Flooding, water issues discussed at Northgate TIF hearing
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The proposal to create a special tax district for Northgate Mall went through its next step Monday.
The next board to discuss CBL’s TIF District for the Northgate Mall was Chattanooga’s TIF Application Review Board.
This district would dedicate a portion of future sales tax revenues to a $15 million project to replace the mall’s failing sewer system, which hasn’t been replaced since the mall was built in the late 60s.
Among topics discussed at this meeting was if the old sewer system is contributing to flooding around the mall.
Notably back on May 2 of this year, Highway 153 was under water, causing damage to a gas station.
Board member James Floyd stated, “If we don’t do this, the sewers start backing up at Aubrey’s. It’s never a problem until the commodes stop… Water lines that are 50 years old that are being maintained by a private business, or a private entity, they’re not going to make a significant improvement. They’re going to put a bandaid on it and move on. That means Aubrey’s, that means whatever your other properties are over here may or may not function on a regular basis. “
We reported previously that owners of businesses at the mall have experienced issues with water, something that came up again Monday.
Board member Greg Taylor said that the head of Hixson Utility District, who provides water to mall, told him, He tells me they’re down sometimes, that businesses sometimes don’t have water for hours or days.”
CBL says that without the TIF District, it would be impossible for them to undertake the project with a lack of investment, and would be concerned about the enclosed mall ceasing to exist.
They showed initial blueprints for a town center concept that would be mixed use, which would replace the enclosed mall.
CBL says this is what the Chattanooga market demands.
John Meshel of CBL said, “Chattanooga is going to be a one mall city, and that is not a positive or negative for Chattanooga, that’s just related to the size of the city and changes in the enclosed mall industry.”
The committee approved this to go to the next step.
A public hearing on this project is scheduled in two weeks.
