---
title: "Chattanooga Federal Courthouse Breaks Ground Oct. 21"
url: https://www.herechattanooga.com/2026/10/17/chattanooga-federal-courthouse-groundbreaking/
date: 2026-10-17T05:24:27-04:00
modified: 2026-10-17T05:24:27-04:00
author: "Tyler J. Saunders"
categories: ["Business"]
site: "HEREChattanooga"
attribution: "HEREChattanooga"
---

# Chattanooga Federal Courthouse Breaks Ground Oct. 21

> CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Construction on downtown Chattanooga, Tenn.'s long-planned federal courthouse formally starts next week, with a groundbreaking ceremony set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. The project carries a $282 million price tag. Federal planners say the building will bring the Eastern District of Tennessee's court operations together in one place and meet the

*Source: [HEREChattanooga](https://www.herechattanooga.com/2026/10/17/chattanooga-federal-courthouse-groundbreaking/) — October 17, 2026 by Tyler J. Saunders*

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Construction on downtown Chattanooga, Tenn.’s long-planned federal courthouse formally starts next week, with a groundbreaking ceremony set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21.

The project carries a $282 million price tag. Federal planners say the building will bring the Eastern District of Tennessee’s court operations together in one place and meet the region’s needs for decades.

The General Services Administration chief, Edward C. Forst, is scheduled to attend along with Chief Judge Travis R. McDonough, U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty, UTC Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce and other elected and civic leaders.

Plans call for roughly 191,000 square feet of space on Vine Street. Inside will be seven courtrooms and nine chambers for judges, plus 40 parking spaces under the roof. Federal marshals and the local office of federal prosecutors will also have dedicated space in the building.

Design renderings released in June show a classical look, with modern security systems and courtroom technology behind the traditional facade. Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp called it the most significant building the county has seen in decades when the drawings came out.

Some residents questioned the Vine Street location early on. County leaders said federal officials pointed to cost savings and other factors in choosing the site, and the new building is expected to anchor a downtown courts district that already draws lawyers, jurors and visitors every weekday.

The site sits across Fountain Square from the Hamilton County Courthouse, one of the anchor buildings of downtown. Local leaders have said a new federal courthouse has been under discussion for more than 30 years.