Evergreen for Everyone, Everyday
Building upon the legacy and design of the 21st Century Waterfront, we will evolve and enhance our Riverfront Parks for residents and visitors to experience and enjoy beautiful, comfortable and exciting park spaces.
Since the celebration in July 2025 with Governor Bill Lee, the design team has continued to move toward construction of the park. See below for the most up to date renderings!
Thank you to BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation for their incredible $10 million contribution to create the new BlueCross Healthy Place at Ross’s Landing. Learn more about the project by clicking here.
Land Acknowledgement
The Tennessee River flows through this land and carries with it a deep Indigenous legacy. As a crossroads for 23 federally recognized Tribal Nations, Chattanooga’s river bends and banks hold their ancestral history. The Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole peoples were stewards of these valleys, mountains, and plains for millennia before enduring forced removal on the Trail of Tears.
Hamilton County, the City of Chattanooga and Ross' Landing Parks stand on the ancestral homelands of several federally recognized Tribal Nations including: the Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, and Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma.
We honor the resilience and vitality of these Native Nations and seek to deepen respect for and connection to this place by centering Indigenous voices, stories, and artistic expressions as an enduring presence along Chattanooga's riverfront.
Draft Design
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Overall Site Plan
From west to east, the passive porch is open space that supports large scale events. Traffic calming measures like speed tables will be incorporated into Riverfront Parkway. The Riverwalk will be defined with shaded walking/biking space along with seating and swings. The river’s edge will be enhanced with picnic and fishing piers. The future Hawk Hill redevelopment portrayed on the riverfront parking lots will have parking garages built into the buildings to provide ample parking for residents and visitors to the park.
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Aerial View
This zoomed in view of the center part of the park showcases new trees and plantings to create a ribbon of shaded and green space that still accommodates large scale events. There are two new food and beverage concepts bookending Ross’s Landing, along with a one-of-a-kind play zone next to an enhanced pier and waterside experience.
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Recreation Porch
Under Highway 27, there is a prime opportunity to reimagine the space into a recreation zone. Seating, flexible court space and and art will create a fun space for people to come together.
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The Water's Edge
The current commercial dock will be expanded to welcome the public to enjoy being closer to the river. The dock will still be able to accommodate boats for easy access to come ashore.
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Dining Experience
The Chestnut Street Restaurant concept provides a full service option for those who would like to enjoy a seated meal while enjoying the incredible views of the river and park. The ample outdoor seating space will be an ideal location for family and friends to gather.
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Pier Café
A new shaded entrance to the pier will be attached to a pier café providing a more casual dining experience. The building also features public restrooms and socializing space.
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The Valley
The current hard edge that follows the stairs down Ross’s Landing is now a flat, flexible space that allows families to easily walk from Riverfront Parkway to the river’s edge. Smaller scale events could use the space for performance but also provide shaded viewing space for larger events.
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Planting Ribbon
Shade trees, native plants and colorful flowers will create a new beautiful ribbon that will soften Ross’s Landing. Taller plants will be located on the ridges of the park allowing views to still be clear from multiple levels in the park. Ample lawn space will be preserved to allow for large scale events.
Creating High-Quality Spaces for Generations to Come
Thousands of residents have shared their hopes and desires for the Riverfront District through the ONE Riverfront Plan!
Community input serves as the foundation for the ONE Riverfront Plan and collectively, Chattanoogans developed eight strategies to reinvigorate the riverfront. Today, we embark upon the next phase for our Riverfront Parks and “evolve” them into a place for people to enjoy year-round.
The “Evolving our Riverfront Parks” plan is a series of enhancements that will honor history, connect corridors in the district, embrace ecology, soften and provide shade, along with using the inspiration of a southern porch for areas along the river.
“The downtown riverfront is at the heart of Chattanooga's story of renewal and success, and this investment will power the next great era of our downtown. Our outdoor spaces aren't just our identity in Chattanooga, they're our competitive advantage, generating economic growth and improving quality of life. These transformed riverfront parks will be cherished by visitors and Chattanoogans alike for years to come.”
— Mayor Tim Kelly
An Evolved Riverfront
The community of Chattanooga asked for deeper shade, enhanced programming and more opportunities to connect with the City’s unique nature and culture along the river’s edge. This framework plan provides a series of strategies, expressed in both principle and place, that together achieve a more vital, connected and sustainable riverfront.
2024 Evolving Our Riverfront Parks Framework Plan
Community voices are shaping our Riverfront. Learn about the planning process.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Thousands of community members have shared their vision for the Riverfront Parks. Since the celebration with Governor Bill Lee in June 2025, River City Company has been working with design and technical experts to create the final design. The construction is anticipated to commence in late 2026.
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As part of the community planning process, major event organizers provided insight and feedback on design features. Many of the elements in the plan support and provide valuable infrastructure needed for major events. We believe that the Riverfront Parks can serve both major events and daily activity.
Plans are underway for alternative locations for events in 2027 while the parks are under construction.
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River City Company along with the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County are working with the design and technical teams on the construction documents for the parks. Construction is anticipated to commence in late 2026.
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The Riverfront District offers over 2000 parking spaces including paid lots, garages and on-street options. On-street parking is free all day on Sundays and after 6pm on the other days of the week.
The Vision for Hawk Hill, recently released by River City Company, does call for a development to be built on the lots near Riverfront Parkway. With over 1200 parking spaces in the Hawk Hill plan, the buildings will provide parking for tenants and guests, but also provide additional parking available to the public. There is not a timeline of when the development will begin, but it is anticipated 2031 to be the earliest possible start to the project.
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The City of Chattanooga has developed a Parks and Outdoors Plan (POP) that will offer a road map and path forward to reinvent Chattanooga as a city in a park—where a system of parks and protected open spaces connect people to each other. Learn more about the POP here.
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A National Park City is a place, a vision and a city-wide community that is acting together to make life better for people, places and nature. Learn more about National Park City here.
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If you have questions or feedback about the plan, please send an email to dawn@rivercitycompany.com.
A City in a Park.
The City of Chattanooga has the vision that everyone will have access to a well-loved, well-used and well-cared for system of parks, recreation and outdoor spaces that fosters community belonging and well-being and enhances our unique and breathtaking natural setting.
Learn about two new initiatives and vision to create our City in A Park and our journey to become the first National Park City in the Americas.
