When Julie Brackett’s teenage daughters began spending more time downtown, she and husband Rick decided to look into moving closer to the liveliest part of Chattanooga.

Not wanting to get mired in upgrading a house, the Bracketts sold their home on Missionary Ridge and moved into a condominium near the Hunter Museum of American Art.

“It’s kind of a new adventure for us,” said Mrs. Brackett, who enjoys access to the Riverwalk and restaurants.

According to the RiverCity Co., more than 1,100 new downtown condominiums and apartments have been completed or are in development in the last three years.

“New downtown housing has really been unprecedented,” David Unruh of RiverCity said in a phone interview.

Downtown apartment or condo living can be a smart choice for families looking to downsize, experts say.

With one child in college and two in high school, Karen Austin is preparing for an empty nest. Mrs. Austin and her husband recently bought a townhouse on Cherry Street.

“It’s very safe and thriving; we love it down here,” said Mrs. Austin. The family will move from their house on Missionary Ridge as soon as they can sell.

Living in a smaller space can take some getting used to — the Bracketts, including their 80-pound Airedale terrier, moved from a 4,600-square-foot house to a 2,300-square-foot condo — but the space constraints can be a welcome change. Mrs. Brackett said the decrease in space has led to more family togetherness, simply because there’s not as much room to spread out.

For her daughters, however, accessibility to downtown restaurants and attractions allows greater freedom.

“Most of my friends have to get dropped off (downtowm), but it’s a lot easier to walk, so I can have more independence,” said Chloe Brackett, 14. “The only thing I could really do at our house was go out and kick a soccer ball around.”

Chloe’s sister, Natalie, 17, had just gotten her driver’s license when the family moved downtown. She was disappointed to not get as much time behind the wheel — a side effect of downtown living that puts her mother’s mind at ease.

The new home means that Natalie does not have to drive on the freeway during morning rush hour while commuting to the Baylor School each morning. It also allows for summer job possibilities that are within walking distance.

Natalie appreciates the conveniences and accessibility of downtown living and is applying to colleges in Northern cities to have a new life experience. The Chattanooga nightlife, however, is still a few years out of her grasp. She was looking forward to frequenting Rhythm & Brews when she turned 18. The live-music venue became a 21-and-over establishment in 2007, following the smoking ban.

Mrs. Brackett said that while friends sometimes will question the choice to move downtown, she recognizes that city living is not an unusual way of life, though it might be relatively new to Chattanooga. According to RiverCity Co., downtown population in Chattanooga grew 29 percent between 1990 and 2000 and continues to grow rapidly as the next decade approaches.

Both Mrs. Austin and Mrs. Brackett said they feel safe walking downtown alone but certainly exercise caution where her children are concerned.

“You definitely have to set rules,” Mrs. Brackett said. She is a believer in safety in numbers — Natalie and Chloe can walk to dinner or movies on weekend evenings but not alone. “A friend comes to the house, and they walk in a group — that’s their age.”

The convenient location also means that the Brackett home has become a gathering ground for the girls’ friends. “Once they come over, I can’t get them to leave,” Chloe said, laughing.