Rolling Mill Hill, a historic, in-town neighborhood, is the former home of Metro General Hospital and Metro’s government vehicle fleet center (the “trolley barns”). The area is located on a bluff just south of Broadway and Korean Veterans Boulevard. The neighborhood is also located within the larger Rutledge Hill Redevelopment District.
Rolling Mill Hill is a locally designated landmark that the community insisted on preserving and adapting for reuse. The first hospital structure, a Victorian-style building dating to the 1890s, has been converted for residential use, along with a 1930s Art Deco-style building. The trolley barns, which have been entered on the National Register of Historic Places, were converted to office and commercial space. The historic smokestack, which is visible from several points downtown and to the east, also has been preserved and will continue to serve as a landmark and icon for the area.
Consistent with the vision of Rolling Mill Hill as a mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood, MDHA has constructed two multi-family housing developments:
- Nance Place, a workforce loft-style property with 109 units. The property was recognized by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency with a 2011 “Tennessee’s Best” Award for Remarkable Achievement/Urban.
- Ryman Lofts, an MDHA-owned property, features 60 one- and three-bedroom apartments that include unconventional floor plans more conducive to artistic endeavors.
In addition to participating in the revitalization of Rolling Mill Hill through adaptive reuse of the area’s historic buildings and construction of affordable multi-family residential units, MDHA has awarded multiple requests for proposals for further development of the Rolling Mill Hill.
- Lot I: Eakin Partners developed a 180,000 square foot mixed-use building, primarily comprised of Class-A office with a retail base, and a pocket park.
- Lot K: Hensler Development Group developed mixed-use program, featuring a high-rise residential tower.