Designing Chattanooga, TN: the James Building

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Let’s zoom in on the James Building. | NOOGAtoday

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If you’ve walked around downtown Chattanooga, you’ve probably noticed how rich the city is with good architecture. So, we’re going to dive into the history of some of Nooga’s most iconic buildings, and we’re kicking off this series, called “Designing Chattanooga” with our city’s first skyscraper, the James Building.

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Look up and see the details. | NOOGAtoday

The architect

Reuben H. Hunt. He was raised in Elbert County, Georgia and moved to Chattanooga in 1882. It was here he started working as a carpenter for the firm of Adams Brothers, who were building contractors. By 1885 he was one of the firm’s architects, and only a year later he started his own venture.

Fast facts:

The style

Neoclassicismthink: order, balance, clarity, economy, and emotional restraint. It became popular in the 1700s, aka the Age of Enlightenment, and reflects the style of the Greeks + Romans. The movement declined in the mid-1800s, but its influence carried into the American Renaissance movement and architects continued using the style into the 1900s.

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Notice the details in the column + the textured wall. | NOOGAtoday

The James Building was constructed in 1906 and 1907 and is named after its developer, Charles E. James, who is also credited with the creation of the town of Signal Mountain. The 128,817-square-foot building is 187 ft tall, has 12 floors and 4 elevators, and had one renovation in 1987.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Look for:

Current

These days, the James Building is used as a commercial office building + it houses Sleepyhead Coffee and men’s clothing store Bruce Baird & Co. on the ground floor.

Dew James LLC currently owns the building, after buying it for $5.8 million in 2016.

Quiz

Photo by Kelly Lacy via Pexels

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