Ringgold Renaissance Strategic Vision & Plan | 2017

2017

Ringgold R E N A I S S A N C E S T R AT E G I C V I S I O N & P L A N

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CREDITS Ringgold RSVP Steering Committee Nick Millwood, Mayor Terry Crawford, Mayor Pro Tem Lee Tubbs, Chairman, Ringgold Planning Commission Dr. Ronal Graham, Chairman, Convention and Visitors Bureau Randall Franks, Chairman, Downtown Development Authority and City Council Member Ross Andrews, Local Architect, Ringgold Downtown Partners Dan Wright, City Manager Rhonda Johnson, Main Street Manager Jamie Klementisz, Interim Main Street Manager Ringgold Mayor & City Council Nick Millwood, Mayor Terry Crawford, Mayor Pro Tem Randall Franks Jake Haynes Larry C. Black Sara Clark

Special thanks to all of those who attended focus group meetings, took part in interviews, voiced their opinions at the town hall, and participated in the community survey. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to City Manager Dan Wright for his continuous assistance, insight, and leadership during this effort.

Lyndhurst Foundation This project was made possible by the generous support of the Lyndhurst Foundation. Thank you to the Lyndhurst Foundation for its steadfast commitment to improving communities across the Metropolitan Chattanooga region.

Benic “Bruz� Clark III, President, Treasurer Macon C. Toledano, Associate Director Catherine Cox, Executive Assistant and Ringgold Resident Thrive 2055 Bridgett Massengill, Executive Director Ruth Thompson, Communications and Outreach Manager Georgia Municipal Association / Georgia Cities Foundation Perry Hiott, Director of Community Development Chris Higdon, Manager, Community Development The University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government Danny Bivins, Senior Public Service Associate, Principal Investigator Kaitlin Messich, Senior Designer T. Clark Stancil, Landscape and Urban Designer Dan Shinkle, Landscape and Urban Designer Robert Hines, Graduate Assistant Weiye Wang, Graduate Assistant Arianne Wolfe, Graduate Assistant Karen DeVivo, Editor

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T A B L E of

CONTENTS PARTNERS..................................................................................................4 THE RENAISSANCE STRATEGIC VISIONINg & PLANNING APPROACH....................................................................6 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................8 THE downtown ringgold renaissance strategic vision & plan (r svp).......................................................................18 RINGGOLD DOWNTOWN MASTERPLAN......................................24 1. CONNECTING OUTDOOR RECREATION............................28 • Greening the Lafayette Corridor • Legion Street & Golden Mile Trail 2. DOWNTOWN CORE IMPROVEMENTS................................50 • Nashville Street Corridor • Ringgold Warehouse District 3. PROMOTION: BUILDING A LOCAL DESTINATION........88 CONCLUSION & NEXT STEPS...........................................................100

PARTNERS B

ringing together a diverse mix of public institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and private foundations, the Georgia Downtown Renaissance Partnership combines the skills and resources of the Lyndhurst Foundation, the Georgia Municipal Association, the Georgia Cities Foundation, and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government to revitalize communities across Georgia. The Georgia Downtown Renaissance Partnership facilitates the creation of strategic visions, plans, and work programs for partner communities in Georgia and the tristate Chattanooga metropolitan area as part of the Lyndhurst Foundation’s Thrive 2055 planning initiative.

The Georgia Downtown Renaissance Partnership works with government leaders, downtown stakeholders, and local citizens to help ensure that all cities in Georgia have the resources and tools necessary to realize their vision and maximize their potential.

Carl Vinson Institute of Government Since 1927, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government has worked with public officials throughout Georgia and around the world to improve governance and people’s lives. From Georgia’s early days as a largely agrarian state with a modest population to its modern-day status as a national and international force in business, industry, and politics with a population of 10 million, we have helped government leaders navigate change and forge strong directions for a more prosperous Georgia.

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The Lyndhurst Foundation

Georgia Municipal Association

The Lyndhurst Foundation had its beginnings in the broad local and regional philanthropic activities of Thomas Cartter Lupton, a pioneer in the Coca-Cola bottling business. First organized in 1938 as the Memorial Welfare Foundation, the Lyndhurst Foundation identifies and invests in initiatives, institutions, people, and programs that contribute to the long-term livability and resilience of the greater Chattanooga region. The foundation works to accomplish this mission by focusing its efforts on education, conservation, arts, culture, economy, urban design and development, neighborhood revitalization, and physical health.

Created in 1933, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) is the only state organization that represents municipal governments in Georgia. Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, nonprofit organization that provides legislative advocacy and educational, employee benefit, and technical consulting services to its members.

GMA’s purpose is to anticipate and influence the forces shaping Georgia’s communities and to provide leadership, tools, and services that assist local governments in becoming more innovative, effective, and responsive.

Georgia Cities Foundation

Thrive 2055

The Georgia Cities Foundation, founded in 1999, is a nonprofit subsidiary of the Georgia Municipal Association. The foundation’s mission is to assist cities in their efforts to revitalize and enhance downtown areas by serving as a partner and facilitator in funding capital projects through the revolving loan fund. Its services include the Revolving Loan Fund Program, the Heart The objective of the Thrive 2055 initiative is to identi- and Soul Bus Tour, the Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Tour, fy regional values and goals along with developing a Downtown Development Authority Basic Training, consensus on strategies related to regional economic and the Renaissance Award. development, the region’s natural treasures, regional transportation, and education and training that can be implemented for the long-term prosperity of the region.

Thrive 2055 is a citizen-led, public-private endeavor to engage people from across the 16-county, tristate Chattanooga region of Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia, and Northeast Alabama to make the most of regional economic opportunities while preserving what citizens love about their home communities.

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T H E R E NA I S S A N C E S T R AT E G I C VISIONING & PLANNING

APPROACH F

unded with generous support from the Lynd- dation of the nine-month strategic visioning effort outhurst Foundation, the Downtown Ringgold

lined within this report.

Renaissance Strategic Vision and Plan (RSVP)

Step 1: Where are we now?

provides both short-term strategies and a 30-year road-

To know where you’re going, it helps to know where

map for the future of the community. Shaped by the in-

you’ve been. Step one of the RSVP process provides a

put of more than 1,200 Ringgold residents and guided

fundamental understanding of current conditions in

by a steering committee of dedicated public officials and

Ringgold through the development of a demographic

citizen volunteers, the RSVP approach relies on three

profile, an analysis of market conditions, and an exten-

basic questions to evaluate current conditions in the

sive public engagement process.

community, address issues to ensure success, and create

a roadmap to enacting Ringgold’s vision for the future.

These questions—“Where are we now?”, “Where are we going?”, and “How do we get there?”—provide the foun-

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1.

E WHERE AR WE NOW?

Step 2: Where are we going?

In the second step of the RSVP process, Ringgold

ll meeting town ha

ence

visual prefer

looks to the future to shape the shared vision for the

survey

PLAN REVIEW

tee

city that emerged in step one. Built on the community

demographics

desires and strengths discovered in community input

t m mi s t e e r i n g c o i ng meet

interviews

sessions, in step two Ringgold’s vision is interpreted

focus g

roups

through illustrations and design recommendations.

Step 3: How do we get there?

2. where are we going?

During the final step in the RSVP process, communi-

ty leaders come together to create an implementation plan to move Ringgold toward the community’s vision for the future. By focusing on achievable implementation items with community support, step three builds

de si gn

momentum while helping to enact Ringgold’s vision

r en d er in gs visual

in a step-by-step process.

3. et how do we g

7

re? e h t

ization

wor

k program

tions design solu implementation plan

INTRODUCTION

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or centuries, the narrow gap formed by White Oak Mountain and Taylor Ridge has funneled travelers of all stripes from the rich Tennessee Valley to the hilly Piedmont and Atlantic Ocean beyond.

Since the completion of the Federal Road linking Knoxville with Athens and the interior of Georgia through Ringgold Gap around 1805, Ringgold’s fate has rested on the city’s location at a key strategic regional crossroads. Along the new road and just west of Ringgold Gap, prominent local Cherokee Richard Taylor began to construct saw and grist mills, an inn and tavern for weary travelers, and a 150-acre plantation for his growing family. Known as Taylor’s Crossroads, this settlement would become the site of modern Ringgold. With Chief John Ross and others, Taylor accompanied several delegations of Cherokee officials to petition the federal government to honor treaties made with the tribe and prohibit escalating frontier encroachment along Geor-

gia’s border with the Cherokee Nation. Despite his noted diplomatic efforts and forays to various presidents, Taylor was forced to leave his home and resettle west of the Mississippi. In 1838 Taylor led a contingent of 897 of his people westward on the Trail of Tears, never to return to the land they built. Fifty-five of his companions died on the journey.

