New Nashville Riverfront website
Introduction
Since the founding of the Nashboro settlement in the late 1780s on a small bluff above the water’s edge, the Cumberland River has been an important economic and social focal point for the City of Nashville. From that early beginning to the present day, the river continues to play an important role in the daily lives of Nashville residents and visitors.
Nashvillians chose to reclaim and re-embrace their downtown waterfront under the administration of former Mayor Richard Fulton. Construction of Riverfront Park in the 1980s was a watershed moment in the City’s commitment to riverfront redevelopment, with transformation of the west riverbank terminus of Lower Broadway into today’s epicenter of citywide celebrations and entertainment events, including the 4th of July fireworks extravaganza and the annual Country Music Association (CMA) Music Festival.
Transformation of the downtown riverfront’s east bank took a major leap forward in the mid-1990s under the administration of former Mayor, and current Governor, Phil Bredesen with reclamation and conversion of an underutilized industrial area into the new home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
Continued downtown riverfront revitalization picked up significant momentum under the administration of former Mayor Bill Purcell as evidenced by many riverfront amenities that we see and enjoy today, including the East Bank Greenway, the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge, the Ghost Ballet art sculpture and the Public Square.
Under current Mayor Karl F. Dean’s administration, the long-term goal of reclaiming and redefining Nashville’s downtown waterfront continues with enthusiasm. In September 2008, Mayor Dean turned to MDHA to oversee and administer the waterfront redevelopment program. The Mayor’s vision is to transform Nashville’s downtown waterfront into vibrant and dynamic mixed-use centers that provide new entertainment, cultural, shopping, working, living and learning opportunities for local residents and visitors.
Nashville Riverfront Concept Plan
The Nashville Riverfront Concept Plan, jointly funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation, represents a community-based vision for long-term revitalization of the City’s downtown waterfronts. The Plan calls for environmental clean-up and remediation of targeted brownfield sites, the introduction of additional parks, trails and water recreation facilities along the river’s edge, and the eventual development of mixed-use urban neighborhoods on the eastern banks of the Cumberland River. The ambitious 20-year redevelopment vision of that planning document provides a framework for the potential infusion of more than $1.4 billion in new private investment capital into the local economy with the transformation of more than 190 acres of underutilized industrial land into sustainable mixed-use development complemented by new cultural and entertainment venues serving local residents and visitors from around the world.
The “New Riverfront Park Plan”
The early phases of the Nashville Riverfront Concept Plan embody an ambitious construction program of 19 riverfront enhancement projects that would add new public parks, open space and recreational amenities in and around the general vicinity of existing Riverfront Park. The $50 million plus “New Riverfront Park Plan” would effectively double existing public park land along the downtown waterfront with expanded recreational boat docking facilities, music performance venues, waterfront parks, boardwalks, overlooks and piers. The historically significant Nashville Bridge Company Building (NABRICO), strategically located at the foot of the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge, would be renovated utilizing sustainable construction practices to accommodate uses that complement and contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the riverfront. Other environmental enhancement projects would include the re-establishment of wetland areas along the river’s edge and retrofitting portions of existing parking lots serving LP Field (home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans) with “permeable grass” parking surfaces and the introduction of additional shade trees to enhance game-day tailgating experiences.
New Riverfront Park – Phase One
On June 9, 2009, the Metropolitan Council adopted a new six-year Capital Improvement Budget that includes up to $54 million for riverfront redevelopment as recommended by Mayor Karl F. Dean. As part of that budget adoption process, the Metro Council also approved the 2009-2010 Capital Spending Plan authorizing an initial infusion of $29.95 million to construct the first series of waterfront park and recreation projects recommended by the “New Riverfront Park Plan.” Funded east-bank projects will include a 7.5-acre Adventure Play Park, renovation and adaptive reuse of the historic Nashville Bridge Company (NABRICO) building, and construction of a one-acre River Lawn. Funded west bank projects will include the First and Broadway Overlook, City Wharf and the Pioneer Walk.
