Chattanooga Pulse

phoe·nix (fē’nĭks) n.
1. Mythology A bird in Egyptian mythology that consumed itself by fire, later to rise renewed from its ashes.

An apt description of Chattanooga, rising from the ashes of being one of the dirtiest and most industrialized cities of the mid-South, only to become a beautiful, shining example of sustainable development. But the name Phoenix was already taken. And, besides, Chattanooga suits us better and we can pronounce it properly.

In a recession-weary nation, Chattanooga and Hamilton County residents are surprisingly optimistic about their future. The announcement last year of Volkswagen coming to town was merely the most visible sign of an economic rebound. The “Dynamo of Dixie” has a new outlook on life and with a wary eye to the past, is making sure the future is not only prosperous, but green.
Brief reminder: After the Civil War, Chattanooga became a central location for manufacturing plants and foundries. Dirty factories belched thick, black smoke into the air 24 hours a day. By 1969, the federal government had declared Chattanooga’s air the worst in the United States. Drivers often navigated roads with their headlights on at mid-day because the air was so thick and dark. Even as recently as 1975, about half of all jobs in the area were in these factories.

The de-industrialization in the 1980s sounded a death knell for many cities like Chattanooga. And the Scenic City could have suffered the same fate as Allentown, Pennsylvania, had it not been for forward-thinking entrepreneurs and some savvy public-private partnerships that created a vision of a clean, tourist-friendly city.

“We’re getting ready to go through a phase of some of the most dynamic growth since the late 1800s,” exclaims Hamilton County Commissioner John Allen Brooks. His Sixth District is mostly inside the city limits of Chattanooga and includes the communities of Lookout Valley, Eastlake and Missionary Ridge. “It’s a hard district to categorize. It is probably, ethnically, the most mixed of all the districts.”

That diversity gives Brooks a unique perspective on the future of our city and county. During a visit to the studios of WPLZ, Pulse News, Brooks shared his vision of what’s to come short-term and long-term for the Tennessee Valley.

Brooks points to all the talk and excitement surrounding the Volkswagen plant, which is currently under construction, and is quick to remind us that VW isn’t the only game in town these days. “This Alstom facility that’s coming in very close to where we are right now,” says Brooks, referring to the former Combustion Engineering site in the Southside, “is going to make a big difference and add hundreds of jobs in an industry that’s coming back. They’re going to make the largest boilers for power generation in the world there.”

There are also all the suppliers that will be involved with VW and Alstom that count toward the area’s economic future. And these industries are fully aware that the Scenic City has no intention of reverting back to its dirty legacy. Both major employers have expressed their desire to be environmentally friendly corporate citizens. Volkswagen, in fact, has gone out of their way to make their Chattanooga manufacturing plant one of the most environmentally-transparent car builders in the world.
New employers coming to town is great news, but the city has some progress of its own to report. “If you look at Main Street,’ says Brooks, “they’re building a fire station to provide that element of safety and suddenly you’re seeing everything growing up around it.”

Brooks say it’s no accident that the city is re-inventing itself. “Think when you’re looking ahead it’s planning. The reason [Chattanooga’s] growing is that 10, 15 years ago, there were plans made.” The commissioner points out that when the plans were originally unveiled, not everyone saw the logic of it. “They bought into the Volunteer Ammunition Plant. They built River Park.  They built the Aquarium. Sometimes investments take many years to come to fruition. And that’s an investment I think that in the long run, helps.”

It was about 30 years ago that the original ideas for revitalizing the riverfront were put on paper. A deteriorating bridge was saved from demolition by turning it into a walking bridge. That gutsy call would end up being the cornerstone for the entire revitalization project. The Walnut Street Bridge is now the elder statesman of the 21st Century Waterfront. Trendy shops, museums and all manner of cultural magnets now line the streets of downtown Chattanooga. And what worked for downtown can work anywhere else in the city.

No one says it will be easy, though. Some areas of town are mired in crime and urban blight. Brooks points to his district again, particularly Eastlake. “Eastlake is an area that could use assistance,” says Brooks, “It’s unfortunately a place where crime is extremely high. And we‘ve got a lot of wonderful old homes there, but they’re not being re-done and I think it’s because you need to have safety…or a feeling of safety before you go in and resuscitate and rebuild homes.”

Brooks has ideas for bringing this area of town back from the brink. “If I could do anything, I would like to see something built in Eastlake for the kids, where they could feel safe.” Brooks thinks youth will be the key in getting Eastlake back. “What I’m talking about is a place where there’s a playground…a place where the rec center is being used…something that ties in the Eastlake Middle School. And I think that would make all the difference in the world.”

A fire station is already planned for the area. Brooks would like to see the playground located near that. “That would provide people there 24/7 to ensure that it’s not vandalized and torn up. And then ties in the neighborhood center there…I think that could create the oasis of safety where the kids could come and participate.”

The continuing success of the Main Street area could be an indicator of whether that idea will work. After building a new fire station on Main Street, the area immediately surrounding the station came back to life. Each year, more businesses return to the area and the growth is radiating outward from that fire station.

When a community experiences growth, there are, inevitably, growing pains. These have been seen in our city and county in the government. Decades ago there was talk of a metro-style government for Chattanooga/Hamilton County. It was struck down as unrealistic and un-necessary. However, with the increasing integration of the two governing bodies, the talk, like the city itself, is rising out of the ashes.

Stepping back to look, the Chattanooga and Hamilton County governments have been working together and even merging services for the last several years. For example, look at the Combined 9-1-1 Center. Where once upon a time the city police, fire and county sheriff and emergency services all had their own dispatchers, now everything has come together in one well-run body. There’s less confusion over who has jurisdiction, or who’s already sent an ambulance.

Another example of combining city and county efforts is the Department of Education. In the ’90s, the city decided to get out of the education business. An agreement was forged—and now schools are all run by the county with guidance and financial support from the city.

While Brooks doesn’t advocate a metro government a la Nashville/Davidson County, he does hold these up as example of how merging duplicate services can be advantageous. “I think that in the public utilities, and in particular water and sewage, that’s an area where we could do a lot to unify the systems,” encourages Brooks. “We’ve got nine separated water districts and then Tennessee American.”

Brooks feels merging the water and sewer services would allow them to operate more efficiently, and even borrow money at a cheaper rate, if needed. That would lead to lower rates for consumers and, arguably, better service. Brooks also looks at the relationship between the city and the sewer and the Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority. “I’ve had some problems with the WWTA in the past, but the concept is good,” admits Brooks, “I just don’t think it was run well.”

Bringing in new jobs, cleaning up run-down neighborhoods and making government more efficient. These are all things that are happening in Hamilton County right now and the proof is in downtown Chattanooga. “Downtown Chattanooga has a lot to offer. I mean, you can go out there right now and there are people on the street,” beams Brooks. “They’re going to be there tonight, there’s music being played, and they’ve done a great job in making downtown Chattanooga a place to come to.” Brooks just wants to see that joie de vive spread over a wider area. “I think a lot of people want to live close to the city, and it’s a lot cheaper if you talk about the costs of fuel and, if we want to be politically correct, it’s a lot greener.” He explains, “You don’t have to spend as much money buying the gasoline and the pollution that comes from it…so I think that resuscitating these inner-city neighborhoods, is a real key to the quality of life we want to have here in Hamilton County and in the city of Chattanooga.”