Like the then-booming town of Atlanta 100 miles to the south, Ringgold’s modern origins began with the completion of the state-chartered Western and Atlantic Railroad through Ringgold Gap in 1845. Sited on the former Taylor’s Crossroads, Ringgold was incorporated in 1847 and subsequently boomed following the completion of the railroad in 1850. For years Ringgold served as the northern terminus of the railroad line, bringing traffic and commerce to this formerly sleepy corner of Northwest Georgia. By the late 1850s, Ringgold’s hand-

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some stone depot, antebellum Whitman-Anderson House, and stately brick Whitman Store, as well as Catoosa County’s first courthouse all bore witness to the city’s rise as a shipping and political hub. In those hurly burly early days, Ringgold’s saloons, mills, and stores all teemed with activity. Like the rapidly growing nation around it, Ringgold was filled with the restless energy of the frontier.

came to a head in the city in 1862. Doggedly pursued for almost 80 miles by William Allen Fuller and later by the crew of the locomotive Texas, Union spy James Andrews and his band of raiders traveled the distance from Kennesaw to Ringgold cutting tracks and severing telegraph lines before abandoning their hijacked locomotive The General two miles north of Ringgold Depot.

All of the raiders were captured over the following weeks and several were hanged for their actions. While largely unscathed by the war until 1862, soon the city’s public buildings, private homes, and surrounding springs became devoted to hospital beds for Confederates wounded in the assaults of the Chattanooga campaign. With losses mounting, Ringgold became overrun with the miserable parade of the wounded, dead, and dying. Just a year and a half after Andrews’ raid, Ringgold itself was under siege, ushering in a major turning point in the war following the Battle of Ringgold Gap.

Due in large part to the topographical bottleneck of Ringgold Gap and the city’s status as a gateway between the Upland and Deep South, Ringgold has long played an outsized role in American history. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the city’s strategic location and vital railroad line put Ringgold in the crosshairs of advancing Union forces and Confederates determined to hold vital supply lines from Atlanta. One of the most daring raids of the war, the Great Locomotive Chase,

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1864 photograph of Ringgold and surroundings. Courtesy of the National Archives.

alfred waud sketched this rendering of the chaos unfolding at the Battle of Ringgold

Gap while traveling with the Union Army. Ringgold’s historic Western and Atlantic Train Depot occupies a prominent position in the background.

“IT WAS THE DOGGONDEST FIGHT OF THE WAR...

The ground was piled with dead Yankees; they were piled in heaps... From the foot to the top of the hill was covered with the slain, all lying on their faces. It had the appearance of the roof of a house shingled with dead Yankees.”

Mathew Brady photograph of Union forces camped outside of Ringgold, 1864.

Courtesy of the National Archives.

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“RINGGOLD WAS A GHOST TOWN…WHAT HAD BEEN THE MOST ENTERPRISING TOWN IN NORTH GEORGIA, WITH FLOURISHING BUSINESSES, NICE STORES AND BEAUTIFUL HOMES, WAS LEFT A FOREST OF SOOT-COVERED CHIMNEYS.” - William H.H. Clark, History of Catoosa County

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ollowing a disastrous rout at Missionary Ridge in September 1863, Confederate forces began a chaotic retreat through Northwest Georgia along the vital Western and Atlantic Railroad line. Retreating General Braxton Bragg called upon Major General Patrick Cleburne to protect his forces and defend Ringgold Gap against the Union advance as Bragg secured a position for his men and artillery in Dalton. A wily and strategic commander, Cleburne used Ringgold’s hilly terrain and mighty stone depot to conceal many of his 4,200 troops and artillery. On November 27, 1863, 16,000 Union forces under the command of Major General Joseph B. Hooker marched in formation to take the gap and confront Bragg’s retreating troops. Cleburne unleashed a volley of fire on the unsuspecting army, opening an unrelenting five-hour battle for control of the gap. Exhausting supplies and ammunition, Cleburne was ordered to fall back eastward across the gap, burning a railroad trestle to prevent the federal advance.

Commended for his mettle and strategy, Cleburne and his forces enabled the Confederates to continue their dogged defense of Northwest Georgia for another nine months. Suffering more than 500 casualties and the escape of Cleburne and his forces, Hooker was publicly condemned and forced to return to Chattanooga. In the aftermath of the battle, advancing General Ulysses S. Grant set up a headquarters at the Whitman-Anderson House. Soon General William Tecumseh Sherman would assemble 100,000 troops outside Ringgold. Before heading southward in pursuit of the Confederate Army, Sherman burned many of the city’s homes, stores, and buildings. The Atlanta Campaign, and the long slog to the end of the war, had begun.

and destitute. In what had been a teeming boomtown, a single woman and one family comprised the entire population of Ringgold for a period following the war.

Among the vacant husks of the city’s prewar buildings and wasted fields, Ringgold began to slowly rebuild.

Once again Ringgold’s strategic location and the gap formed the basis for the city’s revival. Eventually the railroad was repaired and provided the area with a vital regional connection to markets in Chattanooga, Atlanta, and beyond. After decades of grinding poverty and piecemeal recovery, by the late 1920s, Ringgold saw commerce and tourist traffic once again along Nashville Street downtown after the route was included in the new United States Highway System. Designated in 1926, US Highway 41, “Dixie Highway,” along Nashville Street ferried Midwestern tourists, freight, and commerce between Florida and Michigan through Ringgold Gap. The railroad and highway connections through Northwest Georgia fostered the development of new industry, as a cottage trade in tufted bedspreads for tourists grew into the world’s largest concentration of carpet manufacturing. Centered around Dalton, Northwest Georgia’s emergence as an industrial powerhouse brought new wealth and jobs to Ringgold and outlying areas.

Along with trucks and commerce, the highway brought newlyweds as well. During World War II and through the 1950s and 1960s, Ringgold’s proximity to Tennessee and a reputation for same-day blood tests allowed the city to gain renown as the “Wedding Capital of the South.” Celebrities such as country music legends Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, and George Jones tied the knot in Ringgold (the latter to each other) in the 1960s.

Perhaps fitting for the singer of “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” Wynette chose Ringgold’s Catoosa County Courthouse Like much of Georgia in the path of Sherman’s voraas the site for two of her five marriages. cious army, Ringgold emerged from the war emptied 11

Ringgold, Georgia, offers an enticing slice of small-town life for workers drawn to the big city amenities of the Chattanooga metropolitan area. With an attractive location, strong school system, comfortably middle-class community, and affordable cost of living, Ringgold is poised for growth well into the future.

POPULATION

Circa 1940 view of downtown Ringgold along US-41. Courtesy of the Georgia Archives.

of RINGGOLD

1870

TO 2016 & BEYOND

6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1870

1890

1910

1930

1950

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1970

1990

2010

2016

2050

Circa 1940 view of downtown Ringgold along US-41. Courtesy of the Georgia Archives.

ringgold by the numbers Ringgold 2016 Population: 4,378 Ringgold Median Home Value: $129,900 | Georgia: $148,100 Ringgold Median Household Income: $37,823 | Georgia: $49,620 Ringgold Median Age: 33.0 | Georgia: 35.9 Catoosa County Total Population: 67,896 Catoosa County Projected 2025 Population: 73,000 Catoosa County Projected 2050 Population: 83,000 Catoosa County Projected Growth Rate 2010–2030: 22% 13

Again relying on the city’s strategic location and topography, Ringgold finally returned to prewar levels of prosperity following the completion of Interstate-75 through Ringgold Gap in the early 1960s. Like the Federal Road, Western and Atlantic Railroad, and US 41 threaded through Ringgold Gap before it, I-75 once again put Ringgold squarely in the path of regional trade, commerce, and growth. Connection to the burgeoning postwar network of interstate highways fed the area’s growing manufacturing industries and opened up Ringgold as a destination for commuters to nearby Chattanooga. Soon, vacant fields surrounding the city sprouted with tract homes and shopping centers. Ringgold’s rapid growth has come at a cost to the city’s character and history. On the former site of Catoosa famous son Richard Taylor’s plantation Mount Hope, now stands a Waffle House and a Kentucky Fried Chicken. National chain stores and vast parking lots now occupy the site of many once pastoral fields and verdant surroundings where Union soldiers camped. Drawn by the city’s great school system, high quality of life, and proximity to employment centers in Chattanooga and Northwest Georgia, new residents continue to flock to Ringgold to claim their slice of the American Dream. While economic growth near I-75 has changed the look of the city, local citizens take pride in Ringgold’s now bustling downtown and rich history that remains at the heart of the community, including the historic Ringgold Depot preserved by a band of local citizens and the city in 1999.

