This week I find myself in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a city which is often touted as an excellent example of urban renewal. Over the past 10 years or so, the downtown area has gone from drab and unappealing to vibrant and interesting. The city invested heavily in redoing the waterfront area, creating parks and a river walk. Dozens of small businesses have popped up in the form of bars, cafes, and restaurants; the variety of food on offer is amazing compared to what existed before.
A burgeoning art district attracts artists and patrons alike. Major attractions such as the aquarium and the famed Chattanooga Choo Choo (which is actually a hotel, although I think you can sleep in a train car if you really want to) are connected by a free electric shuttle bus which regularly carries locals and tourists around the town. Luxury condos are popping up all over downtown as suburbanites give up their sprawling homes for urban life. It’s almost possible to forget you’re in the American South sometimes here (well, at least until you hear the local accents).
When I hear/read Chattanooga, I keep thinking of the song. Thanks for showing that there’s more to it than the “choo-choo” (a hotel???).
I’m always surprised how widely-known the song is. The railway stopped running through here ages ago, but the hotel just seems to keep getting bigger.
My brother lived in Chattanooga for a few years, and while it was perfectly pleasant in a rundown-Southern-city sort of way, I would never have used words like “vibrant”, “interesting” or “luxury” to describe it. They had just built the aquarium to try and spark a revival of downtown, which I thought was absurd. I guess that’s why I’m not an urban planner…
Kirk, it’s all relative… 🙂 I remember thinking the aquarium was a ridiculous idea, too – how exciting can freshwater fish be?
I’ve been to Chattanooga several times over the years (a good friend of mine lives there). Very beautiful place! Especially the winding road up to the top of Lookout Mountain. Love that. 🙂