Future Market Plaza on Jefferson Street
By Eric Hoke, Design Director
10 min read The following blog shares our short term recommendations for initiating exploratory changes along the Jefferson Street Corridor as a part of the collaborative Master Plan project with J.U.M.P. and area property owners. Check out the project summary here.
Over the course of the past 10 months, J.U.M.P. and Civic Design Center collaborated to conduct a series of engaging in-person workshop sessions to create a phased plan for the future of Jefferson Street and the surrounding area. More than 70 community members actively took part in either attending workshops or contributing through online surveys. The diverse group of participants included representatives from North Nashville businesses, property owners, church leaders, and non-profit leaders, plus Metro departments and neighborhood activists.
If you are just jumping in on this project, see the workshop goals and summary first.
As a follow-up to the Workshop series, we presented stakeholders with ideas for the next 6 months of our work along the Jefferson Street Corridor. This presentation took place at the Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center which is directly across from the focus area along Historic Jefferson Street.
Creating a Hub for Thriving Local Commerce
One idea that J.U.M.P. and Civic Design Center believed resonated with several workshop concepts was the Market Plaza. This could come to life as a hub for local makers, farmers, food vendors, artisans and more. This innovative concept would elegantly blend the central themes discussed in recent workshops, offering dedicated spaces for neighborhood entrepreneurs to thrive. It would also address the community's desire to invigorate student life along the Street while fostering stronger connections with the HBCUs in the area. Ultimately, this could bring a vibrant program to the geographical center of Jefferson Street and be a repeat activation for the community.
Precedents for Market Plaza
Local Case Study:
The Nashville Black Market (NBM) focuses on creating ecosystems for Black businesses locally to translate products and services to the masses. They run a reoccurring event at the Nashville Farmers Market among other commerce-based events.
National Case Study:
The Harvest Market in Albuquerque NM was an initiative of the City, the International District Economic Development Center, and local partners. The Harvest Market is a flexible, multi-use space designed for commercial use, micro-businesses, and community events and resource fairs.
International Case Study:
Reffen is a street food market and startup hub in Copenhagen, known for its focus on sustainability. Vendors use compostable materials, reduce food waste, and prioritize local, organic ingredients. The site also emphasizes waste sorting for recycling. Reffen hosts over 50 international food stalls, bars, and workshops.
Bringing Market Plaza to life
We have been in contact with multiple property owners along the Jefferson Street Corridor who are interested in furthering community-centered development on their land. We approached the owner of the land to the east of Kossie Gardner, Sr. Park about programming the Market Plaza here as it has a direct link to a public stage, play space, and plaza area that would complement the Park.
Maps above show Kossie Gardner Park and the Proposed Market Plaza Site
A company out of Texas, called Better Block, has created several pop-up plaza installations across the country, particularly pop-up markets. Their whole ethos is about making well-designed community space accessible. Many of their ideas are available as open-source content from their WikiBlock Library which gives communities a kit of resources for building things like kiosks for vendors. Anyone can download the files and use a CNC router to cut out products from plywood. Their designs are made to fit together without glue or nails, so even youth could assemble them safely.
Kiosk designs that can be downloaded for free from betterblock.org/markets
Our Market Plaza could have two types of activities: 1) a weekly food truck plaza, and 2) a Makers Market for special events. It is critical to involve local businesses, stakeholders, and artists specific to Jefferson Street in the proposal. We hope to incentivize participation from existing businesses along the corridor by hosting advertisements in their space or providing them with booths at Market Plaza events. We imagine targeting a Fall opening of the Market Plaza to support the North Nashville Arts Coalition Cultural Crawl events. Thereafter, we can test other pop-up market opportunities in the holiday season as we know that people are more willing to shop that time of year.
Rendering above showing components of the Market Plaza concept.
Highlighting the History
Example of the Kinfolk app in Use
Preserving Historic Jefferson Street’s legacy has always been a priority of workshop participants. We emphasized the need for Markers that indicate places where the old music clubs once stood. The group discussed how this could be a way to leverage wayfinding and link into the Black Heritage Walk that would connect other parts of North Nashville like the Jubilee Bridge.