Standing at the restored 1849 depot still patched and pockmarked from the Battle of Ringgold Gap, visitors today in Ringgold can soak in a quaint downtown and close-knit small-town atmosphere steeped in history. Locals and travelers flock to events like the 1890s Days and the Great Locomotive Chase 5K, and they treasure the hundreds of flags and crosses that honor veterans on Memorial Day. Public gems like the Ringgold Depot and the Chief Richard Taylor Nature Trail connect lifelong residents and first-time visitors to the

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rich tapestry of Ringgold’s past and the scenic beauty that surrounds the city. Local citizens love the smalltown sense of place that is alive and well in Ringgold. In many conversations with Ringgold citizens during the public input process, locals expressed their love of this city, their neighbors, churches, and strong community.

Many compared Ringgold to the idealized small town of Mayberry, a place where neighbors look out for one another, children play outside, and parents feel safe raising the next generation. This community spirit was on full display in the aftermath of the disastrous tornado of 2011, when an F4 claimed eight lives in the city and destroyed or damaged a third of Ringgold’s homes and businesses. Like Ringgold citizens in the aftermath of Sherman’s march, locals once again pulled together to recover from disaster. Drawing on their shared faith and devotion to one another, today Ringgold has recovered economically and is once again a prosperous and growing community. This indomitable sense of community is Ringgold’s most precious resource. Throughout the master-planning process, it emerged clearly that Ringgold’s challenge is balancing new growth while preserving this cherished small-town character. By leveraging and connecting the city’s remarkable assets, rich history, and love of community, Ringgold can continue to move forward to fulfill local residents’ vision for their beloved small town.

Restored in 2003, Ringgold’s historic Western and Atlantic Depot today serves as the centerpiece of vibrant downtown Ringgold.

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DOWNTOWN RINGGOLD

Viewed from the city’s restored depot, downtown Ringgold remains a picturesque and welcoming destination.

To help address the challenges of Ringgold’s rapid growth while creating a guiding community-supported vision for downtown, the city partnered with the University of Georgia’s Carl Vison Institute of Government to develop a 30-year masterplan for downtown. Even before this planning effort concluded, the city had made numerous strides toward realizing this vision for the future. Under the capable and devoted leadership of Ringgold’s local government officials and staff members, new businesses have opened downtown, formerly vacant properties have been filled, and indus16

try in Ringgold has expanded. The city has also moved to improve and expand ongoing downtown events like the city’s popular Ringgold Haunted Depot, cementing downtown as the center of local community life. Keeping this positive momentum going is key to realizing Ringgold’s vision of a thriving, community-focused downtown. With talented and steady-handed leadership in place and growth on the way, the city’s challenge remains managing success to ensure that Ringgold continues to be a great place to call home.

NEW DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES The Dapper Gentleman Parker’s Direct Flooring Grocery Outlet Nashville Street Shoes Pepper’s Fresh Mexican Restaurant Shaw Industries (Expansion)

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T H E D OW N T OW N R I N G G O L D R E NA I S S A N C E S T R AT E G I C V I S I O N & P L A N

RSVP B

Ringgold’s Top Hits: • Sense of Community • Strategic Location • Local Economy • History • Natural Features

eginning in February 2017, faculty and staff at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government partnered with the city of Ringgold to begin an extensive planning process aimed at creating a community-supported vision for the city’s future. In one-on-one interviews, in focus groups, during a public town hall meeting, and through a community-wide survey with over 1,260 responses, Ringgold residents came out in force to share what makes the city special. Ringgold’s proud citizens overwhelmingly see the city as a friendly, “Mayberry-like” small town. While community members and business leaders praised the city’s proximity to big city assets and employment centers, they also treasure the small-town sense of place that Ringgold has maintained in the wake of new growth. Particularly downtown, residents value the mom-and-pop businesses and local restaurants that are part of the fabric of the community. These downtown businesses, owned, operated, and staffed by local citizens, help form the bedrock of a strong local community. Ringgold residents see the success of these locally owned businesses as critical to the prosperity of the city moving forward. In addition to a thriving local business community, Ringgold residents cherish the city’s rich sense of history, downtown’s many architectural landmarks, and the surrounding scenic beauty of Northwest Georgia. Many praised the Chief Richard Taylor Nature Trail, Little General Park, Dragging Canoe Memorial Launch, and new recreation improvements that allow locals to explore the beauty of South Chickamauga Creek and connect residents to the past.

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Ringgold’s citizens took every opportunity to share their vision for downtown. Here, locals at the Ringgold RSVP Town Hall share their views on what is working downtown.

As part of the public input process, Ringgold RSVP Steering Committee members organized and studied photos of downtown Ringgold to help determine what is working well in the area.

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Constructed in 2008 and playfully commemorating the battles of the Atlanta Campaign, Little General Park is a go-to destination for the children and young families who call Ringgold home.

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hen given the opportunity to voice their priorities for the city, many citizens indicated they were worried that the very qualities that make Ringgold a great place to live, own a business, and raise a family are imperiled by growth and rapid development. Many recognized that Ringgold’s strategic location, while a tremendous asset, puts the city squarely in the path of growth. The Ringgold Demographic Analysis, included in the digital appendix to the Ringgold RSVP, supports this concern with population projections and trends for the city. While current projections vary in the amount of new growth, all population forecasts for the area illustrate plainly that Ringgold will continue to grow considerably over the next three decades. The most conservative estimates available forecast a county-wide population increase of 25.66% by 2050. Those who have lived in the city for decades have seen Ringgold develop exponential-

ly over time, with the population more than doubling since 1990. While Ringgold’s growth has enabled new improvements like the city’s nature trail, a rejuvenated depot, and Little General Park, over the same period locals have witnessed the proliferation of strip malls, national chains, chaotic signage, and parking lots over the fields and pastures that once surrounded the city.

While boosting tax revenue in the short term, this influx of national chains along key corridors leading to I-75 threatens the long-term health of locally owned businesses and Ringgold’s cherished small-town way of life. Throughout the public input process, locals stressed the necessity of accommodating the growth forecasted for the city without sacrificing the qualities that make Ringgold a great place to live.

With new growth on the way, now is the time to determine how tomorrow’s Ringgold will look, feel, and func20

tion for the city’s current and future residents. Public input responses plainly indicate that community members overwhelmingly cherish the rich history, handsome architecture, friendly hometown feel, local businesses, and walkable streets that make downtown Ringgold the heart of the community. Many would like to see the city grow in a way that complements and builds on the success of Ringgold’s historic and picturesque downtown.

To achieve this goal, many community members advocate steps be taken to ensure that new development fits in with the scale, character, and overall feel that make downtown an attractive destination for locals and visitors. Residents also believe that improving downtown infrastructure like sidewalks, crosswalks, parking, and the like is critical to drive successful development downtown. Many would love to see greater variety in local businesses, particularly more diverse restaurant and upscale dining options, to help create the vibrant destination desired by the community. Having enjoyed the trail system along Chickamauga Creek, locals widely support further connecting Ringgold with the natural beauty that surrounds the city and expanding outdoor recreation to attract visitors and investment. Reversing the pattern of autocentric development on outlying corridors in favor of a more traditional, people-friendly downtown will take a commitment of political will but could cement the qualities that make Ringgold a great place to call home.

Under the steadfast local leadership of Ringgold’s mayor, council, city manager, dedicated staff members, and Ringgold’s active Downtown Development Authority, the city is already working to create the thriving downtown envisioned by the local community. By working to attract new businesses and fill vacant properties, assisting property owners with renovation, expanding downtown streetscaping, and more, local leaders are making real steps toward creating the downtown destination desired by the community. Continuing to focus on preserving the quality of life in the city by developing an appropriate framework for new growth downtown could pay dividends for the city long into the future.

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View of the city’s trails at South Chickamauga Creek Park.

Ringgold’s Top issues: • Manage Growth to Preserve the City’s Small-Town Feel • Create a Local Destination • Traffic and Infrastructure • Outdoor Recreation

Shaped by the input of more than 1,200 community members,

the Ringgold Renaissance Strategic Vision and Plan (RSVP) provides an in-depth look at what local residents value and how community members would like to see growth take place in the city. The citizen-led Ringgold RSVP Steering Committee worked to incorporate these top issues into a plan to guide the future of the city.

