an ambitious plan to preserve the passenger terminal and reinvent its use as a vibrant community asset. In February, Preserve Chattanooga received a $15,000 grant from The 1772 Foundation to fund a feasibility study for establishing a local revolving fund. Also known as a historic properties redevelopment program, revolving funds are designed to assist with preserving endangered properties using various real estate strategies. Historic structures are restored or rehabilitated and ultimately returned to the private sector with deed restrictions in place. Any proceeds realized from transactions are “recycled” to sustain the proactive preservation efforts of the revolving fund program. The Preserve Chattanooga fund will be named the Cornerstones Fund in recognition of the organization’s former name. Please visit www.preservechattanooga.com to learn more about its various programs and activities.

Preserve Chattanooga’s mission is supported by donations, grants and the much-loved Wine Over Water festival which returns to the historic Walnut Street Bridge on October 8th of this year. The weekend festivities will include a spectacular Best Cellars event to be held on October 7th at the Hunter Museum of Art.

February 25, 2022

Cornerstones has been awarded a $15,000 grant from The 1772 Foundation for our revolving fund feasibility study taking place in 2022. For over 20 years, the Foundation has granted more than $50 million for historic preservation work throughout the United States. The 1772 Foundation works to ensure the safe passage of our historic assets to future generations.

UPDATE

View the completed study HERE.

December 15, 2021

Cornerstones has issued a $1,500 grant to the Chattanooga Design Studio to fund a structural analysis of the James A. Henry School.

The historic school is located in the heart of the College Hill Courts neighborhood. It is a central part of the Westside Community Evolves neighborhood redevelopment plan and the Studio was asked to consider programs that would both support and sponsor new directions for the community and build on its rich past.

The James A. Henry Building is one of Chattanooga’s most historic sites, located at 1200 Grove St. In 1872, the Howard School became the first public school in Chattanooga that allowed white and African American students. Professor James A. Henry became the first African American principal of the school.

In honor of Henry, the James A. Henry Elementary School was later constructed, but closed its doors in 1980. Many renovations were made, yet ultimately failed throughout the 90s. The Chattanooga Design Studio and UTK architecture students are hoping to not only save the building from being torn down, but also to redesign it with a purpose that would aid the local community.

November 1, 2021

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Todd Morgan has been named Cornerstones’ new executive director, effective November 1, 2021. Morgan has emerged as the right person to lead Cornerstones as it continues to pursue the mission of preserving the architectural heritage and urban fabric of Chattanooga.

“We are thrilled to bring Todd Morgan into this leadership role and to welcome such an accomplished individual who brings a wealth of relevant experience and energy to the organization,” says Arch Willingham, Board of Directors President. “Todd is incredibly astute at making historic preservation interesting and pertinent – and his expertise in all aspects of our business make him a perfect fit for the role and taking Cornerstones in a new direction.”

Morgan has an impressive 16-year career in historic preservation, neighborhood revitalization, economic development, planning, and architecture. His experience includes nonprofit management, policy and advocacy initiatives, public-private partnerships, education programs and fundraising.

For the past three years, he has served as Executive Director of Knox Heritage, Inc., a highly acclaimed regional historic preservation nonprofit focused on real estate development and management. In this role, he provided strategic direction for the board of directors, committees, staff, contractors and partners in all operational, financial, communication and personnel components as well as donor relations and fundraising.

Previously he served as Community Development Program Director and Tennessee Main Street Director for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and Program Director for the Morristown Community Development Corporation.

Morgan’s community service has included participation in Leadership Knoxville, Leadership Morristown, East Tennessee Regional Leadership, East Tennessee Community Design Center Community Collaborative and East Tennessee Quality Growth, Inc., where he served on their Board of Directors.

He is a National Community Development Council – Certified Historic Real Estate Finance Professional and has completed certifications from U.T. Institute for Public Service and Walters State Institute for Busines and Industry. Morgan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics and a Master of Business Administration from Carson-Newman University.

“I’m excited to take on this role and look forward to working with the Cornerstones’ board and leaders in the community. Chattanooga has a rich history and wonderful architectural heritage,” Morgan says. “I’ve seen firsthand how strategic historic preservation practices can have measurable economic impact while also improving overall quality of life. My goal is for Cornerstones to be seen as a valued community partner in helping to ensure Chattanooga’s historic places are cared for and actively contributing to the city’s growth and unique sense of place.”

“Thank you to our donors, volunteers and extended community of support for Cornerstones during this transition and as Todd assumes his leadership role,” says Willingham. “Special thanks to Melissa Mortimer, past president of Cornerstones’ board of directors, for her leadership in connecting us with Todd and guiding the organization toward a new vision – one that more deeply engages our community and its leaders and continues our passionate advocacy and dedication to historic preservation.”