The Ross’s Landing and riverfront area across Riverfront Parkway from the Tennessee Aquarium and down from AT&T Field has often been considered aesthetically pleasing to passersby and a popular place to visit for tourists.
But Chattanoogans have often stayed away except maybe when a music event or major festival or gathering is taking place there, officials say. With the new plans unveiled Friday morning by city and county officials and River City Company, though, that might change.
Among the new amenities scheduled to be built beginning in late 2025 in the area roughly below Olgiati Bridge are a heroes memorial, enhanced play areas, more trees and benches, a pavilion, a public restroom, and even recreation areas for sports.
“What we learned a few years ago is we didn’t have enough residents coming down here because there was not really a lot of shade,” said Mayor Tim Kelly after the formal program at Ross’s Landing, pointing out that nice parks also help bring employment talent to the city. “There is not a place you can hang out over time. It’s time for an update, a new set of amenities.”
He jokingly added that the aspect he is most looking forward to is the addition of trees, saying it might take the area back more to its early days of settlement when it had a large riparian covering.
Emily Mack, the president and CEO of the non-profit economic development agency, the River City Company, said some of these other amenities include beautiful flowers and landscaping, benches and comfortable seating, and added play areas.
Regarding the latter, what looks like a couple of giant whales or fish art pieces are also shown in one drawing. Ms. Mack explained that by saying, “The concept is to have a really large, iconic, and larger-than-life play structure for children.”
Although the terms were not really used in the formal program, the press release later sent out about the plans describes various “porches” in the remodeled spaces from west of the bridge up to the traditional Ross’s Landing site.
Going from west to east will be a Memorial Porch to honor various local and national heroes; a Recreation Porch with places for pickleball, basketball, biking and roller skating; an Everyday Porch with shaded swings, tables with chairs, a new playground, and updated hillside; a Civic Porch in which the Chattanooga Green will be improved with trees, places to sit, and places for food trucks; and a Cultural Porch across from the Tennessee Aquarium with a storytelling trail related to the local history and culture, as well as possibly a grab-and-go café.
There will also be a pavilion at Ross’s Landing and a nearby ranger station/public restroom building.
Ms. Mack said during the formal program that public input from thousands went into the plan, and that River City in 2023 began working with the Chattanooga Design Studio in implementing the ideas. “The plan we are sharing today is a direct reflection of what the residents said they wanted,” she said. “Whether you are 2 or 82, there will be something for you at the riverfront.”
She added that a lot of work will be done over the next year flushing out the designs and doing some engineering work before going into construction after the last planned formal event at Ross’s Landing in November 2025. “We hope to be cutting the ribbon in 2026,” she said.
County Mayor Weston Wamp also endorsed the plans and event, referring to the gathering as one in which people who were there will remember. He added that this riverfront area that has been considered the crown jewel of the region and praised beyond Chattanooga can become even better.
“It is not good enough to let it rest,” he said, adding that the emphasis in the new plans has been on drawing local families. “We want it to be warm and inviting.”
Hamilton County parks director Matt Folz said it will be an honor to continue the attention on Ross’s Landing that started in previous years, adding, “It will not be to just carry the torch, but to elevate it.”
Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors administrator Scott Martin, who recognized the work of the late former Tennessee Aquarium and riverfront philanthropist Jack Lupton and hoped he was looking down, also looked ahead with excitement and commitment. “None of this is possible without execution,” he said.
Also on hand and recognized were former Chattanooga mayors Bob Corker and Ron Littlefield. Mr. Corker also spoke and in a reflective manner talked about how his plans for the riverfront of two decades ago were aided by getting some state help in reclassifying Riverfront Parkway so the riverfront could be more accessible.
He also praised the redeveloped riverfront, adding, “I am sure the best is yet to come.”
Several praised former Mayor and later U.S. Sen. Corker’s past work with the riverfront redevelopment.
Ms. Mack also pointed out that they were standing on land important to American Indians of old and acknowledged the forced removal of them from the Chattanooga area roughly 200 years ago.
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A press release put out by River City Company said:
Over the past year, thousands of residents have shared their hopes and desires for the Riverfront Parks, the collection of greenspaces, including Ross’ Landing, that runs between the Tennessee River and Riverfront Parkway near the Aquarium. Through an extensive community-wide planning process, the city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, along with River City Company and the Chattanooga Design Studio, have created a plan to build upon the legacy of the iconic Riverfront Parks to create a place where everyone can play and be active year-round."
Last summer, River City Company shared three conceptual designs for the Riverfront Parks and has been soliciting the community’s response since then through open houses, focus groups and stakeholder input sessions. The expert consultant teams identified specific features from each of the designs that were most important to community members.