These dedicated local citizens refined community priorities to determine a mission statement and the following goals to guide the planning process: • Preserve and build on Ringgold’s beloved small-town character and historic heritage while accommodating new growth • Ensure a welcoming and accessible downtown experience that is easy to enjoy by foot, golf cart, or car • Create a small-town destination by encouraging a variety of authentic, locally owned retail and dining options • Build on the attraction of Ringgold’s beloved natural environment and wealth of history The final plan works to address the priorities of the community and ensure a future in which Ringgold retains the city’s historic character and remains a thriving and friendly small town long into the future.

The popularity of Ringgold’s existing trail system along South Chickamauga Creek can serve as a catalyst for future development in harmony with the scenic beauty of Ringgold’s surroundings.

Photo Credit: Bill Bolen, Soczoo, Wordpress

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The historic downtown buildings, restored depot, and more make downtown Ringgold an attractive destination for locals. Retaining Ringgold’s smalltown character while embracing new growth is the local community’s key goal.

Banners, street trees, handsome sidewalks, and more make Ringgold’s core a welcoming and accessible destination.

The local businesses and mom-and-pop restaurants in downtown Ringgold are critical drivers of the local economy.

Keeping these businesses viable is key to achieving Ringgold’s vision of a thriving downtown destination.

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T H E R I N G G O L D D OW N T OW N

masterplan “Ensure that the storied history and small-town character that make Ringgold special are preserved for future generations by encouraging development that complements and contributes to Ringgold’s historic small-town charm, unique sense of place, and natural beauty. Embrace a future where Downtown Ringgold remains the center of community life by further becoming a local dining, business, and retail destination for the surrounding community and a regional heritage and outdoor tourism attraction.”

- Ringgold Renaissance Strategic Vision and Plan (RSVP) Mission Statement

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ollowing an extensive public engagement process, a review and analysis of current market conditions in downtown Ringgold, and a comprehensive review of demographic trends, faculty and staff at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government collaborated with the Ringgold RSVP Steering Committee to develop a guiding 30-year masterplan for the city. This plan is intended to address the following top issues that emerged during public input sessions with citizens from throughout the community: managing growth to preserve the city’s small-town character, continuing to build a local destination downtown with thriving shops and restaurants, addressing traffic and infrastructure, and building an outdoor recreation destination by further connecting the city to the surrounding environment.

To break down this goal into achievable pieces, the designs proposed for the city are organized into the following sections:

Connecting Outdoor Recreation

• Greening the Lafayette Corridor • Legion Street & Golden Mile Trail

Downtown Core Improvements

• •

Nashville Corridor Ringgold Warehouse District

Promotion: Building a Local Destination 24

Throughout the Ringgold Downtown Masterplan, the priorities of more than 1,200 community members have been integrated to create a guiding vision for the future of Ringgold as a vibrant small-town destination. While the sections that follow will outline improvements in greater detail, the masterplan addresses important issues like expanding downtown parking and pedestrian infrastructure, prioritizes infill development opportunities, expands the character of Ringgold’s downtown core to surrounding streets, and connects the core of the city with new trails and outdoor recreation opportunities along scenic South Chickamauga Creek.

out the plan as an affordable tool to create a cohesive appearance throughout downtown and visually extend the character of Ringgold’s core to outlying streets.

These new plantings reintroduce a canopy of shade, connect downtown with the city’s lush surroundings, calm often heavy traffic, screen inhospitable views, and create a welcoming environment for pedestrians. Along many of the autocentric corridors approaching downtown prioritized for new plantings, unused paved areas and continuous curb cuts have been removed where practical to accommodate wider sidewalks and create planting beds for larger canopy shade trees. The desire for more shade and trees, and a connection to the city’s Currently Nashville Street (US Highway 41) bisects surrounding environment have been balanced with the the center of downtown Ringgold. Along with Lafay- demand for more downtown parking and pedestrian ette Street, Nashville Street’s heavy traffic and width infrastructure. Wherever possible, new parking and present barriers for pedestrians traversing downtown. sidewalks have both been incorporated into the city’s With the exception of the improved streetscaping expanded and beautified streetscape. along Nashville Street between Depot and Tennessee Streets, these corridors generally lack street trees and Changing Ringgold’s growth pattern to one that comsome areas lack sidewalks. Drawing on Ringgold’s ex- plements and builds on the city’s historic downtown isting parks and resources, the Ringgold Downtown poses significant challenges. Achieving development Masterplan works to tie together the two halves of that complements and contributes to Ringgold’s histordowntown Ringgold, improve connectivity, and boost ic small-town charm, unique sense of place, and natural the city’s appeal as an outdoor recreation destination beauty will require the long-term execution of a coherby proposing a 10-foot wide multiuse trail. Linking ent strategy and political will. With the city’s stable and both halves of downtown with the city’s extensive trail committed local leadership already in place and Ringsystem along existing drainage canals and streets, this gold’s indomitable downtown, the city holds the potenwide pedestrian, bike, and golf cart path could improve tial to become the active and vibrant community center overall connectivity, boost activity downtown, improve envisioned by local citizens. Ringgold’s downtown maslocal access to public facilities, and serve as a unique at- terplan works to achieve this vision by appropriately altraction for the city. Christened the Golden Mile Trail, locating new infrastructure and incentivizing the kind this green ribbon of multiuse paths, landscaping and of development desired by the community. Throughout park improvements, and street trees could help to boost the plan, key downtown infill opportunities are highquality of life and generate investment in downtown lighted. Attracting new development here rather than for decades to come. in outlying areas would go a long way toward making Ringgold the thriving small-town destination desired In addition to improved sidewalks and trails, wherever by the community. possible, new street trees have been prioritized through-

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masterplan

T H E R I N G G O L D D OW N T OW N

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

GREENING THE LAFAYETTE CORRIDOR Like many downtowns, several corridors leading into downtown Ringgold illustrate the mistakes of automobile-centric planning over the years. Typical of corridors heavily developed in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Lafayette Street is dominated by continuous expanses of asphalt paving, garish signage, wide setbacks, parking lots, and a dearth of street trees and plantings. Taken together, Lafayette’s spotty sidewalk network, heavy traffic, unwelcoming spans of pavement, and lack of shade deter visitors and create a major barrier to northsouth connectivity downtown. Although many pedestrians use Lafayette Street to access the Catoosa County Courthouse and other government buildings, currently sidewalks exist only on one side of this busy downtown street. The northern side of the street closest to the downtown core is dominated by continuous curb cuts, parking lots, and trash receptacles. The city could consider working with business owners and Catoosa County to reorganize currently chaotic parking patterns and service areas along this key corridor. By restriping selected private parking lots as shown in the Ringgold Downtown Masterplan, the city and private businesses

could realize this opportunity to maximize downtown parking while eliminating redundant paving. Devoting spaces occupied by unnecessary pavement to new pedestrian improvements, landscaping, and more would improve accessibility and crosstown connectivity, address storm water issues, and boost the aesthetic appeal of downtown.

Particularly along Lafayette Street and other corridors leading to the heart of downtown, removing excessive paving creates the opportunity to introduce sidewalks and street trees and extend the character and pedestrian accommodations of downtown Ringgold to outlying streets. Introducing new street trees, rain gardens, and other streetscaping improvements could welcome new visitors and invite new investment along this key corridor. Connecting the heart of downtown visually with street trees and streetscaping and tangibly linking surrounding corridors to downtown with new sidewalks and the Golden Mile Trail could help attract appropriate and cohesive development downtown while tying together the two halves of downtown Ringgold.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

GREENING THE LAFAYETTE CORRIDOR BEFORE

The chaotic array of parking lots and continuous curb cuts along much of Lafayette Street, combined with the dearth of sidewalks and vegetation, make navigating on foot an unwieldy and unattractive experience.

AFTER

By working with property owners to improve, connect, and organize existing parking lots, Ringgold could completely rejuvenate the experience of traveling along Lafayette Street.

When existing parking lots are organized more efficiently, opportunities exist to extend sidewalks, create vegetative barriers between traffic, and bring street trees throughout this important downtown corridor.

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BEFORE

With a multitude of parking lots, wide setbacks, and chaotic signage, Lafayette Street exemplifies many of the issues of autocentric development. Limited shade and the lack of a buffer between pedestrian activity and heavy vehicular traffic make using these sidewalks unpleasant.

