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Creating an innovation neighborhood

天美传媒官网 is embarking on a plan to reimagine the west side of our campus to become a world-class, mixed-use innovation neighborhood over the next several decades.

rendering of innovation neighborhood meander

For quite some time, we have been engaged in conversations with the 天美传媒官网 community and our neighbors, and we have many design principles in place based on feedback we gathered throughout the process.

The neighborhood will create:

  • an estimated 300 percent increase in green and public space
  • a 175 percent increase in the tree canopy
  • 1.7 miles of new and improved sidewalks
  • 1.3 miles in new bikeways
  • improvements to dangerous pedestrian crossings
  • substantial upgrades to the street network
  • housing options that currently do not exist on site
  • a mix of retail for the entire neighborhood to enjoy

This design moves taller buildings away from residential edges to West End, creating a more dynamic community that prioritizes public space and walkability over density while building an innovation hub鈥攁 space where research, collaboration and entrepreneurship intersect. This neighborhood will help connect the work of Vanderbilt faculty, staff and students to the broader community and link commercial enterprises to groundbreaking work. The innovation neighborhood will greatly accelerate discovery and position Nashville and Tennessee as leaders in the innovation economy of the future.

Proposed Plan

  • What exactly is Vanderbilt proposing, and what kinds of industries does it plan to recruit for the area?

    Vanderbilt has proposed to reshape 40 underutilized acres on the campus鈥檚 western edge into a mixed-use hub for research, collaboration and entrepreneurship. The goals of this long-term initiative are to translate university research into real-world solutions by growing new businesses and supporting entrepreneurs, strengthening partnerships between Vanderbilt researchers and the private sector, and connecting Nashville to the forefront of new technologies that are emerging in the region, the nation and the world.

    Overview map showing the proposed new Innovation Neighborhood on the west side of campus with Centennial Park, West End Ave, Love Circle, Vanderbilt Place and Natchez Trace labeled.
    The proposed Innovation Neighborhood outlined in gold.

    Vanderbilt expects that the industries recruited to the innovation neighborhood will reflect the diversity of innovation already occurring in Nashville and represent additional areas that emerge over time.

    This innovative activity best happens in a compelling mixed-use neighborhood where people want to come to work, live and visit. We anticipate this neighborhood will include a combination of world-class research and innovation facilities alongside retail, restaurants, housing and ample open and green spaces.

  • What is the timeline for this development?

    The development of the innovation neighborhood will occur in phases (likely four or five phases) over a multi-decade period. Vanderbilt has engaged with neighbors, innovation industry stakeholders, Metro Nashville departments and elected officials, and state economic and community development officials on this proposed plan since summer 2024. The proposed plan reflects feedback from these groups. The first phase will be around the area along Natchez Trace and Vanderbilt Place, across from the football stadium. Construction will not begin for 18鈥�24 months.

  • What Vanderbilt has outlined is a 20- to 30-year development plan, but things could change in that time that could affect traffic, parking or other assumptions. If the Specific Plan is approved, is that it? Or will other milestones require additional review/approvals?

    Before each major phase of construction, Metro will听require听a final SP, an updated multimodal traffic analysis and an updated parking study. Metro Planning and NDOT will carefully review these plans and sign off on them before construction can begin. They will be reviewing from the perspective of whether the plans for that phase are in keeping with the tenets of the original SP framework, as well as whether the plans are responsive to changing or evolving circumstances in and near the development.鈥�听

    This is another advantage to the SP for the neighborhood. If Vanderbilt were to develop the land under the existing zoning policy, there would not be a review/approval required by planning, NDOT or the Metro Council, and there would be no requirements for re-reviews around each phase of construction.鈥�听

  • Why is Vanderbilt proposing the Innovation Neighborhood be in this particular location and not elsewhere in Nashville?

    听

    The magic that makes an innovation neighborhood like this work is the close proximity and walkability to university research centers, and to the faculty and students who lead and work here. The idea is that faculty, students and research teams can easily interact on a day-to-day basis with R&D entities, venture capital and other private industry and that they can build and grow their startups here in Nashville with the right resources. In addition to being next door to Vanderbilt鈥檚 campus, the site is also close to a number of other university partners.

    It is also worth noting that Vanderbilt owns this 40 acres of land adjacent to campus, while other locations some have suggested (100 Oaks) are either solely affiliated with the medical center (a separate business entity) or may be leased property.听

Height, Density and Zoning

  • What does current zoning allow on the property? Why is Vanderbilt proposing a Specific Plan instead of current zoning? How will that benefit the community?