The plan presented is "a combination of the best of all three. To ensure the next iteration of the Riverfront Parks reflects the community desires, guiding principles have been established. These include honoring history, connecting district corridors, enhancing the ecology, providing shade and soften spaces, and using inspiration from a “southern porch” for the parks."
Former Mayor Corker said, “When I was mayor in the early 2000s, our community came together in an unprecedented way to launch a public and private initiative that totally transformed our waterfront in just 35 months. Two decades later, it is time to take the next step. I am grateful to River City Company and our two Mayors for building upon our city’s unique waterfront history, for listening to the public’s desires for this unique space, and for believing that our community can always aim higher.”
Ms. Mack said, “While our Riverfront Parks are in the heart of our city, they are not widely used outside of a handful of large-scale events each year. Our community clearly told us that they want this to change. This plan provides the opportunity to enhance large-scale events with infrastructure upgrades and amenities but also create a place that you would want to visit with your family on a summer afternoon.” said Emily Mack, President & CEO of River City Company.
River City officials gave this description:
The plan proposes enhancements from just west of the Olgiati Bridge to the edge of Ross’ Landing to the east. Each distinct area of the larger park is presented as a unique “Porch”.
Memorial Porch
A new space will be provided to honor local and national heroes. Memorial statues and spaces for reflection will be incorporated. A new loading zone will be added under Olgiati Bridge to serve as an ADA accessible drop-off.
Recreation Porch
Taking inspiration from other cities that have reclaimed underpasses for recreational use, a series of sports courts will provide space for pickleball, basketball, biking, and roller skating.
Everyday Porch
Features will include shaded swings, tables with chairs and other places to relax and gather. A signature one-of-a-kind structure will become the centerpiece for a new playground along with formalizing the hillside play where many slide down the hill with cardboard today. A new watercraft launch will be installed along with riverside perches for people to have easier access to the river. The loading zone on Riverfront Parkway could also be utilized for boat drop-off before launching.
Civic Porch
The Chattanooga Green will be improved with trees, places to sit under shade, and extensive underground infrastructure enhancements to improve drainage, electric and water hookups, and places for food trucks to access easily. This will all enhance both large-scale events and everyday enjoyment of the park.
Ross’ Landing will be home to a new iconic pavilion structure that will serve multiple purposes. Every day, it will provide shade for new seating, and incorporate dynamic lighting to brighten the area in the evening. During large events, the pavilion will be designed to accommodate high-quality sound and light systems. An amenities station west of the pavilion will house a ranger station, public restrooms, and storage space. The Chattanooga
The Pier will receive new lighting and seating sections.
Cultural Porch
The area across the street from the Tennessee Aquarium is set to become a storytelling trail, showcasing our local cultures and history. Potential enhancements, such as new features, may be introduced to enrich the experience. A grab-and-go style café is proposed at the edge of the park, but additional food and beverage options will be explored through a feasibility study conducted by Hamilton County leadership.
Throughout the parks, a refreshed and identifiable Riverwalk allows for easy navigation. Traffic calming measures will also be added on Riverfront Parkway, it was stated.
Mayor Kelly said, “Chattanooga’s Riverfront is iconic. But it needs to be updated. The plans unveiled by River City Company would add new green spaces, recreation areas and gathering places that can be enjoyed by Chattanoogans and visitors alike. These upgrades to the Riverfront will complement the plans for a new mixed-use neighborhood on Hawk Hill, the site of the current Lookouts Stadium. This is another step forward in our journey to become America’s first National Park City.”
County Mayor Wamp said, “Two decades after the Chattanooga riverfront was redesigned to international acclaim, we have an opportunity to make it more inviting and engaging for local families and visitors alike. As new developments draw interest to the west and the south of downtown, we should refuse to allow our strengths to become weaknesses. Ross’ Landing is the crown jewel of our region and it’s encouraging to see a bold vision coming together for its future.”
The next steps in the planning process are to create design and engineering documents. Technical teams of local and regional experts will guide the design process to select materials and identify exact locations for installations. The types of materials selected, and the engineering documents will provide an overall cost for all renovations to be complete. The timeline for the first phase of construction is anticipated to commence after the Head of the Hooch in November 2025, with completion for phase one in 2026.
“We are beyond grateful that both Hamilton County and City leadership have placed funds in their 2025 budgets to support the work for design, engineering and additional feasibility studies,” said Ms. Mack. “We anticipate that this plan will provide the opportunity for the community to come together once again to create a destination enjoyed by millions annually.”
The “Evolving our Riverfront Parks” plan spawned from the ONE Riverfront plan which outlined eight priorities for the Riverfront District.
Project website: https://www.riverfrontparkscha.com/
Renderings of the future of the parks can be found here.
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jcshearer2@comcast.net