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May 12, 2010


Joel Booth is the ombudsman for the city's land development office and has watched changes in Fountains of North Chattanooga.
Photo by Pete Chaney

Fountains of North Chattanooga
biggest center or divided parcels,
future waiting on agreements

February photos of the site

Story by Pete Chaney

It began with the prospect of being the largest shopping center development in North Chattanooga, even larger than Northgate.  That’s Fountains of North Chattanooga on Highway 153 at Gadd Road.

“The 60 acres of the proposed project will likely be larger than Northgate.  It’s the largest construction development in the area now, except for the Volkswagen site,” according to Joel Booth.

He is the Development Ombudsman in the Land Development Office for the Chattanooga Department of Public Works.  His job is to serve as a liaison to expedite work between developer and city government.

“Right now they have only one tenant, Academy Sports,” he continued.  “But they say they plan more.

“It began as one development but had permission to do it in phases.  They are on phase one now and have a temporary storm water retention pond.  It’s Keith Curtis with the development engineer department who will determine if the water retention is sufficient.

“The plan as first approved by city council called for the whole 60 acres with a permanent retention pond in eastern parcel of the site.  The management has changed leadership since it started, but it’s not my job to tell a developer how to develop property.

“My job is to see they follow the rules.

“If they want to make changes, they must go back to City Council to get approval.”

Booth, who has been with the city 36 years and is a very religious man, enjoys his work and the people he deals with.  He has beaten cancer twice and credits God with his recovery.

Presently, Academy Sports and Hosanna Hose are located in the site now.  Hosanna House is a non-profit organization which focuses on aiding adults with disabilities.  Academy Sports held its grand opening the weekend of May 7.  Although the city’s traffic department determined more than one business had to be located there to install a traffic light, a nod from City Hall had the light installed for the grand opening.

Booth said two entrances are on the original plan for the site and no entrances to Gadd Road at the rear are to be used.

According to Booth, Gregg Blosser had the initial plans for the development and worked with Regent Properties for development help.  Oscar Brock, spokesman for Fountains of North Chattanooga said Blosser was in charge of site development in a February story, listing Blosser, himself and Brenda Lawson as the three primary partners.

“Gregg was the major partner to begin with,” said Booth.  “But he is a minority partner now in the phase being developed.  He still has the east section where the permanent storm water retention was approved.

“Brenda Lawson is the major partner now.  The project was planned to be completed in three years.  If they split it up into different sections, they will have to go back to the City Council for approval.”

The site was a residential area when Frank Cowan of Regent Properties began putting parcels together.  It took a year, held back by one reluctant owner.  Target was the original anchor sought until the large chain store went to another location.

Oscar Brock and Gerald McCormick were partners in Regents Properties.  Cowan had known Blosser and his Georgia based Paragon Development, which was the developer for Backyard Burgers.  Blosser liked the project and worked on tying down parcels.

Financing was initially with Wachovia Bank for obtaining the land and was shifted to First Bank.  Backing for the project faded with the oncoming recession and new financial help was needed.

McCormick knew Brenda Lawson of Cleveland, former wife of entrepreneur Toby McKenzie.  She could provide security for the First Bank note and later had the capital when more money was needed.

The present status of the development has a temporary storm water retention pond, which Keith Curtis deems adequate for the existing status.  He is Development Engineer for the Land Development Office in the Department of Public Works.

A water runoff in 2009 storms caused problems for Hosanna House.

Original plans included the permanent retention pond on the section held by Blosser to be in place.  And it called for full access across the whole site.  Neither of these conditions have been met with the split of interests from the Lawson-Brock portion to Blosser’s site.  Seems they will have to find an agreement to proceed as originally planned or go back to City Council and look for some friendly faces to approve changes.

Fountains of North Chattanooga could be the biggest shopping center in North Chattanooga or it could be several parcels of possibility.

Keith Curtis in the Development Engineer for the Land Development Office and calls the storm water retention ponds at the development okay for first phase of project.