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East Bank Development Concerns, 1/30/24
Friends, We’ve been promised an on-the-ground walk-through of the East Bank Development, by both Councilperson Capp and Councilperson Kupin. This is truly needed as it is very difficult to visualize on a flat screen TV (at meetings of the Ad-Hoc East Bank Planning Committee, 11/8/23, 12/12/23 and 1/22/24) exactly what is planned to happen, where and when. Here’s hoping this occurs very soon as the Mayor is asking for a vote by the Council just around the calendar corner.
Tomorrow night, Wednesday, January 31st at 6:30 PM Councilpersons Capp and Parker are holding a community meeting at Warner Arts Magnet School (626 Russell St.) to discuss the plan as it is currently envisioned and to receive feedback from the community, particularly East Nashville residents who will be directly impacted by the vision and execution. PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND!!
I have no doubt that Bob Mendes is working diligently as the negotiator standing between the city, the developer and the Stadium owners to create the best deal that Metro Nashville can get for the East Bank property but I do have concerns about a number of issues (including the 10 listed below). I suggest that before the Council signs off on the current rendition of the plan, that the community receive DETAILED ANSWERS to key questions of concern, some of which were raised but not fully answered at the last East Bank Ad-Hoc Committee meeting. Some of these include questions needing more elaboration and others are new - in no particular order of importance. Lots of appreciation offered to Councilpersons Clay and Parker for holding the January 31st meeting and hoping they will be able to shed more light on these questions. And I appreciate in advance that my offerings are meant not as a criticism but as concerns of a neighborhood resident.
One other note, our community is truly concerned about an actual investigation of artifacts and ancestor remains along and through the proposed East Bank and the adjacent Oracle development areas. We cannot proceed in good conscience without this information and I am sure there are people from our neighborhood who will stand up in solidarity with our indigenous neighbors and residents of greater Nashville to have these conversations with corporate developers.
I plan to send out another Note regarding the Metro Council meeting held on Tuesday (January 23rd). As always, so glad to be a part of this broadening community of concern. Michele
Questions about the East Bank Development
1. Why are we letting money drive the affordable housing conversation and thereby segregating people by income in the proposed housing units to be built? While the aspiration to build units that will service those most in need of affordable housing, we would never accept segregation by race or disability so why does this commitment to affordable units not also include integrated housing, that is, units offered within each building that are and will remain affordable throughout the 99-year commitment, rather than re-create the errors of the past by re-segregating people by income?
Imagine living in an all segregated income-based apartment and looking down at the Stadium and TPAC while most likely not having the resources to purchase a ticket to either venue and then also being cut off from the river (#8 below) except to be promised that this will be provided at some date closer to 10 years from now (from the outside looking in?).
2. Where is the proposed “300-person affordable housing” unit being placed-- proposed for the first phase of development along with the Stadium? “Across Shelby” from the Stadium is an unclear positioning, as currently there is already affordable housing at 5th and Shelby and the old Steiner Lyft property is most likely contaminated by metals so would not make a proper place for construction of housing. And what height will this building reach?
3. Why is the “Downtown Code Extension” being allowed to “jump the river” to encompass the East Bank when from the very start of conversations about the East Bank people in East Nashville said they do NOT want downtown encroaching on our neighborhood? We understand there will be a limitation set on the number of “bars in a row” (will this be written into the code for the area?) but the height of new buildings is not limited in the Downtown Code, as they have historically been in East Nashville.
4. Again, what are the various height expectations of the buildings proposed? The Downtown Code Extension, refers to allowing:
“…projects to earn increased building height in exchange for the inclusion of identified public benefits within their development proposal.”
It is hard to weigh-in on the project without more details such as how high for what benefit and for whom?
At the 1/22 Ad-Hoc meeting we did learn that while the height determination has not been set there will be 2 hotels facing Shelby/2nd street and various apartment buildings constructed as well as the new TPAC building. The latter is planned to abut the Shelby Street Bridge (renamed the John Seigenthaler Bridge) and be located somewhat close to the west side of the project, near the Cumberland River. Yet no height has been proposed for any of these projects.
5. How can the East Bank be referred to as a “neighborhood” when it will only consist of apartments rather than have a blend of renters and homeowners (not even condos for purchase for people of various income levels) as occurs in most real neighborhoods, at least in Tennessee, to ensure that there is not a high-turnover of dwellers leading to an unstable and temporary community?
6. How will the plan ensure that the businesses created are based upon the product and service needs of those living in the area, rather than be geared to the tourists and residents from outside of the area attending TPAC performances and Titans games? A plan for establishing and monitoring this commitment is critical to a healthy and vibrant community of residents.
7. Why wait to offer two of the most essential businesses for residents of all incomes, that is, childcare and a grocery store (and not just high-end sellers), among other key infrastructure needs? Businesses that offer such key services should be wooed to open at the same time the housing is being built. This is of particular concern as limited-resourced people are expected to be among the first housed (see #1 above) and may face added burdens if they need to seek these services outside the area. Commitments to the establishment of needed fire stations, schools and other infrastructure needs should also be established prior to plan approval.
8. Why is river access and adjourning green space expected during the LAST of the 10-year plan for the East Bank rather than projected for the first phase of development, thereby setting a vision for what other river spaces can and should be for the city going forward? This is important to the physical and mental health of those living in this proposed area.
By leaving the development of the green space along the river to sometime in the future, and hog-tying it to some far-distant and unspecified plan for the general development of green spaces along the north and south sides of the river, residents of the “neighborhood” and people living in the adjacent East and North Nashville communities will be barred from fully enjoying the very public and free access to the river upon which the city was developed and has allowed former generations to thrive as a community.
9. Why are the Boulevard and the Transportation HUB being left to the last phase of the East Bank Development, rather than in the first phase so an efficient traffic flow plan is created up-front? Otherwise, how will traffic be expected to effectively move around the stadium and between downtown and East Nashville, as currently this area is very hard to maneuver, whether on game days or on a daily basis? “Build first and deal with traffic later” is not a way to move forward in our city.
10. Will Metro Council members and the general public have the fortitude and determination to continue to support the East Bank development over the 10 years it will take to complete the entire project? What happens if other neighborhoods balk at the longer term investment this will take? Will we be left with a stadium, the hotels that serve it, the large imprint of TPAC, parking garages and spaces- mostly serving outsiders- and a single 300- person apartment for low income residents living in a bit of a geographic island (Pottersville? Coopersville? O’Connellsville?) as has happened repeatedly in this city, as well as other places. While this is a worst-case scenario, it is important to have candid conversations about how this project will survive after two more Mayoral and numerous Council elections.
Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey in downtown Bedford Falls, It’s a Wonderful Life.
(Martha Holmes (The LIFE Picture Collection)
A guest post by Michele Flynn in partnership with East Nashtivists
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