AFTER

When the existing right-of-way is used to create a vegetative buffer between pedestrians and traffic, walking along Lafayette Street becomes a more appealing option for locals in this “after� rendering. Here, existing turf strips have been expanded where practical and planted to increase shade and beautify this key corridor into downtown.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

GREENING THE LAFAYETTE CORRIDOR BEFORE

The striped paved area at the corner of Lafayette and Nance Lane shown is one of the many opportunities along Lafayette Street to reduce the amount of pavement and introduce street trees without sacrificing parking spots.

AFTER

By working with county offices and private businesses along Lafayette Street, the city could plant trees and improve pedestrian infrastructure all along Lafayette Street.

Removing unnecessary asphalt and adding street trees would beautify this important gateway into town, visually connect Lafayette to Ringgold’s core, calm heavy traffic, and create a sense of arrival downtown.

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BEFORE

Public parking lots along Lafayette Street contain many opportunities to improve the look and feel of downtown. Here, unutilized paved areas at the Catoosa County Justice Building contribute to storm water runoff and add nothing to the appearance of downtown. No sidewalks connect this important public building to the remainder of downtown.

AFTER

Unutilized paved rights-of-way and publicly owned paved areas could be used to extend sidewalks, buffer traffic, and create planting beds for street trees. Such changes would improve pedestrian safety and quality of life, and would transform the approach to downtown.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

GREENING THE LAFAYETTE CORRIDOR BEFORE

The Catoosa County Courthouse annex on Lafayette Street brings a great deal of pedestrian activity and traffic to Lafayette Street. Heavy traffic and speeding motorists make traversing the mid-block crosswalk shown here a harrowing experience. The assembly of signage, parking lots, and lack of shade along Lafayette Street is a sharp contrast to the beauty of Ringgold’s downtown corridor.

AFTER

By planting street trees and selectively “greening” unutilized paved areas along Lafayette Street, Ringgold could better welcome visitors, calm traffic, and accommodate pedestrian activity along this important corridor. This rendering shows the parking lot of the Catoosa County Courthouse reengineered to allow for a new sidewalk, vegetative buffer, and planted bump-outs, without sacrificing parking capacity.

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BEFORE

Currently occupied by Graham Dentistry, Richard’s, and Sugar Chic bakery, this midcentury strip development illustrates the wide parking lots, absence of shade, and array of signage typical of 1950s development along Lafayette Street.

AFTER

By replacing incongruous signage and false fronts with streamlined, period-appropriate awnings and fonts, the character of this 1950s building becomes more apparent. As shown in the accompanying plan, reengineering the existing parking lot creates the opportunity to introduce street trees, install crosswalks and sidewalks, and extend the traditional Main Street atmosphere found in the core of downtown to this section of Ringgold.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

GREENING THE LAFAYETTE CORRIDOR

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PLAN VIEW The plan details proposed changes to the strip development at the corner of Lafayette and Legion Streets. Reengineering the existing parking lot creates the potential to introduce street trees, sidewalks, crosswalks, and more, while preserving the number of parking spaces. Extended along an expanded sidewalk on the Legion Street portion of the development, the proposed Golden Mile Trail brings activity while connecting the development to downtown and the creek.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

LEGION STREET & THE GOLDEN MILE TRAil

B

uilding on Ringgold’s appeal as a destination for outdoor recreation is a key priority for many local citizens. Ringgold locals treasure assets like the Chief Richard Taylor Nature Trail and Dragging Canoe Memorial Launch that allow residents to enjoy the natural wonders that surround their picturesque mountain town. These well-loved recent improvements connect community institutions and neighborhoods, boost the local quality of life, and serve as unique draws for the city. The proximity of these wonderful park and greenspace improvements near the downtown core holds tremendous potential for the future of the city. With better connections between downtown and Chickamauga Creek, Ringgold could fulfill its potential as an outdoor recreation destination.

desired by the community on underutilized parcels adjacent to the path. An eastern extension of the Golden Mile could wind through a new event lawn at City Hall across the railroad to the existing walking trail and train-viewing pavilion on the other side of downtown.

A potential second phase of the Golden Mile could continue along Tennessee Street to link downtown with the campus of Ringgold High School and Ringgold Middle School. By creating a continuous pedestrian route from the city’s public schools to South Chickamauga Creek and the city’s waterfront trails, Ringgold could be eligible for inclusion in the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program and associated funding awards. Extending the Golden Mile to important community resources like the city’s public schools would help tie together a healthy and active city while encouraging the next generation The Ringgold Downtown Masterplan proposes a to become invested in the future of downtown.

“Golden Mile” of landscaped multiuse trails to connect the heart of downtown with Chickamauga Creek. To better connect downtown with the city’s waterfront Running from Ringgold City Hall through downtown trails, the plan proposes eliminating continuous curb along streets and riparian corridors to Patriot Hall, cuts and excess paving along Legion Street to accomSouth Chickamauga Creek Park, and the creek beyond, modate new street trees, plantings, and sidewalks. On the Golden Mile Trail could help to link key community the west side of Legion Street, a 10-foot multiuse pathresources, the historic downtown core, and Ringgold’s way — the Golden Mile Trail — winding through exscenic surroundings. Where downtown is currently di- isting pastures and woods could allow bicyclists, golf vided by major vehicular corridors like Nashville Street cart riders, and joggers to safely travel between down(US 41) and Lafayette Street, the Golden Mile could town and the existing trail system along South Chickstitch together the two halves of the city, linking neigh- amauga Creek. Prioritizing the connection between borhoods, community resources, and local businesses downtown development and outdoor recreation could with nature while activating downtown as an outdoor help preserve Ringgold’s natural beauty for future genrecreation destination. Running directly through the erations and allow the city to grow in a way that comhistoric core of the city, the Golden Mile could catalyze plements the scenic environment and mountain views the type of pedestrian-friendly traditional development of Ringgold Gap.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

LEGION STREET & THE GOLDEN MILE TRAIL BEFORE

Legion Street connects the heart of downtown Ringgold to recreational facilities and greenway trails along South Chickamauga Creek. Although these amenities lie a stone’s throw from the corner of Legion and Lafayette Streets, currently no visual connection exists between downtown and the city’s popular trail system. Dominated by asphalt paving and parking lots, the corner of Lafayette and Legion could be improved to welcome visitors and better accommodate pedestrian traffic between downtown and the city’s trails.

AFTER

If the city works with private landholders to reengineer existing parking lots, there would be ample space to “green” Legion Street between downtown and South Chickamauga Creek. By expanding sidewalks and planting street trees, Ringgold could create a green ribbon connection between downtown and the city’s trail system along the creek, activating both and expanding the city’s attraction as a recreation destination.

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BEFORE

The Cleburne Shopping Center on Lafayette Street is a prime example of the autocentric development common in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Dominated by asphalt, this parking lot could be restriped to more efficiently accommodate parked cars and incorporate street trees, sidewalks, and more.

AFTER

Working with private landholders to update private parking lots could help to attract more commercial activity to this corner of downtown. By restriping this lot and incorporating trees and plantings, Ringgold could help to visually connect downtown with recreational activities along South Chickamauga Creek.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

LEGION STREET & THE GOLDEN MILE TRAIL BEFORE

This large vacant site at the Cleburne Shopping Center is brimming with potential. The size and location of this parcel make it ideal for future infill development.

AFTER

The style of the proposed infill building is a modest take on the historic downtown architectural form. The rendering features additional on-street parking on Legion Street, an outdoor patio space, and a second floor for residence or office space. Eliminating excessive pavement, formalizing sidewalks, and adding street trees make this corridor a walkable and welcoming space.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

LEGION STREET & THE GOLDEN MILE TRAIL BEFORE

The midcentury strip development at the corner of Legion and Lafayette Streets could be improved to encourage activity and better connect downtown Ringgold to South Chickamauga Creek.

AFTER

With parking more efficiently allocated along Legion Street, ample area exists to improve sidewalks, introduce vegetation, and extend a downtown feel to this prominent property. After expanding sidewalks to accommodate outdoor dining, planting street trees, and connecting this site to the city’s multiuse trails, this corner buzzes with activity.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

LEGION STREET & THE GOLDEN MILE TRAIL BEFORE

Adjacent to a drainage channel leading to South Chickamauga Creek, this wooded property creates a welcoming transition from downtown to the scenic attraction of the city’s greenway trails. Currently no dedicated pedestrian connection exists between downtown and the creek.

