A visioning process is getting underway for the planned Foundry District at the old Wheland and U.S. Pipe sites on the Southside.
Mayor Andy Berke on Wednesday morning led a tour of the 141 acres that have long been vacant but are brimming with potential.
He said citizens at upcoming meetings will have the opportunity "to help make this into something beautiful and state of the art for Chattanooga."
Eric Myers of the Chattanooga Design Center, who will be leading the study, said, "We are looking for big, bold ideas."
He said, "This property has the potential to be a key cornerstone" between downtown Chattanooga and the Southside.
A 2008 study by Urban Design Associates of Pittsburgh recommended 1,500 housing units, 500,000 square feet of retail, offices, entertainment venues, restaurants and hotels. But then the recession came along.
Mayor Berke said he is often asked why old foundry buildings are allowed to stand along the I-24 gateway to the city. He said it was recommended during the 2008 study that any building more than a century old be retained and worked into the fabric of the make-over.
Attorney Mike Mallen, one of the owners of the large tract, said the largest foundry building still has the overhead crane in place. He said country music star Tim McGraw used the old ruins as a video locale.
Mr. Mallen said the site will get added connectivity when a sweeping loop off I-24 is built to 26th Street. He said that project is on the books for 2019.
He noted that three miles of the Riverwalk go through the site, including a mile and a half that the partners donated. Others in the group are Bobby and Gary Chazen, Jim Steffner and Dale Hixson.
The property includes a hillside above the banks of the Tennessee River with a fabulous view in all directions. Mr. Mallen said it was built up of foundry sand, but he said the site earlier was closed and safely capped.
The Riverwalk winds around the base of the hill, which is on the opposite side of the freeway from the foundries.
Of the entire property, Mayor Berke said the city is seeking to utilize more such brownfields. He said the upcoming city budget includes a brownfields director.
For more information on the Foundry District Study, visit https://southbroaddistrict.org. The public is invited to two hands-on visioning workshops this week:
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Thursday, August 17 from 6-8 p.m.
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Saturday, August 19 from 9-11 a.m.
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Both workshops will be held at Calvary Chapel (3415 Broad St.).