Loveman's Building sheds new light on Underground Chattanooga (home, department store)

[kamoshika]

Some interesting comments follow this article:

Originally constructed in 1886, the Loveman's Building burned down a few years later; but undeterred, Loveman rebuilt a much larger building in 1891 on the same site. That building served as the home for Loveman's retail operation for more than 100 years before being sold to Proffitt's in 1988. They later closed their downtown Chattanooga operation in 1993, ending a tradition of department store retail in the area.

But the Loveman's Building also holds a clue to the past, a potential centerpiece to one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the city: Underground Chattanooga. For years, citizens have recounted tales of a lost city below the downtown streets: former windows buried below street level, brick-lined doors that open into dark tunnels and long-forgotten basements.
Loveman's Building sheds new light on Underground Chattanooga | Nooga.com

[Blue502]

There are some tunnels downtown that go from offices to offices that have been used for the last 10 years or so. I would love to be able to travel all these areas!

[An Einnseanair]

I walk a tunnel under Broad St. from my parking garage to my building whenever the weather is bad.

But the problem with "Underground Chattanooga" is that it isn't continuous. Most of the old tunnels have been filled in or blocked off over the years. The basement of my building has old blocked up windows, an underground loading dock, etc. But mere employees (like myself) can't access those areas for liability reasons because they aren't deemed "finished". You might bump your head on a low beam or pipe or something.

[BNSF]

Those tunnels that go from offices to offices are also called sewers and with that said, this is why they're in such bad shape. You should avoid being in these "tunnels" as from time to time lookout mountain will burden us Chattanoogans with their sewer problems and you could drown.