Rivercity Company

THE RIVERCITY COMPANY'S MISSION IS TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT THE CHATTANOOGA CITY AND HAMILTON COUNTY GOVERNMENTS BY PROMOTING AND MANAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VIBRANT, ATTRACTIVE AND HEALTHY DOWNTOWN THAT IS THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CENTERPIECE OF THE CHATTANOOGA REGION. THE RIVERCITY COMPANY ACCOMPLISHES THIS BY OVERSEEING DEVELOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN REAL ESTATE, MAKING AND PROGRAMMING GREAT URBAN SPACES, AND EMPLOYING CREATIVE URBAN DESIGN. ITS PRIMARY STRATEGIC AREAS FOR PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES ARE: (I)CONTINUING THE ONE RIVERFRONT PLAN IN THE RIVERFRONT DISTRICT, (II)REINVIGORATING THE HISTORIC COMMERCIAL CORE IN THE CITY CENTER DISTRICT, AND (III)BRINGING MORE RESIDENTS TO ALL AREAS OF DOWNTOWN THROUGH CATALYZING A FULL RANGE OF DOWNTOWN HOUSING.

DOWNTOWN RECOVERY ANIMATION: AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS AND A TREMENDOUS SHIFT IN NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WORKING REMOTELY, RIVERCITY COMPANY STRENGTHENED EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATED WITH NEW ORGANIZATIONS TO SAFELY WELCOME RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT AND ENJOYMENT IN DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA. THE RIVERCITY TEAM WENT TO WORK TO CREATE A ROBUST SERIES OF EVENTS ALONG WITH IDENTIFYING WAYS TO SUPPORT OTHERS HOSTING EVENTS. EVENTS INCLUDED, GOAT YOGA, MUSIC & MOVIES ON THE GREEN AND IN MILLER PARK, WELCOME BACK WEEK, CITY SWEAT, FAMILY FUN DAY , SCENIC CITY SIDESHOWS, NOONTUNES, CRANBERRY JAM, REINDEER ON THE RIVERFRONT & LIGHTED BOAT PARADE, BROAD STREET HOLIDAY HOP, AND WINTER BREAK SPECTACULAR.

ROCK THE RIVERFRONT: TO RESPOND TO THE FEEDBACK AND DESIRES OF THE COMMUNITY PROVIDED THROUGH THE ONE RIVERFRONT PLAN, THE RIVERCITY COMPANY TEAM CREATED "ROCK THE RIVERFRONT", A MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION OF CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT AND PLAY FOR ALL TO ENJOY ON THE CHATTANOOGA GREEN. ROCK THE RIVERFRONT'S MAIN ATTRACTION WAS IMPULSE, AN INTERACTIVE ART INSTALLATION CONSISTING OF 15 LIGHT UP SEESAWS. OTHER EVENTS INCLUDED THE LIGHT UP CHATT WITH THE LANTERN PARADE, SPRING EQUINOX AND ST. PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATION, WOMEN IN MUSIC HISTORY WEEKEND, AND EASTERN BANK OF CHEROKEE INDIANS ART EXPO AND STORYTELLING.

PATTEN PARKWAY DEVELOPMENT: THE NEW DESIGN STEMMED FROM THE 2013 CITY CENTER PLAN CREATED BY RIVERCITY COMPANY, WHICH ENVISIONED A MULTIPURPOSE CITY SQUARE THAT CAN HOST SPECIAL EVENTS WHILE SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS. THE DESIGN WAS ALSO INFLUENCED BY THE 2019 INNOVATION DISTRICT ARTISTIC PLAN, DEVELOPED BY RIVERCITY COMPANY, PUBLIC ART CHATTANOOGA, THE INNOVATION DISTRICT OF CHATTANOOGA, THE ENTERPRISE CENTER AND CHATTANOOGA DESIGN STUDIO, WHICH PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK TO CREATE A STRONGER SENSE OF IDENTITY TO THE DISTRICT, WHILE PROMPTING MORE CREATIVITY, EXPRESSION AND CONNECTION FOR PEOPLE IN PUBLIC SPACES. PUBLIC ART CHATTANOOGA WELCOMED "RADIANCE" BY FUTUREFORMS AS THE FIRST INTERVENTION FROM THE INNOVATION DISTRICT ARTISTIC PLAN IN PATTEN SQUARE FOR THE GRAND OPENING.

OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE:MILLER PLAZA: MILLER PLAZA IS AN URBAN PUBLIC PARK CONSTRUCTED ALMOST THREE DECADES AGO IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA; IT WAS BUILT BOTH TO PROVIDE A MODEL OF GOOD URBAN DESIGN FOR "ACTIVE PARK USE", AND TO PROVIDE A VENUE FOR AN ENORMOUS VARIETY OF ANIMATING ACTIVITIES FOR DOWNTOWN. WHEN IT WAS CONSTRUCTED, DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA WAS SLIDING DOWNHILL WITH ABANDONED RETAIL STORES, CLOSED MOVIE THEATERS, OFFICES AND RESIDENCES RELOCATING TO OUTLYING SUBURBAN AREAS, AND A VACUUM OF ATTRACTIVE ACTIVITY AND ANIMATION, ESPECIALLY AFTER WORK HOURS ENDED. MILLER PLAZA WAS THE FIRST BEACON FOR THE REVIVAL OF DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA, AND MILLER PLAZA NOW SERVES AS THE HOME FOR THREE RESTAURANTS AND ONE RETAIL SHOP, SEASONAL FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES FROM MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY, AND A VENUE FOR MANY DOZENS OF CIVIC GATHERINGS AND ACTIVITIES. MILLER PLAZA IS OWNED BY THE RIVERCITY COMPANY AND IT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THE SOCIAL ANCHOR FOR EVENTS AND ANIMATION WITHIN THE CITY CENTER DISTRICT OF DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA.COOPER'S ALLEY GRANTS: EIGHT GRANT RECIPIENTS WERE SELECTED TO ACTIVATE AND CREATE A SENSE OF PLACE IN COOPER'S ALLEY. EVENTS AND ACTIVATION THAT TOOK PLACE WAS SOUL TRAIN NIGHTS, BACK ALLEY BOOGIE, RUMBA NIGHTS, OPENING ACT, INTERNATIONAL MARKET, FANTASY ALLEY, AND CHATTANOOGA LIBRARY SERIES.SPROUTS GRANTS: RIVERCITY COMPANY SUPPORTED 8 LOCAL BUSINESSES BY PROVIDING FUNDING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE TO EXPAND OUTDOOR SEATING. RECIPIENTS INCLUDE: THE ICE CREAM SHOW, MAIN STREET MEATS, PICKLE BARREL, BLEU FOX CHEESE SHOP, JACK BROWN'S BEER & BURGER JOINT, HONEST PINT, CHATT SMOKEHOUSE AND GLASS STREET.CHATTANOOGA EXPRESS CARD: THE CHATTANOOGA EXPRESS CARD IS A DOWNTOWN DOLLARS GIFT CARD PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES AND ATTRACTIONS IN DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA. THIS PROGRAM IS TO HELP BRING DOLLARS TO LOCAL DOWNTOWN BUSINESS TO HELP WITH ECONOMIC RECOVERY FROM THE COVID PANDEMIC.ONE RIVERFRONT PLAN: A RIVERFRONT DISTRICT MASTER PLAN TO REFOCUS AND REENERGIZE THE DISTRICT WITH WIDE SPREAD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO CREATE A PLACE THAT SERVES ALL CHATTANOOGANS; TO DEVELOP A GREATER SENSE OF PLACE THROUGH UNIQUE DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS; AND TO USE PLACEMAKING AND BRANDING STRATEGIES TO DRAW LOCALS AND TOURISTS YEAR ROUND.WALNUT STREET PLAZA: THIS RECONFIGURED STREET CREATES A CENTRAL GATHERING SPACE AS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PLACES DOWNTOWN AND CREATES AN URBAN SPACE TO BE MORE ACCOMMODATING TO PEDESTRIANS. THE ED JOHNSON MEMORIAL BY ARTIST JEROME MEADOWS LOCATED ON THE PLAZA IS A PERMANENT PUBLIC SITE THAT STRIVES TO PROMOTE RACIAL HEALING AND RECONCILIATION BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE LYNCHING OF ED JOHNSON, HONORING THE COURAGEOUS WORK OF HIS ATTORNEYS, AND RECOGNIZING THE RESULTING U.S. SUPREME COURT CASE.MLK COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR: AN INITIATIVE INTENDED TO INVIGORATE AND ACCELERATE THE REVITALIZATION OF THE MLK DISTRICT BY ACQUIRING KEY PROPERTIES TO HELP DEVELOPMENT AND DENSITY, PROVIDING SIGNAGE AND FACADE GRANTS TO TENANTS/OWNERS WHILE INSTILLING AND REQUIRING QUALITY URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES, AND ASSISTANCE WITH RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL RECRUITMENT EFFORTS TO HELP LURE BUSINESSES.