ACCESS AND LIVABILITY The Missing Middle:
Retrofitting the Centers and Corridors of Nashville
The Missing Middle:
Retrofitting the Centers and Corridors of Nashville
This book was designed and written by Melody Gibson, Design Fellow. Contributing authors include Gary Gaston, Director, Nashville Civic Design Center, and TK Davis, Professor at The University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Architecture and Design (UTK CoAD).
The mission of the Nashville Civic Design Center (NCDC)is to elevate the quality of Nashville’s built environment and to promote public participation in the creation of a more beautiful and functional city for all. Towards this end, the Nashville Civic Design Center:
This report was edited by Gary Gaston, Executive Director, Nashville Civic Design Center; Michael Skipper, Executive Director of the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO); and Michelle Lacewell, APR Deputy Director, MPO. The Nashville Civic Design Center would like to give special thanks to TK Davis and the UTK CoAD students.
Promotes the Ten Principles of The Plan of Nashville, a vision for growth and development, created and endorsed by the citizens of Nashville; Educates the public about civic design through lectures by prominent speakers and workshops; Provides professional staff and highly-qualified design interns to consult on civic and other community development projects; Facilitates public dialogue about civic design and its impact through the Urban Design Forum. The forum meets monthly at the Civic Design Center, and provides events, lectures and an open forum for the debate of ideas and issues of interest to its members; Researches and publishes reports on various civic design issues.
www.civicdesigncenter.org
FOREWORD
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INTRODUCTION
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PRECEDENTS
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Mashpee Commons Clarendon City West Belmar
PROJECTS
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IMPLEMENTATION
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UTk CoAD Partnership 01 Gallatin Pike 02 Dickerson Pike 03 White Bridge Road 04 Memphis Bristol Highway 05 Nolensville Pike 06 Nolensville Pike 07 Harding Place 08 Hillsboro Pike 09 Harding Place
Local Happenings Tool Box
C ON TE N T S
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Foreword Nashville is a vibrant and prosperous city that is welcoming an abundance of growth. According to the NashvilleNext plan, over the next 25 years, Nashville will include 100,000 new homes, 300,000 more jobs, and 200,000 more residents. As the population grows, demographics are expected to change to the point that there will not be a majority race or ethnicity by the year 2040. While providing residents abundant economic benefits and opportunities, this amount of growth and demographic change will require careful planning to ensure the health and prosperity of the city. In response to this challenge, the NashvilleNext plan provides direction and policy guidance on the built environment of the county with four foundational pillars in mind: opportunity and inclusion, economic prosperity, environmental stewardship, and efficient government. The Growth and Preservation Concept map shown on the following page provides a guide for growth that reflects a diverse range of community member’s desires for Nashville’s future. Centers are pedestrian-friendly areas with frequent transit service that contain a dense mix of homes, shops, jobs, and parks alongside schools and cultural amenities. Nashville is showing increased demand for these centers as the community becomes more diverse. Downsizing seniors who want to stay in their communities as they age, young adults with less access to and interest in home ownership, and the increasing diversity of the population are all examples of an growing demand for these centers with more diverse housing options. The development of centers offers other benefits as well. Walkability promotes better health and more social interaction between neighbors. Infill development preserves more of Nashville’s natural features, which contribute to our county’s unique beauty. Currently, Nashville has few complete, walkable neighborhoods, and only a small number of people who would like to live in these places can afford to do so due to the imbalance of supply and demand. According to Ellen Dunham Jones, a Georgia Tech professor of architecture and urban design, the commercial areas of Nashville’s “first ring” suburbs provide abundant opportunities for redevelopment.
The Metro Nashville Planning Department partnered with the University of Tennessee to develop conceptual case studies for redevelopment across nine underperforming sites on Davidson County’s corridors. The projects that follow show Professor T.K. Davis’s (Spring 2015) Undergraduate Architecture studio’s proposals for putting the NashvilleNext plan into action on these nine sites.
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2
Nashville’s “first ring” suburbs fall within a 5-10 mile radius of Downtown.
1 Single family homes, such as these in Green Hills, make up the majority housing type in Nashville’s “first ring” suburbs.
2 The intersection of Harding Place and Nolensville Pike shows typical conditions of a “first ring” suburb. An abandoned big box store sits on a large parking lot, and street conditions are auto-centric.
Centers
The three tiers of centers indicate how investments to shape growth and support increased transit are prioritized with one being the highest. TIER ONE TIER TWO TIER THREE
Green network
Natural and rural areas that provide the following: natural resources, ecological services, passive and active recreation opportunities, sensitive natural features. OPEN SPACE ANCHOR MISSING OPEN SPACE ANCHOR
Neighborhood
Primarily residential areas offering a mix of housing types and character with smaller civic and employment areas and small neighborhood centers.
Transitions & infill
Higher density housing that is appropriate along and around corridors and centers.
Special impact area
Intense industrial areas, airports, landfills, and other uses that should be kept separate from homes.
High capacity transit
A framework of more intense housing and commercial areas along major roadways with more frequent transit service. IMMEDIATE NEED LONG-TERM NEED REGIONAL TRANSIT CONNECTION
FOR EW O R D
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· Walkable context · Small footprint · Blended densities · Shared community space · Similar experience to single family homes · Simple construction
Introduction
What is the Missing Middle? Nashville has an increasing and diverse demand for affordable housing. Past and current growth trends have led to concentrated poverty and gentrification throughout the city. As these issues are seen across the U.S., Daniel Parolek identifies “Missing Middle� housing as a solution to this mismatch between current U.S. housing and shifting demographics. Missing Middle housing types include duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes, bungalows courts, townhouses, live/work, and courtyard apartments. In addition to providing more affordability, these housing types fit into the growing demand for walkable, urban living.
transition areas from centers to neighborhoods will provide an excellent opportunity for these typologies. The regulation of height and bulk to produce these small to mid-size footprints will provide a transitional zone between centers or corridors and neighborhoods. These housing types will locate more people close to key amenities such as transit lines and shopping. These housing types can be built at lower prices than taller buildings, and can provide structured parking.
