Metro Planning Officials Release “Music Row Vision Plan” Draft

Metro planning officials have released a draft version of an 87-page “Music Row Vision Plan,” which aims to offer both preservation for the buildings and character that make the Music Row area of Nashville, as well as opportunities for furthering development in the area, reports the Nashville Business Journal.

The plan notes that 9.7 billion dollars in estimated annual value comes from the music industry located in Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro in Tennessee. An estimated 200 businesses operate in the area that identify the majority of their operations being music-related, with 1,839 people employed by music-related businesses on Music Row.

The draft offers a “Music Row Character Area Map,” which establishes a framework for the desired characteristics of land use, development pattern, etc. The plan outlines four character areas, including “Music Row Center” (which serves as a gateway to the Gulch, Midtown, and Downtown Nashville), “Music Row Core” (north of Grand Avenue, primarily along 18th and 19th avenue south, and extending west to include Warner Music, BMI and Best Western Plus), “Music Row Village” (Primarily between Horton and Grand Avenues) and “Music Row Neighborhood” (Primarily located between Horton and Wedgewood Avenues).

The plan notes that 12 different multi-family residential developments have been built in the Music Row area since 2010, with 3,274 residential units added to Music Row between 2010-2019.

There has been an 176% increase in property values on Music Row between 2010 and 2019, nearly two-and-a-half times that of Davidson County as a whole, and just trailing Downtown Nashville at 228% increase in property value. The plan notes that consequently, Berry Hill has emerged as a secondary music industry node in Nashville, due to the smaller-scale built environment being more conducive to the creative process, while property values are eight times less per acre.

Approximately 53 buildings were demolished on Music Row between 2008 and 2018, the plan notes. Nearly 70% of those demolitions took place north of Grand Avenue and west of Music Square East. According to National Trust, 43 music-related buildings were demolished within that 10-year period.

Among the plan’s recommendations for the area are to create a private business association to represent local interests, manage tourism in the area and promote affordability. The plan also recommends implementing a Transfer of Development Rights program to incentivize preservation and to designate Nashville’s Music Row area as a cultural industry district.

A final draft is slated to be released on June 3, before recommendations are to be presented at Metro Planning Commission’s June 13 meeting.