The commercial heart of downtown Chattanooga, City Center is a thriving hub of corporate skyscrapers, restaurants, open parks, a variety of shopping boutiques, and the Creative Discovery Museum.
It goes from Pine Street east to Lindsay Street and from 4th Street down to West 13th Street. It’s also within walking distance of the Riverfront District featuring the Tennessee Aquarium.
Starting with entertainment everyone is anticipating the grand re-opening of Chattanooga’s “Jewel of the South, the Tivoli Theater. Closed since renovations started in 2022, the Tivoli Theatre Foundation recently announced the 2027 Broadway on Tivoli season featuring a lineup that includes Beetlejuice, The Outsiders, Jersey Boys, Beauty and the Beast and other classics. The building was originally constructed in 1921 and will retain its historical marquee and façade.
Historic structures in the City Center include the Brabson-Loveman House. This stunning mansion was built in 1857-1858, by Reese Brabson, a former Congressman, according to UTC’s digital collections archives. The home was a hospital during the early parts of the Civil War and later during the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878. The original structure was destroyed by a fire in 1881. The house was later rebuilt by D. B. Loveman. It’s at 407 E 5th Street.
I found an interesting tie to my Cuban heritage at Fountain Square. It’s a Spanish-American War cannon, captured by U.S. forces at Santiago de Cuba on July 16, 1898. It was recently restored and remains a fixture at Fountain Square on East 6th Street between Walnut and Lookout Street. Of course, you’ll also find the 27-foot-tall Fireman’s Memorial Fountain. It was built to honor firefighters William M. Peak and J. Henry Iler, who died in the line of duty during the tragic "Bee-Hive Store" fire of 1887. And as of this week the square features an alligator statue paying tribute to “Tom” and “Jerry,” two alligators that lived in the fountain when the old zoo closed more than a century ago.
Another historic building is the Dome Building. According to their website the building was built in 1892. It is an approximately 70,000 square foot office complex, located on the corner of Georgia Avenue and 8th Street. The historic building was originally known as the Ochs Building and the original home The Chattanooga Times and New York Times. The Dome is on the National Register of Historic Places.
One Central Plaza is another historical and architectural landmark built in 1931 and was once a hotel and restaurant. Today the building houses a branch of SmartBank and other commercial spaces.
Warehouse Row was once a Civil War Fort. Now the building offers a variety of shopping and dining options as well as office spaces. One popular restaurant is Public House.
Lastly there is Patten Square, a scenic street that’s been in the news lately as historic preservationists are trying to stop the owners of three buildings along Patten Parkway from demolishing the structures.
Dining options are endless. City Café, Urban Joint, Ruby Sunsine, 423 Taco, Maple Street Biscuit Company. Mayan Kitchen, Tupelo Honey, Big Chicken, Little Venezuela Old Gilman Grill, Attack of the Tatsu, Jack Brown’s Burgers, Taqueria Jalisco in Miller Square, The Playlist, Spice Trail, Community Pie, Innside Restaurant, and many more. Fine dining establishments include St. John’s. Alimentari Cucina e Bar, Bridgeman’s Chophouse inside the Read House Hotel, Whitebird inside the Edwin Hotel and The Walden Club inside the city’s iconic Republic Centre, and Michelin Guide recommended Easy Bistro & Bar, to name a few.
My favorite is City Café because I can get either breakfast or lunch, the portions are huge and the choices are endless.
City Center is where you’ll find the historic Read House Hotel, the elegant Westin Hotel, the Bohemian style Hotel BO and other accommodations.
Miller Park sits at the border end of City Center and is frequently used for food truck festivals, musical event, movie nights and serves as the Festive Forest during Christmas. The back anchor of City Center is the Chattanooga Convention Center which hosts a variety of events year-round.
City Center is where you’ll find a few of Chattanooga’s quirky spots and speak easy style bars like the Vault inside the Waymark Hotel, Atmosphere, Home, J-Mac’s Vino & Vinyl, No Hard Feelings Bar, and Unknown Caller.
There are plenty of shops in the City Center, from clothing to candy stores, children’s clothing stores, kitchen items stores and more. It’s fun to drive around and learn about the various neighborhoods here in Chattanooga.
Which neighborhood should I spotlight next? Send me an email at: PattyL@brewermediagroup.com