As little Missing Middle housing currently exists in Nashville, the
Above: Diagram of Missing Middle housing types illustrating the range of types and their location between single-family homes and mid-rise buildings.
IN TR OD U CT I O N
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Precedents Studying projects in peer cities should play a major role in the design process for retrofitting the Missing Middle into the centers and corridors of Nashville. The projects listed below demonstrate how peer cities integrated Missing Middle housing into suburban retrofits in response to diversification and growth.
Mashpee Commons Cape Cod, MA
Clarendon Arlington, VA
City West Cincinnati, OH
Belmar
Lakewood, CO
Belmar in Lakewood, CO shows how a diversification of uses and building types transitions the scale from a medium urban density into the less dense neighborhood.
PR EC ED E N T S 9
Mashpee Commons Cape Cod, MA
Over the past 25 years, Mashpee Commons has evolved into the earliest retrofit of a suburban strip center. Located at the intersection of two major Cape Cod highways, Routes 28 and 151, it is now a significant central place for the town of Mashpee with a diversity of use including commercial, residential, and civic functions. In 1980, owners developed a plan to transform the existing strip shopping center into a traditional New England town center that would act as a useful new node in an emerging transit network. The plan involved a mixed-use program that would develop over time by replacing the existing strip mall. Their strategy was to increase building density while keeping the pedestrian and open space a priority. Building designs reflect this focus as their scale creates a comfortable walking environment, and public streets have generous sidewalks often lined with trees. Adjacent to the town center, they have planned compact residential neighborhoods that will plug into the commercial core. These neighborhoods were planned to provide a range of housing types and densities that meet the needs of present and future Mashpee residents that are diverse in age, lifestyle, and income level. In a 2005 master plan, parcels of land were zoned to provide a balance of affordable rental and ownership units. Incremental changes that have already happened include linear, mixed-use buildings that screen parking areas. The program of these buildings puts apartments above retail and everyday uses, such as the post office. Many public buildings have also been incorporated, such as a post office, library, church, and town green. The next phase will be to develop the adjacent neighborhoods. Chuck Bohl describes Mashpee Common’s current state as “an attachable fragment of urbanism.” The commercial core, or the “attachable fragment,” was built first, which has created an opportunity for the adjacent neighborhoods to further create a connected, walkable village center.
PR EC ED E N T S 11
Clarendon Arlington, VA
Clarendon is one of five sectors along the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor in Arlington, VA. The corridor illustrates smart growth strategies as high-density, mixed-use centers have developed around Metro stations. These centers have an urban character at their core, and then taper their densities into the surrounding neighborhoods. Clarendon is specifically designed to be an urban village, and is known as a destination for tourism and night life. People of all income levels and ages are able to work, shop, and play all within walking distance from home. Development for Clarendon was focused around a central block that includes the Olmsted Building and Clarendon Metro Park, which are next to the Metro station. On the periphery of the station area, mixed use development begins with a medium density, and maintains Arlington’s historic character as the density tapers into the surrounding neighborhoods with single family homes. A consistent streetscape has been maintained throughout development as well as pedestrian and biker-friendly conditions. Clarendon Sector Plan (2006 Master Plan) Existing Buildings Potential Buildings Approved Buildings Public Space M M M M M
Rosslyn-Ballson Corridor
Clarendon Metro Station
Flexible Fairfax Drive Mixed-Use Areas
PR EC ED E N T S 1 3
City West
Cincinnati, OH City West is a failed public housing project that is being transformed into a healthy, vibrant community. The project is being funded in part by HOPE VI grants, which are from the United Stated Department of Housing and Urban Development. These grants exist to transform the most problematic housing projects into mixed-income developments. The master plan of the new City West neighborhood makes living affordable, pleasant, and convenient for a diverse range of people. Housing options range from mixed-income rentals to market-rate for-sale homes, some of which are intended for senior living. New commercial and community facilities, including a grocery store, bank, and community center, add to the available uses of the community. Once interrupting the city grid, the streets are reconnected to the surrounding area and have a pedestrian-friendly urban scale. The new gridded pattern connects the neighborhood to the surrounding revitalization efforts as well as downtown Cincinnati. Existing parks are also an important piece of the master plan. A boulevard connects the existing parks at both the north and south ends of the neighborhood and shapes an urban crescent park at its center. City West Neighborhood Master Plan by glaserworks.
Aerial view of Laurel Homes Housing Project revitalization.
The new homes reflect the vernacular of Cincinnati’s residential architecture.
PR EC ED E N T S 1 5
Belmar
Lakewood, CO Belmar is an example of a regional mall that has been transformed into a dense urban center for a collection of residential subdivisions just to the west of Denver. Prior to retrofitting, Belmar had an enclosed mall that was surrounded by parking lots and was only accessible by car. The 104 acre site now has 23 urban-scaled streets and blocks that contain shopping, residences, offices, and public space for civic use. The site is now pedestrian friendly and has nearly tripled the built area. The residential types are diverse including rentals over retail, townhouses, loft condominium, and zero-lot line houses. The buildings on the edge of the site are purely residential to transition the site into the surrounding neighborhoods. The architectural style remains true to the history and climate of Denver as the core buildings are mostly masonry clad, and the residential buildings reflect durable materials and simple detailing.
PR EC ED E N T S 1 7
Projects
UTK CoAD Partnership NCDC maintains a strong partnership with the University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Architecture and Design (UTK CoAD). Through this partnership, NCDC coordinates various studies throughout the year that allow architecture students to study potential “real world” projects in Nashville. As a part of this collaborative effort, NCDC partnered with UTK CoAD Professor TK Davis in the Spring 2015 Semester. Students were asked to create transitions from mixed-use centers and corridors (retail, office, and housing) to neighborhood interiors, with an emphasis on using “Missing Middle” housing typologies. Focus was placed on a transition through massing, scale, dimension and density while accommodating new housing types. This investigation is tied closely to the Nashville Metropolitan Planning Department’s NashvilleNext initiative with a “blue sky” timeline of 2040. Eight site locations were chosen that are closely tied to the NashvilleNext Growth and Preservation Concept Map. The objective for each of the site locations should be affordability, NASH V IL L E, T N connectivity, context, and open space.