AFTER

This property is an ideal location for a multiuse trail link between downtown and Ringgold’s trail system along South Chickamauga Creek. Extending street trees and sidewalks to this section of Legion Street could help bring more activity to the city’s trails and build the city’s reputation as a recreation destination.

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BEFORE

This wooded lot at the corner of Legion Street and Emberson Drive terminates at the recreational facilities that occupy Ringgold’s creekfront park. Though not visible, a partially buried tributary and drainage channel here routes storm water into South Chickamauga Creek.

AFTER

The existing tributary on this property makes it a prime opportunity to extend the city’s waterfront trails into downtown. Selectively daylighting portions of this channel could positively impact water quality and extend the scenic appeal of the creek to this trail spur.

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C O N N E C T I N G O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N :

LEGION STREET & THE GOLDEN MILE TRAIL

BEFORE

With renovations completed in 2015, Patriot Hall plays host to community events and receptions adjacent to the city’s creekfront park.

AFTER

Additional landscaping improvements, handsome signage, and a dedicated sidewalk elevate this already popular community resource and help to connect Ringgold to the city’s trail system. The Ringgold Downtown Masterplan proposes Patriot Hall as the southern terminus of the Golden Mile Trail.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

NASHVILLE STREET CORRIDOR

N

ashville Street, Ringgold’s principal downtown corridor, contains the traditional commercial buildings, historic architecture, and thriving local businesses that make downtown Ringgold a charming and vibrant small-town destination.

While Nashville Street currently boasts the most pedestrian-friendly streetscaping, street trees, and active and inviting street life in town, not all of the corridor matches the appeal of Ringgold’s core downtown block between Depot and Tennessee Streets. Nashville Street’s width and traffic volumes create a major barrier for north-south pedestrian traffic and work to divide downtown in half. To better realize the local vision of continuing to enhance downtown Ringgold’s appeal as a thriving small-town destination, the Downtown Ringgold Masterplan proposes extending the existing streetscaping in the heart of downtown throughout this pivotal corridor. Additionally, extending the Golden Mile Trail across Nashville Street could tie together the two halves of downtown, activating the area by connecting Ringgold’s historic core to the park and recreation facilities along South Chickamauga Creek. Where practical, the plan proposes replacing excessive paving along both public rights-of-way and private parking lots to introduce new plantings, street trees, and sidewalks. A complementary palette of new street trees, plantings, and streetscaping materials throughout the remaining downtown blocks of Nashville Street could boost the appeal of downtown to visitors and potential investors, link newer developments to the historic downtown core, and continue to entice new downtown Street are vacant or in need of renovation. Incentivdevelopment. izing the restoration of buildings and façade improveIn addition to the desire for downtown infrastructure ments along this key corridor would send the powerimprovements along Nashville Street, many locals in- ful message that Ringgold is invested in continuing to dicated that several of the buildings along Nashville build a thriving and inviting downtown.

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N A S H V I L L E S T R E E T, P L A N V I E W

The rendered plan above shows the Nashville Street Corridor.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

NASHVILLE STREET CORRIDOR BEFORE

When entering town from Nashville Street, downtown lacks a sense of arrival as strip developments fade into the city’s historic core.

Crossing this often-busy corridor can also be difficult and dangerous without adequate crosswalks and pedestrian refuges.

AFTER

Replacing excessive asphalt with sidewalk bump-outs that include street trees and pedestrian refuges increases walkability and safety along Nashville Street, calming traffic and signaling a visitor’s entry into downtown.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

NASHVILLE STREET CORRIDOR BEFORE

Located on the western block of Nashville Street downtown, this small alley allows merchants and customers to access a rear service area.

AFTER

With the installation of string lights, period signage, and minimal landscaping, this alley now provides safe access to the rear. Minimal improvements like those illustrated could foster evening activity downtown.

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BEFORE

This intersection of Nashville and Tennessee Streets lies at the heart of downtown Ringgold. Currently, wide expanses of paving and frequent traffic limit pedestrian connectivity between the north and south ends of downtown.

AFTER

Removing excessive paving to extend sidewalks and landscaping could help connect the two halves of downtown and create a sense of arrival. Street trees, signage, and low maintenance landscaping formalize this prominent corner and welcome visitors. Designating improved sidewalks as stretches of the Golden Mile encourages pedestrian activity and exploration.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

NASHVILLE STREET CORRIDOR

AFTER

Renovating this property and incentivizing a restaurateur to set up shop here could bring more life to the town’s center. The addition of an industrial glass garage door welcomes visitors with an open-air cafÊ atmosphere.

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BEFORE

Currently vacant, this midcentury building in the heart of downtown has retro charm and a great location.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

NASHVILLE STREET CORRIDOR

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BEFORE

This storage facility is the first glimpse of downtown Ringgold for many travelers along busy Nashville Street (US Highway 41).

AFTER

It’s impossible to redo a first impression. Partnering with the private owner of this property could allow the city to improve the appearance of this prominent downtown corner. Eliminating excessive paving and adding new street trees and landscaping provide a warmer welcome to visitors.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

NASHVILLE STREET CORRIDOR BEFORE

The asphalt parking lots and storage facility buildings on Nashville Street provide the first impression of the city for many visitors entering downtown. Working with private landholders to eliminate unnecessary asphalt could improve the appearance of this gateway.

AFTER

By eliminating unnecessary asphalt and planting a native pollinator garden, this formerly dreary hillside could serve as an attractive gateway to downtown. Extending the handsome signage concept found at the city’s popular South Chickamauga Creek Park creates a cohesive and attractive appearance for public amenities like the city’s downtown public parking lot.

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BEFORE

Adjacent to the handsome pedestrian bridge across US 41, the public parking lot on Depot Street provides parking for downtown events and day-to-day overflow. With limited signage, few visitors are aware of this parking opportunity. The lack of landscaping and shade here makes this lot feel uninviting.

AFTER

By expanding and improving the existing planting bed in this public lot, Ringgold has the opportunity to bring shade and attractive landscaping to this public resource.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

NASHVILLE STREET CORRIDOR

BEFORE

Ringgold’s attractive new pedestrian bridge terminates adjacent to the city’s historic Western and Atlantic Depot. The train-viewing platform visible beyond the tracks to the right is inaccessible to pedestrians from this point.

AFTER

A pedestrian crossing here could create a hub of connectivity at this important juncture downtown.

Placing a pedestrian crossing here and extending the Golden Mile could attract more visitors to the city’s existing viewing platform, walking track, and public facilities to the east of downtown.

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BEFORE

Shown beneath the city’s new pedestrian bridge, the bare concrete retaining wall at Ringgold’s historic depot could serve as a memorable landmark for visitors exiting downtown via US Highway 41.

AFTER

Branding the large retaining wall with a unique mural could promote downtown to visitors and help cement the city’s unique sense of place. A patriotic design like the ones illustrated above could reference Ringgold’s popular Festival of Flags event.

The newly planted bank dividing Depot and Nashville Streets now serves as a gateway to downtown.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

I

n order to realize the community’s vision of Ringgold as a vibrant downtown destination and preserve the small-town character and historic heritage threatened by the city’s growth, locals must make the commitment to accommodate complementary growth within Ringgold’s historic core. Without a comprehensive strategy to attract the type of development desired by the community downtown, local leaders risk further enticing growth away from downtown, compromising the small-town atmosphere, scenic location, and unique sense of place that make Ringgold an attractive destination for residents in the first place. If city leaders act now, Ringgold could fully realize the city’s potential and fulfill residents’ demands for accommodating new growth while preserving Ringgold’s historic character and small-town appeal.

terials of downtown Ringgold will likely prove critical to the success of this rejuvenated downtown neighborhood, rechristened the “Ringgold Warehouse District.” Local officials should ensure that development in these parcels occurs in a way that honors Ringgold’s past and integrates new development into the fabric of downtown. Incorporating details like industrial lighting, metal doors, sliding glass garage doors, and other architectural features could hint at the history of this traditional railroad warehouse area. Being a good neighbor to Ringgold’s historic downtown core means complementing the traditional materials, compact scale, and fine craftsmanship evident in the sturdy buildings that make up downtown Ringgold. By redeveloping these parcels in a way sensitive to history and Ringgold’s rich character while embracing the type of active, pedestrian-scaled development desired by the Highlighted in the Ringgold Downtown Masterplan, community, the local government and Downtown Deseveral underutilized, publicly owned properties at velopment Authority (DDA) could create a template for the edge of downtown have potential for realizing the appropriate private-sector redevelopment of additional community’s vision of vibrant downtown development downtown parcels. that enhances the character of the city. Attracting infill development and incentivizing redevelopment of In addition to matching the scale, materials, and craftsthe former warehouses and vacant lots between Ring- manship of downtown, extending on-street parking, gold’s downtown core and City Hall would expand the wide sidewalks, and street trees throughout this area footprint of downtown Ringgold and attract the new could create the framework for a new downtown district dining, retail options, and housing desired by the com- fully integrated into the fabric of historic downtown munity. Such development could create a ready market Ringgold. Shown in the Ringgold Downtown Masterfor existing downtown businesses and accommodate plan, extending the city’s proposed Golden Mile Trail the type of complementary downtown-centric growth could provide a centerpiece for new, pedestrian-friendenvisioned by the community. Downtown events could ly mixed-use development and link Ringgold’s historhelp introduce the community to these new businesses ic core with popular outdoor recreation options along and amenities ensuring their long-term use and success. South Chickamauga Creek.

