Centennial Park Master Plan

[nashvillwill 1305]

Tomorrow night is the last meeting for public input into the master plan for the redesign of the park. The design team will present initial plans.

Does anyone plan to go? I can't make it, but would really like to know what is said. I've emailed my own opinions to the design team, but someone else might have their own input. If anyone goes, please try to obtain any initial drawings to post on this site. Thanks.

Details;

7/14/2010

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

URL:

www.nashville.gov/parks

Location:

Events Pavilion, near the Railroad Bridge, Centennial Park

The design team will present their initial concepts based on the first two meetings, so don't miss your LAST CHANCE to have your voice heard before the Master Plan is finalized.

Come out early 5:30 p.m. to see our Mayor dedicating the John Thomas Memorial - a tribute to the president of the 1897 Centennial Expo - the scene of Nashville’s first steps onto the world stage as an example of the "New South".

for more information: www.nashville.gov/parks

[nvestnbna 130]

Tomorrow night is the last meeting for public input into the master plan for the redesign of the park. The design team will present initial plans.

Does anyone plan to go? I can't make it, but would really like to know what is said. I've emailed my own opinions to the design team, but someone else might have their own input. If anyone goes, please try to obtain any initial drawings to post on this site. Thanks.

Details;

7/14/2010

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

URL:

www.nashville.gov/parks

Location:

Events Pavilion, near the Railroad Bridge, Centennial Park

The design team will present their initial concepts based on the first two meetings, so don't miss your LAST CHANCE to have your voice heard before the Master Plan is finalized.

Come out early 5:30 p.m. to see our Mayor dedicating the John Thomas Memorial - a tribute to the president of the 1897 Centennial Expo - the scene of Nashville’s first steps onto the world stage as an example of the "New South".

for more information: www.nashville.gov/parks

I went and it was a very interesting and ambitious plan. Whether it ever happens or how much of it happens is another story. Vehicular traffic will no longer be allowed in the park with parking around the perimeter. 28th street connector goes subterranean, water feature coming off Flagpole hill, Arts Activity Center gets a new building, new amphitheater where croquette center is or just west going into the hill, train is moved to the north side, plaza in front of Parthenon gets an engineered turf(to handle events and heavy traffic, btw, this is a natural turf just the ground and turf are 'engineered' to handle drainage and heavy traffic), spring down toward West End is harnessed to handle a new water feature and stormwater retention, kids playground gets moved over near Sportsplex and hospital, new performance venue over there as well (I think replacing or approximately where the bandshell is), no part of the park(for safety reasons) will be more than 100yds from a pathway, pathway and trails reconfigured, new natural vegetation that doesn't require the maintenance and highlights local foliage, winter garden on the west side of the Parthenon, the new musician's corner will be triplicated or more in other areas of the park. That's about all off the top of my head. The park they felt was too broken up, too much space was dedicated to vehicular usage, not active enough. Overall, I found little to be disappointed about.

[producer2 60]

I went and it was a very interesting and ambitious plan. Whether it ever happens or how much of it happens is another story. Vehicular traffic will no longer be allowed in the park with parking around the perimeter. 28th street connector goes subterranean, water feature coming off Flagpole hill, Arts Activity Center gets a new building, new amphitheater where croquette center is or just west going into the hill, train is moved to the north side, plaza in front of Parthenon gets an engineered turf(to handle events and heavy traffic, btw, this is a natural turf just the ground and turf are 'engineered' to handle drainage and heavy traffic), spring down toward West End is harnessed to handle a new water feature and stormwater retention, kids playground gets moved over near Sportsplex and hospital, new performance venue over there as well (I think replacing or approximately where the bandshell is), no part of the park(for safety reasons) will be more than 100yds from a pathway, pathway and trails reconfigured, new natural vegetation that doesn't require the maintenance and highlights local foliage, winter garden on the west side of the Parthenon, the new musician's corner will be triplicated or more in other areas of the park. That's about all off the top of my head. The park they felt was too broken up, too much space was dedicated to vehicular usage, not active enough. Overall, I found little to be disappointed about.

