Passageways 2.0

To enhance a new downtown alleyway in the heart of Downtown Chattanooga’s City Center, River City Company, Tinker Ma and Public Art Chattanooga sought unique, innovative design concepts with a cohesive artistic vision from multi-disciplinary design teams through “Passageways 2.0: Alleyway Activation Challenge.” Through an open RFP process in Fall 2017, 45 proposals were submitted representing 11 countries including the United States, Italy, France, Canada, Malaysia, India and China.

Three semi-finalists were selected to further develop site-specific designs to permanently activate the proposed alleyway and create a vibrant, habitable pedestrian corridor that can be used as a small public event space. Passageways 2.0 was made possible by generous grants from the Benwood and Lyndhurst Foundations.

The winning concept, City Thread by SPORTS out of Syracuse, NY, was announced in May 2018. The November 2018 Grand Opening Block Party was attended by more than 1,000 people.