LEGEND BOUNDARY
PROPERTY LINE
HISTORIC D
SIDEWALKS
RAILROAD
HISTORIC P
STREET OUTLINE
STREAM
GROWTH C
TRANSIT ROUTE
WATER BODY
TRANSITIO
BIKEWAY
CONTOURS
TRANSITIO
BLDG FOOTPRINT
PARKS
1 Gallatin Pike Seymour Avenue to Granada Avenue
2 Dickerson Pike Ligon-Douglas Avenue to Cleveland Street
3 White Bridge Road Vine Ridge to Brookwood
4 Memphis Bristol Highway
7 Harding Place
Brown Road into Cross Timbers Residential
Trousdale Drive to Stream
5 Nolensville Pike
8 Hillsboro Pike
Old Hickory Road to Brewer Drive
Richard Jones Road into Neighborhood
6 Nolensville Pike
9 Harding Place
Thompson Lane to Sunrise Avenue
Danby Drive to Shadecrest Drive
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1
3
6
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5 PR OJ E C T S
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01 Gallatin Pike Brice Holmes
Site Location
Existing Site Conditions: The targeted site is located on Gallatin Pike in East Nashville between Seymour and Granada Avenues. This corridor’s properties are transient and ripe for redevelopment, particularly in conjunction with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Development along Gallatin Pike is limited to five stories, but quickly tapers to 2.5 to three stories as one goes back to adjacent neighborhoods. Metro Planning Department requested that the urban design studio determine buildings that contribute to the neighborhood either by being historic or having some other value, and to determine an appropriate boundary, in light of topography, to the east and west of the Pike. The site has two initial liabilities. There are inadequate north/south connections in the neighborhoods immediately off the Pike, and a general absence of sidewalks that severely limits the walkability of residential streets.
Existing Site Plan Boundaries
North-South Street Connections
Existing Commercial Strip
Existing Civic Buildings
Proposed Figure-Ground Plan
Proposed Site Plan
Proposed Axonometric Drawing
Proposed Future Development: The site development begins with the central location of a future Bus Rapid Transit Station at the intersection of Gallatin and Granada, with Granada transformed to become an east/west pedestrian street. Pedestrian crossing of Gallatin Pike today is very difficult. For this reason, the Pike is reconstructed for two blocks to dip one level below its context beneath the station, similar to “duck below” underpasses found in downtown Washington, D.C. Gallatin Pike is lined with new four to six story mixed-use development and a widened sidewalk.
N
Gallatin Pike and “Bridging” Space
With the north/south and east/west armatures of Gallatin and Granada then established, a concerted effort is made to reinforce connectivity through the adjacent neighborhood’s street grid. A Farmer’s Market is positioned at the north end of the site, with a tapered green space leading to it from the south. The various “Missing Middle” housing typologies are carefully gradated, blockby-block, from the one story context beyond the site boundary to the new height along Gallatin.
PR OJ EC T S
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Key Object Building
Public Building
Office / Retail Building (5-6 stories)
Multi Use Building Mid Rise (4-5 Stories) 70 D.U/ A.C
Med. Apartment/ Texas Donut (3-4 Stories) 28 D.U/ A.C
Proposed Site Plan
Townhouse/Duplex (2-3 Stories) 17 D.U/ A.C
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Accessory Unit 1 Story 3 D.U/ A.C
1”=200’
Proposed Land Uses
Office / Retail Building
Multi Use Building Mid Rise
Med. Apartment/ Texas Donut
Townhouse/Duplex (2-3 Stories)
Accessory Unit 1 Story
Proposed Section at Concourse
Proposed Pedestrian Crossing and Bus Stop
Proposed Bus Station
Proposed Section Looking to Market
Proposed Market
PR OJ E C T S
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02 Dickerson Pike Barry Adcock
Site Location
Existing Site Conditions: This site is located in East Nashville along Dickerson Pike between Cleveland Street to the south and Douglas and Ligon Avenues to the north. Both of these intersections represent significant east/west connections and centers. Most of the site is presently a blighted light industrial district. To the west, mixed-use residential is anticipated to a four story maximum, hopefully with improved connectivity. To the east, the issue is how to transition from a corridor into the adjacent neighborhood, given the constrained, narrow residential lot depths. Alley houses or detached accessory dwelling units would seem to have both potential, and precedent, in the neighborhood. A proposed bike lane, and other improvements to the Pike as a “complete street,� would be desirable.
Primary Street Interstate / Parkway Secondary Street Artery / Corridor Neighborhood Artery Bus Stop
Major and Collector Streets
Existing Figure-Ground
Proposed Future Development: Dickerson Pike is redesigned to be a boulevard lined by new mixed-use infill development, concealing parking behind. Signage will direct access to the parking areas. The eastern boundary of the site, a multi-block alleyway, will encourage 20 foot by 32 foot alley houses or accessory units parallel to the alley. To the west of Dickerson Pike, a central green will anchor new housing blocks, featuring a wide array of “Missing Middle” housing types, from duplexes and co-housing bungalow to four story courtyard types and perimeter blocks. An existing large stand of streets remains as a full block amenity as well, and a “woonerf ” (the Dutch term for a semi-non-vehicular) street is formed at what is now the unique diagonal of White’s Creek Pike. Along the north edge of the site, where there is a 30-foot high rock face wall from a former quarry parallel to Ligon Avenue, a new “recreational climbing park” is formed. Several large steel frame warehouse buildings are to be repurposed as artisan workspaces.
Proposed Figure-Ground
PR OJ E C T S
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Partial Plan
View of White’s Creek Market
View of Dickerson Pike and Ligon - Douglas Avenue Intersection
PR OJ E C T S
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03 White Bridge Road Bradley Gould
Site Location
Existing Site Conditions: The site is located on the west side of White Bridge Road south of Vine Ridge Road and north of Brookwood Terrace. Across the street to the east of White Bridge is Nashville State Community College, the Tennessee Technology Center and an Army and Marine Reserve Base, all potentially outdated buildings in the future. Beyond those facilities further to the east are Richland Creek, the McCabe Golf Course, and potential views of the downtown skyline. The site itself to the west of White Bridge is surrounded by low scale development of two to three stories maximum. The site’s rising topography to the west presents both challenges and opportunities.
