New Schools for Downtown Nashville
The addition of two new schools in downtown could have a dramatic positive affect on the growth and new development in the urban core of Nashville, reversing the trends of suburbanization and promoting a more urban and sustainable lifestyle. In the book Urban Design, author Jon Lang describes the idea behind “plug-in urban design,” as the strategic placement of infrastructure in a city to spur development and/or unify development, incentivize owners, and boost an area’s competitive advantage. Lang complements his discussion of plug-in design by examining the recent construction of two schools in Chattanooga: “[Schools] are part of every day life. Good schools are essential in attracting middle-income families to live nearby. The catalytic effect is social, economic, and physical.”