Hidden Corners: Preserving Chattanooga's Architecture

Downtown Chattanooga Historic District (Preserve Chattanooga) To look forward, sometimes you have to look back. We begin the first in our series of conversations on “Scenic Roots” about historic preservation in Chattanooga, in collaboration with the nonprofit Preserve Chattanooga - formerly known as Cornerstones. Todd Morgan is executive director of Preserve Chattanooga. Melissa Mortimer is histor...

Mayfield Annex - at 7th and Walnut Sts. in Chattanooga. Once home to offices for Hamilton County Government, it was renovated into office, retail and restaurant space in 2017. (Preserve Chattanooga) (Aired Mon 4/07/25) For fifty years, what is known today as Preserve Chattanooga has protected the architectural heritage of this city. The only nonprofit of its kind in Chattanooga - founded as Landma...

The James Building, designed by Chattanooga’s “master architect” R.H. Hunt. (Preserve Chattanooga) (Aired Tues 1/14/25) During this new year of 2025, Preserve Chattanooga - the nonprofit for historic preservation in this city - turns fifty. It’s a time to reflect, a time to celebrate - and a time to look forward. Todd Morgan is executive director of Preserve Chattanooga. This past fall, Bea Lurie...

Wyatt Hall, home to the Chattanooga School for Arts and Sciences - the next promising candidate for historic landmark status in Chattanooga. (Preserve Chattanooga) The City of Chattanooga adopted an ordinance in the 1990’s that allows the designation of buildings as Local Historic Landmarks. Buildings that receive the designation - similar to Local Historic Districts, such as St. Elmo to Fort Wood...

Chattanooga’s Municipal Building. (Preserve Chattanooga) Let’s talk about the legacy of architecture here in Chattanooga. This conversation is the latest in our series of conversations on historic preservation in this city, in collaboration with Preserve Chattanooga - the historic preservation nonprofit formerly known as Cornerstones. Todd Morgan is executive director of Preserve Chattanooga - and...

Common House No. 3 - a restored Industrial YMCA - in Southside Chattanooga. (Preserve Chattanooga) Every day, historic preservation is happening in many ways here in Chattanooga. What is that experience from a regulatory perspective - as a preservation-oriented developer - an advocate for historic sites - or just involved with personal projects? We’ll dive into all of that for the latest in our co...

KiAna Clark, as a UTC student in historic preservation, takes photos inside the Joel W. Solomon Federal Courthouse in Chattanooga in 2022. (UTC) Our campus - the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga - offers a Minor in Historic Preservation through its Interior Architecture and Design Program. Students in the program base their senior thesis projects on an actual historic building here in Chatta...

Flowers in the foreground with the Orchard Knob Battle Monument in the distance in the background. (Orchard Knob Neighborhood Association) Orchard Knob and Ridgedale are two of the most historic neighborhoods here in Chattanooga. We’ll talk about the history of those communities - and today’s grassroots preservation there - in this first part of our fall conversation series with Preserve Chattanoo...

The Chattanooga Choo-Choo (Chattanooga Tourism Co.) This month, Preserve Chattanooga - the historic preservation nonprofit in this city - sold its portion of the Terminal Station complex on Market Street. The sale to Northpond Partners also protects both the complex’s interior dome and its exterior facade from demolition or “inappropriate architectural changes.” Todd Morgan is executive director o...

Under the Terminal Station Dome at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. (AIA Tennessee) Perhaps the most iconic building - along with its sign - in this city, the Chattanooga Choo Choo complex has evolved over time from a gateway to the world to a hotel and entertainment center. As the Choo Choo complex evolves once again, let’s look back as we prepare for all aboard into the future - in our latest conversa...

Part of a stained glass window at St. Marks United Methodist Church in North Chattanooga. (Preserve Chattanooga) Historic places endure because of the people who save and maintain them for future generations. A half century ago, passenger rail traffic for Chattanooga was in decline. Union Station was demolished, while Terminal Station survived as the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel. “People Saving Pla...

Part of a map from the Historic River-to-Ridge Area Plan. (RPA) Our guests: Todd Morgan, director of Preserve Chattanooga – and Dan Reuter, City Planning Administrator and Executive Director of the Regional Plan Association, funded by the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County with additional funding from other jurisdictions. Here in Chattanooga, the historic River-to-Ridge Area – generally bound...