Nashville redeveloping the waterfront
The redevelopment plan is an ongoing effort to maintain the Riverfront area in downtown as a focal point of the community. Ever since Nashville was founded, as the Nashboro settlement in the 1780s, the river has been an integral source of income and has enhanced the quality of life of residents due to its aesthetic nature and variety of entertainment and leisure pursuits.
Since the 1980s, continuous redevelopment has taken place. Riverfront Park was built during this time and the urban landscape on the west riverbank terminus of Lower Broadway is now a significant hub for celebrations and major events in the city, such as outdoor concerts and shows and, most famous of all, the 4th of July fireworks display that captivates the entire city every year.
In the 1990s, the city’s focus switched to the east bank, where an industrial area was redeveloped into the Baptist Sports Park, which is the home of the Tennessee Titans. The move of the Titans from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee was largely a result of the building of the sports venue, according to press material for the redevelopment of the Riverfront.
A number of major city landmarks and leisure areas are the result of ongoing efforts to revitalise the banks of the Cumberland River, from East Bank Greenway and the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge to the Ghost Ballet art sculpture and the Public Square.
In 2008, Nashville news media reported that Mayor Karl F. Dean had called in the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) to oversee future work on the long-term project, which includes a number of smaller projects through the next few years during the first phase of the New Riverfront Redevelopment Project, which was first introduced in 2005.
Following extensive community meetings and public feedback, the redevelopment plan now includes a total of 18 projects, which have been divided into several phases of development over the next several years. The first phase includes the development of the new Riverfront Park, this is the working name for the new park, but its actual name will be decided by the public in a vote on the MDHA website.
Construction on the park is already underway, with US$30 million set aside in the 2009-2010 city budget. It will cover 6.5 acres of land between Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge and the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, to the south of LP Field and will include a river walk, landscaped lawns, picnic areas, a stage for outdoor concerts and shows, a family-oriented park and various restaurants and shops.
Mayor Dean has told Nashville news media that the family aspect is the most important pillar of the redevelopment project.
“That’s what Riverfront redevelopment is all about,” the Mayor said in a released statement. “It’s about creating usable green space on the banks of our river that will bring families downtown on a Saturday afternoon to play.”
Another aspect of the first phase of the Riverfront redevelopment is the renovation of the former Nashville Bridge Co. building, which sits adjacent to the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge. This area will be redeveloped to include retail space, offices and restrooms and will open at the same time as the new park.
However, the 2009-2010 spending plan also includes the launch of a number of other projects that form part of the greater riverfront redevelopment. These include the start of construction on the First and Broadway Overlook, City Wharf, Pioneer Walk, River Lawn, the NABRICO Building and Gardens, as well as the play park.
The First and Broadway Overlook plans include the development of an 80 foot high fountain in the river, a series of piers extending over the water, a viewing space for the display of public art and a city square that will be reminiscent of the plazas found in major European cities.
The City Wharf will include docks for the berthing of Riverboats, as well as facilities for the operation of water taxis and Pioneer Walk will be a tribute to the heritage of the city and surrounding areas with a series of sculptures and monuments.
The River Lawn will be a simple sloping grass lawn down to the water for picnicking and other public uses, such as events, concerts, shows and other outdoor activities, according to promotional material released to Nashville news media.
The NABRICO Building and Gardens will provide more picnic and park space, as well as shops and restaurants, nature trails and public art space.
In every way then, the Riverfront redevelopment is intended to refocus the life of the city on the Riverfront area. The first phase of the new redevelopment plan is illustrative of this, revealing the extent to which the area will have been enhanced following the completion of all 13 remaining projects.
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Nashville Digest
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Nashville redeveloping the waterfront
The first phase of the City of Nashville’s redevelopment of the Riverfront in the downtown area was kicked off in late 2010 with the ground-breaking ceremony for a new Riverfront Park, which will replace the current park and expand it by a factor of ten to 6.5 acres.
The redevelopment plan is an ongoing effort to maintain the Riverfront area in downtown as a focal point of the community. Ever since Nashville was founded, as the Nashboro settlement in the 1780s, the river has been an integral source of income and has enhanced the quality of life of residents due to its aesthetic nature and variety of entertainment and leisure pursuits. Read more
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