Southside Commons: Activating the 100 East Main & Mitchell Corner for Community, Nature, Food, Music, and Arts

The vacant lot at the corner of East Main Street and Mitchell Avenue on Chattanooga's Southside is a temporary gap waiting to become a permanent gathering place - welcoming and accessible to all. We propose a no-cost activation: Scout-built picnic tables, a small acoustic music stage, native pollinator plantings, bee hives, and rotating public art — all stewarded by a coalition of community partners. This seed plants itself in one of Chattanooga's most walkable, restaurant-rich corridors, and grows something beautiful while the ground waits for its next chapter. Potential uses could be sponsored pop up events by local restaurants or retail establishments, community farmers markets, artist markets, gathering space for National Park City or other community events, etc....