Aerial View of Site Growth Centers Transition 1 Transition 2 Parks Historic Property
Density/Growth
Existing Zoning Map
Proposed Future Development: The proposal is to develop the site as a series of concentric layers laid parallel to the curvature of White Bridge Road, with each layer diminishing in height by one story as the layers taper back from the White Bridge edge. The layer closest to White Bridge has light commercial and amenity spaces in its lowest level, with housing appropriate for student housing (although not exclusively), given the proximity of the community college across the street. The upper floors of this front layer would achieve views of the golf course to the east, and ultimately to the downtown skyline. The stepping down of the various layers generate pedestrian walks with gallery access to units and their adjacent terraces. Parking is concealed in a covered, but open air carport beneath, taking advantage of the site’s topography. Almost all of the rooftops are assumed to be green roofs.
Proposed Site Development
Conceptual Massing
Conceptual Studies
PR OJ E C T S
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Proposed Site Section
Housing Plans
Section Study
Conceptual Study
Conceptual Axonometric Cutaway
Roofscape
PR OJ E C T S
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04 Memphis Bristol Hwy Ryan Ballek and Chris Beuhler
Site Location
Existing Site Conditions: This site is located in Bellevue to the north of the Memphis Bristol Highway, east of Sawyer Brown Road and West of Cross Timbers Drive. Adjacent to the west of the site is a “dead mall,” in the process of a complete site redevelopment into a mixed-use Planned Urban Development (PUD) in place. The site to the east of the PUD’s, therefore, suggests smaller scale offices with mixed-uses transitioning to the residential neighborhood to the east. Issues identified for study include the need for better street connectivity, identifying outdated housing stock, and making suburban mixeduse office space appealing.
Existing Plan
Existing Site Plan 1- 200
400
Civic Commercial Multi-Family Single-Family
MTA Bus Route MTA Bus Stop Bike Trail Greenway 1/2 Mile Radius
Existing Circulation
50
Existing Districts
Proposed Future Development: The first assumption of this proposal is to accept the inevitability of the Planned Unit Development on the adjacent site of the former Mall. At the western edge of the site, a four story mixed-use edge is formed along Old Hickory Boulevard, with intermediate parking decks located behind “liner” buildings. The existing dimension from Old Hickory to the existing residential neighborhood lots is rather wide, so a “woonerf,” or primarily non-vehicular street is formed as a casual pedestrian shopping and entertainment experience. At the southern edge of the site a plaza is formed as a culminating spatial experience, although the corner of the Memphis Bristol Highway and Sawyer Brown Road is emphasized as a pedestrian connection to the residential neighborhoods to the south, as well as park space leading to the sports fields and greenway along the Harpeth River.
Proposed Site Development Dashed Area is Metro Planning Commission’s Proposed Bellevue Mall Plan
Proposed Site Plan 1- 200
50
400
Civic Commercial Multi-Family Single-Family Mixed Use
Proposed Districts
PR OJ EC T S
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North-South Section
North-South 1:50
North-South 1:100
Partial East-West 1:50 Bird’s Eye View
East-West1:100
Proposed Axon Partial East Elevation Partial East 1:50 Sections
25
200
Partial East-West Section
Perspective View of Proposed Woonerf
View of Proposed “Piazza”
View to Adjacent Proposed Off-Site Big Box
PR OJ E C T S
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35
Existing Site Conditions: The site is located at the northeast quadrant of the intersection of Nolensville Pike and Old Hickory Boulevard, extending northward to Brewer Drive. Mixed-uses are acceptable along the Nolensville Corridor at a three story maximum, although existing commercial lots are shallow. Much of the housing on the site might be characterized as outdated in its future, with streets that lack sidewalks. Viable, if unappealing, “big box� and strip mall shopping anchors the southwest corner of the site. The challenge is how to transition from corridor to neighborhood.
Landscape Studies
Shallow exist. commercial lots
3 stories maximum
No existing sidewalks
Outdated housing
No transition from corridor to neighborhood
Site Location
Outdated Housing
No existing sidewalks
Irene Chang
3 Stories maximum
05 Nolensville Pike
Shallow existing commercial lots No transition from corridor to neighborhood
Existing Axonometric
Commercial Residential Open Space Mixed Use
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33
Existing Land Use Plan
Bus Routes
Major and Collector Street Plan
Proposed Future Development: Perhaps the most compelling decision in this proposal is to develop a creek walk as a linear botanical garden experience in the continuous hollow between two east/west residential streets. This would become a shared neighborhood amenity and enhance pedestrian connectivity. The creek would visually end at Old Hickory Road with a pull off and elevated viewing terrace down the creek and hollow. Additional commercial development would be encouraged along Old Hickory, assuming parking to be located behind the commercial, which would be pulled up to the sidewalk. The large big box and strip mall development to the southwest corner of the site would be remediated by lining them with porticos, while infilling the site plan strategically to make it more spatially coherent. Median strips and trees would be added to the endless parking lot to make it “a garden for cars.” Finally, a direct pedestrian connection to this center from the residential neighborhood to the north would be established, assisted by a new pedestrian bridge over the creek. Between the shopping center and the neighborhoods, a zone of amenities would be added, including an amphitheater, soccer field, tennis courts, swimming pool, community garden, and clubroom. Sidewalks throughout the neighborhood are also very needed.
Proposed Proposed FigurePlan Ground Plan Scale 1:200
Proposed Figure Ground Plan
Proposed Figure Ground
Scale 1:400 Contour Interval 4’
PR OJ EC T S
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Commercial Zone
Community is closely connected to the “big boxes.�
Club room, soccer field, tennis courts, swimming pool, etc.
a clear transition from corridor to neighborhood
2 bedrooms on the edge of the road 1 bedroom ear the river
bridge connects the neighborhood
club room and soccer field, tennis courts, and swimming pool, etc.
