ACCESS AND LIVABILITYTransit Oriented DevelopmentNashville’s Northwest Link

This book was prepared for the Nashville Area MPO and designed and written by Eric Hoke, Design Fellow, Nashville Civic Design Center. Significant contributions were provided by Gary Gaston, Design Director, Nashville Civic Design Center, author TK Davis, Associate Professor at The University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Architecture and Design (UTK CoAD), and Susan Steffenhagen Nashville Civic Design Center intern.

This book was edited by Gary Gaston, Design Director, Nashville Civic Design Center. The Nashville Civic Design Center would like to give special thanks to TK Davis and the UTK CoAD students.

The mission of the Nashville Civic Design Center is to elevate the quality of Nashville’s built environment and to promote public participation in the creation of a more beautiful and functional city for all. Towards this end, the Nashville Civic Design Center:

Promotes the Ten Principles of The Plan of Nashville, a vision for growth and development, created and endorsed by the citizens of Nashville;

Educates the public about civic design through lectures by prominent speakers and workshops;

Provides professional staff and highly-qualified design interns to consult on civic and other community development projects;

Facilitates public dialogue about civic design and its impact through the Urban Design Forum. The Forum meets monthly at the Civic Design Center, provides events, lectures and an open forum for the debate of ideas and issues of interest to its members;

Researches and publishes reports on various civic design issues.

Transit Oriented DevelopmentNashville’s Northwest Link

www.civicdesigncenter.orgJune 2015

C O N T E N T S

Foreword

Introduction

Precedents Martin Luther King Jr. Station Plaza Saltillo Crestview Union Station

Projects UTK Urban Design Studio North Gulch TOD Team A Team B Tennessee State University TOD Team C Team D

Implementation Real World Projects Tool Box

Conclusion

4

6

8

20

38

42

3

FOREWORD

Foreword

Middle Tennessee has seen exponential growth in population, employment and housing over the recent decade. As this growth continues, transportation costs are quickly rising to be the second-highest household expense. Increasing transportation and housing options, creating multi-use, transit-oriented development and limiting time spent commuting will vastly improve our quality of life and economic competitiveness.

This book explores case studies of successful transit-oriented developments from around the United States and offers recommendations for a route along Middle Tennessee’s northwest corridor, a critical route from Nashville to Clarksville. This corridor was originally identified in the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) 2035 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) as a key connection in Middle Tennessee’s mass transit vision. This recommendation was supported by the MPO’s 2008 feasibility study which produced potential alignments for commuter rail, route improvements, capital costs and preliminary operations budget for the corridor between Clarksville and Nashville. Expanding upon that work, in early 2015 the MPO and the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) launched a Northwest Corridor Study to examine cost effective transit improvements in the northwest corridor to connect travelers to destinations (work, school, shopping, entertainment, etc.) and address anticipated traffic growth and congestion along Interstate 24. The case studies presented in this book illustrate how Transit Oriented Developments (TOD) would enhance future investments along this northwest corridor.

The research and evaluations done by students from the University of Tennessee, in partnership with the Nashville Civic Design Center, provide valuable perspectives on the purpose and value of transit-oriented development along the northwest corridor. The students’ work marries land use and transportation solutions to address economic growth and our region’s expected increase in population. Additionally, the concepts and renderings presented in the book will help illustrate what is possible along this route and offer inspiration for design concepts.

Partnerships like this elevate awareness of the link between the built environment and our quality of life. As the demand for transit in the region grows, examples in this book illuminate specific benefits TOD brings to our communities. Moreover, this book assists the Nashville Area MPO in communicating the necessary alignment of transportation policies, plans, and funding programs with quality growth around transit. Furthering this concept will ensure transportation dollars and development support community preference and prosperity in the region.

F O R E W O R D 5

INTRODUCTION

Creating a link to the northwest corridor of Nashville via fixed guideway transit will promote more environmental and healthier living for people in those areas as well as downtown. A connection of this range is just one step to a more sustainable region. The economy and population of Nashville is blooming rapidly. Smarter housing is necessary to maintain and encourage growth. By designing areas of living that endorse public transportation and walkability; a greater populace will take interest in Middle Tennessee allowing expansion of Nashville with ease.

