Summary of Recommendations:

Panel recommendations centered on the following themes:

Importance of Second Avenue

Preserving Second Avenue and the adjacent area is saving the soul of the City.  It is both crucially important and urgent.  Nashville has a wonderful, colorful history that binds the community together with meaning and belonging.  It is the gift of generations and ties the future with the past.  This district is  already small, and fragile, and already suffers several architectural incursions that fray its fabric.  The bombing has highlighted how vulnerable the area is and created the opportunity to now give the area the focus and investment it needs to for a resilient future.

A Distinct Neighborhood

Second Avenue cannot survive on its own.  It is the backbone of a district that rightfully stretches from Third Avenue to the water, and Broadway to Union. This expanded area truly reflects the early days of Nashville, and it provides the critical mass  to make it a viable destination and investment.  To thrive, it needs to establish itself as a distinct and special district, the alternative to the touristy appeal of Broadway, where residents feel comfortable and want to go.  It should be branded and named to help elevate it from its underperforming state in the midst of an otherwise robust market.

Reconnecting to the River

The city of Nashville grew out of the river where deliveries were shepherded into warehouses on Front Street and sold through merchants on Market Street.  The Cumberland River was a lifeline for the growing borough. As commerce moved further west, so the buildings of the growing city stepped up from the from the waterfront and also grew in scale and height.  Floods have reminded the community of the might and importance of the river, yet it has not yet been seen as a treasured legacy and asset.  Plans for a Flood Protection Program are ready to go, but approvals have stalled.  Implementing these plans, activating the area, and adding even more opportunities to use the river should now be a high priority.

Recapture the Riverfront

The Riverfront is an exceptional opportunity for the city to expand its recreation opportunities, celebrate its history, and anchor the Market District renaissance.  Active uses and heavily programmed parks are the secret to engaging people, staying safe, and bettering communities.  There are plans ready to go to complete the build-out of Riverfront Park,  and they should be implemented immediately.  The cultural elements of the amphitheater, Fort Nashboro, and the historical stories of the area can be emphasized to make it unique and keep it fresh.

Connecting the District

The Market District should make it easy and pleasant for pedestrians to move up and down the streets, between the blocks, find the river, and even cross it to the East Shore. Recapturing alleyways and adding more, creating mid-block passageways, updating sidewalks and streetscapes, and adding water transportation to Nissan Stadium and its forthcoming new attractions will bring the neighborhood to life.

Enliven the Streets

Updated streetscape, expanded tree plantings, better lighting, fresh wayfinding, integrated arts and culture, and outdoor dining accommodation will quickly warm the street and attract people.  Filling the gaps with appropriately scaled and interesting buildings, activating blank walls, and attracting everyday tenants such as bakeries, boutiques, chef-driven local restaurants, design stores and the like will rapidly change the appeal, and preserve the character of the neighborhood as a destination for residents and visitors alike.

Public Private Partnerships

Financing and implementation must be shared responsibilities between the sectors.  The private sector must take the lead in redevelopment, and the public sector must provide incentives and assistance, particularly but not exclusively, in the early stages of rebuilding and redevelopment.  A variety of financing and funding sources are available, and the community should expect to layer many different sources to bring the Market District back to glory.  The alignment of Nashville’s profoundly strong market, the pandemic recovery funds, and disaster relief assistance provide several opportunities that the public sector can pursue.    Private building owners and tenants have insurance assistance that may not cover all the costs but provide a good start.  And the many non-profit organizations in the community can assist with consensus building, services, marketing, and philanthropic funding.

Time is of the Essence

A distinct action plan is needed to establish the vision and guide recovery and reinvestment.  The market moves much more quickly than public policy, so immediate efforts should be focused on specific properties and situations in order to have the biggest impact.  While a phased strategy is needed for the infrastructure elements,  private sector properties need nimble responses to guide their now-pending decisions toward future use and design.