Creek walk increases community connectivity.
community is closely connected to the mall
creek walk increases xommunity connectivity
Proposed Elevation
Gratual commercial zone
North-South Site Section
Bridge A clear transition connects from corridor to the neighneighborhood. borhood. 1 and 2 bedroom housing lines the road and the river.
Proposed Elevation 0
Proposed Axonometric
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50
Proposed Elevation
North-South Site Section Proposed Elevation 0
View of Creek to the East
25
50
Creek “Events”
Aerial Perspective
View of Creek Terminus
PR OJ EC T S
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06 Nolensville Pike
Tyler Goza and Casey Kuntz Site Location
Existing Site Conditions: The site is located to the southwest of the Nolensville Pike and Thompson Lane intersection. Its boundary to the west is the CSX Railroad right-of way and Patterson Street to the south. The site is at a major intersection that is not pedestrian or bike friendly. The area is ripe for redevelopment, with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) proposed. Commercial lots on site tend to be perpendicular to the diagonal of Nolensville Pike. A challenge is how to approach an develop around this?
Elizab a eth Stree et
Thom o pson Lane
Thompson
Lane
nue
lier C l Co
ve Av
Wingate Avenue
Col o lier Avenue e
Tan Ta a ksley Avenu n e
len No
e ue u nu Aven
sville
sley
Tank
Ha Har H a lin Drive
e Pik P
Louise se e Drive
Timmo Tim Ti i ns Stre t et tr Timmons Tim Street
M ton Av Mor Avenue
Win Wi W iin nga gatte Av g ven ve e en nu ue e
Mea ea ade d Avenu
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Morton n Av A enu ue
Radnor n Streett
Rad dnor n Street no
ke
e Pi sville
len No N
Sunrisse A ve ven e ue
Existing Plan EXISTING SITE PLAN 1_200 0
View of Nolensville Pike
Density/Growth
Growth Centers Transition 1 Transition 2 Parks Historic Property 100’
200’
400’
Thompson Lane
Thompson
Collier
Lane
Avenue Collier Avenu
Wingate Avenue
e
sville
Elizabeth Street
len No Pike Tanksley Avenu
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ue
sley
Aven
Harlin Drive
Tank
Timmons
Street
Street
Morton Avenu
e Morton Avenue
Wingate Avenue
Meade Avenu
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Elizabeth
Street
Louise Drive
Timmons
Radnor Street Radnor Street
sville
len No Pike
IV I T Y
Proposed Future Development: The two neighborhoods, each to one side of Nolensville Pike, have a mixed, and at times, blighted appearance. The car dealership at the corner of Nolensville and Thompson Lane is envisioned as being repurposed as a school or other civic amenity. Commercial infill along Nolensville Pike would define a garden space for the existing church to occupy. To the west of Nolensville Pike, a wide array of missing middle housing types will lighten the scale of the neighborhood from east to west, which now has single family one story bungalow type houses. Meanwhile, the most urban portion of the site, its northeast corner at the major intersection, will have a multi-story parking garage lined by mixed-uses, with commercial on grade and housing above looking outward. A food truck servicing facility is suggested as a programmed civic amenity at the southern boundary of the neighborhood.
Sunrise Avenu
e
CONNECT IVIT Y
0
200’
400’
DE N SI TY
800’
0
200’
400’
800’
0
200’
400’
800’
Proposed Site Plan P R OPO SED SITE PLA N 1 _2 0 0 0
100’
200’
400’
1
Connectivity
CONNECT IVITY 0
200’
400’
Density
800’
0
COMMU NIT YDE NSIT Y
200’
400’
800’
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DE NSIT Y 200’
400’
800’0
200’
400’
800’
0
4
MILE
Walkability 1/4 Mile radius
WA L K A BI L I TY
200’
/
400’
800’
PR OJ E C T S
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Proposed Views of Nolensville Pike
Nolensville Pike Intersection
Commercial/Retail Plaza
Collier Avenue Collier Avenue
The former Action Nissan dealership will be repurposed into a new primary or Montessori school in order to accomidate the vast increased density of residents to the area. Collier Avenue will serve as the main pick-up/drop-off street to avoid the busy intersection.
Former Nissan Dealership repurposed into a Montessori School in order to accommodate density.
Transit stops are located just next to the school as well as ammenities like a public library, parks and retail shops and restaurants within short walking distance. Between the school and Collier Avenue, a horticulture garden and greenhouse will be cornerstones of the school. In a culture where growing and cultivating food for your family is so important, the students education can begin in their own gardens.
PE DE STRIA N PL AZA SECTION
PA R K
I NG
Residential Mixed-Use
Residential Mixed Use 20' of ground level ofďƒžce and retail space address Nolensville Pike as well as the central courtyard space. This plaza will host busy lunch dates and morning coffee - providing homes for small businesses and retail shops that currently do not have a proper place on Nolensville Pike or Thompson Lane
Parking is located in a 2 level garage below grade additionally, a 3-level parking garage is located just a half block off the site with commuter and residential parking spaces.
Elizabeth Street
Woonerf for neighborhood to grow around.
PA R K
Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth Street is now serving a much greater role in the neighborhood - extending from Thompson Lane down to Sunset Avenue. A Woonerf for the neighborhood to grow around will link the community and unify the residents.
I NG
3 Level Residential
3-Level Residential Vehicular acces through the alley with pedestrian access on street level. Most units have below grade parking, with supplimentary surface parking under a canopy of trees [cost dependant]. Buildings create a courtyard pedestrian space between them.
into the area - creating a need for dense, low-income, multi-generational housing. More jobs, more open park space, and the school on Thompson Ave and Nolensville Pk will encourage young families to take advantage of affordable building types such as these Square Apartment Villas. The precedent for the Courtyard Style Villas are found in Stadtville, Germany - an Urban Villa designed in Berlin, which features a strong quadrilateral, symmetric plan. In the Berlin edition, the intention was to combine the advantages of a single family house with the amenities and culture of a condominium or joint ownership apartment. The building has four levels with optional small additions on each block. The oversized windows on the outer walls and terraces connecting the blocks open on the courtyard side overlooking the surrounding green space, creating an effect of unity and transparency. This gives residents the feeling of living in a Villa in the center of the neighborhood. The apartments all have two levels, connected by an internal spiral staircase. These large, luxurious apartments are all on the higher income end. They are spacious and provide many amenities. This precedent provided the framework for the Courtyard Villas designed in the heart of our neighborhood. The Square Apartment Villas are basically an American ‘poor man’s’ version of the Stadtvillas. They also feature a strong quadrilateral and symmetric shape in plan, and are much more affordable. They are three stories tall, with a half level of parking below. In total, there are 32 units within each of the courtyard villas, and each unit has its own balcony. The Villas include studio apartments, 1 bedroom units and 2 bedroom units. There are entrances to the Villa from every side. Upon entering the Villa, residents are greeted by beautiful greenery in the open courtyard. In each inner corner are glass enclosed staircases that serve as objects in the space uniting the levels. From every angle, these Villas still give the impression that you are in the center of the neighborhood because of their symmetrical nature.