In the long-term vision for the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan a rail proposed by Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will connect The Gulch to Clarksville. Seven potential stops are identified along this connection. The communities that this new commuter rail will serve will experience dramatic evolution from these stations. New foot and bike traffic will spur from each station allowing local residents to painlessly commute to downtown Nashville. Likewise, these area’s will see and influx in downtown Nashville residents exploring areas north of the city.

The Northwest Corridor Transit Study is a transit based corridor study that will be undertaken in accordance with processes established by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). While the FTA no longer requires that applicants complete an Alternatives Analysis (AA) study, following the previously outlined AA process is generally advisable as it will yield products, analysis and information which may be used in further project development.

Introduction

Both RTA and the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) are currently undertaking a strategic planning process. The Northwest Corridor Transit Study will be coordinated with the RTA and MTA strategic planning process to ensure that public involvement and outreach activities don’t overlap or create confusion for the public and other interested stakeholders.

The communities that the rail will serve are prime areas to set up transit oriented development. Constructing mixed use buildings near each stop will spawn healthier living for each local environment. This type of building will encourage a non-automotive lifestyle, making it possible to live, work and play by using public transportation.

Designing communities that are not limited to the auto-centric life style are important for Middle Tennessee to embrace. According to MPO, the population will grow to more than 3 million people by the year 2040. As Nashville grows, there are more cars are on the road making daily commutes longer. Nashvillians must adopt another form of transportation to make a more sustainable environment. The towns that the northwest rail will accommodate are perfect places to begin the evolution of rail focused living.

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Student rendering of North Gulch rail transit stop

Student rendering of Tennessee State University transit stop

7

PrecedentsWhat Is TOD?

Martin Luther King Jr. StationAustin, TX

Plaza SaltilloAustin, TX

CrestviewAustin, TX

Red LineAustin, TX

Vacant lots near MLK station were turned to TOD

Rail station serves at a town center for new TOD

Industrial area turned TOD

A rail line that connects towns north of Austin to its downtown

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) incorporates high densities, mixed-uses, mixed types and prices of housing, and reduced parking requirements. The intent is to produce a walkable, pedestrian-friendly environment, where the design of high quality public space is prioritized. The virtues of transit-oriented development are that it enhances quality of life for its residents, improves public health by virtue of encouraging walking rather than driving, leads to economic development, contributes to community character through the design of public space, is inherently environmentally sustainable, and increases transit ridership.

Union StationDenver, CONew rail lines spur new more TOD in downtown Denver

P R E C E D E N T S

Capital Metro’s first rail line, the Red Line, began serving the Austin, Texas area on March 22, 2010. This passenger train operates on existing freight tracks along a 32-mile distance between Austin and Leander. Within this commute are nine stations, three of which are park and ride. During the initial nine months, ridership was relatively low, typically around 800 total trips per rider on an avarage weekday. Within one year, daily ridership increased to 1,600. Today, the average daily ridership is 2,500 passengers. In the following case studies, three of the first Transit-Oriented Developments – Plaza Saltillo, Martin Luther King Jr., and Crestview – will be explored.

Red LineAustin, TX

Austin’s Red Line train

9

M Station Apartments

MLK Jr. Station View from M Station Apartments

Martin Luther King, Jr. Station, located in central East Austin, is approximately one mile from the University of Texas campus. The areas surrounding the railroad were significantly undeveloped due to the site’s previous industrial use. This site is served by two major east-to-west thoroughfares, which run through the neighborhood. Local residents sought assurance that the rail line’s adjacent vacant properties would be developed sustainably, ultimately focusing on the impact of development next to the station, ensuring that it would not overflow into the surrounding neighborhood. One of the first major projects in the Martin Luther King, Jr. TOD area is the M Station Apartments. Opened in 2011, M Station offers 150 residential units, with many reserved as affordable housing for lower income families. More specifically, there are 15 affordable housing units reserved for residents with an income that is 30% or less of the median family income, and 75 units for families with an income that is 50% or less than the median income. These apartments have also been named Platinum LEED Certified – 2012 Property of the Year. Some sustainable characteristics include Energy Star appliances and usage of solar energy, in addition to M Station being a smoke-free environment. Another major development located near the Station is Chestnut Plaza – a public central plaza intended to act as a community center, developed on a previously 36.5 acre brownfield site, the Featherlite Tract of East Austin’s Chestnut Neighborhood. Chestnut Plaza has drawn in several nonprofit organizations, such as Sustainable Food Center and Theater Action Project. Other potential future contributions to the area include a community garden and a nursing facility for seniors.