    The intention of this SP and the framework it puts into place is to ensure that as the innovation neighborhood develops, the open space network, multimodal street network and buildings are coordinated and cohesive.

    Current entitlements on the site allow for 5.4 million square feet across 40 acres of land and support up to 40 stories on the parking lot area and 12 stories along 31st Avenue, while restricting height along West End. No green space, vehicular street requirements, pedestrian and bike connectivity requirements, step backs, frontage zones, building materiality standards or prohibitions on noxious uses are currently in place to create a cohesive development that transitions to the surrounding neighborhoods.

    The proposed SP reflects a more neighborhood friendly design and a modest 12 percent increase in allowable development by square footage. The plan reduces the tallest height from 40 to 35 stories and redistributes the tallest height from what is currently the large parking lots to along West End Avenue鈥� the area farthest from the single-family neighborhood, ensuring an appropriate transition to scale. Intentional design measures have been made to thoughtfully transition into the adjacent historic neighborhood. Current zoning would allow a building to be built 12 feet from the curb. Instead, this plan pushes the building structure back at least 35 feet鈥攁llowing for a significant planting, greenway and a frontage zone between the structure and the neighborhood. In addition, while current zoning allows significantly greater height, this plan would limit the height closest to the curb to 65 feet before stepping back to 30 feet.

    Vanderbilt has been very intentional in committing significant resources to enhance green space/public gathering space. This includes a 300 percent increase in green and public space, ~1.7 miles of new and improved sidewalks, ~1.3 miles of new bikeways and a significant reduction in impervious surfaces, which should result in reduced stormwater runoff in the area. The SP also includes design standards in terms of allowable building materials, etc. None of these benefits are required under existing zoning.

    The proposal restricts currently allowable uses, including tobacco stores, pawn shops, liquor stores and alternative financial services.

  • What is the maximum square feet proposed for the project, and how does what 天美传媒官网 is proposing in terms of height along West End compare with what is already there?

    The proposed plan would allow up to 6.1 million square feet (5.4 million square feet is permitted today) and pairs this growth with significant new public green space, open space and a more connected street network. The plan also reduces the tallest height from 40+ stories to 35 stories and redistributes the tallest height from what is currently the large parking lots to along West End Avenue鈥攖he area farthest from the single-family neighborhood, ensuring an appropriate transition in scale.

    The height and massing strategy aligns with Metro Planning鈥檚 vision for Midtown, which supports 20+ stories along West End, and is consistent with other nearby developments like The Sinclair (27 stories), Broadwest (34 stories) and Zeppos Tower (equivalent to 27 stories).

  • How will this affect businesses in other neighborhoods, particularly Hillsboro Village?

    Retail succeeds when there are workers and households to support the retail鈥攚hich is often reflected in retail 鈥渃lusters.鈥� Residents and employees of the innovation neighborhood will support the retail and local businesses in the surrounding area.

    Hillsboro Village is protected by an Urban Design Overlay and is within the larger Neighborhood Conservation Overlay that governs development in the Hillsboro-West End area. These overlays ensure that the feel and form of Hillsboro Village will be preserved. They also ensure that it will be differentiated from the innovation neighborhood, thereby letting the two neighborhoods complement one another.

  • Will there be a maximum FAR in the SP?

    Rather than relying solely on a Floor Area Ratio cap, which regulates only the total allowable square footage, the plan adopts a form-based zoning approach. Form-based code governs building height, shape, placement and relationship to the public realm. By regulating these elements, a form-based approach indirectly controls total developable square feet. This method is increasingly used in Nashville and peer cities, and it produces more predictable urban design outcomes and ensures that buildings relate well to the public realm and surrounding context.

Uses

  • Why is Vanderbilt proposing mixed-use zoning for the area vs. defining use by subdistricts? How will the zoning affect limiting certain noxious uses? How can the community have input into other desired uses?

    The proposed plan will have a mixed-use base zoning (MUI-A). Mixed-use neighborhoods purposefully aim to have a variety of uses throughout to create a consistently activated neighborhood instead of having 鈥渮ones鈥� that empty out after the workday, can鈥檛 support retail because of lack of foot traffic, or create concentrated traffic bottlenecks.听

    The vision is a compelling mix of:

    • Retail 鈥� local retail businesses, restaurants and community-serving retail like a grocery store that is attractive to our campus community, the on-site population and the surrounding residents
    • Housing 鈥� a diversity of housing types at a variety of price points, dictated by market conditions and the evolving needs of the university and Nashville community
    • Innovation 鈥� startup space, entrepreneurship support and private business space, all aligned with university-focused research
    • Hotel 鈥� supporting visitors to the innovation district, campus and VUMC

    We have heard from various community members that there is a desire to limit many of the uses that are allowed by current zoning in this neighborhood today. The proposal prohibits check-cashing, beer and cigarette markets, alternative financial services and flea markets throughout the neighborhood. In addition, liquor stores will be prohibited along 31st Avenue. Our vision of community-friendly retail like coffee shops, restaurants, local retail and grocery align with many inquiries from surrounding community members.

