Back in 2022, the US General Services Administration (GSA) initiated the process of Chattanooga getting a new federal courthouse. Now, a final environmental assessment has been released for three site options.

Before we dive into the updates, let's walk it back to why this development is on the table. The current Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and US Courthouse, located at 900 Georgia Ave., doesn't meet certain security and safety requirements or meet long-term operational needs of the courts.

The proposed 190,478-sqft courthouse would feature seven courtrooms, nine chambers, and 40 secured parking spots, plus space for services like the District + Bankruptcy clerks and US Probation Office.Congress approved $218 million for the site acquisition.

The assessment looked at various factors concerning the proposed sites and found that none of them would cause significant adverse impact, environmentally or socially. Read the full breakdown of these three sites:

TVA property bounded by West 11th Street on the north, Market Street on the east, West 12th Street on the south + Chestnut Street on the west (size and location TBD)
Portion of AT&T Field at 201, 203, 205, and 301 Power Alley (size and location TBD)
8th Street property bounded by Lindsay Street on the west, East 8th Street on the north, Houston Street on the east + extending south to (and including) 814 Lindsay St.

Note: There is also a "No Action" alternative where the city's courthouse would remain + continue to not meet the standards needed.

According to the release, GSA is prioritizing the TVA and stadium sites as possible outcomes. While this development is still in the pre-design and selection phase, here are the next steps.

June | Program of requirements complete + shortlisted architecture and engineering firms announced
July | Stage 1 Solicitation posted for construction manager as constructor
Fall 2024 | Preferred site identified

Want to keep order in the courthouse? Bookmark GSA's website for updates.