P R E C E D E N T S

Martin Luther King Jr. Station Austin, TX

Chestnut Plaza single family home

Single family home on Miriam Ave

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PRECEDENTFarmers market in Plaza Saltillo

Mixed use retail and residential along transit line

Located in East Austin at 5th and Comal Streets, Plaza Saltillo is conveniently located near downtown Austin. In 2007, this area was predominately industrialized, but had apparent opportunity and potential for mixed-use development along the MetroRail Station. One thing developers quickly realized, however, was that residents in different areas had varying visions for their neighborhoods, and a variety of goals they wished to be achieved. The residents around Plaza Saltillo expressed that they wanted an established framework which promoted growth, but continued to preserve the neighborhood’s unique character as well.

The Rail Station, the driving force behind current and upcoming TOD development, provides many accommodations and conveniences to encourage local homeowners and employees to utilize the train. Ticket vending machines and validators, as well as digital signs providing real-time train arrival information make it easy for passengers to both buy tickets and be made aware that their train is either arriving on time or delayed. Additionally, lighting and accessible ramps contribute to the overall safety and accessibility of anyone and everyone. Lastly, biking passengers can securely store their bike in the MetroBike Shelter, which holds up to 24 bikes at a time. As alternative transportation to the rail system, Plaza Saltillo is also accessible to three buses – the 4 Montopolis, 17 Cesar Chavez, and 320 St. Johns.

Plaza Saltillo is by no means fully developed, however. In June 2014, Endeavor Real Estate and Columbus Realty’s proposal to develop a 10-acre former rail yard site was selected. Designed by Michael Hsu, this plan proposes 800 new residential units. Two hundred of these are intended to be set aside as affordable housing, and another portion as senior housing. Additionally, a grocery store will be placed along the I-35 frontage street.

Also currently being developed and constructed is the Corazon Development, which is in between East Sixth and Fifth Streets. This $35 million project encompasses 256 apartments, as well

P R E C E D E N T S

Plaza SaltilloAustin, TX

as over sixteen thousand square feet of pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and ground-level retail. Approximately 16 percent of these apartments will be affordable housing as well. The Corazon Development, and Plaza Saltillo area as a whole, strives to achieve what the residents are desiring – retail space not filled with national chain stores, but rather local, neighborhood businesses.

Bike shelter

Main entrance to Plaza Saltillo

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PRECEDENTView from Crestview station

Crestview apartment building Crestview single family home

Crestview, located north of both the Plaza Saltillo and Martin Luther King, Jr. Stations, is approximately 3.5 miles north of the University of Texas-Austin campus. This area was previously a mixture of low-density commercial development and older, established neighborhoods. The primary goal of the Crestview residents was to reduce traffic congestion through pedestrian-oriented development, as opposed to development catered to automobiles.

The major residential project in Crestview is Midtown Commons. This is a 73-acre transit village located on West St. John’s Avenue. Within this complex are 316 residential units (urban lofts, luxury apartments, and artist studio spaces). The transit village is within walking distance of various office and retail spaces. This reclaimed industrial site has transformed into a desirable, sustainable residential site receiving a rating of 3 Stars from the Austin Energy Green Building Program.

P R E C E D E N T S

CrestviewAustin, TX

The Crestview site was a chemical research facility from 1949 until 2005.

The Crestview vision includes single family homes, apartment, ball fields, and 150,000 square feet of office and retail space

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Main entrance to Union Station

Interior view of the new train shed Aerial rendering of new park, train shed and buildings

Union Station, Denver TODDenver, CO

In December 2012, Denver, Colorado’s historical Union Station underwent construction, anticipated to cost around $500 million, to transform a landmark into a mixed-use, transit-oriented hub for the city and region, with plans for it to open in July 2014. After the grand opening, this hub will then be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Within the upper levels will be the 112-room Crawford Hotel. The hotel is named after Dana Crawford, a Union Station Alliance partner, and will be managed by Denver’s Sage Hospitality.