  • How will affordable housing and/or affordable office space be part of this development?

    First, we are also looking at affordability in a broader context鈥攏ot just housing. A key element to the success of an innovation neighborhood is that it is a true mixed-use development, including housing, commercial/office space and community-friendly retail space. We believe affordability of all types鈥攏ot just housing鈥攊s a core part of the success of innovation districts like this.

    Specific to housing, the development will include a mix of housing styles, sizes and price points that will meet the needs of a diverse population of affiliated faculty, staff, students, workers in the neighborhood and the general population.听

    More broadly, Vanderbilt has long supported broader affordable housing efforts across the city. As a major institution, we participate in housing initiatives in a larger way than just through a development project. Examples of this include being a lead investor in the Nashville Catalyst Fund ($5M investment to facilitate creation of 3,000+ housing units), partnering with the 天美传媒官网 Credit Union and other financing entities on discounted mortgage and loan programs, hiring a housing coordinator to help our affiliates navigate a challenging housing market, maintaining a portfolio of rental housing, and housing undergraduates and some graduates on campus to ease demand.

Landscaping and Beautification

  • How will this development impact the tree canopy? What trees will remain, and how many will be removed? How will remaining trees be protected during construction?

    One of the things we heard early on from neighbors was the importance of green space, more public space, expansion of the tree canopy, maintaining as many mature trees as feasible (particularly along 31st Avenue) and overall desire for physical beauty that connects to and enhances the surrounding neighborhood. Our plans call for a ~175 percent increase in the tree canopy, a ~300 percent increase in green space, 1.7 miles of new and improved sidewalks and 1.3 miles of new bikeways. Impervious surfaces will be reduced, resulting in reduced stormwater runoff. We prioritized these enhancements based on the feedback we received from the neighborhood.听

    天美传媒官网 is very careful in consideration of tree removal and new landscaping and intends to balance immediate impact and long-term health and growth of the tree. Particularly for the trees on the borders of the neighborhood, the aim is to keep those trees and protect them during construction as feasible and as tree health allows. The expanded greenway and open space along 31st Avenue contributes to the ability to do this.

  • Who will maintain the trees?

    New landscaping will be maintained by Vanderbilt, including irrigation where necessary, and will comply with, if not exceed, Metro Urban Forester Guidelines.

  • The presentations have shown a wonderful tree canopy, the meander and a vast, beautiful public space. At what stage will each of those be built?

    The new canopy and public spaces will be planted and created over time as each phase of construction comes online.

  • How will stormwater be affected? Will paved surfaces, other than roadways, be permeable?

    The proposal significantly decreases the amount of impervious surface. Much of the land today is flat parking lots. Over time, this neighborhood will replace that with an expansive green and open space network, increasing the tree canopy by ~175 percent and making upgrades to the stormwater system, and new developments will be required to meet current low impact development standards. We believe that this will significantly improve water quality, reduce runoff in the area and reduce heat island effects.

    We are still working to determine how many paved surfaces are permeable, because it will depend on final building and open space design. However, we know that current standards will require significant permeability and on-site stormwater treatment to ensure water quality.

  • What lighting is planned for the area? How will lighting improve pedestrian safety? How will lighting emitted affect the surrounding community?

    Appropriate street and sidewalk lighting will be incorporated throughout the neighborhood to improve pedestrian safety and comfort. Lighting in the neighborhood will comply with the Dark Sky Ordinance that limits light pollution within this neighborhood and significantly restricts light spillover across property boundaries.

  • Can you explain the sign and light standards being proposed?

    The university intends to have signs that align with a pedestrian first and public-realm focused neighborhood. The SP proposes using the Downtown Transitional Street Signage Standards, as these standards require pedestrian-oriented signs, such as awning and projecting signs, which help activate the streetscape and improve the pedestrian experience. These standards are intended to change the types of signage to more small-scale, urban types. Signage standards for MUI-A are generally more vehicular and suburban oriented, including large monument signs, which we did not feel were in keeping with the surrounding area. Additionally, unlike much of Downtown, this area will comply with Metro Dark Sky ordinances.听听

Traffic and Multimodal

  • How will this development impact traffic in the area? What is being done to improve high-traffic intersections that exist today?

