The U.S. General Services Administration has broken ground on a $282 million federal courthouse in downtown Chattanooga, marking the start of construction on a facility expected to be substantially completed in 2030.
The approximately 191,000-square-foot courthouse will house the U.S. District Court and U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, along with the Circuit Library. The facility will feature seven courtrooms, nine judges’ chambers, secure parking and space for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Marshals Service.
The classically inspired building is among the first federal courthouses designed under President Donald Trump’s executive order promoting traditional civic architecture.
Brasfield & Gorrie is serving as construction manager, with HOK leading the design team.
City accepting Veterans Bridge flag applications
The city of Chattanooga is accepting applications for its Veterans Bridge Flag program, which allows residents, families and organizations to honor military veterans by sponsoring American flags flown over the Tennessee River.
The bridge features 30 flagpoles displaying flags donated in honor of veterans. New flags are raised twice annually, on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Individuals, families and recognized veterans organizations may apply to sponsor a flag honoring a specific veteran or branch of the military. Applications must be submitted at least two weeks before either holiday.
Applications and information about fees and scheduling are available at chattanooga.gov/pay-and-apply/permits-applications/veterans-bridge-flag.
Hamilton County building permits increase
Residential and commercial building permit activity increased in Hamilton County during the first half of 2026, with commercial construction values posting strong gains, according to new reports from The Market Edge.
The county recorded 994 residential building permits through June 30, up 15% from 868 during the same period in 2025. Permits for high-end homes, defined as those exceeding 4,000 square feet or $400,000 in permit value, more than doubled from 71 to 151.
Commercial building permits increased 37%, from 180 during the first six months of 2025 to 247 during the same period this year. The combined value of those permits climbed 70%, from $238.7 million to $405.4 million.
The increases contrast with the broader five-county Chattanooga market, where residential permits declined 2% during the first half of 2026. Commercial permit values across the region, however, more than doubled to $631.1 million.
The Market Edge is a building permit compilation service based in Knoxville. The company compiles data from 325 code enforcement offices in 158 counties.
Chattanooga partners on training initiative
The city of Chattanooga is partnering with Accelerator for America and The Skills Initiative to develop an employer-led workforce training program aimed at connecting unemployed and underemployed residents with local jobs.
The partnership, supported by Truist Foundation, builds on One Chattanooga Works, a workforce development initiative launched in April to connect residents ages 25-54 with training for in-demand jobs.
The effort will draw on a program developed in Philadelphia, where The Skills Initiative reports having trained and placed 1,549 residents with 24 employers since 2011. According to the organization, graduates earn an average of $12,000 more annually and remain employed at twice the rate of typical workforce program graduates.
Accelerator for America and The Skills Initiative will study Chattanooga’s labor market, identify a local organization to operate the program and help develop its first training cohorts.
The city has not announced a timeline for launching the program.
Workforce training study examines needs
A new study commissioned by the city of Chattanooga will identify neighborhoods where residents are most likely to need job training and examine barriers to their participation.
Conducted in partnership with the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, the Neighborhood Needs Assessment examines 14 U.S. Census tracts, focusing on challenges such as access to childcare and transportation.
The study will also support One Chattanooga Works, the city’s workforce development initiative described in the preceding brief.
The assessment defines potential trainees as residents with at least a high school diploma or GED who live below 300% of the federal poverty level and are either unemployed and not attending school or employed and earning less than $35,000 annually.
City officials say the findings will help guide workforce training programs and support services to improve residents’ access to employment opportunities.