Business owners at northshore incubator say they are still against move to Franklin-Roberts
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- It’s been over a week since plans were announced to move Hamilton County’s Small Business Incubator to the Franklin-Roberts Future Ready Center.
The small business incubator is designed to help entrepreneurs start their businesses via a subsidized office space.
Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp says it would put the incubator into a world class building.
However, business owners we spoke with during an open house of the incubator say they still have concerns about the proposal.
One of the main issue we heard from those we spoke with on Wednesday would be the manufacturing capabilities of the new space at Franklin-Roberts.
One owner we spoke with was Marsha Roberts, of the Stract Corporation, who has been in her office space for nine months.
Her company manufactures with the help of 3D printers dolls for children with disabilities.
She says that companies like hers require heavy manufacturing equipment, and is concerned the new space won’t be adequate.
Roberts said, “There are manufacturing spaces here that cannot possibly be duplicated in the new place. There’s no freight elevator. There’s no place that people can move their pallets too, and all that kind of thing.”
The proposal at Franklin-Roberts according to Mayor Wamp’s office would have the business incubator on the third and fourth floor of the structure, separated from the technical school on the first two floors.
The mayor’s office tells us that the third floor does have ground level access and a loading dock, and that there are no plans for a freight elevator at this time.
Additionally, Mayor Wamp has told us that the incubator is in disrepair.
However, manufacturers like Frog and Fern, who create toys and trinkets via 3D printers, say they haven’t seen any issues with the building.
Christian Hart of Frog and Fern said, “It was too good to be true, like that’s what I feel. This place is an amazing opportunity, so yeah I know I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s literally the perfect space.”
We did hear from other owners who say the building’s HVAC unit needs to be replaced, but otherwise believe the building is capable of continuing its existence as a business incubator.
These are leading several business owners according to Kaleena Goldsworthy, who has owned three separate businesses since 2017 that have all started at the Incubator, to reconsider their plans.
Goldsworthy said, “In a short period of time that we’ve had since this has happened, we’ve heard from a number of businesses that are exploring moving to different states. They are wondering if it makes sense for them to even stay here if I they can only be here for a year. That doesn’t give a lot of runway for these entrepreneurs.”
Mayor Wamp told us that he ultimately believes the move closer to the central business district and the integration with the Future Ready School will only enhance the Incubator.
The school would be in the westside across from public housing, which right now is 30 minutes from the nearest Future Ready Institute.
The mayor said, “If we can run in a business incubator that’s aligned with public education, particularly given the students who would have have the opportunity to go here. If we can serve through our incubator students who have not historically had opportunities, that would be an incredible feat.”
Several owners did tell us that they are in favor of the school, but do not believe the incubator should go in the same building.
They want the Hamilton County Commission to pause any action on selling the incubator building for the time being.
Goldsworthy said, “I think this feels like it’s being rushed. I don’t think that this needs to be rushed.”
The vote on this building is scheduled for May 6 at the next Hamilton County Commission meeting.
Some owners told us that they have a meeting scheduled with the Hamilton County mayor’s office on Thursday.
They are also planning to do a protest outside the incubator building on Thursday evening.