    First, this plan makes significant improvements to the street network that will improve traffic flow and create a safe, vibrant pedestrian network. Traffic engineering firm KCI has made recommendations for mobility improvements based on a , which collected vehicle volumes at the 29 surrounding intersections. NDOT reviews recommendations to determine if additional improvements are needed.

    Many of these recommended improvements are made to reduce impact on the neighborhood. For example, the proposed stoplight on Blakemore between Natchez Trace and Vanderbilt Place will only allow traffic from the innovation neighborhood to turn left or right and not enter the neighborhood.

    Rendering of streets with trees and meander to show the area of proposed development for the innovation neighborhood

    Second, the proposal is designed to encourage people to walk, bike and take transit rather than use personal vehicles.

    Areas near university campuses generally see increased rates of trips taken by alternative modes of transit, as campuses are inherently walkable and promote walking or biking instead of taking a car. As a result, we feel confident that while the total number of 鈥渢rip generation鈥� at full build-out will almost double, nearly a third of those total trips will be walking, biking or public transit trips vs. individual automobile use. Trip generation includes ALL trips to and from the area, including:听

    • A researcher walking from campus to innovation space
    • An office worker walking to lunch in Hillsboro Village
    • A resident walking to public transit to work downtown
    • A student living in the innovation neighborhood and walking to class

    Finally, outside the proposal鈥檚 footprint, the city鈥檚 Choose How You Move program has significant improvements planned for West End that will promote transit and connectivity, including signal upgrades at 31st and increased transit infrastructure.

  • Knowing traffic will change over time, will traffic studies be updated periodically through the course of the development?

    An updated Multimodal Transportation Analysis is required for each major phase of development that significantly increases density, floor area or use within the SP. NDOT will determine the scope of each MMTA update, and it will assess traffic, multimodal mobility and safety. NDOT also will recommend mitigation measures proportional to the impacts of the applicable phase.

  • How will the proposed pedestrian and bike improvements connect to the larger community and ensure that everyone can safely move from the neighborhood to and through the site?

    The multimodal framework was shaped to connect this site to the surrounding campus and community, including work being done by Metro Planning, Metro Parks, WeGo and NDOT. The Meander will be a linear park running from Blakemore to West End and linking Centennial Park, Hillsboro Village, the innovation neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods. The extensive bike/pedestrian improvements are intended to connect to work already completed by NDOT on 31st Avenue North and their future bike and road network plan.听

  • What incentives, investments or requirements can be made to encourage more use of public transit to/from this area?

    Vanderbilt strongly encourages and incentivizes alternative modes of transit to reduce single-occupancy vehicles and plans to do so for this neighborhood. These include participation in programs such as WeGo鈥檚 transit program, shuttle services and other potential neighborhood interventions to reduce the amount and impact of traffic. Vanderbilt will continue to coordinate with WeGo and work with NDOT at each phase to develop a Transportation Demand Management Plan that may incorporate incentives where feasible.

Parking

  • How will Vanderbilt provide enough parking onsite and/or using offsite parking to ensure there aren鈥檛 adverse impacts on the neighborhood? Will Vanderbilt provide a full parking plan for the innovation district, including the relocation of university/medical center parking now used within the proposed SP footprint? What improvements can be made to reduce visitors and employees parking on neighborhood streets through this plan?

    Vanderbilt鈥檚 plans for the innovation neighborhood accommodate displaced parking and parking for new uses on site.

    Displaced Parking:

    In Phase 1 of development, Vanderbilt expects that up to 500 parking spaces will be displaced. Vanderbilt has numerous garages on its campus (around the 25th Avenue area). The plan is to accommodate displaced parking for Phase 1 in these garages that are closer to campus and VUMC. Vanderbilt continually assesses parking inventory and use on campus and actively adjusts its parking program to account for projects like this. The remaining 1,300 parking spaces on the surface lots will be used as-is until they are redeveloped.

    Future phases of redevelopment in the parking lots will take a portion of the remaining 1,300 spaces offline as required. For each later phase, the displaced parking can be replaced on site in an earlier phase to ensure adequate parking. The displaced parking replacement is in addition to parking that will support on-site uses.

    天美传媒官网 is working with Metro Planning to remove the parking maximums in the current zoning in order to build sufficient replacement parking plus new parking.