GR OU N D F L O OR PL A N 1 _ 2 0 0
Square Apartment Villa Elevation
10’
20’
40’
Square Apartment Villa Section SQUARE APART M EN T V ILLAS Many factors came into play when designing these European Courtyard Style Villas, including the nature of the surrounding neighborhoods and housing types, the lifestyle and culture of the people we imagine will be inhabiting them, and the amount of income these residents might allot toward housing.
L EGEND STUDIO 1 BEDROOM
Generally, this area of Nashville is a low to middle income area. This overall site scheme adds a school, more parks and open spaces, as well as spaces for small businesses thoughtfully re-programmed into the area - creating a need for dense, low-income, multi-generational housing. More jobs, more open park space, and the school on Thompson Ave and Nolensville Pk will encourage young families to take advantage of affordable building types such as these Square Apartment Villas.
2 BEDROOM
precedent are ON found PA RThe K I NG 1 _ 2 0 for the Courtyard Style VillasSEC D FinL StadtO OR PL A N 1 _ 2 0
THIRD FLOOR PLAN 1_20
H A Lville, F L E V Germany E L BE L OWDE -GR anAUrban Villa designed in Berlin, which features
a strong quadrilateral, symmetric plan. In the Berlin edition, the intention was to combine the advantages of a single family house with the amenities and culture of a condominium or joint ownership apartment. The building has four levels with optional small additions on each block. The oversized windows on the outer walls and terraces connecting the blocks open on the courtyard side overlooking the surrounding green space, creating an effect of unity and transparency. This gives residents the feeling of living in a Villa in the center of the neighborhood. The apartments all have two levels, connected by an internal spiral staircase. These large, luxurious apartments are all on the higher income end. They are spacious and provide many amenities. This precedent provided the framework for the Courtyard Villas designed in the heart of our neighborhood.
Square Apartment Villas - Ground Floor Plan
GROUND FLOOR PLA N 1 _ 2 0
0
10’
20’
40’
The Square Apartment Villas are basically an American ‘poor man’s’ version of the Stadtvillas. They also feature a strong quadrilateral and symmetric shape in plan, and are much more affordable. They are three stories tall, with a half level of parking below. In total, there are 32 units within each of the courtyard villas, and each unit has its own balcony. The Villas include studio apartments, 1 bedroom units and 2 bedroom units. There are entrances to the Villa from every side. Upon entering the Villa, residents are greeted by beautiful greenery in the open courtyard. In each inner corner are glass enclosed staircases that serve as objects in the space uniting the levels. From every angle, these Villas still give the impression that you are in the center of the neighborhood because of their symmetrical nature.
Square Apartment Villas Square Apartment Villas
The precedent for the Courtyard Style Villas are found in Stadtville, Germany - an Urban Villa designed in Berlin, which features a strong quadrilateral, symmetric plan. In the Berlin edition, the intention was to combine the advantages of a single family house with the amenities and culture of a condominium or joint ownership apartment. The building has four levels with optional small additions on each block. The oversized windows on the outer walls and terraces connecting the blocks open on the courtyard side overlooking the surrounding green space, creating an effect of unity and transparency. This gives residents the feeling of living in a Villa in the center of the neighborhood. The apartments all have two levels, connected by an internal spiral staircase. These large, luxurious apartments are all on the higher income end. They are spacious and provide many amenities. This precedent provided the framework for the Courtyard Villas designed in the heart of our neighborhood. The Square Apartment Villas are basically an American ‘poor man’s’ version of the Stadtvillas. They also feature a strong quadrilateral and symmetric shape in plan, and are much more affordable. They are three stories tall, with a half level of parking below. In total, there are 32 units within each of the courtyard villas, and each unit has its own balcony. The Villas include studio apartments, 1 bedroom units and 2 bedroom units. There are entrances to the Villa from every side. Upon entering the Villa, residents are greeted by beautiful greenery in the open courtyard. In each inner corner are glass enclosed staircases that serve as objects in the space uniting the levels. From every angle, these Villas still give the impression that you are in the center of the neighborhood because of their symmetrical nature.
NOLENSV I L L E P I KE S EC T ION
3-Level Residential
3 Level Residential Vehicular acces through the alley with pedestrian access on street level. Most units have below grade parking, with supplimentary surface parking under a canopy of trees [cost dependant]. Buildings create a courtyard pedestrian space between them.
PR OJ E C T S
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07 Harding Place Alex Pasley
Site Location
Existing Site Conditions: The site is located at and around the intersection of Harding Pike and Trousdale Drive. The effective site boundary is the CSX Railroad right-of-way to the west, and Walford Drive to the east. Timber Hill Drive and the north side of Harding Pike bound the site to the north, while to the south Blackman Road is a logical boundary. The site surrounds a huge intersection with five lanes and no sidewalks. Some mixed-use development could be acceptable here. Issues of street connectivity should be addressed. Some outdated housing with shallow lots could be envisioned for redevelopment.
