History of Burnside

In 1905, Chattanooga was a bustling industrial hub—the Dynamo of Dixie.

In that year, a young businessman named Oliver Burnside Andrews organized the Acme Box Company in the current home of the Burnside—2100 Rossville Avenue in Chattanooga’s Southside.

After serving as home to Oliver Burnside Andrews’ second business, the Andrews Paper Box Company, the building sat empty for decades as Chattanooga and the surrounding area shifted away from industrial development.

Fast forward to the 2000s, and Chattanooga’s Southside has become a booming, vibrant area of bustling bars, busy restaurant, and tourist attractions. Building on the neighborhood’s momentum, the Burnside is returning to its former station as a staple of what Chattanooga’s Southside stands for—an amazing place to live, work, and play.

Partners

Towson Engsberg

Partner, SEI Ventures of Tennessee, LLC

Towson has been in the construction and real estate industry since 1984. After spending his formative years in the field, he worked for nearly 25 years as a commercial general contractor specializing in corporate office and hospitality projects where he was directly responsible for over $1B in revenue during his time as a Senior Officer. Towson is an excellent communicator who can quickly identify the key aspects of any building program or development initiative. He is a unique asset to clients due to his ability to manage both the strategic, economic, and "hands-on” aspects of any project. He has carried out work in all 50 states and is currently utilizing this expertise as the Vice President of Development for Brand Properties in Atlanta where he is managing multiple office projects. Since 2011, Towson has also focused on the development of adaptive re-use projects where he and his wife, DeDe live in Chattanooga. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee where he was raised.

DeDe DuBose Engsberg

Partner, SEI Ventures of Tennessee, LLC

Although DeDe has ventured into different fields ranging from catering, motherhood, and property management, her passion remains finding unique and challenging real estate investments. DeDe sees potential in unexpected places and works to be involved in projects that will be transformative to an area or neighborhood.  Working with the existing residents, non-profits, and community organizers, DeDe places the project in the context of the community.  As a property owner, she specializes in tenant relations and creating opportunities for small business.  DeDe lives in Chattanooga with her husband Towson and enjoys visiting her four adult children in Boston, NYC, Charleston, and Denver. DeDe has an MBA from University of TN and a MPP from GA State University.

Nathan Kirkman

DNK Development, LLC

Nathan has been with DNK Development for several years. He purchased, renovated, leased and sold five distressed properties with an average return of 100% IRR over a four-year span. He secured financing, designed, built and managed the construction of five speculative residential projects with sales prices from $800,000-$1,400,000. Nathan has worked with the Mayor of Dalton to create strategies for the revitalization of the local downtown district, overseeing the conversions of two buildings into live/work apartments with street-level retail. Nathan has acted as the architect for six modern houses with an average post construction value of $1,200,000. He lead the development effort to repurpose an old manufacturing building into a mixed-use facility, including the securing of historic tax credits from the Department of Natural Resources. He has also been a design consultant for International Real Estate private equity firm, with a focus on revitalizing distressed residential developments and planned communities.