Development of these publicly owned properties in a manner that complements the scale and traditional ma64

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT rehabilitation

BEFORE

Repossessed and bank-owned at the beginning of this process, this derelict warehouse on Cleburne Street lies just one block from the heart of downtown Ringgold.

AFTER

During the RSVP process, Ringgold’s local government worked to assist a local business relocating to this downtown warehouse. This rendering proposes landscaping improvements and industrial-style doors and fixtures to complement the structure.

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I M P L E M E N TAT I O N

This photo shows the same warehouse occupied and improved for the new carpet retailer relocated here.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT rehabilitation BEFORE

Despite the humble architectural form of this former warehouse, details like the patinated metal barn door and the unique tone of the cinderblock walls give this structure a lot of character. These fine bones make this former warehouse an uncut diamond ripe for unveiling.

AFTER

Renovating this building into a smokehouse-themed restaurant complete with industrial lighting and cool signage could keep the integrity of this structure intact, while honoring it with an appropriate, and desirable, use.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT rehabilitation

BEFORE

The photo shows a space in the rear of a downtown building that could be used as outdoor patio space.

AFTER

Most of Ringgold’s historic downtown buildings along Nashville Street have back service entrances that could be programmed for more active uses. This rendering illustrates how one back service area could be transformed to accommodate outdoor dining and other uses.

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BEFORE

Currently the backs of many downtown buildings are devoted exclusively to trash receptacles and service uses.

An unpaved channel drains storm water away from these buildings.

AFTER

This rendering illustrates the impact of improving the back of buildings along Cleburne Street. Improvements include creating store faรงades for rear entries, paving to create usable patio space, and installing a trench drain to channel runoff away from the foundations of downtown buildings.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT rehabilitation BEFORE

Prior to the Dapper Gentleman setting up shop, this corner store was one more vacant building on this downtown side street.

AFTER

With a whimsical mural that builds on the store’s existing branding and a reclaimed church pew, this corner retailer could better accommodate new activity on this corner lot downtown.

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BEFORE

Recently opened in a formerly vacant DDA-owned building, the Dapper Gentleman brings new retail and activity to Cleburne Street.

AFTER

Promoting this new business with a playful mural could attract activity and build on this local retailer’s existing brand.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT rehabilitation

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BEFORE

Located adjacent to DDA-owned property, this fenced concrete parking and unloading area could be transformed into an outdoor patio for adjacent businesses.

AFTER

This night view rendering shows the shared patio space on Depot Street between a potential restaurant and other businesses. A restaurant located in this DDA-owned building could utilize the adjacent patio space for outdoor seating, an indoor-outdoor bar, and a fire pit for cozy winter evenings. Nearby antiques stores could help to furnish the patio space, with restaurant patrons able to purchase any of the tables, chairs, or sculptures that they find while eating and relaxing.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT rehabilitation

BEFORE

The former home of Benton Coal & Supply, this unoccupied warehouse is now owned by the Ringgold DDA.

AFTER

While a unique opportunity for future development, the warehouses north of downtown could be used temporarily to fill the demand for additional downtown retail and office space. Here, unique signage reflects the period character of this building.

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BEFORE

The DDA and local governments control much of the area between Ringgold’s downtown core and City Hall.

Here, a vacant outbuilding speaks to this area’s formerly industrial and agrarian character.

AFTER

While a prime candidate for future development, publicly held land between downtown and Ringgold City Hall could be used in the short term for events like the farmer’s market shown in the rendering.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT rehabilitation

BEFORE

This property is vacant and underutilized.

AFTER

Owned by the Ringgold DDA, the site of this vacant industrial building holds long-term potential for urban infill development. In the short term, the property could serve as a venue for a downtown farmer’s market to help activate this stretch of downtown.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT infill BEFORE

With Taylor Ridge and the Ringgold Gap in the distance, downtown Ringgold is a perfectly sited and picturesque small town. The vacant lots surrounding Ringgold City Hall hold great promise for future growth.

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AFTER

This bird’s-eye view illustrates the potential for an extension of downtown northward to Ringgold City Hall. Infill buildings along Depot Street match the compact scale and timeless materials of Ringgold’s downtown core. A new event lawn at Ringgold City Hall and the proposed Golden Mile Trail in the background link new development to the city’s trail system along South Chickamauga Creek.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT infill

BEFORE

Surrounded by largely vacant and publicly owned former warehouses, Ringgold’s handsome City Hall could serve as the anchor of a new extension of downtown. A drainage corridor adjacent to the Ringgold Visitor’s Center park holds potential as a downtown park and extension of the Golden Mile Trail.

AFTER

Following an extension of the Golden Mile Trail, tree planting, and landscaping, this once vacant lot now serves as an active park in the center of a rejuvenated downtown Ringgold.

Ringed by new pedestrian-scaled infill development, this park becomes the active heart of the Ringgold Warehouse District.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT infill

BEFORE

This gravel lot adjacent to Ringgold’s historic depot is an ideal location for events and activities. Some of the current infrastructure on site could be incorporated into any reuse of the property.

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AFTER

Building on the attraction of Ringgold’s historic depot, this lot could be transformed into a train car market. Dining cars, caboose shops, and shipping container cafés would all add excitement to this space and create a unique attraction for the city. Public restrooms and “tiny house”–style hotel rooms could also be accommodated in renovated shipping containers.

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D OW N T OW N C O R E I M P ROV E M E N T S :

RINGGOLD WAREHOUSE DISTRICT infill BEFORE

Already planned as potential downtown infill, this section of downtown near Ringgold City Hall on Tennessee Street is brimming with possibility. Many local residents noted that excessive speeding along Tennessee Street approaching downtown creates dangerous conditions for children and pedestrians.

AFTER

Infill on this corner encourages the expansion of downtown toward Ringgold City Hall, while streetscape improvements and traffic-calming elements enhance walkability and safety.

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promotion

B U I L D I N G A L O C A L D E S T I NAT I O N

R

inggold’s storied past and scenic location offer locals reason to be intensely proud of their community. Given the city’s outsized role in our country’s history, the spirit of patriotism is palpable in Ringgold. Every Memorial Day, Ringgold honors the sacrifice of veterans with a spectacular and growing display of thousands of American flags throughout the community. This stunning demonstration of small-town pride speaks to the honorable character of the city’s residents. The city could build on this local pride and work to promote local businesses and activity downtown. Whether built around the city’s patriotic fervor or another element of the city’s character, promotion of downtown as a whole should foster a reputation of a unified, communal gathering place where people want to come and spend their time and money. By using names like the Golden Mile or

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the Ringgold Warehouse District, local officials should see all new improvements as an opportunity to build a unique identity for downtown. By creating a brand for downtown built around the city’s history and intense local pride, Ringgold can take the necessary steps to becoming the small-town destination desired by the community.

In addition to drawing new visitors and creating a brand through signage and gateway improvements, promotion works to build the attractions already drawing traffic downtown. By improving and enhancing unique claims to fame like Ringgold’s status as the “Wedding Capital of the South” and the important role of Ringgold in the Civil War, city leaders can honor Ringgold’s authentic character and better realize the vision of downtown as a local destination.

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B U I L D I N G A L O C A L D E S T I NAT I O N :

PROMOTION BEFORE

Shown at the intersection with High Street, the former Western and Atlantic Railroad on the eastern edge of downtown has provided Ringgold with steady commercial traffic for over a century and a half. Unfortunately, litigation concerns have led to minimizing pedestrian connections across railroad rights-of-way.

