Mayor John Cooper unveiled a community vision for historic downtown that includes better sidewalks and a restored tree canopy. Four architects – Kem Hinton, Cyril Stewart, Gina Emmanuel and Ron Lustig – created the concept, which is based on local artist Phil Ponder’s “Market Street Too.”Metro Council voted to approve the mayor’s latest spending plan which includes $20 million to fund the early work.
View looking North on 2nd Ave.
“Nashville quickly turned what began as a tragedy last Christmas morning into an opportunity,”
Mayor John Cooper
Just as the city invests in a more livable streetscape along Second and First Avenues, AT&T will follow suit. The Company will fund a creative concept for the new, nine-story façade of its damaged telecommunications building. The building is located on 185 Second Avenue N. The gallery below shows the new concept and 2019 view of the former telecommunications building.
More than 500 people – from within and beyond downtown – contributed to this vision, as the mayor’s Second Avenue Task Force, which he established days after the blast, facilitated nine community workshops between February and October 2021.
“This site is not only historic in nature, but beloved by Nashvillians who live, work, and play in our downtown,” said Lucy Kempf, Metro Planning Executive Director. “Ensuring that the designs and overall vision for rebuilding this space were truly informed by our community was a priority from Day One.”
1st Avenue looking North
1st Avenue looking South
Meanwhile, the owners of 170-176 Second Avenue N. collaborated with Metro Planning and the Urban Land Institute on a vision for their properties that includes a passageway to First Avenue. A Specific Plan rezoning proposal, which would enable the plan for these properties, is currently before Metro Council. Be sure to subscribe for more on this and other Developments In & Around Nashville!