Great news thanks for the report. The wife and I just spent the last 10 days in Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo. Their parks are magnificent and it sounds like we are finally looking at the European thought process in our layouts.

[nashvillwill 1305]

Vehicular traffic will no longer be allowed in the park with parking around the perimeter.

That is music to my ears! This would be my #1 wish for the park. IMO it is pointless to even have a park with cars driving around it constantly.

Did they happen to mention plans for implementation? Is there a funding source? Does the city support this plan?

Thanks for reporting!

[nvestnbna 130]

Great news thanks for the report. The wife and I just spent the last 10 days in Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo. Their parks are magnificent and it sounds like we are finally looking at the European thought process in our layouts.

The firm that is doing the job has done a few projects in Europe, but this one caught my eye.

May 10 , 2010 -- GGN has been selected as the landscape architect for the Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center project. GGN is collaborating with local landscape architecture firm McKnight Associates, Ltd of Cleveland. LMN Architects of Seattle is the Design Architect on the project. More information about the project can be foundhere.

Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd

[producer2 60]

The firm that is doing the job has done a few projects in Europe, but this one caught my eye.

May 10 , 2010 -- GGN has been selected as the landscape architect for the Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center project. GGN is collaborating with local landscape architecture firm McKnight Associates, Ltd of Cleveland. LMN Architects of Seattle is the Design Architect on the project. More information about the project can be foundhere.

Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd

Guess they wanted to come to a City where a Medical Mart will actually happen..... or at least the website works.

Edited July 19, 2010 by producer2

[nashvillwill 1305]

Still can't find the plan online. Hell, the NCDC doesn't even list the park on their "projects" list.

[nvestnbna 130]

Still can't find the plan online. Hell, the NCDC doesn't even list the park on their "projects" list.

I think the information will eventually be posted here - Public Input

[nashvillwill 1305]

here we go...

PLAN

The Tennessean ran an article on this focusing on traffic removal. Of course there were dozens of comments complaining "where are we supposed to park?" I swear, some people in this town need to have their hands held for everything.

[nashvylle 766]

This looks great. How is it going to be funded?

I love Centennial Park, but I do wish it was on the East Bank instead of the PSC Metals. Hopefully Dean can help relocate PSC Metals to another Davidson County location and we can have another beautiful park, but in Downtown.

[MTSUBlueraider86 30]

PCS Metals has a 99 year lease and no rural area wants them due to the pollution, mess, and traffic concerns. PCS metals is not going anywhere in our lifetime I am afraid. I hope I am wrong but according to a recent City Paper article, or maybe it was the Nashville Scene, they are going to fight going anywhere.

I hope the Centennial Park master plan comes to fruition, but with the Metro budget crunch, I don't see where the money is coming from.

SEC

[nashvylle 766]

There are loopholes to make PSC Metals leave, such as condemning the area environmentally polluted after the flood (I don't know the correct term...)

Either way I hope they leave but stay in Davidson County. That area needs some great development.

[nashvillwill 1305]

Does anyone know the status of the Centennial Park Master Plan-Phase I development? According to the Parks & Rec portal (http://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/Planning-and-Development/Park-Plans-and-Projects/Centennial-Park.aspx), construction should have begun in the spring. I walked the park today and saw nothing. Is this in the budget? Any new news?

[MLBrumby 3781]

I was at Centennial Park back in April with my kids, and at the time the pond was under construction ("restoration"). 

[Vrtigo 2305]

I was at Centennial Park back in April with my kids, and at the time the pond was under construction ("restoration"). 

 

Interesting, considering that appears to be part of "Phase 3".

[nashmoney 551]

see the below website regarding the masterplan for Centennial

 

http://www.conservancyonline.com/home

 

http://archive.tennessean.com/assets/pdf/DN161343725.PDF

 

It looks like they may be on Phase 2 or 3 of 6.

Edited July 9, 2014 by nashmoney

[nashvillwill 1305]

Well, I'm really looking forward to the removal of vehicle traffic and parking within the park. Based upon the plans I've seen, there seems to be conflicting evidence of just how extensive that removal will be. IMO, the less streets/parking, the better. I know that we Nashvillians LOVE our cars, but geez, can't there be at least one place that we can get away from them? The parking across the main lawn HAS to go. It completely obstructs the view of the Parthenon from West End.

