Why is Chattanooga getting a new federal courthouse?

You may have followed the rift between local and federal officials over where to put a new $239 million courthouse in Chattanooga. The ultimate choice was a string of parcels along Vine Street, Lindsay Street and Georgia Avenue. But, who decided the city needed a different facility, and why?

What is a federal courthouse?

Coast to coast, 94 district courts within the federal court system hold civil and criminal trials for violations of U.S. law and the Constitution. The Joel W. Solomon Building on Georgia Avenue, completed in 1933 and part of the Eastern District of Tennessee, handles cases from nine counties, ranging from Hamilton to Marion to Polk to Rhea.  

Mold, rats, and asbestos

Back in 2015, the aging Solomon Building ranked among the 11 courthouses nationwide in most urgent need of expansion or replacement, according to an annual analysis approved by the Judicial Conference, a group of judges who set federal court policy. The analysis gives a score to every federal courthouse based on caseloads, personnel size, and building conditions.

By 2021, the Chattanooga project clocked in at No. 2 on the courthouse priorities list, and Congress appropriated the first round of funding for a new facility.

So, what were the problems at the Solomon Building? A 2021 document describing the top-three courthouse projects slated for funding noted a lack of security, poor accessibility for people with disabilities, too few courtrooms and holding cells, and hallways and elevators shared by judges, prisoners and the public. Square footage wasn’t the only concern, though.

“The building has ongoing water infiltration issues, mold issues, and a major rat infestation throughout the building, as well as the presence of asbestos,” according to the document.

What’s next?

The General Services Administration (GSA) — a federal department that, among other things, oversees design and construction for all new U.S. courthouses — is managing the project. Officials chose the Vine Street location after considering three other sites, describing the location in a Jan. 16 press release as “the most advantageous,” even though local leaders pushed for the TVA office complex in downtown Chattanooga. 

Last November, the GSA announced it selected the international engineering firm HOK for the new Chattanooga facility, and the department expects to announce a general contractor within a couple months.

Aside from more than doubling the number of courtrooms that handle cases from nine East Tennessee counties, the building will also hold space for several federal offices, including those for the U.S. Attorney and Congressional representatives. 

In a public meeting in Chattanooga in 2023, GSA official Sheri DeMartino said the department was excited for the “opportunity to construct a new courthouse that will serve the City of Chattanooga for the next 100 years.”

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Contact William at william@chattamatters.com