Chattanooga Missing Middle Housing
The Chattanooga Missing Middle Housing project, led by Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise Inc. (CNE), transformed 50 vacant parcels in the Highland Park and Ridgedale neighborhoods into 181 units of missing middle housing. Designed to bridge the gap between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, the project aimed to preserve neighborhood character while increasing density. The opportunity arose when Tennessee Temple University closed, freeing 34 scattered lots for redevelopment. Both neighborhoods were chosen for their traditional urban layout, walkability, proximity to downtown, and need for reinvestment.
Highland Park and Ridgedale are historic neighborhoods southeast of downtown Chattanooga, known for their classic architecture, tree-lined streets, and community spirit. CNE's primary goals were to provide affordable rental and homeownership opportunities, rebuild disinvested communities, and create replicable prototypes for future developments. The target market included families and individuals earning between 60 and 80 percent of the area median income (AMI). Starter homes were developed on subdivided lots to create compact, affordable housing options, while sixplexes and quadplexes, designed to resemble single-family homes‚ were targeted at renters, including Section 8 voucher recipients.
Chattanooga Missing Middle Housing was awarded the 2024 Jack Kemp Excellence in Affordable and Workforce Housing Award by the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing. For more 2024 Award winners, see 425 Grand Concourse, PAH! Hiland Plaza, and The Laureate.
Image Credit: Creative Revolver, Chattanooga TN
Case Study Summary: The Chattanooga Missing Middle Housing project, led by Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise Inc. (CNE), transformed 50 vacant parcels in the Highland Park and Ridgedale neighborhoods into 181 units of missing middle housing. Designed to bridge the gap between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, the project aimed to preserve neighborhood character while increasing density. The opportunity arose when Tennessee Temple University closed, freeing 34 scattered lots for redevelopment. Both neighborhoods were chosen for their traditional urban layout, walkability, proximity to downtown, and need for reinvestment.
Highland Park and Ridgedale are historic neighborhoods southeast of downtown Chattanooga, known for their classic architecture, tree-lined streets, and community spirit. CNE's primary goals were to provide affordable rental and homeownership opportunities, rebuild disinvested communities, and create replicable prototypes for future developments. The target market included families and individuals earning between 60 and 80 percent of the area median income (AMI). Starter homes were developed on subdivided lots to create compact, affordable housing options, while sixplexes and quadplexes, designed to resemble single-family homes‚ were targeted at renters, including Section 8 voucher recipients.
Chattanooga Missing Middle Housing was awarded the 2024 Jack Kemp Excellence in Affordable and Workforce Housing Award by the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing. For more 2024 Award winners, see 425 Grand Concourse, PAH! Hiland Plaza, and The Laureate.
Image Credit: Creative Revolver, Chattanooga TN
LAND USES
- Mixed Residential