Officials said a planned Druty Plaza Hotel in downtown Chattanooga will no longer need to go back before the Form Based Code committee becaused requested changes were made to the design.
At a meeting on Jan. 9, the city panel had design issues with the planned eight-story hotel at the longtime downtown site of the Sportsbarn.
The company recently submitted changes to the plan to address the concerns of the committee. They added windows where there had been blank walls and reduced the size of the signage, it was stated.
Drury officials earlier indicated the Car Barns will be razed and it will be "all-new construction." Preserve Chattanooga has asked the hotel firm to consider including portions of the historic building in the design.
The Sportsbarn closed in 2023 after 44 years at the site at 301 Market St.
The Sportsbarn operated in the historic brick streetcar barns at the site.
The Car Barns date to 1887 and were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The offices and Car Barns were designed by architect R.H. Hunt.
David Hudson, committee member, at the January meeting said, "We want the development. We do not want to stop the development, but you have one of the most prominent sites in Chattanooga and we want it done right."
Thomas Palmer, also on the committee, said, "The intent of the code is that we not have a suburban hotel in our downtown. I take real issue with the design on Broad Street."
The hotel design has front doors at Market and Third.
Committee members took most issue with the Broad Street design lack of fenestration (design of windows and doors).
Committee member Lee Helena said if windows are added on the west side (Broad Street) looking toward Lookout Mountain and Cameron Hill, "You should be able to charge a lot more for those rooms."
The service entrance was placed on Broad Street. Jimmy Williamson, chairman, said that makes sense since it lines up with the adjacent service entrance on the Lifestyle Building.
Committee member Alex Reyland said updates to Broad Street are underway and it is planned as the main pedestrian downtown artery, with Market Street the main transit artery.
Board members also said a planned vertical sign at the front is very large. As initially designed, it was 5'x20'.
Officials said that is the same size that was approved in Nashville downtown and as the new Drury that just opened on Shallowford Road by I-75.
Parking will be across Market Street at the two-story former Sportsbarn parking site that goes back to Cherry Street.