![]() ![]() We had to back up a little bit and do a little more design."ĭesigning the building has been a collaborative process that included input from climbing wall experts, the tenants, architects, city planners and structural engineers. "Which is always the case whenever you are doing renovations. "When we were doing demolition on the building, we found a bunch of existing stuff that wasn't accounted for," architect Craig Peavy said. But while they originally planned to open The Block this summer, planners are now aiming to open by the RiverRocks festival during the first weekend of October. Organizers hope to create a downtown attraction that is both functional and a landmark piece of design. The space will include a 5,000-square-foot bouldering room, as well as locker rooms, showers and a fitness center. He hopes to cater not only to Chattanooga's regular climbers, but also to tourists and first-time climbers. O'Brien plans to have 25,000 square feet of climbing space, which will make it one of the largest climbing gyms in the country. When finished, The Block will host a Rock/Creek Outfitters store, the Chattanooga Visitors Center and High Point Climbing and Fitness - a climbing gym with both indoor and outdoor walls. "I think it's something the city will be proud of when they see the finished product. "Costs have escalated, but the size of the gym has gotten bigger and the quality we're putting in is better," he said. High Point Climbing and Fitness co-owner John O'Brien said his costs are at $2.9 million - about $1 million more than he'd initially planned to pay for the work at Third and Broad streets. Planners initially estimated the renovation would cost $4 million. The project's cost now exceeds $5 million, said Jim Williamson, vice president of planning and development at River City Co., which is putting $2.5 million into the project. ![]() The plan to give the former Bijou Theater in downtown Chattanooga new life as a climbing gym and retail space is hitting snags that have caused organizers to push back the planned opening from this summer to early October, and costs for the project are on the rise. 2009 - Bijou theater closesOctober 2012 - Plans for The Block announcedFebruary 2013 - Demolition work startsMarch - Work on "The Pit" startsOctober - New projected grand opening
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