Existing Plan Residential Commercial Institutions and civic buildings
Existing Land Uses
5-minute walk 10-minute walk 15-minute walk
Walking Distances
Proposed Sidewalks
Proposed Bike Lanes
Bus Stops
Proposed Future Development: This proposal begins by tightening the turning radii of the Harding/Trousdale intersection to balance the needs of the pedestrian with the automobile, including bike lanes. A three story urban “Target,� or its programmatic equivalent, is placed on Harding, with a parking structure behind it. The destination restaurants existing across the street on the intersection are rehoused in a new building filling out the site. Along the railroad tracks, two corporate office buildings bring jobs and daytime population to this urban center. An underbuilt cul-de-sac street is converted into a neighborhood park and picnic area atop a topographic knoll. The eastern edge of the neighborhood’s schoolyard adopts two parallel underused alleyways to structure new co-housing courts. As housing lining significant streets converts over time, it could take the form of duplex, stair access party wall structures.
Proposed Site Plan Residential Commercial Institutions and civic buildings New retail / mixed use New single-family and multi-family residential Green spaces
Urban Target Townhouse Live Work House Park Pavilion Bungalow Houses
Proposed Land Uses
PR OJ EC T S
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Harding Pike Elevation
Streetscape
Harding Pike
Trousdale Drive
Neighborhood Street
Harding Pike Section
Proposed Urban Target Express
View of Greenway
Proposed Bungalow Plan
Proposed Townhouse Plan
2nd Floor Plan
PR OJ E C T S
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08 Hillsboro Pike
John Parsley and Blake Roberts Site Location
Existing Site Conditions: The site is located at the southeast corner of the Hillsboro Pike and Richard Jones intersection in Hillsboro. To the east, the site is bounded by Lone Oak Road, while to the south, the boundary is Galbraith Drive. A controversial 16-story tower is now under construction at the Hillsboro Pike and Richard Jones intersection. The area appears ripe for future development, which will bring further controversy over traffic issues. Across the street on Hillsboro Pike is the meritorious Hill Center at Green Hills development, with the Green Hills Mall and Hillsboro High School just beyond. A number of issues present themselves: transitioning from 16 stories to nearby single family residences, sorting out potential new road connections, and a large and older multifamily apartment complex that is a candidate for redevelopment.
Existing Site Plan
Existing Site
Existing Zones Commercial Multi-family Single family
Transition (17 story tower into single family homes)
0
Existing Sidewalks
200
400
Proposed Green Space
Neighborhood Greenway Connection
Proposed Future Development: The largest move in this proposal is to demolish and redevelop the entire site of the existing multi-family housing complex along Richard Jones Road. The appearance of the buildings and their aging character need reconsideration, ideally with courtyards a half level up from half level below grade parking. A semicontinuous edge of commercial space is envisioned along Hillsboro Pike, with parking located behind, and pedestrian crossing of Hillsboro Pike to and from the Hill Center at Green Hills and the neighborhood to the east. A linear park zone is created between the new multi-family housing and the loop road at the center of the site, becoming a nature trail from the Hill Center through the neighborhood to Green Hills Drive and the David Lipscomb University Campus.
Proposed Site Plan
Proposal Site
0
200
400
3 Proposed Zones Commercial Multi-family Single family
Transition (17 story tower into single family home)
Proposed Sidewalks
PR OJ E C T S
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Propos ed Sidewal ks
Proposal Axon Proposed Axonometric View
East-West Site Section
HG Hills Co n n e c t io n
N e i g h b o rh o o d Gre e n w a y C o n n e c ti o n Op p e r tu n i ti e s
P ro p o s e d C o n n e c ti o n ( S t reet O p p er t uni t y )
0
200
400
Tr a n s i t i o n
Greenway View
North-South Site Section HG Hills Center
Greenway View
H ills b oro P ik e
Buff er Z one
P laz a
Blue Bird C af e
HG Hill “Exte n sio n ” Stre e t
Pu blic Pa r k
PR OJ E C T S
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09 Harding Place Hayley Mull
Site Location
Existing Site Conditions: The site abuts Harding Place to its north and Blackman Road to its south. Its eastern boundary is Shadycrest Drive and Danby Road to the west. The area’s housing stock will be outdated in the future, and has shallow lot depths. Two to three story maximum housing would seem viable, with the challenge being how to front existing one story buildings as a successful transition.
Site Boundaries Growth Centers Transition 1 Transition 2 Parks Historic Property
Density/Growth
Existing Site Photo
Proposed Future Developments: This project envisions a new neighborhood anchored around two significant green spaces: one a “village green� to the west of the site with an existing creek traversing the space, and the other a tennis club, or its recreational equivalent, to the east. The existing blocks are very long, so considerable effort has been made to subdivide the block structure into a more connected fabric. Along Harding
Place and Shadycrest Drive, segmental two-story party wall stair access housing forms courtyards with gaps left to see and access the courts. Elsewhere in the neighborhood, party wall two story townhouses predominate, with private gardens, alley access garages, and accessory units. Sidewalks are introduced throughout the new development.
PROPOSED FIGURE GROUND PLAN 0
200
400
PR OJ EC T S
53
Proposed Site Section
Proposed Axonometric View
Proposed Site Section
Courtyard Plan
View Between Townhouses
View Down Harding Pike
PR OJ E C T S
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Local Happenings
Examples of retrofits in the Nashville area that represent techniques that can be applied to the many suburban commercial corridors that offer an opportunity for reinvention into attractive urban places. Historic Germantown
Located in a former industrial area, Historic Germantown has experienced adaptive reuse. Rezoning into mixed use has made it a hot spot for renovations and infill developments such as mixed use buildings, condominium buildings, apartment complexes, and other Missing Middle housing types. Along
Hill Center
Located in Green Hills, Hill Center is an urban themed shopping center in a suburban shopping hub. As opposed to the shopping strips that surround it, the Hill Center is pedestrian centered allowing visitors to move with ease on foot. The Hill Center was an instant success, which indicates Nashvillians are ready to embrace pedestrian-centered development.
with the building development has been a pedestrian friendly streetscape lined with retail and housing. The neighborhood has maintained a diversity of housing densities that are continuing to develop while preserving the neighborhood’s historic character. This diversity of housing types transitions the scale from the Jefferson Street corridor into smaller scale housing.