One idea that emerged from the workshop was using augmented reality to simulate computer-generated views of the historic music venues. An app that is already developed, called Kinfolk, allows people to use their phones to see monuments or pieces of art dedicated to Black, Brown, indigenous, LGBTQ+ history that everyone should know. We could invite people like Lorenzo Washington, who was involved in the Workshops and is the owner of the Jefferson Street Sound Museum, to think of lost places that are important to remember and celebrate.
Concept portraying what Club Del Morocco may have looked like, using augmented reality, close where it was on Jefferson Street in modern times
Expanding Transportation Options
Transportation can be a great place to invest in neighborhood infrastructure. It can facilitate interactions with art, commerce, and respite while getting people to where they want to go. The workshop participants were excited about transportation in various forms, from private businesses investing in a shuttle service for the corridor to thoughts about future greenways along the interstates that would better connect Jefferson Street.
Image showing Kossie Gardner Sr. Park covered pavilion and playground with Fisk’s Jubilee Hall spire in the background.
New forms along Jefferson Street like the design of the Kossie Gardner Sr. Park covered pavilion could be an inspiration for important transit stops along the street.
The images above could inspire future important bus stops and resemble the forms from the Kossie Gardner Park community design process.
The WeGo Route #29 already services Jefferson Street at the Local Service Level, meaning it comes about every 20-30 min. With the proposed Choose How You Move transportation improvement program, WeGo will be able to upgrade the #29 to a Frequent Services Level, meaning it would come about 10-20 min. The new transportation program also offers a new transit center at Tennessee State University which could also expand cross-town connections to the existing network.
Upgraded Corridor Lighting
Many participants of the workshop wanted to see more and upgraded lighting along the street. Years ago, J.U.M.P. was responsible for getting the historic style of lights that are already along the corridor. They were originally designed to hold banners that could promote business along the corridor. The Design Center created the following images that portray Lorenzo Washington and the Jefferson Street Sound Museum on the light fixtures. The Jefferson Street Historical Society has been leading the charge on revamping these light poles! They have already been working with NES and sponsors to fund new banners that can celebrate Historic Jeffersons Street’s culture.
Honoring Academic Mile
The design workshops delved into various streetscaping ideas for Jefferson Street, focusing on enhancing its overall appearance and functionality. Some of the key topics discussed encompass gateway treatments to improve its visual appeal, strategies for traffic calming to ensure safety, and exploring artistic opportunities to infuse creativity into the streetscape.
The Google Street View above is from Short North Arts District in Columbus, OH which underwent a massive streetscaping project that set out to revitalize this area starting in the 1980’s. High Street, which runs through this neighborhood is famous for its iconic truss arches that signal to people on the street that this is a special place. We imagine using this type of gateway treatment to signify the Academic Mile, which is the segment of Jefferson St that runs between Fisk / Meharry and TSU.
Images showing a gateway treatment at Jefferson and 17th Ave N to establish the Academic Mile.
That image shows a gateway that resembles the historic fisk gateway to campus. This is one interpretation of what the gateways could look like. A final design should be vetted by art and local community members.
A new Arts Plaza
At the southeast corner of Jefferson St and Dr DB Todd Jr Blvd, there is a section of sidewalk that is 30 feet wide and almost 600 feet long! It has a great Tree canopy along the entire block, only one curb cut, and lines Fisk’s campus with a historic limestone wall. The workshop participants saw this as an amazing arts plaza opportunity.
The group discussed the precedent for public "Portal" sculptures that establish a real-time visual bridge connecting New York City and Dublin, enhancing cultural exchange and connectivity between these two cities. We could utilize a similar strategy for an Academic Mile portal that could live in this arts plaza linking Fisk / Meharry to the other end of Jefferson Street where a similar Portal could be placed with a TSU focus.
The participants were also inspired by an initiative in Los Angeles called Destination Crenshaw that highlights Black art in the area with 100+ works and new community parks. Aiming for greener Crenshaw Blvd, it plants 800 trees and supports local jobs/businesses. Tribute to LA's Black community by 2023. There is a specific plaza that is at 54th & Crenshaw that we felt was great inspiration for the DB Todd Arts Plaza (see video below).
investigating Corridor Reconfiguration
2016 Marketing Campaign to encourage voting on intervention ideas
In 2016, the Civic Design Center worked with community members and the Greater Nashville Regional Council on intersection improvement ideas, particularly at 21st Ave and 28th Ave. We created a campaign to let people who lived and worked along the street to vote on interventions they thought would be best. This project entailed investigating the conversion of vehicle lanes into more bike and pedestrian-friendly spaces. The goal was to enhance safety for everyone by promoting non-motorized modes of transportation throughout the area.