The retail spaces will be managed by Larimer Associates. The intended plan is for ten separate restaurants and retail stores to occupy in excess of 22,000 square feet of ground floor. Three restaurants which have already been announced as Union Station occupants are Fruition Restaurant, Snooze, an A.M Eatery, and The Kitchen Next Door. In addition to the hotel and retail, Union Station will also feature a 12,000 square foot public common area, the Train Hall, and a 40,000 square foot outdoor plaza.

As far as transit access is concerned, Union Station will be served by numerous transit options. For example the Train Hall will provide eight tracks for passenger rail service and Amtrak. The Hall will be capable of handling 10,000 people per hour. The 16th Street Mall Shuttle, which is free, will add an additional stop next to the Consolidated Main Line’s (CML) new light rail platforms. This will ultimately connect Civic Center to the Platte River, as well as provide connectivity between LRT, commuter rail, and the historic Station. Finally, the Regional Bus Facility, which replaced Market Street Station, will be located underground between light rail platforms and the historic Station. This bus facility will feature twenty-two bays – sixteen of which are for regional and express buses, four reserved for the Downtown Circulator, and the remaining two for other commercial carriers or additional services.

DaVita World Headquarters moved from California to the Union Station area to allow it’s employees a more affordable and sustainable place to live.

Pedestrian bridge connects residential buildings to public transportation

P R E C E D E N T S 1 7

Nashville Area MPO is spearheading a major push towards mass transit in the Middle Tennessee Region. Nashville region now has a population of 1.6 million individuals. In the next 25 years, experts project the population to grow by one million more people. The implications of this growth in public transit and housing are profound.

Students from University of Tennessee worked together to develop master plans for the urban design of two “transit-ready” sites. Two projected locations on the future Nashville / Clarksville rail transit (LRT) corridor were studied as the focus areas. MPO requested that the students study 35 contiguous acres of the North Gulch in Downtown Nashville, including a future LRT station, and an future initial transit stop to at Tennessee State University (TSU) / Jefferson Street.

The students focused on the architectural design and development of individual building and public space components of their master plans. Each student in the team was responsible for a urban design component of the master plan as urban architecture and public space design.

Transit-Ready Development (TRD) is a sub-category of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). TRD is designed for a context that is anticipated in the future, but does not yet have, major public transit.

Establishing TOD

TOD is generally defined as development located within a 2,000-foot radius walk from a major public transit stop, where the urban design and development is closely integrated with transit to maximize their synergy. Because the existing zoning on the site pre-dates the anticipation of public transit stops, the students modified the existing zoning, parking requirements and building codes to maximize the unique potential of transit-oriented development. Therefore, a knowing advocacy for variances or modification of the existing legal parameters was necessary to recognize the unique potential of the transit stop for new scales and enhanced density of conventional development, consistent with “national best practices.”

All projects were drawn to depict full build-out, and were conceived and diagrammatically represented as three logical phases of development. Each master plan is assumed to commence immediately in anticipation of LRT’s eventual arrival at an undetermined time, though no sooner than five years, and no later than 25 years. The master plans were designed to allow for the dynamics of change over time, based on unforeseen economic and social circumstances. Displacement of existing homeowners on or adjacent to the site were minimized.

D A V I D S O N C O U N T Y

C H E A T H A M C O U N T Y

M O N T G O M E R Y C O U N T Y

Rail

Cumberland River

County Lines

Clarksville

Ashland City

Tennessee State University

Gulch

Map of rail from Nashville to Clarksville

P R O J E C T S

Meharry

Bordeaux

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PROJECTS

The Nashville Civic Design Center maintains a strong partnership with the University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Architecture and Design (UTK CoAD). Through this partnership, NCDC coordinates various studies throughout the year that allow architecture students to study potential “real world” projects in Nashville. As a part of this collaborative effort, NCDC partnered with UTK CoAD faculty member TK Davis in the Fall 2013 semester. Students were asked to analyze potential TOD for the North Gulch and Tennessee State University, and envision what the future could hold in a new urban plan.

