First look: New images of millionaire Ewing's West Trinity vision

Metro to seek input on land use policy change, higher density for North Nashville area along Cumberland River.

Getahn Ward
The Tennessean

A business turnaround tycoon turned real estate investor with a conditional pledge to invest $200 million in a makeover of a portion of North Nashville along the Cumberland River released new images of his vision on Monday.

B. Edward Ewing said he's continuing to work on building support from the city and public for his idea of transforming the West Trinity Lane corridor into what he's referring to as the "Gold Coast," or downtown Nashville of tomorrow.

That includes work area Metro Councilman DeCosta Hastings is pursuing toward an urban district overlay for a broader 1,100-acre area between Interstate 65 at Brick Church Pike and Clarksville Pike to the west. 

An image showing buildings B. Edward Ewing envisions along West Trinity Lane.

"I'll be filing some things eventually," Hastings said, citing allowing more height along with commercial and residential buildings including office space as part of the plan, for which community input would be sought.

An aerial view of how buildings B. Edward Ewing envisions could look along the Cumberland River off West Trinity Lane across from MetroCenter.

Simultaneously, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry is expected to attend a meeting Tuesday of community group Nashville North by Northeast United, where discussions are expected to center around connectivity and a potential land use policy change.

Nashville North by Northeast United is expected to announce scheduling of a series of meetings to get public input on amending the city’s NashvilleNext plan to allow more density, including in the Trinity Lane area between Interstate 65/Brick Church Pike and Clarksville Pike.

"Trinity Lane, we feel, deserves another look," said Mac McDonald, vice chairman of that community group, citing a five-lane road and other infrastructure as amenities that can support growth. "We need more density because of our proximity to downtown."

An image showing a bridge B. Edward Ewing envisions across the Cumberland River.

Metro Planning Department Executive Director Doug Sloan said that while he's seen Ewing's vision, the community would determine whether a change in land use policy is needed.

"With all of the conversations happening with River North along Cowan Street as it leads into Katie Hill and up to West Trinity Lane, we want to get into the community and see if the policy is still correct or whether we need to update the policy in that area," he said.

B. Edward Ewing

The city's NashvilleNext 25-year growth plan envisioned more commercial activities in the area near Interstate 65 and West Trinity, but observers see growth extending further west toward Bordeaux.

Sloan said the West Trinity Lane area is more urban and suburban than Whites Creek, which wants to remain largely rural. West Trinity Lane leads to Bordeaux, whose residents Sloan said might have a different vision for their area.

In unveiling his vision over the summer for the corridor that includes 30 acres he bought, Belle Meade resident Ewing said high-rise condos, office buildings, marinas and walking trails along the Cumberland River could transform that area. However, he said his planned $200 million investment was contingent on building several bridges across the Cumberland and taller, more expensive housing in that community north of downtown.

A portion of the West Trinity Lane area as it looks today.

Ewing said once he gets the city's buy-in to his vision, approval of the urban district and Metro designs, and starts work toward bridges that span the Cumberland, he would donate $1 million toward construction of the first bridge.

"Bridge it and they will come," he said, citing his vision of technology companies setting up headquarters and other operations in that West Trinity Lane corridor area. 

Reach Getahn Ward at gward@tennessean.com or 615-726-5968 and on Twitter @getahn.