Cayce Place
Cayce Place is a Hope VI project that is converting Nashville’s largest public housing complex located in East Nashville into a mixed-income, mixed-use community. The complex will provide a diversity of housing types that will range from low-income to market rate values. The design process engaged community members, and resulted in a plan that includes safer streets, more park options, more commercial services, and stronger connections to downtown, the river, and Shelby park.
The Melrose
The Melrose is a major retrofit of a building that formerly housed a 1942 modern art theater, live music venue The Sutler, and a 1950’s bowling alley. The retrofitting brought the historic uses back to life and added an apartment community with 220 units. The community has a sense of place as it retains some of the iconic historical elements such as the theater marquee, angled storefronts, and obelisk-shaped signs.
IM PL EM EN TAT I O N
57
Tool Box
A “kit of parts” that, when used correctly, successfully integrate Missing Middle housing into Nashville’s communities in order to make them more livable and accessible to an increasingly diverse range of Nashvillians. Accessibility
Provide infrastructure for multimodal transportation including pedestrians, cyclists, mass transit, and personal vehicles within convenient proximity to housing. (Left) The yellow circles on this transit map indicate a 1/4 mile walking radius around neighborhood centers. Part of planning firm DPZ’s Lifelong Neighborhoods Initiative, everyone in the community will have equitable access to their daily needs without the need for a car.
(Above) A “Complete Streets” provide equal access to multiple modes of transportation.
Community
Integrate shared community spaces within the housing types such as courtyards and shared garden spaces. Proximity of housing to community spaces also achieves a communal feel.
(Above) Market Square in Knoxville, TN provides a central public space for community events. Housing exists in the upper floors of the mixed-use building that create the square.
(Above) Community gardens create attractive community spaces along with promoting healthy eating and urban farming.
3
Do the Math
Affordability
F
inancing options for affordable housing are an alphabet soup of loans, grants, and various other programs containing numerous qualifications and restrictions. Developing affordable housing requires in-depth knowledge of these options as well as the ability to stitch a number of them together seamlessly to create a development proposal that pencils out financially. Knowing the myriad funding sources and how to put them together to make a deal work is the art of affordable housing. LIHTC (low-income housing tax credit), HOPE VI, CDBG (community development block grant), and HOME funds as well as other U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs represent the bulk of project funding at the federal level. States, counties, cities, and towns often offer numerous financing and incentive programs as well, including housing trust funds. The administering authorities for these programs vary from HUD to local housing authorities and housing finance agencies (HFAs), which administer the LIHTC. Many of these HFAs offer additional state tax credits as well. While affordable housing projects generally need various funding sources, the expected commitments and reporting obligations of the programs vary, further adding to the complexity of developing affordable housing. Knowing these programs and their parameters is the first step in establishing longterm financial success.
Provide a variety of financial housing options including rental for-sale. Small, HOME, HELP,and and HOME—provided financing well-designed, comfortable, and for the 56 affordable for-sale homes offered units willCalifornia. help keep costs down. byusable the Boulevard in Anaheim, An alphabet soup of first-time homebuyer programs—including EPAL, BEGIN, CAL-
Cohesion
Housing types should reflect the vernacular of the neighborhood and have densities that blend into the neighborhood while keeping a pedestrian-friendly, urban scale. Affordable housing developers
JOHN LAING HOMES
are often constrained on several levels by both lending and program requirements. Lenders require covenants that ensure timely payments, establish reserves, and maintain various metrics (such as loan-to-value ratio and debt service coverage ratio). Further, sale and rental rates as well as a host of maintenance and public service issues are restricted or mandated by program requirements.
The Boulevard in Anaheim, CA, provides 56 for-sale homes that are a part of a variety of first-time homebuyer programs. 10
First Ward Place in Charlotte, NC, is a successful Hope VI mixedincome community that ranges from public housing units to marketrate housing.
Because of the many constraints on affordable housing, underwriting is done with a careful eye toward established (Above) Street-front operating cost percentages
townhomes in neighborhoods with sidewalks create an urban scale that is pedestrian-friendly and able to blend with higher and lower density architecture. (Left) Housing such as this multiplex in Detriot’s Midtown provides a transition from the urban scale into the single family home neighborhood while maintaining the historic architectural vernacular.
IM PL EM EN TAT I O N
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Acknowledgements Access and Livability, The Missing Middle: Retrofitting the Centers and Corridors of Nashville, is a project of the Nashville Civic Design Center, in partnership with the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the University of Tennessee’s College of Architecture and Design.
Nashville Civic Design Center The mission of the Nashville Civic Design Center is to elevate the quality of Nashville’s built environment and to promote public participation in the creation of a more beautiful and functional city for all. Gary Gaston, Executive Director Ron Yearwood, Assistant Director Eric Hoke, Design Coordinator Joe Mayes, Programs Coordinator Melody Gibson, Design Fellow CivicDesignCenter.org
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Architecture and Design For nearly twenty years, the College of Architecture and Design has been helping to envision to future of Nashville. Architecture students annually participate in pertinent real-world concerns through an academic rigor that results in visionary design solutions for Nashville’s neighborhoods. Some of the student’s most recent works include a boat house along the Cumberland River and micro-apartment housing for Downtown. Thomas K. Davis, Professor ArchDesign.UTK.edu
Nashville Area MPO The Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) facilitates strategic planning for the region’s multi-modal transportation system by serving as a forum for collaboration among local communities and state leaders. The vision of the MPO is to develop policies and programs that direct public funds to transportation projects that increase access to opportunity and prosperity, while promoting the health and wellness of Middle Tennesseans and the environment. Michael Skipper, AICP, Executive Director Michelle Lacewell, APR, Deputy Director NashvilleMPO.org
Funding for this publication was provided in part by funds from the Federal Highway Administration, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and local government members of the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The Nashville Area MPO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed or disability in admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. Discrimination against any person in recruitment, examination, appointment, training, promotion, retention, discipline or any other employment practices because of non-merit factors shall be prohibited. For ADA inquires, contact Michelle Lacewell, ADA Compliance Coordinator at 615.880.2452 or email her at Lacewell@nashvillempo.org. For Title VI inquires or all employment related inquires contact Human Relations at 615.862.6640.