Bus. Development-job creation in Chatt. (Knoxville, Chattanooga: real estate, apartments, rent)

[Doc. T.]

Currently, have the possibility to locate in Chattanooga, as well as, other metros. Would love to hear some upside/downside commentary on the following issues: property available for business development, educational level of workforce, environmental awareness of local denizens, quality of living issues (e.g. ambience, walkability, sense of safety), culture (e.g. arts/music, theatre), and receptivity of local government to new business.

When it comes to personal accommodations, I love to think small for a bevy of reasons. Can buy or rent 1000 to 1500 sq. feet. Apartments are likewise viable.

Insights, are appreciated.

[McMar]

The government is VERY receptive to new businesses. They built a fancy new business development center a few years ago (see link below). You can't beat Chattanooga for ambiance and walkability/livability, although the crime has been pretty bad lately. I'm not sure why. Educated work force, though there seems to be a shortage of good jobs in the area, so if you are looking for educated employees you shouldn't have any trouble finding them. There is a lot of property available for business development, though prices in the safer and or more hip areas are relatively expensive if you plan on buying property. The riverfront (both north shore and downtown) is booming, and the Southside of downtown is the hot new area. A lot of funky businesses and restaurants are moving in to the southside along with new residential homes and condos as well as old buildings being turned into residential and business condos. The city has been doing a lot of streetscaping in both the southside and in the area between the aquarium and Hunter museum with sculptures and landscaping. You will find more reasonable rents in the central business district, which is also very pretty but a further walk from the tourist and residential areas (still only 6 blocks or so). There are a few apartments downtown, hundreds of new condos all over downtown and the North Shore, or you can rent or buy a small home or apartment in North Chattanooga. All three areas would allow you to walk or ride your bike to restaurants, shops, excellent parks. My boyfriend used to live in North Chatt and walked across the pedestrian bridge to work each day - he loved it. There is a weekly art and farmer's market on the southside each sunday. Each friday for 5 months there is a free concert called Nightfall, held in a small park in the central business district. This is a huge social thing that draws over a thousand people, even some kids and dogs.

I like to think that many Chattanoogans are environmentally responsible, but there are still a lot of lazy or uncaring, unthinking individuals who do not recycle. There are still more people who would buy their organic food at Walmart than at a local green grocer because of cost, while they don't even think of the real cost of supporting a company like Walmart. However, one of our biggest local business success stories is Green Life Grocer, a busier than busy green grocer who has managed to keep Wild Oats and Whole Foods out of the city. There are a couple more exceptions on the environmentally friendly thing: our city officials are giving the green light for some subdivision developments that are raping the land, and there are so many new condos being built along the river that it is cutting the old neighborhoods off from the river. They want the tax dollars so much that they aren't considering how it's changing the look and feel of the city and will clog the already congested roads along the river with a huge traffic mess. And the city decided to stop curbside recycling because there weren't enough people using it. So instead they have built a bunch of recycling drop-off areas, but many people are at least a 10 minute drive from one, so even fewer people are recycling.

All of that being said, Chattanooga is beautiful. Living, working, walking, biking downtown is great. The way the city is nestled in the mountains makes it a unique place - kind of like Asheville but less expensive and pretentious. There are bike paths, hiking trails, rivers, lakes and creeks to sail and kayak. Here are a few links that might interest you:

Business Development Center - Economic Development - business,site selection,chattanooga,tn,tennessee,jobs,gis,chambe r of commerce,economic development,area information,businesses,chattanooga jobs,The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce

The Chattanooga Market | Local is Better

CDP :: Enriching our City's Livability

Greenlife Grocery

[Doc. T.]

McMar,
Thanks, for your well-framed thoughts. Deeply, appreciated.

[McMar]

You're welcome! I suggest you visit the city for a few days, stay downtown, and check out the vibe and all of the areas. Visit the business development center, check out the concerts and market, the North shore parks, and even talk to some local business owners. Odds are, unless your business will directly compete with theirs, they will love to give their input. Oh - here's another link to the MLS, so you can see the commercial and residential real estate areas and prices:

MLSAreaListings.com

[Doc. T.]

Originally Posted by McMar

You're welcome! I suggest you visit the city for a few days, stay downtown, and check out the vibe and all of the areas. Visit the business development center, check out the concerts and market, the North shore parks, and even talk to some local business owners. Odds are, unless your business will directly compete with theirs, they will love to give their input. Oh - here's another link to the MLS, so you can see the commercial and residential real estate areas and prices:

MLSAreaListings.com

McMar, thanks again, appreciate your conscienous effort. Will do the look see, talk to the folks and get a feel for the vibe.

[beachbyrd]

Great description, McMar! Makes me want to move here all over again!!

Just one correction, about recycling....I'm not sure if you live in the city, we do (city part of Hixson) and we have curbside recycling service 1x/month. They take metal (cans & such), 1 and 2 plastics, and paper products. All glass and other items need to be brought to a recycling center.

To Doc T, we are looking forward to hearing about your visit!

[Doc. T.]

Originally Posted by beachbyrd

Great description, McMar! Makes me want to move here all over again!!

Just one correction, about recycling....I'm not sure if you live in the city, we do (city part of Hixson) and we have curbside recycling service 1x/month. They take metal (cans & such), 1 and 2 plastics, and paper products. All glass and other items need to be brought to a recycling center.

To Doc T, we are looking forward to hearing about your visit!

Thank you kindly, for your ingratiating spirit. You know, the reception I've had on this site is quite interesting! I thought, for example, that Chattanooga and Knoxville would be quite similar. I'm finding that is not the case, Chatt., thus far, has numerous attributes that were lacking in K-ville. Kudos to your community.

[Jon F Moss]

my company is taking up space in the BDC aka the "incubator". The Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Hamilton County is providing an outstanding service to start-up an fledgling companies. The success ratio is quite high, and there a lot of services made available to small business owners.

As for the comparison between Knoxville & Chattanooga, consider it time well spent to read the journey my family & I took in choosing between the two:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/chatt...ce-please.html

[Doc. T.]

Originally Posted by TriDad

my company is taking up space in the BDC aka the "incubator". The Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Hamilton County is providing an outstanding service to start-up an fledgling companies. The success ratio is quite high, and there a lot of services made available to small business owners.

As for the comparison between Knoxville & Chattanooga, consider it time well spent to read the journey my family & I took in choosing between the two:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/chatt...ce-please.html

TriDad,

An "incubator" may well serve part of our operations - not, precisely sure?
Thanks, for your post. Sounds like you're enjoying Noog - that's great!

[jkmewright]

Originally Posted by TriDad

my company is taking up space in the BDC aka the "incubator". The Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Hamilton County is providing an outstanding service to start-up an fledgling companies. The success ratio is quite high, and there a lot of services made available to small business owners.

As for the comparison between Knoxville & Chattanooga, consider it time well spent to read the journey my family & I took in choosing between the two:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/chatt...ce-please.html

I was thinking we needed some of your input here