The Bethlehem Center, the Chattanooga Lookouts, Perimeter Properties (the landowners of the former U.S. Pipe/Wheland Foundry site), and New City Properties (the site's master developer) are pleased to announce they have reached an agreement on Chattanooga’s first ever Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) – a historic achievement in the shared effort to revitalize the South Broad District of Chattanooga in a way that benefits every resident in the region.
“This is a historic day for the people of South Chattanooga, as the Bethlehem Center and South Chattanooga Community Association and the developers of the South Broad project have made our city's first-ever Community Benefits Agreement," said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly.
“As we invest in areas that have been historically neglected, our One Chattanooga values tell us that we can't leave behind or exclude the Chattanoogans who have called those areas home for generations," he continued. "We want everyone to benefit from Chattanooga's progress. While city government legally could not be part of this agreement, we never lost faith that it would get done. We have always known that we can do big, positive things in Chattanooga when we work together.”
The CBA covers a wide range of topics our community cares about, including affordable housing, inclusive hiring practices and vendor selection, the Riverwalk, traffic and public transportation, building efficiency and environmental standards, and the potential for a new childcare facility.
“This Community Benefits Agreement represents a collaborative effort on the part of many groups to ensure that this project not only enhances our community’s sports profile but also enriches the lives of South Chattanooga residents for generations to come,” said Reginald F. Smith II, Executive Director of the Bethlehem Center. “We are committed to leveraging this agreement to foster economic opportunity and community well-being in our neighborhood.”
The Community Benefits Agreement for South Broad ensures the redevelopment of the former US Pipe and Wheland Foundry site is done in a way that benefits the local community surrounding the future stadium. This agreement is the first CBA in the history of Hamilton County and the City of Chattanooga and only the second in Tennessee.
"It is an exciting time to witness such a unique opportunity for growth in our community with the coming of one of the biggest local construction projects to the Chattanooga area. As the Co-Founder of Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence and Vice President of the South Chattanooga Community Association, I trumpet all the possibilities for positive and far-reaching benefits that an effective development can bring to the residents and participants in the South Chattanooga Community,” said Ted Griffin, VP of the South Chattanooga Community Association.
The Lookouts will use commercially reasonable efforts while building and maintaining the stadium to retain stormwater and mitigate runoff; minimize the heat island effect; explore “green” features like solar, geothermal, rainwater recapture, and re-use materials; preserve and re-use historic buildings; landscape with sustainable, native, and functional trees and plants; prioritize locally sourced materials.
“The Lookouts have a long and proud history of working directly with our neighbors in Chattanooga to ensure the people we employ, vendors we do business with, and fans we entertain benefit as much as possible from our continued presence in this city,” said Rich Mozingo, President of the Chattanooga Lookouts. “Thank you to the Bethlehem Center and the South Chattanooga Community Association for representing their community so well in preparation for this exciting next chapter of the South Broad District.”
The landowner and developer also intend to achieve the following objectives:
- Provide housing to support a variety of income levels, including affordable housing for households significantly below the area median income (AMI).
- Interview and hire South Chattanooga residents and persons who have had insufficient advantage or opportunity to gain employment as a result of historic and systemic discrimination, including African Americans, women, service-disabled veterans, and other minorities.
- Seek ways to identify, contract with, and promote minority and women-owned enterprises.
- Encourage general contractors working on the site to provide training, apprenticeship, internship, and other educational and vocational opportunities to South Chattanooga Residents throughout periods of construction.
“It’s fitting that this property, which in many ways was the economic engine for South Chattanooga for a century, will again catalyze the revitalization of the South Broad District in a way that is consistent with the interests of local residents,” said Andy Stone, Partner at Perimeter Properties, the landowner. “We’re grateful to the Bethlehem Center and the South Chattanooga Community Association for being such great partners on this historic agreement.”
“We are thrilled that we’ve all been able to come to agreement with this CBA. We are all proud that it codifies our shared goal of creating a positive impact on the larger South Broad community,” said Jim Irwin, President of New City Properties, the master developer. “It will be incredibly fun and meaningful to begin the redevelopment of the Foundry site with the entire Chattanooga community in mind.”
- Click here to view a summary of the Community Benefits Agreement.
- Click here to view the Community Benefits Agreement.