Sixteen graduate and advanced undergraduate students from the University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design, under the guidance of Professor TK Davis, worked on design proposals for transit-oriented development (TOD) on eight sites in Lebanon, Tennessee. This effort has been in partnership with twelve Vanderbilt University Owen School of Management students in real estate development, who have analyzed the market conditions in Lebanon, investigated government incentives and tax credits that might be applicable, and conducted in-depth financial pro forma analysis of four of the projects. Many design professionals would agree that the option of TOD in the region located near one or more stops of the Music City Star would be highly desirable, from multiple timely perspectives.

The students presented their work to design professionals and developers at the Nashville Civic Design Center on Friday, 24 April.

Transit-oriented development, or TOD, is generally defined as development located within a 10-minute, or half mile walk, from a mass transit center.  It adopts as a premise relative higher densities, mixed-uses, mixed types and prices of housing, and reduced parking requirements.  The intent is to produce a walkable, pedestrian-friendly environment, where the design of high quality public space is prioritized.  The virtues of transit-oriented development are that it enhances quality of life for its residents, improves public health by virtue of encouraging walking rather than driving, leads to economic development, contributes to community character through the design of public space, is inherently environmentally sustainable, and increases transit ridership.

One of the interesting characteristics of the Lebanon site is that the half mile radius encompasses its historic town square (which is uniquely in Tennessee the intersection of two state highways at a “courthouse” town square), as well as a large mill complex which is being adaptively redeveloped as a conference center, and a greenway system that links the square and the mill to the transit stop and beyond to a very popular town park.  There is considerable potential for infill development, and structured parking, in the downtown core’s blocks surrounding the historic square.  The challenges of the half mile radius surrounding the station is that it contains, in part, a 100-year flood zone, and existing neighborhoods of modest scale and density.