Mayors agree new federal courthouse should not be on Hawk Hill

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The future of the Chattanooga Federal Courthouse is slowly becoming clearer.

The General Services Administration announced its two finalist sites.

The old TVA offices in the central business district are one of those two options being presented by the GSA.

However, the other site being presented, Hawk Hill, is drawing criticism from Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, who don’t see a federal courthouse working there.

Mayor Wamp said, “The idea of a federal courthouse on Hawk Hill is a terrible idea. That would be a terrible use of what is arguably the most gorgeous piece of property in our community.”

Both mayors believe that the TVA site is by far the better option for a federal courthouse.

Mayor Kelly said, “It’s very near City Hall for us. It offers plenty of opportunities for other development, including perhaps an expansion of the Trade Center which is sorely needed.”

Mayor Wamp said, “Right in the middle of downtown, that’s where activity like that is. That’s where law offices already are. I think it will contribute to security on the downtown footprint.”

In lieu of that potential federal courthouse, both mayors believe there are endless opportunities here for the future of Hawk Hill.

Mayor Kelly said, “As we well know, we have a dire shortage of affordable housing. I think personally a big standard use development there makes a lot of sense.”

Mayor Wamp said, “We could have a combination, there’s probably a multi use vision that we all need to coalesce around as a community but I would hope that restaurants and park areas, community spaces would be the future of Hawk Hill. Not a courthouse that very few of us would ever visit.”

They both say discussions are in the early stages as the River City Board will gain possession of Hawk Hill, and want to keep those options open.

Mayor Wamp said, “It would be a total mess and really an injustice to the people of our community if GSA screwed up so catastrophically that they put the courthouse there.”

This new courthouse would replace the current courthouse on Georgia Avenue across from Miller Park.

The GSA expects to make a final decision on a new site for this fall.