Chattanooga’s # 1 Eyesore: What’s the holdup?

UPDATE:  March 29, 2017:  Thanks to the law firm of Davis, Kessler and Davis, and Chattanooga city officials for their hard work in repairing this eyesore.  Here is the scene today.

Original story from August 27, 2014:

I’m so lucky to live in a beautiful, scenic city.  One of my hobbies in recent years is to drive around, up and down the mountains and ridges in search of great photos.  It’s so easy.  But almost every day, I drive by this:

It’s best known as the old Pruett’s Food Town store on Cherokee Boulevard.  Just a block or two away are bright, well-designed new businesses and homes.  The new Publix store is less than a mile away, and its success will surely bring more progress to this north Chattanooga area.  Yet this ugly blight has gone largely untouched for fifteen years.  Every few months, there’s some new graffiti, but that’s about it.

In February of this year, the local newspaper reported that a law firm from Winchester, Tennessee would open its new Chattanooga offices here, and that it was “undergoing an extreme makeover.” Sure enough, within days the sights and sounds of heavy machinery filled the air.  Five truckloads of trash were hauled off, and progress seemed to be just around the corner.  But soon, all was quiet, and this is all we saw:

That sign you see says “Available,” with a phone number to call.  The newspaper had not updated its February story, so two weeks ago, I called the number.  Floyd Davis answered the phone.  He is the founder of Davis, Kessler and Davis, that law firm that was reportedly ready to remedy this canker sore of a building.  He was more than happy to talk about it.  “I’ve paid $900,000 for it, but the city won’t give me a building permit.  I haven’t heard from anybody.  I think I’ll just put a homeless shelter there.  You tell the city that, and see what they say. They think I’m kidding, but I’m not!”

He was just getting warmed up.  “They won’t deal with me.  I’m not Volkswagen or Publix, I’m just Floyd Davis from Winchester.  They’ve sent three letters, but they never put a name of anybody I’m supposed to call.  They say I’m supposed to hire an architect, an environmental specialist and a flood control expert.  I’ve got an architect ready to go, they just won’t issue a permit!”

I just kept listening, taking notes. “One of the letters said, ‘You need a new roof, new windows, and you need to remove the graffiti.’  I called the number they put on the letter, and told somebody, ‘I got your letter, and I agree! I have a crew ready right now to fix all those things, and they can be there in two hours.’ They said, ‘No, no, no you can’t do that!’  I’ve had fifty calls from people who ask me what’s going on, and I tell them, I can’t do anything without a building permit, and the city of Chattanooga won’t give me one.”

I knew I was only getting one side of the story.  Surely the powers that be at City Hall must be as anxious as anyone for this ugly shell to go away.  I mean, it’s like that zit on your forehead, right between the eyes.  Except this nasty pimple has been festering since the end of the 20th century!

Gary Hilbert is the city’s Director of Codes and Inspection.  After concluding my chat with Mr. Davis, I called Mr. Hilbert’s office. “Gary, you of all people can’t be pleased with this hot mess right in the middle of Chattanooga’s beloved North Shore.  Why is the city dragging its feet?” He said, “It’s not exactly what you’ve been told.  We have concerns about safety, exits, lighting, all the code requirements that every commercial building owner must meet.”

“But Gary,” I pressed on. “The guy says he’s ready to go.  He’s just waiting for your okay.  He wants to get rid of the graffiti, replace the windows, install a new roof.  Why is this dragging on, endlessly?”

“I’d love to see some movement too,” he said. “But we must have a plan to approve.  As soon as his architect presents a plan that meets our codes, we’ll do everything we can to make something happen.”

In the two weeks since my conversations with Mr. Davis and Mr. Hilbert, I am told that a plan is to be presented, any day now.  The architects and engineers reportedly are ready to move forward, and if the city approves (fingers crossed here), the ugliest eyesore in Chattanooga will soon fade away.  I haven’t been told exactly what the new building will look like, but I’d bet it will be an improvement over this:

“Something will happen soon,” Gary Hilbert assured me.  “We’re hopeful the plan will be approved, and this project will move forward.”  Floyd Davis said, “Yeah, I think they’re finally going to let me get to work on it.  I think they just don’t want a homeless shelter there.”  I think he was kidding, but I can’t say for sure.  Hopefully I can update this story soon, with photos of the most extreme makeover this city has seen in quite a while.