28th + Jefferson Interventions
21st + Jefferson Interventions
Other Street Concepts:
NDOT turn lane concept from 2017 for 28th + Jefferson
NDOT roundabout concept from 2017 for 28th + Jefferson
Tennessee State University corridor Concepts
TSU Students in a Design Charrette creating ideas for Jefferson St
By honoring Jefferson Street as Academic Mile, it is important to engage the student perspective. In 2020, the Civic Design Center worked with TSU’s Intro to Urban Studies class to imagine concepts that would make students feel more connected to Jefferson Street’s culture. In brief, they wanted 1) more food options, from grocery stores to food trucks, 2) improved streetscapes with bike lanes, street trees, entry plazas, and parks, 3) more mixed use resources for students, like housing, shopping, gyms and cafes, and 4) improved roads with parking garages, and more.
Following the successful charrette session, the Design Center meticulously examined the valuable data gathered from the students and identified several promising ideas that could be further developed.
Intersection intervention concept that came from TSU Student Design Charrette
NDOT has begun preliminary Right-of-Way plans design on the intersection improvements at 21st Avenue North and Jefferson Street. The design for the intersection of 28th Avenue North and Jefferson Street is pending further discussion with the community and stakeholders.
What Could Jefferson Street Look like with redevelopment?
We anticipate that the upcoming work for the next 6 months will serve as a source of motivation for community-focused growth at the center of the corridor. Through the utilization of established connections in this area, we are confident that we can promote constructive initiatives that will bring revitalization and ultimately drive transformation throughout the entire corridor.
To address the potential displacement issues, it is crucial to implement strategies that focus on preserving and enhancing community infrastructure. This involves safeguarding key components such as important businesses and services, maintaining a reliable banking system, ensuring access to quality childcare and healthcare facilities, improving transportation options, providing opportunities for recreation and leisure, and strengthening social support networks. By prioritizing these aspects of community life, anti-displacement strategies can help in creating more inclusive and sustainable neighborhoods that support the needs of all residents.
Creating social inclusion through responsible housing developments for marginalized communities is a crucial step toward fostering a more equitable society. By intentionally designing housing projects that cater to the needs and aspirations of marginalized groups, we can empower individuals and families who have historically been excluded from economic and social opportunities. Incorporating elements such as affordable housing options, community spaces, and access to essential services can help break down barriers and create a sense of belonging for these communities.
Metro Housing Programs for Developers along Jefferson Street to consider:
Barnes Fund: gives grants to nonprofit groups to build new rental and owned homes and maintain current owned homes.
Catalyst Fund: Metro can work with an experienced fund manager to move quickly to preserve at-risk housing units.
Mixed-Income Payment in Lieu of Tax (PILOT) Program: Encourage affordable mixed-income housing in Nashville multi-family buildings for lower-income households.
Permit and Departmental Priority Review: Metro gives priority to reviewing permit applications and related reviews for affordable housing projects that meet certain qualifications.
CHIP Program: Metro housing tool connects affordable housing developers with improved infrastructure investments.
Jefferson Street Redevelopment District: Reverse disinvestment and blight to promote sustainable redevelopment focusing on economy, environment, appearance, safety, and historical preservation.
A concept perspective of community-centered development along the Academic Mile looking toward DB Todd from 17th Ave N
A concept perspective of community-centered development along Jefferson St looking toward Kossie Gardner, Sr. Park from 16th Ave N
In closing, we realize that accomplishing the 6-month recommendations may not be entirely feasible in the short term; however, initiating action on these initiatives is crucial. Our primary focus will be on the Market Plaza concept, as it aligns with various community preferences and has the support of enthusiastic property owners and organizations rooted on the street who are eager to drive positive transformations along Historic Jefferson Street.