Cornerstones

Endangered Properties:

• Cornerstones, the Lyndhurst Foundation and RiverCity Company formed a community partnership in which five historic properties have been identified as key properties to revitalize their commercial and residential neighborhoods. In this collaborative effort we are addressing extensive design services, business planning and development issues, as well as providing financial incentives to the property owners so that these buildings will be saved and put back into productive use as soon as possible.

• The Levin Brothers Building (one of the Community Partnership key properties) is listed on the National Register as part of the Market and Main Street Historic District. It has been purchased and currently the exterior brick walls are being stabilized. Another interesting aspect of the renovation is the building's  LEEDS certification, which combines green construction with historic preservation. This approach may become a prototype for saving other local endangered properties.

• 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)  identified the back portion of the building as no longer safe. A new property owner purchased the building, but has recently put the property back on the market because its  highest and best use is for a hotel - not condominiums. Cornerstones has contacted the National Trust for Historic Preservation for assistance with this property.

• Engel Stadium remains a challenge but Cornerstones is taking the lead role in organizing a task force to preserve the site for its significant history and to utilize it for baseball. There is a real possibility that a major league baseball foundation is interested in utilizing the property as their headquarters for encouraging inter-city youth baseball. While the history of the site as Andrews Field, dates back to the very beginnings of baseball and baseball greats, like 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 invested $40,000 to repair the roof to save what remains of the original stadium seating.

• The First Congressional Church at the intersection of MLK Boulevard and Lindsay Street has been purchased and is under renovation. Cornerstones has researched and submitted a national register nomination for the property, thereby making the property owner eligible for a 20% historic tax credit. The community partnership paid $100,000 for the restoration of the stain glass windows, which are original to the 1905 African American church.

• Cornerstones partnered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Tennessee Preservation Trust to stabilize the 1830s home of Cherokee Indian Chief James Brown in Ooletewah, Tennessee. While the property was outside our preview area, Cornerstones was pleased to help with preservation efforts to save this historically significant structure.

Development (Public Awareness and Education):

• The “Great Spaces Series” continues to be a wonderful event that is held two-three times a year.  It encourages membership to Cornerstones, while giving an opportunity to those interested in learning about historic preservation and/ or seeing what Cornerstones does by touring historic properties. In 2008, Cornerstones had a railroad history theme so “Great Spaces” apeared in railroad affiliated buildings. For the “Great Spaces Series” schedule refer to the sidebar on our home page.

• Wine Over Water, Cornerstones annual fund-raiser, continues into its 13th year. This is a destination event with patrons traveling from more than 15 different states and as far away as Australia. Corporate sponsorship for this event continues to grow, as well as the capacity of the crowd. The money collected at this event is earmarked for our revolving fund, which is dedicated toward saving our local Endangered Properties.

• Cornerstones continues its historic façade easement program. For more information about this, please contact us.

• Sophia Long Historic Preservation Awards were held on May 2008. Nominations for two requested categories – project and individual recognition -  for contributions to historic preservation efforts in Chattanooga. The nomination application and submittal information was available on the sidebar of our home page.