UTK CoAD Partnership

Satellite view of North Gulch SiteSatellite view of Tennessee State University Site

Rail

Site Border

Station

P R O J E C T S

Existing rails between TSU and North Gulch stations Rail necessary to connect TSU and North Gulch

It is a 2.4 mile train ride between the proposed TSU station and the North Gulch station.

Only 500 feet of new rail construction would be necessary to connect existing rails to future stations

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PROJECTS

Team A - Capital View / North GulchBud ArcherRyan Stechmann Jack Wimsatt

The most important move in this North Gulch proposal is the formation of a “Gateway Plaza” on the east–west axis of the State Capitol. Its eastern vista focuses on the Capitol, as advocated by the Tenth Principle in The Plan of Nashville. This public space would be activated by retail, including a Target and a Whole Foods Market, or their equivalent. A glass covered but open-air arcade, inspired by Nashville’s Downtown Arcade, is proposed for Gay Street to tie together the east and west flanks of the North Gulch as a pedestrian experience. The Rail Transit Station is located to the north of Charlotte Avenue.

Aerial view

This urban design project terminates the axis of 12th Avenue with a hotel tower. A greenway is brought into the North Gulch parallel to the CSX railroad tracks, linking the Bicentennial Mall and Farmers Market with both the North and South Gulch neighborhoods. Several surface parking lots for the NES and AT+T utilities are redeveloped as urban blocks, in a public-private partnership. Housing and commercial space in these blocks wrap around new parking structures. The wye of the railroad tracks is developed with townhouses and a small, triangulated dog park, featuring the historic stone archway of the railroad embankment bridge.

Finally, six structures of progressively increasing height towards Rosa Park Boulevard sit atop a two to three-story parking structure, lined by lobbies and light commercial uses along James Robertson Parkway. This completes the contextual radial setting for the magnificent State Capitol Building. This site to the east of the railroad embankment is currently a vast state-owned surface parking lot.

P R O J E C T S

Gateway Plaza section elevation Strickland Park section elevation 11 North Arcade section elevation

Master plan

Existing site & amenities

Landmarks

Bruton SnuffMarathon Motor Works

State Capitol

The Hermitage

Public Library

Frist CenterUnion Station

The Tennessean

LifewayNashville Electric Service

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Existing figure ground drawing

Proposed figure ground drawing Street layouts key

City Target, Seattle, WA Programming

Gateway Plaza rendering

Major street

Minor street

Traffic loop

Presedents

Programming ProgrammingJamison Square, Portland, OR

Strickland Park rendering 11 Norht Arcade rendering

4th St Live, Louisville KY

P R O J E C T S

Jo Johnston 12 Ave Loop

11 Ave Station Loop

10 Ave Row Houses

One way A & B

One way CCharlotte One way D One way E One way F

City Garden, St. Louis, MO

Presedents and sketches

2 5

Team B - Capital View / North GulchGeneva HillLaura FloresWhitney Manahan

Transverse site section

Longitudinal site section

Proposed axonometric

This North Gulch project proposes a major new civic space be located on the western axis of the State Capitol, with a water feature, planting beds, a cineplex, and to its west, a grocery store. Retail and office space line the flanks of this new “Capitol View Square.” The Rail Transit Station would prominently bridge over Charlotte Avenue parallel to the CSX railroad track headed west.

Twelfth Avenue is brought into the North Gulch and redirected westbound under the elevated interstate highway to connect with the adjacent Marathon neighborhood. The wye of the railroad tracks are reinterpreted as a neighborhood park in the city, complete with an urban orchard. On what is now a state-owned surface parking lot, five towers fan out along James Robertson Parkway to complement the context of the historic State Capitol Building.

A greenway is proposed to connect the Farmers Market and Bicentennial Mall area with the Bruton Smith factory, and would extend to the South Gulch. This anticipates the eventual adaptive reuse of the factory complex with other mixed uses. A linear art park is proposed as an episode along the greenway between the Broadway and Demonbreun Street bridges. This sculpture park would link the North and South Gulch neighborhoods to the Frist Museum and the Arts Redevelopment District via a stair up to the Demonbreun Street bridge, reinforcing this street as the major east-west cultural street in the city, linking a wide variety of venues from the riverfront to the Musica Roundabout.