AFTER

Working with CSX, lessees of the state-owned railway, could enable an extension of the Golden Mile Trail across the railroad to link downtown with Ringgold’s walking path and train-viewing platform along Evitt Street. Using decorative medallions or even painted footprints could help brand this new improvement and create a tool to promote the city.

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BEFORE

Evitt Street, the 151 Spur east of downtown, funnels large truck and other traffic away from Ringgold’s historic core. Simple but attractive directional signage here and along major corridors informs visitors about important downtown destinations.

AFTER

Landscaped gateways send the signal that the community is invested in keeping Ringgold beautiful. Adding trees and wildflowers here creates an attractive entry sequence into downtown Ringgold.

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B U I L D I N G A L O C A L D E S T I NAT I O N :

PROMOTION BEFORE

Just to the northeast of downtown, drivers slow down to make this big curve in the Ooltewah Ringgold Road/151 Spur.

AFTER

With traffic slowing to make the curve, promotional signage at this local landmark could have an outsized impact.

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AMERICAN FLAG-INSPIRED PROMOTIONAL SIGNSS Unlimited possibilities exist to promote Ringgold’s proud character and history. Ringgold’s deep pride and events like the Festival of Flags make these patriotic signage concepts a fitting reflection of Ringgold’s character.

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B U I L D I N G A L O C A L D E S T I NAT I O N :

PROMOTION BEFORE

While appropriately scaled for smaller residential streets, the Ringgold historic district sign shown here is too small to register with potential visitors moving at 60+ miles per hour along the interstate.

AFTER

Existing large billboards could bring greater attention to Ringgold’s historic downtown while allowing the city to promote Ringgold’s unique local identity.

This billboard showcases downtown shops along Nashville Street, encouraging passersby to spend quality time in Ringgold.

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Continuing the American flag theme and building upon Ringgold’s Festival of Flags, billboard signage could further reflect Ringgold’s place in American history and the city’s deep pride in local servicemen and women.

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B U I L D I N G A L O C A L D E S T I NAT I O N :

PROMOTION BEFORE

With a fine view of White Oak Ridge, the planting bed adjacent to Ringgold’s historic depot could be better utilized to accommodate the many events and ceremonies held at the depot.

AFTER

Selectively paving and landscaping this site could create the perfect backdrop for wedding photos and other events. Along with a handsome arbor, a mobile cutout depicting Dolly Parton and Carl Dean’s 1966 wedding pays homage to Ringgold’s status as the Wedding Capital of the South and creates a fun photo-op.

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BEFORE

Located adjacent to the city’s wastewater treatment facility mere feet from the city’s nature trails along South Chickamauga Creek, this handsome monument dedicated to New York’s soldiers lost in the Battle of Ringgold is currently an overlooked and unappreciated monument to Ringgold’s role in the Civil War.

AFTER

By screening the existing chain link fencing with hardy climbing Confederate jasmine, Ringgold could enhance this public monument and pay homage to the Ringgold’s Civil War heritage.

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B U I L D I N G A L O C A L D E S T I NAT I O N :

PROMOTION

BEFORE

The intersection of Nashville and Tennessee Streets lies at the heart of downtown Ringgold.

AFTER

Connecting downtown with the trails along Chickamauga Creek could help make Ringgold an outdoor destination.

Installing trail markers or simple paint to indicate the Golden Mile Trail could help to connect downtown to the city’s existing trail system.

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CONCLUSION &

NEXT STEPS Through the determined efforts and investment of dedicated local leadership, Ringgold citizens and public officials are already working to enact the vision for the future outlined in the Ringgold RSVP. Even before the conclusion of the RSVP process, local officials stepped up to improve downtown, attracting new businesses, working with private landholders to revitalize vacant properties, and investing in improving popular downtown events. Through the hard work and perseverance of Ringgold’s mayor, council, city manager, and staff members, the city stands ready to move on many of the recommendations of the plan. Momentum exists to move forward with replanting trees along Lafayette Street, bringing crosswalks and improvements to Nashville Street, and introducing new gateway signage leading to downtown. Additionally, while full implementation of the vision outlined in the 30-year masterplan will take significant time and resources, the city is poised to take the first steps in realizing the potential of the Golden Mile Trail. By moving to secure critical parcels and pursuing funding options, Ringgold could begin to build this green corridor linking community resources, residences, and parks. By connecting the two halves of the city with trails and encouraging exploration of Ringgold’s beautiful natural surroundings, the Golden Mile could fulfill the city’s vision of downtown as an outdoor recreation destination and community hub for future generations.

In pursuing these and additional improvements, Ringgold must work to forge strong partnerships with Catoosa County, the Georgia Department of Transportation, important local corporate partners like Ringgold Telephone Company, local churches and civic institutions, and private property owners. Only by partnering

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with these local and regional stakeholders and presenting a united front to improve the city will Ringgold fulfill the vision for the future laid out in the masterplan.

Due to the limited space available in downtown Ringgold and increasing demand for growth, the city- and DDA-owned properties surrounding the city’s downtown core are becoming ever greater commodities for the community. Recruiting and attracting development to these parcels that honors Ringgold’s small-town character and historic heritage could prove to be the catalyst for creating the thriving downtown desired by the community. With growth on the way, now is the time for local leaders to look at the city’s ordinances with a critical eye. Ringgold’s Code of Ordinances must ensure that its citizens’ vision of the future is possible.

Accommodating a mix of uses downtown, allowing local lodging options like bed and breakfasts, creating a framework for growth in keeping with the historic scale and character of downtown, and preserving the qualities that make the city unique are all critical steps to achieving Ringgold’s vision as a thriving and family-friendly destination.

1. Who is responsible? 2. What will be achieved?

3. When will these improvements take place?

For instance, to plant the desired number of new trees along Lafayette and other downtown corridors, locals could consider nominating an active civic or community leader to lead the project, organizing a fundraiser or other event to raise awareness and funding for new trees, and working with Ringgold Parks and Recreation to organize community planting events and set up a tree bank for the future. By breaking down the 30-year vision outlined in the Ringgold RSVP into achievable short-term action items, the community can continue moving forward to fully realizing the potential of this incredible small town.

Among other great assets, Ringgold possesses the dedicated local leadership necessary to make the vision outlined in the Ringgold RSVP a reality. While Ringgold’s mayor, council, city manager, and dedicated staff are all committed to implementing the community priorities outlined in the planning process, it is essential that these key stakeholders continue to come together to realize Ringgold’s vision for the future. After reviewing the final Ringgold Downtown Masterplan, local officials and the Ringgold RSVP Steering Committee met to determine how best to fulfill this community vision for downtown. Working together, the committee developed the following list of top implementation items from the downtown plan. While working toward all of these goals will take time, many of these improvements are already underway, and several should be completed within a year.

To achieve the goals outlined in the plan, the RSVP Steering Committee formed to guide this planning process should continue meeting monthly to keep momentum for improvement moving forward. In every effort undertaken to improve downtown, those involved should think through each step of actualizing their goals and determine the “when, what, and who” questions critical to community implementation:

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Ringgold RSVP Top 10 Implementation Items: 1. Ensure that the Ringgold RSVP Steering Committee continues to meet monthly for at least one year to assure implementation.

2. Create a centralized service area on Cleburne Street to support downtown businesses and restaurants.

3. Establish plantings along the water treatment plant fence to provide appropriate screening for the New York Monument.

4. Purchase and provide a “bounce house” for children’s activities during community events.

5. Allow rental of publicly owned storage facility for pop-retail upon vacancy.

6. Promote downtown by installing appropriate welcome, billboard, and arrival signage.

7. Install street trees along the Lafayette Street corridor.

8. Conduct research and develop a feasibility assessment of a train car-themed business downtown.

9. Begin implementing the Golden Mile Trail concept.

10. Begin streetscaping improvements at Nashville and Maple Streets.

COMPLETED

Implementation Items: • A formerly vacant DDA-owned property has been renovated and leased to a new business, the Dapper Gentleman.

• Bank-owned and foreclosed at the beginning of this process, today one of Ringgold’s downtown warehouses has been rehabilitated and transformed into a leasable space.

• A new downtown supermarket, Grocery Outlet, opened in the former Shop Rite at Cleburne Shopping Center.

• The Ringgold Telephone Company has developed plans and begun preliminary construction of a new mixed-use downtown infill building.

• Along Nashville Street, Pepper’s Fresh Mexican Restaurant is another new addition.

• With the recent expansion of Shaw Industries, Ringgold continues to be a hub of local industry and commerce.

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