Some St. Elmo residents are up in arms over a 45-foot billboard springing up at the site of the old Zahnd's Dry goods store.
"We are very upset about it. It's going to be horrible," said Vaughn Green.
Joel Fortune, who owns the Zahnd's site, said, "Whenever there is progress, some people complain about it. I don't pay a bit of attention to it."
He said the 45-foot billboard will be "classy" and will include changing screens.
"It's a very expensive billboard," he said.
Mr. Fortune said, "The sign people came to me about putting it there."
He said, "We've got all the permits. It's perfectly legal."
Ms. Green said the billboard "has no relation to the scale of the community or its historic integrity."
Her husband, Frank Green, said the billboard "has gotten everybody in St. Elmo riled up."
He said the sign was apparently allowed because there was a painted sign on the side of the old Zahnd's.
Mr. Green said, "That painted sign bore no relationship to a tall billboard with multiple screens."
Mr. Fortune just got approval to have an old roadway at the Zahnd's site declared abandoned. He said that will allow additional parking for himself and adjacent businessman Jim Cooper.
Josiah Q. Roe, vice president of the St. Elmo Improvement League, said, "The sign currently being constructed on the old Zahnd's property in St. Elmo is a classic example of when business owners look to make a quick buck instead of focusing on long-term economic viability in conjunction with the efforts of an entire community.
"St. Elmo is a neighborhood experiencing tremendous growth and revitalization. As a community and as individuals, we love our neighborhood and our neighbors. With each new business that decides to make St. Elmo home, as a community, we look to support those businesses in any way we can. If the neighborhood has concerns over something like this sign, it is because as a community, we are pro business, pro growth, and pro revitalization.
"This new sign hurts the neighborhood by junking up the business district's streetscape and alienating the businesses and people of St. Elmo. The sign is big, ugly, tacky and infringes upon the sidewalk connecting Tennessee and St. Elmo Avenues. It is an eyesore in one of Chattanooga's treasured historic districts.
"Mr. Fortune is doing his tenants and neighbors a disservice by this action. Councilman Manny Rico would be doing his constituents a disservice in supporting Mr. Fortune in this action. The city government is doing Chattanooga a disservice by not supporting its neighborhoods in fighting this action."