AIA 150 Visioning and Design Workshop Reports: Lebanon

Lebanon’s Town Center and It’s Neighborhoods: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, and the Potential of Transit-Oriented Development in Lebanon

On Thursday and Friday, August 9 and 10, 2007, citizens of Lebanon, Tennessee convened at Cumberland University’s Heydel Fine Arts Center Auditorium for Assessment and Visioning Workshops on Lebanon’s Town Center and Its Neighborhoods: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats and The Potential of Transit-Oriented Development in Lebanon. This was the second of three such sets of workshops being convened this year in Middle Tennessee as part of the American Institute of Architects 150 Blueprint for America initiative, which celebrates through community interaction the AIA™’s 50th birthday.

In Middle Tennessee, this program focuses on the challenges communities face undergoing rapid growth. Prior discussion with Lebanon public officials indicated that there existed significant concern over the quality of its growth patterns, and the need to retain traditional character while undergoing sustainable growth.

AIA 150- Lebanon Case Study, PDF
AIA 150-Lebanon Summary Report, PDF

THE AIA 150 BLUEPRINT FOR AMERICA ASSESSMENT AND VISIONING WORKSHOP FOR LEBANON

This report was produced by T. K. Davis AIA, Design Director at the Nashville Civic Design Center and Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee College of Architecture + Design

LEBANON’S TOWN CENTER AND ITS NEIGHBORHOODS: STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS AND THE POTENTIAL OF TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT IN LEBANON
A Partnership of AIA Middle Tennessee, Cumberland Region Tomorrow,
the Greater Nashville Regional Council, the Nashville Civic Design Center,
and the University of Tennessee College of Architecture + Design

 

Executive Summary

On Thursday and Friday, August 9 and 10, 2007, citizens of Lebanon, Tennessee convened at Cumberland University’s Heydel Fine Arts Center Auditorium for Assessment and Visioning Workshops on “Lebanon’s Town Center and Its Neighborhoods: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats” and “The Potential of Transit-Oriented Development in Lebanon.” This was the second of three such sets of workshops being convened this year in Middle Tennessee as part of the American Institute of Architects 150 Blueprint for America initiative, which celebrates through community interaction the AIA’s 150th birthday. In Middle Tennessee, this program focuses on the challenges communities face undergoing rapid growth. Prior discussion with Lebanon public officials indicated that there existed significant concern over the quality of its growth patterns, and the need to retain traditional character while undergoing sustainable growth. Robertson County was the first such workshop, with a third workshop planned in Spring 2008 for Kingston Springs. There are two essential elements in the AIA Middle Tennessee initiative. The first is to address problems of growth and town centers through the AIA’s Ten Principles of Livable Communities, and second, to get AIA architects intensively engaged for a two day period with the citizens of the three selected communities – as grassroots outreach, public awareness, and cultural connectivity.

In the case of Lebanon, while all concerned citizens in the city were welcome to participate, letters of invitation were sent out to approximately 600 stakeholders offering a diverse range of perspectives, including residents, business owners, elected and appointed civic leaders and planners. The attendance both days was robust and energetic. Approximately 140 citizens participated both days, with almost 25 architect facilitators on site as well. Invited stakeholders were strongly encouraged to participate both days of the workshop, because the education, assessment, and visioning discussions during both days were mutually reinforcing, although attendance at either day alone was also very beneficial.

On Friday, following a welcome by City Mayor Don Fox and Cumberland University President Harvell Eaton, an overview by Cyril Stewart AIA of Vanderbilt University and an orientation by T. K. Davis AIA of the University of Tennessee and the Nashville Civic Design Center, attendees viewed the provocative national Public Television documentary by Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Hylton entitled Save Our Land, Save our Towns. This comprehensive overview of the history and issues of post-war American growth underscored the point that conserving rural land and revitalizing town centers are mutually reinforcing intentions. After the video concluded, the entire room broke out into groups of approximately seven citizens at each table led by one or more architects serving as facilitators. Each table assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing Lebanon’s town center and its neighborhoods, then these ideas were prioritized, and reported back to the auditorium as a whole. Problems with the air conditioning in the auditorium and the absence of pin-up space for the plenary group were challenges that all overcame!

Saturday was similar in its structure. Following greetings and general information, T. K. Davis made a presentation on “Communities by Design,” expanding on the AIA’s Ten Principles of Livable Communities. Hunter Gee AIA of LRK / Looney Ricks Kiss in Nashville then gave a presentation on “Transit-Oriented Development.” Following this, the entire group once again broke out into smaller groups, led by architect facilitators, to address (each table in their own way) the AIA’s Ten Principles of Livable Communities, specifically in light of the potential for transit-oriented development in Lebanon’s future. This potential is inherent, given that Lebanon is now the terminus of the Music City Star commuter rail line service to and
from Nashville. Drawing on base maps was encouraged; idea and responses were again prioritized by citizens and then again reported back to the auditorium as a whole.

All of the recorded results of both days’ workshops were collected and transcribed by the Nashville Civic Design Center, with similar ideas from the different tables grouped into “affinity” clusters. The participants’ ideas and responses in these exercises with the highest citizen priority are listed as “what we heard” and characterized as citizen observations, and are found on the subsequent four pages in this Summary Report.

