An updated design for the new Drury Plaza Hotel Chattanooga Downtown, located between Broad and Market, just south of Third Street, was released Wednesday. The eight-story project will bring approximately 200 rooms along with an array of modern amenities to the heart of the city, just blocks from the popular riverfront, officials said.
At the same time, officials of the Preserve Chattanooga group sought to save the historic car barns at the site that was formerly occupied by the Sports Barn. The old city car barns, that date to the 1880s, housed the early Chattanooga streetcars and later city buses.
Drury officials said they "are working to use some of the building material where possible."
Drury officials stated, "Designed with value, comfort, convenience, and southern hospitality in mind, the Drury Plaza Hotel will expand Chattanooga’s capacity for tourism and downtown business activity. The new hotel will feature Drury’s award-winning amenities, including a kitchen + bar in the lobby, an indoor pool, and ample meeting spaces to accommodate events and conferences. In addition, guests will enjoy Drury’s signature free hot breakfast and dinnertime snacks and drinks at 5:30 Kickback.
“Drury Hotels is excited to grow our presence in the Chattanooga market,” said Charles Drury III, a director of development at Drury Development Corporation. “Our first location in Chattanooga opened on Shallowford Road late last year. Our next hotel will be in the center of the vibrant downtown area and within easy walking distance of the Tennessee Aquarium and Riverfront districts. We are looking forward to contributing to the growth and thriving atmosphere of downtown as permanent community members.”
An official opening date will be announced as construction progresses.
The location still includes the old city car barns dating to the 1880s that housed the early Chattanooga streetcars and later city buses. That old brick structure apparently will be razed.
Todd Morgan, executive director, of Preserve Chattanooga, has called a press conference "about the destruction of the historic Chattanooga Car Barn and the steps that need to be taken to preserve our architectural heritage. It will be on Thursday at 10 a.m. at the northwest corner of Market and East Third Streets.
Mr. Morgan said, “Chattanooga’s unique architectural assets must be preserved for residents, visitors, and future generations. It’s what makes our city special and has significant economic benefits.
"The Chattanooga Barn stretches from Market to Broad Streets. Part of a National Register designation that includes two additional properties to the north, this southernmost building is the oldest. It saw continuous service as a storage and repair facility for Chattanooga's public transportation system since it was erected in 1886 until the early 1980s when it was renovated to become the Sportsbarn athletic club.
"The historic building is being demolished to build a new Drury Hotel on the site. Preserve Chattanooga contacted Drury Development over two years ago requesting that the facades on Market and Broad Street be preserved and incorporated into the new hotel design. The Missouri-based company has remained silent and unwilling to discuss an alternative approach.
"Preserve Chattanooga, the city’s only historic preservation organization, has been protecting the city’s architectural heritage through preservation, education, and advocacy for 50 years. From its founding as Landmarks Chattanooga in 1975, and known for many years as Cornerstones, Preserve Chattanooga continues a 50-year legacy of historic preservation leadership."