Wingate Inn Chattanooga

Chattanooga has been blessed with an abundance of great architecture since the second half of the nineteenth century. Unfortunately, a good bit of this architecture has been lost over the last century. Thanks to Cornerstones, a local non-profit historic preservation organization, as well as several other individuals, many historic buildings and places in Chattanooga have been restored and preserved using economical means. Anytime a historic building faces the possibility of demolition, Cornerstones will step in and work with the owners or the city to see that every step is taken to try to save it. Typically, they will buy it or find a buyer for it, help restore and repair the building, and find a good use for it that is profitable. Most saved buildings are made into office space, retail space, apartments, hotels, or a combination of these.

One great example of Cornerstone's accomplishments is the St. John's Hotel. This four story building was built in 1915 and was designed by the famous Chattanooga architect Rubin Harrison Hunt. It is one of the few remaining buildings in Chattanooga with a triangular floor plan due to the city having two different street grids, which caused many of the streets to intersect at about 40 degree angles. It is located on the 1200 block of Market Street at the King Street intersection. Today the St. John's building consists of loft-style apartments on the top floors, with retail space on the ground floor. Its primary tenant is the St. John's Restaurant, one of Chattanooga's finest. I have not been there, but I have heard it is excellent! It was given a great review in the Chattanooga article in the travel section of the New York Times. However, it is pretty expensive and I would bet they require reservations and a dress code. I have heard that the typical cost is about $50 per person. If you are looking for a great, classy dinner, this is definitely a top choice in Chattanooga.