The city of Chattanooga has reached agreement to pay the state $385,080 for a portion of Riverfront Parkway that has long been used for parking and special events.
The location is near Power Alley and the Olgiati Bridge.
The budget of Governor Bill Lee initially included a $725,700 grant for the River City Company to secure access to the riverfront parking for potential development.
However, members of the local legislative delegation redirected those funds to be split equally between Clinica Medicos, a nonprofit providing health care to the Hispanic community, and the Tivoli Foundation, which is enlarging the Tivoli to take in the adjacent Fowler Building.
Legislators cited concern about loss of space for events such as Head of the Hooch and the Riverbend Festival as well as concerns about who might benefit from a residential development at the site.
The property was part of a long stretch of Riverfront Parkway that then-Mayor Bob Corker in 2004 convinced the state to transfer to the city. The city wanted to narrow the lanes on the then-four-lane road to allow better access to the river.
The deed included a clause that should the property ever cease to be used for a public purpose that it would revert to the state.