The Bend is a new megaproject situated on 120+ acres of riverfront redevelopment in Downtown Chattanooga. Developed by Urban Story Ventures, the Bend includes a mix of commercial, residential, hotel, dining, entertainment, and recreational uses. This development mix emphasizes health and wellness through open greenspace, parks, an enhanced Riverwalk, and greater access to the river like never before. The developer is currently targeting corporations looking to relocate or expand their Headquarters. The maps below provide context to the existing site and provide an idea of the site’s overall master planning.
Located along the Tennessee River, the project is situated on a large stretch of Riverfront Parkway, from MLK Boulevard to Main Street. The development is nearly twice the size of Downtown Chattanooga’s currently developed riverfront that runs from Ross’s Landing by the Tennessee Aquarium to Highway 27. The Bend is also one of a few large-scale developments both planned and under construction in Downtown Chattanooga.
The Bend features multiple subdistricts which are connected through a walkable pedestrian experience; they include the Office District, Canal District, Residential District, & Entertainment District. The site was purchased from Alstom, a former GE manufacturer in 2018. Since that time, there has been hundreds of millions invested into the Bend, moreover, the developer expects an astounding $4+ billion in total investments by the project’s completion.
Electric vehicle battery manufacturer NOVONIX, has already moved into Alstom’s primary facility called Big Blue – a 400,000 SF plant. NOVONIX Anode Materials is scaling its multiple facilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee, providing a source of high-performance anode material required for long-life batteries.
This $160 million investment with NOVONIX is bringing 300 jobs to Chattanooga. Also of note, when Urban Story Ventures began work at the Bend, there were just 3 jobs on site. Now, over 800 jobs are supported through this development, and the group plans to support 17,000+ jobs by the project’s completion.
1111 W. Main will be the first of many 10+ story buildings constructed on the site. Designed by Nashville based architect ESA, 1111 will feature an indoor/outdoor rooftop terrace, an amenity not common in the Chattanooga commercial tenant market. Stay tuned for a separate article on 1111 West Main. Here’s the quick rundown:
Development Rundown
The Bend
- What’s Now: Previous Manufacturing Plant Industrial Site
- What’s Next: Mixed Use District
- Developer: Urban Story Ventures
- Master Planning: Dover Kohl & Partners
- Canal District Planner: Martin Aquatic
- Road Design: Hall Planning & Engineering
- Environmental: Terracon
- Civil and Landscape: RaganSmith
- Architecture: Tinker Ma
- Lead Construction: Grace Construction Consultants
Site Stats
- Expected 8 million+ SF of Mixed Uses
- Targeting Corporate HQ Relocations and Expansions
- 700-800 Residential Units
- New Construction & Adaptive Reuse
- Indoor/Outdoor Music Venue
- Food Hall in Canal District
- Pedestrian Walking & Jogging Paths
- Custom Public Parks and Enhanced Riverwalk
- Marina
The Bend is designed with an emphasis on connecting downtown to the river. According to the developer, the overall goal is to create a community that has everything you need from places to work, live, and enjoy all that Chattanooga has to offer. The infrastructure and streets have been designed with very high standards and allow a place for pedestrians to walk, bike, and scooter safely. Access to public transportation will further enhance the livability and amenity offerings of the planned residential offerings which include condos, apartments, and studio flats.
The first new road, Arabelle, has already been constructed, and there are plans to break ground later this fall and again in the spring for various parts of Phase 1 and Phase 2 which are developed simultaneously.
Stay tuned for more updates as the development continues to unfold. For all questions regarding the Bend please contact http://www.thebendchattanooga.com or hello@urbanstoryventures or @thebendchattanooga / hello@thebendchattanooga.com on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook
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