Pictured, from left, Weston Wamp, Jim Coleman and Steve Angle at press conference at 64-year-old health department
Officials announced Tuesday morning that a new Hamilton County Health Department will be built at the site of historic Engel Stadium on Third Street.
Erlanger Hospital is acquiring the current Health Department that is adjacent to it on Third Street to expand its campus. Erlanger is to pay Hamilton County $10 million for the site.
Officials said portion of the ball park, that dates to 1930, will be salvaged and reused, saying, "The new health department will occupy a small portion of the Engel Stadium property, while UTC will oversee the redevelopment of the remaining areas, preserving the stadium’s legacy and ensuring its historical significance remains a key part of the revitalization."
Brent Goldberg, UTC vice chancellor for finance and administration, said, "UTC has a good track record for adaptive reuse of an historic site, such as we did with Chamberlain Field."
On remuneration for use of the site by the county, Mr. Goldberg said, "Hamilton County transferred a parking lot to UTC a couple of years ago, which will be the site of our new nursing building. We will work with the county in a similar way on the health department relocation."
The Chattanooga Lookouts began playing at Engel Stadium in 1930, remaining in the 12,000-seat facility until the Double A minor league team moved to Hawk Hill in 1999.
Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Harmon Killebrew were just a few of the baseball luminaries who played there.
Michael Jordan roamed the outfield of Engel Stadium during his short attempt at a switch from pro basketball to pro baseball.
The stadium has sat mostly empty in the years since 1999, but it came alive briefly when portions of the movie "42" starring Harrison Ford were shot there in 2012.
Over 2,000 people attended the funeral of legendary broadcaster Luther Masingill at Engel Stadium in 2014. Luther once was the public address announcer after being hired by Lookouts showman Joe Engel.
Evangelist Billy Graham conducted crusades there.
A preservation group tried to set up a baseball museum at the site, but that did not get off the ground.
UTC at one time had a baseball team, but has not in many years.
It is planned that the new health department building will be next to Third Street at the stadium site. It will be next to 300 parking spaces at the 6.5-acre location. Three intramural soccer fields are on the opposite side of the parking.
UTC Chancellor Steve Angle said having the health department at the UTC campus will allow students to use its services as well as train along with its staff for those who want to go into the health field.
He said, “We look forward to developing this space in a way that benefits both the campus and surrounding communities while honoring such an important landmark to our city. We envision a historically appropriate adaptive re-use of the Engel Stadium property, mirroring how Chamberlain Field’s legacy was honored on campus.”
Jim Coleman, Erlanger president, says the move will aid Erlanger in expanding its "health corridor" along East Third.
He said, “Erlanger has always envisioned expanding our presence on E. Third Street to better meet the needs of our patients and the broader Chattanooga community. With the acquisition of the Health Department building, we can now bring that vision to life in ways previously limited by space.
"This collaboration is a long-term investment in our community’s health, creating a vibrant health hub that will serve our region for decades to come. Erlanger has been a cornerstone of E. Third Street for generations, and this expansion strengthens that legacy, ensuring that critical and emergent care remains readily accessible, where our community has always turned for support. We’re setting the foundation to meet the healthcare needs of future generations, reinforcing Erlanger’s role as the region’s only Level I Trauma Center with the capacity and resources to care for our growing population.”
County Mayor Weston Wamp said, "The new health department facility will be much more welcoming than this old facility can be."
“Over the last two years, we have worked closely with Erlanger and UTC officials on plans to reinvigorate Chattanooga’s healthcare corridor while modernizing the delivery of public health services,” said County Mayor Wamp. “Through this partnership, Erlanger’s future is strengthened and the county is positioned to launch a new era in public health through the construction of a modern Health Department facility.”
Officials of the county, Erlanger and UTC all called it "a win-win-win."
An initial resolution outlining the agreement will be considered by Hamilton County Commissioners at Wednesday’s meeting.