CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Federal officials are moving ahead with plans for a new U.S. courthouse in downtown Chattanooga, selecting a Vine Street property as the future home of the long‑discussed project. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) finalized the site decision on Feb. 13 and has filed a federal Declaration of Taking to assume control of the roughly 3.3‑acre parcel.
The chosen site spans the block bounded by East 5th Street, Lindsay Street, Vine Street, and Georgia Avenue. According to federal filings, the location met key requirements for security, construction feasibility, and long‑term operational needs. GSA also cited projected cost and schedule advantages compared with other properties evaluated during a multi‑year site selection process.
Plans call for a building of about 190,700 gross square feet, including seven secure courtrooms, nine judges’ chambers, and 40 secured parking spaces. The facility would replace the existing Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, which dates to the 1950s and has long been considered undersized for modern federal court operations.
Design work is underway, though federal officials have not released a construction start date or a projected completion timeline. The agency has said the Vine Street site could shorten the overall schedule by more than two years compared with alternatives, but detailed phasing has not yet been made public.
The courthouse project has been the subject of local debate for several years, particularly around site selection and the impact on surrounding properties. With the federal government now moving to acquire the land through condemnation, the next steps will involve finalizing design plans and preparing the site for construction.
Local officials and federal courts have argued that a new facility is needed to address security, accessibility, and space limitations at the current courthouse. The new building would serve the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and several federal agencies.
