Lamp Post Properties will redevelop the historic old Elks Building at the corner of 7th and Walnut streets for mixed-use retail/commercial and office.
The building also includes a small attached property that at one time was the headquarters for Title Guaranty and Trust.
County Mayor Jim Coppinger praised the local group for the restoration and for putting private jobs into it. The outlook is for 75 employees there by 2017.
He said, "We were seriously considering tearing it down."
The county will receive $200,000.
Officials said the new owners plan to spend about $3 million refurbishing it.
The structure formerly housed county employees and was called the Mayfield Annex in honor of the late Jack Mayfield, who served on the old County Council.
The county utilized the River City Company to market the property. There were two other proposals received.
Lamp Post has utilized several historic buildings downtown as incubators for entrepreneurs, including the Loveman Building. It is currently restoring the old Ross Hotel.
There will be no request for a PILOT tax break on the property.
Harmon Jolly gave this account of the Elks Building:
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is a fraternal organization which originated in New York City as a small social club known as the Jolly Corks. Charles Vivian, a British immigrant and entertainer, was the founder of the club. In 1867, one of their members died, and his family was left destitute. This motivated the members to hold a meeting about becoming a benevolent order to “share each other’s burdens.”
At the meeting, some members suggested that the club become affiliated with the British order of the Buffalo. That proposal was rejected, but they did agree that using the name of a noble animal would convey a favorable image for the lodge. Club member Thomas C. Riggs noted that his residence was on Elk Street, and the new organization thus selected its name. From that beginning, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks grew quickly to 90 lodges as of 1888, the year that Chattanooga received its charter as B.P.O.E. lodge 91. The Elks met at various locations before purchasing property in 1905 for a new lodge at Seventh and Walnut streets.
At the time of the 1906 groundbreaking ceremony, the area around Seventh and Walnut was the center of the Chattanooga community. Most of the potential Elks membership had homes on Cameron Hill, Walnut Hill, or in Fort Wood. There were churches, including First Baptist, First Methodist, and First Presbyterian, along Georgia Avenue. The Hamilton County Courthouse was a neighbor, and the Bijou Theater was under construction. The retail and financial establishments were numerous along Broad and Market Streets
The May 20, 1907 Chattanooga Star described the new Elks’ home very vividly. “Entering the building from Seventh Street through a beautiful double door of corded oak and leaded glass, one can not help but admire the main lobby with its large staircase ascending upwards.” Off the lobby were exercise rooms, an indoor pool, billiard room, and bowling alley. On the second floor was space for meetings. This floor included an idea that may have been ahead of its time. There were movable walls which could be used to partition the space for small meetings, or could be folded up so that a large gathering could be held. In later years, according to a local resident, a dining room for members was located on the second floor.
The third floor of the Elks Lodge included apartments and dormitories, each with a view of the outside. The lodge room was on the fourth floor, and was described by the Star as being “the finest lodge room, both in furnishing, arrangement, and interior finish, that can be found anywhere in the south.” In fact, throughout the article, much was said about the building’s fine marble, mahogany, and bronze, along with the relatively new features of electric lighting and hot water. The building, including furnishings, cost about $60,000.
In 1973, the Elks moved from their home of 66 years to a new location in East Brainerd on Graysville Road. The former Elks Lodge has since served as offices for county government.