Existing site and amenities

P R O J E C T S

Capitol viewGreenway connectionPedestrian connection

Green spaceUrban space

5 min walking radiusArea center

Greenway pedestrian & B Cycle11th Ave - pedestrian

Main vehicular pathsrail lineBus rapid transit line

Phasing & parcels

2 7

PROJECTS

Capital View Square (view to the east) Frist City Art Park (view to the north)

Green roof

Office

Retail + amenities

ComericalUrban routeGreenway route

Transit Amenities Frist Art Greenway

View from bridge to South Gulch

View from train lookout

Frist Art Walk presedents

Typical mixed use building

P R O J E C T S

L & N Orchard (view to the south) North Gulch (rail transit stop)

10th & Harrison

Bruton Square at night Rail stop plan Rail stop elevation

Rail stop section

Green roof

Comerical

Residential

Typical residential building

General North Gulch TOD statistics

14% public space 20% affordable housing

18% residential(2M sqft, 1800 units)

8% retail(900K sqft)

2% hotel(250K sqft, 440 units)

13% light office(1.4M sqft)

22% office(2.4M sqft)

24% parking(2.5M sqft, 7400 spaces)

924 streetparking spaces

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PROJECTS

Team C - TSU / Jefferson Street:Catherine FeltonJared Wilkins Steven Whitmore

This team imagines the Tennessee State University (TSU) / Jefferson Street site development to be an aggregation of small, relatively dense and pedestrian-friendly villages, each with their own character. The Rail Transit Station is centrally located at a logical place to serve both the existing neighborhood to the east and new development to the west. The entire wetland coming onto the site, on both sides of Ed Temple Boulevard, is both retained and reinterpreted as a nature park.

A variety of housing types are incorporated, with a different housing type characterizing each “sub-village.” Most distinct, perhaps, is the “Container Village” housing proposed to the west of Ed Temple Boulevard, overlooking the TSU agricultural fields, the Cumberland River, and the distant hills beyond. The Container Village is conceived as an aesthetically interesting, residential district supporting the needs of TSU students. The agricultural fields are reimagined to be a visually intensive matrix of various plant species, colors, and texture.

TSU rail stop plan

View from southeast along rail way View over wetland torwards TSU

P R O J E C T S

Existing figure ground Proposed figure ground

View torwards TSU View over wetland torwards TSU

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Container village street view

TSU container village section & elevation

Plaza and mixed use buildings night view

Container VillageA high density residential village supporting the students of TSU

The development of this residential neighborhood will:-provide the needed student housing for TSU students-lead to economic growth through higher density population-increase walkability and bikeability through the site-allow for narrow pedestrian friendly streets lined with trees-create a needed sense of community for the TSU students-utilize on street parallel parking to eliminate surface parking-encourage bus routs to bring students and commuters to this area-relay the transit center to populate the village with young people-incorporate the low cost and low impact shipping container-promote a sustainable green lifestyle

TSU rail stop elevationTSU rail perspective

View from apartments

View towards apartments

P R O J E C T S 3 3

Team D - TSU / Jefferson StreetRijad HeldicThomas PetersonChris Owens

This proposal views the existing railroad track and its linear, wooded buffer zone as a clear visual divider between new Tennessee State University (TSU) development to the west and the existing neighborhood to the east. The team sought to propose maximum realistic density on the redevelopment site, in the context of a 25-year master plan. A north-south boulevard serves a circulation armature parallel but outboard to the railroad tracks. At the south end of the boulevard is a circular space adjusting pedestrian and vehicular movement south towards Jefferson Street, while at the north end of the boulevard, a triangulated space performs a comparable role towards Ed Temple Boulevard. The primary and central space formed is a rectangular frame containing, and contrasting, with the existing naturalistic wetland. A one story parking deck to the east of this space forms an on-grade but elevated view over the wetland.

On axis and to the east of the terrace is a related space focusing on the Light Transit Rail Station. The station serves both the proposed new urban campus and the existing neighborhood. The proposed transit station would tie the Main TSU campus to the Downtown TSU campus, in addition to its future role with commuters to and from Downtown Nashville, Clarksville, and points in between.