    On-Site Uses Parking:

    Each phase of development will include parking sufficient for the on-site uses. New parking will be dedicated to on-site uses and in structured garages that are subterranean or fully wrapped. Building sufficient parking that is aligned with market standards in Nashville will be crucial to attracting the businesses and residents who will occupy this neighborhood. Typical parking ratios in urban areas of Nashville are around two to four spots per 1,000 square feet for commercial spaces and around one parking space per bedroom for residential.听

    Furthermore, in conjunction with the MMTA updates, Vanderbilt will conduct a parking analysis for each major phase to demonstrate that parking is appropriately accommodated, does not adversely impact the neighborhood and properly accounts for any broader transit changes such as bus rapid transit.

  • What improvements can be made to reduce 天美传媒官网 visitor and employee parking on neighborhood streets?

    天美传媒官网 intends to replace any displaced parking before construction starts to mitigate this issue. We also are working with Planning, NDOT and others to look at more steps that can be taken to discourage neighborhood impact and/or improve enforcement.

Games and Major Events

  • What are the plans for games and events at Vanderbilt or in the innovation neighborhood, and how does that impact what is proposed in the SP? What are the tailgating plans for games, and how will the innovation neighborhood support or relate to those plans?

    天美传媒官网 is committed to continuing to provide a terrific game day atmosphere for fans and guests. With the recent upgrades to FirstBank Stadium, Jess Neely Drive and more in the Frist Athletics Village, our Athletics development team is holistically planning for the future of tailgating and the game day experience, while also considering the future of the innovation neighborhood.

    The university imagines concentrating tailgating and the game day experience on Jess Neely Drive, with select components extending toward campus and others extending toward Natchez Trace and the future innovation neighborhood. This plan creates a more cohesive experience and improves management and overall coordination for the university, attendees and neighbors.

Construction

  • How will Vanderbilt communicate with the community during construction?

    The construction process and clear communication are vital issues for the neighborhood and our own campus community. We recognize this is not a typical campus construction project, and robust communication among the university, the neighborhood, development partners and construction contractors is required. Vanderbilt commits to the following and is open to suggestions from community leaders to enhance communication:

    • Dedicated project website. The site will be updated with real-time information and resources.听
    • Interactive GIS mapping tool. This will give you real-time pedestrian, vehicle and accessible routes to ease navigation through the area.听
    • Bi-weekly newsletter. VU will send a bi-weekly newsletter with a two-week look ahead for community members. This newsletter includes insights to the project, anticipated noise levels, information about significant work that may occur and more.
    • Real-time messaging. VU will use a direct messaging system so neighbors can opt in to receive direct text messages or emails about any unexpected or urgent issues. But more than just getting a heads-up on developments, community members can ask questions and send feedback鈥攁nd get real-time responses.听
    • Specified team members will monitor neighborhood inquiries and respond rapidly.
  • How will blasting work?

    Blasting requirements are set by the state, and Vanderbilt will comply fully with those regulations. We are working with Metro and our consultants on more details on this question.听

  • How will street closures work during construction?

    Development of this site will happen by phase; the whole site will not be closed at once. Additionally, throughout construction, NDOT will require that Vanderbilt maintain viable traffic and pedestrian routes through and around the property and communicate thoroughly with the neighborhood.

  • What are the plans for construction crew parking?

    We understand the sensitivity of the neighborhood to this issue. Vanderbilt will work closely with our teams to determine appropriate parking solutions on site, nearby or off site with a shuttle.

Other

  • Will Vanderbilt Police have jurisdiction and oversight over the proposed area or will MNPD be solely responsible for security and safety of the development?

    Vanderbilt Public Safety and Metro Nashville Police Department work in close partnership on safety and security on and around campus and will do the same for this area.

  • Will utilities for this project be underground? If not, will it require increased poles and wires in the community?

    Underground utilities are desirable from a placemaking and service reliability perspective. Vanderbilt鈥檚 engineering team is working with NES on feasibility. Regardless, we do not expect a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

  • Will this plan negatively affect businesses in Hillsboro Village?

    We do not anticipate negative impacts on the businesses in Hillsboro Village. If anything, this project will mean more customers for these businesses given their close proximity.

  • Will local/independent retail businesses be prioritized over nonlocal or chain businesses?

    As a long-standing member of the community, we value our local retailers. We will work with our development partners to prioritize a strong representation of local retail businesses.

  • Is a Business Improvement District being considered?

    Vanderbilt will ensure that the neighborhood is safe, clean and operated to the highest standard. However, it is too early today to say whether something like a Business Improvement District will be created here.

 

 

Last updated: 3/24/2026