Plans have been submitted for another redevelopment project as part of the Envision Cayce Master Plan. 5th & Summer is a brand new 6-Story residential development located within the Cayce Community Unit Planning Overlay. The Project is situated at the corner of S. 5th Avenue & Summer Place.


Designed by Gresham Smith, 5th & Summer will feature 107 units and 120 parking spaces. The plans propose 65 one-bedroom, 38 two-bedroom, and 4 three-bedroom residences. Plans also include new sidewalks and landscape throughout the development. The design of 5th & Summer, like many others by MDHA, involve quality architecture and design. This project joins a growing list of new quality development projects by some of Nashville’s top architects & designers such as Gresham Smith, Smith Gee Studio, and Kimley Horn to name a few.


The “Envision Cayce,” planning process focused on revitalizing Cayce Place back in March 2013. Many of the projects included in the master plan are either complete or in various stages of design and construction. The goal of Envision Cayce is to create a mixed-income, mixed-use community consisting of new affordable, workforce and market-rate housing. More importantly if ensures a one-for-one replacement of existing affordable units.
MDHA is leading the way along with multiple public & private sector partners to preserve affordable housing in Nashville. MDHA published its strategic plan in March of this year which set out to:
- Preserve and expand affordable housing in Nashville.
- Provide sustainable and healthy communities.
- Cultivate, enhance and evaluate strategic partnerships.
- Continuously improve MDHA’s operations.
The introduction of 5th & Summer reinforces the work already being done by the agency.

People looking in often see redevelopment of public housing as the replacement of buildings and often forget the displacement of families which often goes unseen. As someone who grew up in public housing (Lincoln Heights in Washington D.C.) I have seen many plans and strategies for redevelopment of public housing. MDHA is setting a great precedent during a critical time in Nashville’s growth that other cities can learn from. While no agency is perfect, MDHA is setting a new standard for leveraging its resources to preserve and expand affordable housing.


A request for final plat approval has just been submitted for the project. Once approved, it will permit the 5th & Summer development currently zoned SP on the 12.55 acre site. The project is scheduled for the 9/8/22 Metro Planning Agenda.
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1 Comment
Fantastic! Love seeing this.