The city Industrial Development Board on Monday authorized city officials to move forward on an "East Chattanooga Rising" Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District at the former Harriet Tubman site.
The TIF project will next go to the City Council for its approval.
The project is built around plans by Nippon Paint to invest $59 million on a 28.94-acre site.
Some $4 million in infrastructure improvements are planned at the site, and that would be repaid through dedicated taxes from the Nippon facility at 3.5 percent interest over 20 years.
Cherita Allen, of city economic development, said the Nippon project was pushed away from Roanoke Street toward nearby railroad tracks, and it is necessary to build a road to connect to Roanoke.
She said the road, which will be an extension of Hardy Street, will also benefit development of some 15 acres of the Tubman site not being used for the paint factory.
Ms.
Allen said Nippon has closed on the property purchase. She said she has met with a Nippon official who is moving to Chattanooga to oversee the construction and then operate the plant.
She said Nippon has hired SSE as the contractor, and the city is urging that as many local firms and workers be included as possible.
Jermaine Freeman, of city economic development, said the COVID-19 stalled out plans to gain community input on use of the 15 acres, but the city hopes to get that re-started in some fashion.