New Schools for Downtown Nashville

Historic Photo of Hume Fogg High School

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.”

Living in one of the many far-flung suburbs of Nashville and commuting into the city for work has created a problematic situation for the sustainability of the urban core and the greater metropolitan area. With families moving away from Nashville in favor of suburban living, the economic and residential growth of the downtown area suffered.

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Nashville/Davidson County Public Art—Percent for Public Art Program

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Access and Livability—Transit Village Planning and Design, Trinity Lane