2004-2005 Cornerstones Accomplishments
Endangered Properties:
- The Levin Brothers Building (listed on the National Register as part of
the Market and Main Street Historic District) on Main Street has been privately purchased from
bank foreclosure and is currently in the design process of being converted into mixed used,
i.e. housing on the second and third floor and retail on the first floor. This historically
significant building has been a long-term concern of Cornerstones. It appears that it will be
saved, preserved and recycled back into productive use. Cornerstones Total Investment:
$1,500.
- The Structural Engineering Report that Cornerstones provided to the property
owner of the St. George Hotel (listed on the National Register as
part of the Market and Main Street Historic District) defined and identified the
areas of the building that are no longer safe. Both the property owner and the
City of Chattanooga know of the buildings existing conditions. A partial demolition of the
back of the structure is under serious consideration due to the extreme instability of that
section of the building. This is an on-going project and Cornerstones remains very concern
with the property owner’s ability to save the most visible portion of the hotel.
Cornerstones Total Investment: $5,000.
- Cornerstones provided a Structural Engineering Report on the Davenport
House located at 941 McCallie Avenue. Verifying that the building was structural
sound, Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprises has “packaged” this property with
adjacent vacant properties and has awarded a development contract. The Davenport House will
be renovated into multi-family housing while new residential construction will be built on
the adjacent lots. The intersection of McCallie and Central is significant in that it is
the eastern gateway into downtown Chattanooga. Cornerstones Total Investment: $3,000.
- The Old Ross Hotel on Patten Parkway (listed on the National Register
as part of the Patten Parkway Historic District) is currently undergoing a renovation and
adaptive reuse. The first floor (that formerly housed Yesterday’s in the 1980s) is
being converted into a sports bar. This will bring vitality back to this area of the city.
Cornerstones provided technical assistance to the property owners relative to utilizing
historic tax credits. Total Investment: 0
- Engel Stadium remains a challenge to Cornerstones. While the history
of the site, Andrews Field, dates back to the very beginnings of baseball and baseball
greats, such as Babe Ruth, the stadium itself was built later -- ca. 1930. Today the city
and county jointly own the facility and Tennessee Temple manages the field (and uses it as
their home ball field). Cornerstones is willing to financial assist with the cost of repairing
the roof to save what remains of the original stadium seating. Cornerstones remains in the
process of collecting cost estimates on the re-roofing. Cornerstones Total Investment:
$40,000.
- Zahn’s Dry Good Store in St. Elmo was constructed in 1910 and
is located in the commercial district of this Chattanooga neighborhood at the foot of the
Lookout Mountain Incline. The Zahn family emigrated from Switzerland in the late 1900s and
established the dry goods business known as Zahn & Slaton in 1899. Their business moved
into this two-story frame building upon its completion in 1910. While the business no longer
exists, the building has remained in the Zahn family and has never been on the market until
May 2005. Cornerstones is working with the family, the neighborhood and interested investors
to encourage the preservation of the building – in spite of the now known compromised
structural integrity due to a long term failing roof (or lack thereof). Total Investment: ?
- The former AME Patten Church Building in St. Elmo is not listed on the
National Register but might be eligible if more historical research were done. This property is
newly listed on the market and there has been much interested in converting the space into a
private residence. Cornerstones continues to advocate for the building preservation by
communicating the availability of the building to prospective buyers.
- The First Congressional Church at the intersection of MLK Boulevard and
Lindsay Street is now on the market. This building is not listed on the national Register
although it is within very close proximity to the MLK Historic District. Fisk University in
Nashville has owned this building since 2001. Cornerstones will continue to provide historic
tax credit information and historic information to interested buyers as well as assist with
the communication of its availability to the local community.
- Park Place School has been saved. The adaptive reuse of this former
elementary school into housing should be complete by the fall of 2005. The majority of the
units have been pre-sold. Cornerstones hosted it’s “Great Spaces” first
event at this location in April 2005 and it gave our membership and historic preservationists
and opportunity to see the adaptive reuse of the interior space before it became inaccessible
as private space. Cornerstones provided the Existed Conditions Report that moved this project
off center and renovation activity began in 2004. Total Investment: $3,000.
Development (Public Awareness and Education):
- Cornerstones co-sponsored the Tennessee Preservation Trust (TPT), the statewide preservation
organization, annual fund-raiser “Toast of Tennessee” held in Chattanooga in 2001
and 2002. In 2004, Cornerstones assisted with the visit of the Richard Moe, President of the
National Trust of Historic Preservation. In 2005, Cornerstones sponsored the TPT annual
conference held in Chattanooga. Cornerstones continues to be a committed partner and strong
advocate for Tennessee historic preservation.
- Cornerstones continues its involvement with the “Tours of downtown Living”,
the fifth annual tour was held in May 2005 and showcased both new construction and adaptive
reuse of historic buildings along the newly revitalized waterfront – Chattanooga’s
historic beginnings. The Tour of Downtown Living is a combined effort between RiverCity Company,
the Chattanooga Downtown Partnership and Cornerstones and is an annual event.
- The “Great Spaces Series” was created this year and will be held two-three times
a year to encouraging membership into Cornerstones while giving a opportunity for those
interested in learning about historic preservation and/ or seeing what Cornerstones does to tour
one of our Endangered Properties. The first event was held at the Park Place School in April.
The second event will be held at the Industrial YMCA in July 2005.
- Wine Over Water , Cornerstones annual fund-raiser continues into its 11 th year.
This has become a destination event with patrons traveling from more than 13 different states.
Cornerstones corporate sponsorship of this event continues to grow and we are grateful for the
support. The money collected at this event is earmarked for our revolving fund and invested into
saving local Endangered Properties.
- In 2004, Cornerstones received its third and largest historic façade easement from
Independent Health Care Properties LLC on the National Register property, the Customs House, on
11 th and Lindsay Streets. Cornerstones anticipations receiving additional historic façade
easements on other historically and architecturally significant buildings within this calendar
year.
Cornerstones Accomplishments 2006-07
Cornerstones Accomplishments 2003-04
Cornerstones Accomplishments 2002-03
Cornerstones Accomplishments 2001-02
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