[Nathan_in_DC 1117]

Well, I'm really looking forward to the removal of vehicle traffic and parking within the park. Based upon the plans I've seen, there seems to be conflicting evidence of just how extensive that removal will be. IMO, the less streets/parking, the better. I know that we Nashvillians LOVE our cars, but geez, can't there be at least one place that we can get away from them? The parking across the main lawn HAS to go. It completely obstructs the view of the Parthenon from West End.

 

The Parthenon brings in a lot of tourists and out of town visitors who don't live within walking or biking distance of the park, so I see the need for at least a couple dozen spots somewhere there.\

 

So, there has to be some sort of parking beyond just the streets, but it can be done tastefully and in a fashion that adds to the park.

[gannman 309]

From the press release:

 

"During Phase 1, Cockrill Spring, a spring that flows clear and cold through an underground pipe, will be daylighted to create a stream and surface water feature in the front zone of the West End entrance to Centennial Park. This flowing stream will be accompanied by new gardens, groves and a meadow. In addition, a permanent outdoor performance venue for Musicians Corner will be integrated into Phase 1 to be located where the event is already taking place with temporary staging near the West End entrance. The new music venue will include a stage, infrastructure for sound and lighting, and a combination of fixed amphitheater seating and picnic lawn."

"Phase 1 also includes the reorganization of roadways and parking lots by the Parthenon, and improving the water quality of Lake Watauga. By dredging the existing lake and pumping fresh water from Cockrill Spring, Lake Watauga will transform into a fresh flowing lake ensuring long term sustainability."

The expected date of completion for Phase 1 is May 2015.

 

So far, only dredging of the lake has begun. Hopefully more work starts soon.

[Vrtigo 2305]

Ah, thanks for reading a bit. That makes complete sense now.

[nashvillwill 1305]

So, to ask a further question, have any of the following phases been funded? I didn't see any specific line item in the Capital Spending Plan. Is this going to be a year upon year project, or a "take it when we can get it" type of thing?

[FromParkAveToTN 358]

Are there any plans for high-end shopping like Fendi around the park?

[bwithers1 865]

So, to ask a further question, have any of the following phases been funded? I didn't see any specific line item in the Capital Spending Plan. Is this going to be a year upon year project, or a "take it when we can get it" type of thing?

This is an excellent question.   There is a possibility that all or part of that funding was in the CIB line item for Parks Master Plan Implementation.  I'm not sure about the break-out between specific parks. The whole Metro Parks issue is confusing in Nashville because some parts (such as Riverfront Park - East and West banks) are overseen by MDHA and others are overseen by Metro Parks, sometimes with funding by private groups, as is the case with the Iroquois Steeplechase grounds at Percy Warner Park.

 

But in addition to property tax allocations, sometimes parts of parks master plan executions take place through private fundraising through affinity groups (Friends of Warner Parks, Friends of Shelby Park and Shelby Bottoms, etc) that either conduct fundraising events (Full Moon Pickin' Parties for Warner, Hot Chicken Festival for Shelby, etc), perform their own grant writing programs, or even seek donations for materials from local vendors and use volunteer labor.  Lord knows a lot of work in Shelby Park is done by volunteers.

 

So don't discount the possibility that an affinity group is out there seeking grant money for Centennial, and that once those grants or funds come through, the Council will pass a resolution accepting those funds into the budget to pay for designated portions of the Centennial Park Master Plan.  This can be a long and tedious process, but some would say that it is preferable to having all funding come directly from property tax rolls.  On the other hand, it does tend to give parks with the most well organized or well heeled affinity groups a distinct advantage over parks in less organized or affluent areas.

Edited July 14, 2014 by bwithers1

[bwithers1 865]

Are there any plans for high-end shopping like Fendi around the park?

Yes, right after the Amp's Centennial Park station opens

[donNdonelson2 2061]

Are there any plans for high-end shopping like Fendi around the park?

It is my understanding that the Parthenon is going to become a "pop-up" Saks 5th Avenue!