Current Initiatives
Adventure Play Park Replacement Parking
The Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA), the Metropolitan Sports Authority and Cumberland Stadium, Inc. (the Tennessee Titans) have entered into a Riverfront Development Agreement that will result in the dedication of approximately 3.5 acres of riverfront property currently owned by the Sports Authority (and used for stadium-related parking) to MDHA for development of the new Adventure Play Park. In return, MDHA has agreed to relocate approximately 267 parking spaces displaced by the new park to other locations within the existing stadium campus. Construction of those replacement parking spaces (expansions of Parking Lots H and T) is currently under way and on schedule to be completed prior to the first game of the 2010 NFL pre-season. Sustainable development principles are being employed in the design and construction of these replacement parking spaces. Parking areas will be constructed of porous concrete to reduce storm water runoff volumes and protect downstream water quality, and planted tree islands will be installed within the new parking areas.
Adventure Play Park Final Design
The design team led by Hargreaves Associates continues to work on final construction plans for the new Adventure Play Park project. As first conceived by the 2007 Nashville Riverfront Concept Plan, Adventure Play Park will be the first Metro parks project constructed along the downtown waterfront. The $8.5 million construction budget is funded by the 2009-2010 Capital Spending Plan.
SPECIAL NOTE: Despite the recent major flood event, this project remains on-schedule with an anticipated start of construction in the early fall of 2010 and completion by mid-summer of 2011.
New Riverfront Park Schematic Design
The design team, also led by Hargreaves Associates, continues to advance the design of 16 future riverfront park and open space projects along both banks of the downtown riverfront as recommended by the 2007 Nashville Riverfront Concept Plan. The resulting New Riverfront Park Schematic Design Package will be used to refine and advance the designs of each project and to secure necessary federal environmental permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
SPECIAL NOTE: The early Schematic Design work accomplished to-date is currently being reassessed and adjusted as necessary by the design team in light of the recent major flood event along the downtown waterfront.
Environmental Abatement of the former Nashville Bridge Company Building
Environment abatement of the former Nashville Bridge Company (NABRICO) building has commenced on the east bank of the river. This environmental work is a precursor to starting Phase One renovation of the building itself, scheduled to commence later this fall (see below).
Phase One Renovation of the Former Nashville Bridge Company (NABRICO) Building
The 2007 Nashville Riverfront Concept Plan recommended that the former Nashville Bridge Company (NABRICO) building be renovated and adaptively reused in a manner that both complements and contributes to revitalization of the downtown riverfront. Hasting Architecture Associates of Nashville has commenced preliminary design work on the Phase One renovation of this historically contributing structure. Included in this first phase of renovation will be: a) extension of utility services to the site; b) public restrooms and a field office for the Metro Department of Parks and Recreation to support the adjacent Adventure Play Park; c) upgrading the remaining building area to full compliance with current building code standards; and d) introducing a new elevator and stairway connection between the upper deck of the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge and the riverfront below. The $3.2 million construction budget for Phase One renovation is funded by the 2009-2010 Metro Capital Spending Plan. Interior build-out of the rest of the building will occur at a later time once end-users have been determined and additional funding sources identified.
SPECIAL NOTE: Despite the recent major flood event, this project remains on-schedule with an anticipated start of construction by mid-fall of 2010 and completion by the mid-summer of 2011.
Geothermal Funding Grant Secured
The Metro Department of General Services has been awarded an Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation Block Grant from the Federal Department of Energy in the amount of $609,859 to fund installation of a geothermal-based heating and cooling system for the former Nashville Bridge Company (NABRICO) Building.
Coming Soon
Riverfront "Open House" Meeting: July 15, 2010
The design teams working on the Adventure Play Park construction documents, the New Riverfront Park Schematic Plans and the former Nashville Bridge Company (NABRICO) building renovation plans will host an “open house” meeting on July 15, 2010, for the community to review their respective works-in-progress, ask questions and provide comments. The open house hours will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the Club Level of LP Field. Free parking will be available in stadium parking lots H and S off Titans Way. Please plan to attend.
For more information on MDHA’s Waterfront Redevelopment Program, contact Edward C. Owens, Waterfront Redevelopment Director, at eowens@nashville-mdha.org or at 615-252-8443.
