The City of Chickamauga is set to move forward with long-awaited redevelopment plans for the former Crystal Springs Print Works Factory after receiving $1.45 million in federal funding to help clean up the abandoned mill property and revitalize the surrounding historic district.
On Monday, May 11, Jon Ossoff announced the funding, which will be distributed through the Georgia Department of Transportation as part of bipartisan legislation signed into law earlier this year.
According to a press release from Sen. Ossoff’s office, the funding will be used to remediate blight at the former mill site, move electric transmission lines underground, and rehabilitate deteriorating storefronts in the downtown area. Officials say the improvements will position Chickamauga to better capitalize on its historic attractions and nearby tourist destinations.
The Crystal Springs Print Works Factory, a cornerstone of the community for generations, ceased operations in 2012. The historic mill, originally built in 1909, once employed more than 1,200 workers and played a major role in the local economy for decades. Demolition work on portions of the site began in 2016, but redevelopment plans had remained uncertain for years.
Now, city leaders say a new chapter is beginning.
The City of Chickamauga has since acquired the former mill property and plans to transform the area with new commercial development, green spaces, and civic gathering areas designed to help drive tourism and economic growth.
Eric Pullen, Chickamauga’s Director of Economic Development and Events, said the redevelopment effort represents years of work and collaboration.
“Chickamauga is like many small mill and mine towns across our country,” Pullen said. “When the Crystal Spring Print Works ceased operations in 2012 a slow decline began in the historic district.”
Pullen said the city’s revitalization efforts faced setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Chickamauga has since embraced tourism as a key part of its economic recovery strategy.
He pointed to the city’s location near the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park and the region’s outdoor recreation opportunities as major assets helping fuel growth.
Pullen also highlighted a multi-agency effort to create a multiuse pathway connecting downtown Chickamauga with the national military park, a project he said is nearing completion and aligns closely with the redevelopment of the former mill property.
“The next phase will bring new commercial spaces, green spaces, and civic spaces,” Pullen said. “This is a long-awaited enhancement and desperately needed redevelopment to the city’s future.”
Pullen credited Sen. Ossoff’s office and state partners for helping secure the grant funding that will allow the city to move forward with cleanup and redevelopment efforts that local leaders say could reshape Chickamauga’s historic district for years to come.