Like a little city, the proposed urban blocks contain midrise housing with mixed uses, for both the students and the wider community. Structured parking decks inside the blocks are concealed by perimeter “liner” buildings, with ground level commercial space provided as warranted. The scale of housing tapers down to four stories along the existing railroad track to the east.

Existing figure ground

Proposed axonometric

Triangle courtyard detail

Building elevation

Building section

Building elevation

P R O J E C T S 3 5

Street perspective

Plaza perspective

Rail stop perspective

Student courtyard perspective

P R O J E C T S 3 7

TOD in Middle Tennessee

The Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee (RTA) was recently awarded a $1.6 million federal grant by the Nashville Area MPO to fund the completion of Hamilton Springs Station, a rail stop envisioned at the heart of the emerging Hamilton Springs development.

The Hamilton Springs development is a unique project for Middle Tennessee. For the first time in the state, there is a community specifically built to provide residents the convenience of transit alongside the benefits of suburban life. Located just east of Nashville in Lebanon, Hamilton Springs is accessible from U.S. Highway 70 (Lebanon Road) and will soon be accessible via the Music City Star commuter rail.

Hamilton Springs Music City Star station rendering (image courtesy of Lose and Associates)

The Hamilton Springs Station will be the Music City Star’s seventh regional rail station and an additional travel option for people in Lebanon and Wilson County’s growing community. The station is currently in the design phase with construction expected to begin in the spring of 2015. The entire Hamilton Springs area is a long-range project with a proposed 20-year-build-out. At two years in, phase one of the project was completed fall of 2013 with the opening of Hamilton Station luxury apartments.

According to the Wilson Post, Lebanon is among the highest in population growth in Tennessee, with a 33 percent population increase since 1990. The addition of the train station will create a new point of access to the existing Music City Star rail line and increase ridership significantly.

Map of proposed development (image courtesy of Lose and Associates) Aerial view of Hamilton Springs development

Aerial layout (image courtesy of Lose and Associates)

I M P L E M E N T A T I O N 3 9

Aerial layout (image courtesy of Lose and Associates)) Layer plans (image courtesy of Lose and Associates)

Map of proposed development (image courtesy of Lose and Associates)

TRD in Middle Tennessee

Greensboro Village bus rapid transit station rendering (image courtesy of Lose and Associates)

The plan for Greensboro North in Gallatin, is envisioned as a walkable village that will capitalize on its proximity to Volunteer State Community College and its location along the future Northeast Corridor transit line connecting Gallatin to Downtown Nashville. This Transit Ready Development (TRD) is envisioned as a distinctive community with a strong sense of place. It will accommodate a vertical mix of uses including commercial, office, a variety of housing options and open space. Residents will enjoy this compact community connected by a network of walkable and bikeable streets.

The Greensboro North TRD will be one of the first new communities in Middle Tennessee planned, designed and constructed to create a traditional neighborhood village with a

transit station as part of its core. It will integrate a new transit line station as a central feature of the community that will be within walking-distance of offices, retailers, and residences. The Greensboro North project is projected to have 2,000 dwelling units and over 1 million square feet of office and commercial space.

With continued growth projected in Sumner County and growing necessity for public transit it has become apparent that there is a need for more diversity when it comes to shopping, living, and transportation options for the Middle Tennessee region.

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IMPLEMENTATIONSeating - Smale Riverfront Park (Cincinnati, OH)Public Activity - Fountain on the Square (Rockville MD)

Urban Forest- Juneau Park (Milwaukee, WI)Public Green Space - Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (Minneapolis, MN)

Pedestrian Connections - Davenport Skybridge (Davenport, IA)

Tool BoxThe components that create a successful transit oriented environment can be likened to a “kit of parts” that, when used correctly, produce a tightly knit community. Careful attention when applying these various tools ensures quality of design and functionality. These components can be molded together to form a cohesive plan, creating a beneficial environment that will better all of Nashville.

Public Art - Living Light (Seoul, South Korea)Walkable Neighborhoods - 16th Street (Denver, CO)

Container Village - Re:START Village (Christchurch, New Zealand)Varied Housing - Pearl District (Portland, OR)

Sidewalk & Bike Lane - Market Street (San Francisco, CA)Shelter - Rockaway Park (Queens, NY)

I M P L E M E N T A T I O N 4 3

CONCLUSION

The Connection

Infrastructure like the proposed rail connection from Nashville to Clarksville, while may be expensive, will keep this region of the country competitive with other growing cities. This link will help continue the growth that Middle Tennessee is experiencing and cultivate North Nashville as well as other communities north of the city into vibrant districts. If proper steps are taken to accommodate the rail as well as the growing populace, the potential for exciting new areas for Middle Tennessee will begin to take shape.

Transit-Oriented Development is not only a smart way for Nashville to grow but will promote healthy living. Building housing in close proximity to transportation will allow greater comfort in walking and biking. By constructing well-planned mixed use TOD will make these new centers exciting places to live. Benefits of this type of building include less congestion, air pollution and green house gas emissions from automobile transportation. The existing neighborhoods will experience increased property value and greater accessibility to the surrounding areas. Less household income will be devoted to transportation because of accessibility of these new hubs.

C O N C L U S I O N

TOD in north Nashville will be good for existing residents, local business, property owners, developers, investors, and people who are tired of traffic. More people walking on the streets will promote safer places to live because of a sense of community, “eyes on the street.” The efficient building types that TOD encourages helps preserve open space and making cleaner air because of the more proficient use of land and energy. Nashvillians are demanding more types of housing options. More people want a view from their bedroom window and to be able to walk to a coffee shop and then work. This type of TOD allows walking to recreational activities like a park or a restaurant that will give a better live-work relationship to these improved areas.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Nashville Civic Design Center

The mission of the Nashville Civic Design Center is to elevate the quality of Nashville’s built environment and to promote public participation in the creation of a more beautiful and functional city for all.

Nashville Civic Design Center Staff:Gary Gaston, Design DirectorRon Yearwood, Assistant DirectorAbby Wheeler, Development ManagerEric Hoke, Design Fellow

CivicDesignCenter.org

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville,College of Architecture and Design

For nearly twenty years, the College of Architecture and Design has been helping to envision the future of Nashville. Architecture students annually participate in pertinent real-world concerns through an academic rigor that results in visionary design solutions for Nashville’s neighborhoods. Some of the student’s most recent works include a boat house along the Cumberland River and micro-apartment housing for Downtown.

Thomas K. Davis, Associate Professor

ArchDesign.UTK.edu

Access and Livability, Transit Oriented Development: Nashville’s Northwest Link is a project of the Nashville Civic Design Center, in partnership with the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the University of Tennessee’s College of Architecture and Design.

Nashville MPO

The Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) facilitates strategic planning for the region’s multi-modal transportation system by serving as a forum for collaboration among local communities and state leaders. The vision of the MPO is to develop policies and programs that direct public funds to transportation projects that increase access to opportunity and prosperity, while promoting the health and wellness of Middle Tennesseans and the environment.

Nashville Area MPO Staff:Michael Skipper, AICP, Executive DirectorMichelle Lacewell, APR, Deputy DirectorLou Edwards, Administrative AssistantJeffrey Leach, Finance OfficerLeslie A. Meehan, AICP, Director of Healthy CommunitiesPeter Bang, PhD, Director of Technical ProgramsAnna Emerson, Senior PlannerNicholas Lindeman, Economic & Systems Data AnalystRochelle Carpenter, Senior Policy AnalystMary Connelly, Senior PlannerWesley Rhodes, Policy AnalystHary(ono) Prawiranata, Senior ModelerMary Beth Ikard, APR, Social Media CoordinatorSam Williams, GIS Analyst

NashvilleMPO.org

Funding for this publication was provided in part by funds from the Federal Highway Administration, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and local government members of the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The Nashville Area MPO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed or disability in admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. Discrimination against any person in recruitment, examination, appointment, training, promotion, retention, discipline or any other employment practices because of non-merit factors shall be prohibited. For ADA inquires, contact Michelle Lacewell, ADA Compliance Coordinator at 615.880.2452 or email her at Lacewell@nashvillempo.org. For Title VI inquires or all employment related inquires contact Human Relations at 615.862.6640.

LIVABILITY • PROSPERITY • SUSTAINABILITY • DIVERSITY