The following general observations were made by the participating leadership of AIA Middle Tennessee, Cumberland Region Tomorrow, the Greater Nashville Regional Council, the Nashville Civic Design Center, and The University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design:

• Lebanon’s Downtown and its Square is widely perceived to be the heart of the community.
• The ambiguity of whether settlement is significantly impacting historic buildings on the Square, and whether flood plain issues remain an appreciable problem in downtown Lebanon, is impeding development. Lebanon should have a definitive engineering study on both questions so everyone in the community shares the same assumptions with a high degree of certitude.
• If floodplain issues do exist, explore the idea of forming an artificial lake as a potential flood control device, and as a park amenity, south of downtown.
  Connect the transit station with a greenway to the Mill, the creek, the Square and the Farmers Market.
• Seek to ultimately define all four sides of the square with mixed-use buildings, including residential lofts. Consider a nearby parking structure lined by housing and mixed uses to serve the Square.
• Given a parking structure, configure traffic in the square first for pedestrian and vehicular safety, secondly for appearance, and third for parking count.
• Consider designating downtown a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district, or utilize other reinvestment strategies, to build a parking structure and other improvements to the downtown and (some of) its neighborhoods.
• While interest in transit-oriented development is now mixed in the community, recognize that Lebanon will inevitably have a significant role in the next fifteen years as a regional bedroom community, by virtue of its location within a 75 mile radius of downtown Nashville. Recognize that the density of walkable transit-oriented development can provide the physical presence of a real downtown to reinforce the vibrancy of the historic square. The density of transit-oriented development can also efficiently grow the property tax base relative to the underutilized infrastructure already in place. In other words, explore the economic and physical potential of transit-oriented development within a 2,000-foot radius of the transit station, and as a community, analyze this potential with an open mind.
• Aggressively encourage and provide incentives for bicycle riding on the part of all Cumberland University students, to help integrate the University into the Lebanon community.
• Reinforce Cedar City’s tree canopy as essential to the city’s identity, quality of life, and healthy walkability.
• Use historic preservation tax programs aggressively to encourage adaptive reuse.
  Commission a comprehensive plan for all of Lebanon, using this assessment and visioning process as one base of public participation.
• Finally, Cumberland Region Tomorrow’s Quality Growth Toolbox should be a primary resource document in the future planning of the city. This document contains tools, incentives, resources, and contacts for public officials to implement the observations of citizens expressed in this assessment and visioning workshop, including their desire to ensure economic vitality through quality growth.

Day One: ASSESSMENT

What are the strengths of Lebanon’s town center and its neighborhoods?

Location – with good jobs nearby while centrally located, and having the potential to connect to other areas of town, with proximity to many local attractions (34 prioritization dots)

The architecture – its historic quality, with both consistency and diversity, particularly on the square preserved via National Register status and having more potential for revitalization through storefronts, good sidewalks and good lighting), as well as Cumberland University, the older homes around the campus, Pickett Chapel, Castle Heights, Woolen Mills, Wilson County Museum, Ligon and Bobo Funeral Home, Old Theater (an opportunity to rework) (29)

Commuter rail (with a plan to move meaningful two-way rail) (17)

Strong sense of community, with the feel of a small town but the benefits of a large town, and good corporate and civic involvement (17)

Existing roads, access, and infrastructure exists already (9)

Mixed-use development (5)

Pedestrian development (4)

Park and Recreation Center (4)

What are the weaknesses of Lebanon’s town center and its neighborhoods?

Lack of neighborhood parks, greenways, connectivity of pedestrian traffic, and trees (19)

No long range funding for the train, and it has no public restrooms (13)

Lack of money (9)

The lack of a master plan for the inner city (5)

Not a lot for children / youth / teens to do – a need for facilities (5)

Public housing (needs improvement) (5)

What are the opportunities facing Lebanon’s town center and its neighborhoods?

Revitalizing the town center and its surroundings through mixed-use, with people walking, affordable living, working, and finding restaurants and entertainment venues in and near the square (e.g. Capital Theater), so we have growth without losing open space (28)

Build a greenway along town creek (14)

Development of a “vision” for tomorrow to unify community effort (12)

Creating inviting, walkable streetscapes and implement a tree ordinance (12)

Commuter rail – expanding its ridership and diversity of use (8)

Metro government (4)

Traditions – (e.g. holiday celebrations, festivals, reunions, etc.) (4)

Farmland is being developed – losing farmland… (4)

No reason to live downtown (provide it) (4)

What are the threats facing Lebanon’s town center and its neighborhoods?

Sprawl – uncontrolled growth with infrastructure limitations developing raw land instead of revitalizing downtown (30)

The lack of a comprehensive plan discourages positive development, and leads to an absence of coordination, follow through on ideas, and inconsistencies in policy and zoning (29)

Community resistance to change (i.e. alcohol, density), citizen indifference, or lack of progressive thinking in government (29)

Uncertainties regarding flood vulnerability and structural problems in older buildings in and around the town square (21)

Lack of financial resources for necessary projects, both from Federal cuts in programs and private cuts in funding (13)

No conference center (6)

Public housing (5)

Drugs in the community (4)

Day Two: VISIONING

As breakout groups, tables were encouraged to consider the following questions, which are based on the AIA’s Ten Principles of Livable Communities, to help structure their discussion.

Principle One: DESIGN IN A HUMAN SCALE
How could Lebanon’s town center become more compact and pedestrian friendly through transit-oriented development?

Principle Two: PROVIDE CHOICES
What housing, shopping, recreation, or employment choices are currently missing in Lebanon’s town center, which might be provided by transit-oriented development?

Principle Three: ENCOURAGE MIXED USE DEVEVLOPMENT
Where and how could mixed-use development, integrating different land uses and varied building types, be encouraged in Lebanon’s town center through transit-oriented development?

Principle Four: PRESERVE URBAN CENTERS
How could we encourage the revitalization of the Lebanon community’s town center through transit-oriented development?

Principle Five: VARY TRANSPORTATION
What additional transportation options, including walking, biking, driving, and public transit, are needed in Lebanon’s town center, and how might they be linked to transit-oriented development?

Principle Six: BUILD VIBRANT SPACES
What are the best public spaces in Lebanon’s town center, and where could new, memorable public spaces be established with transit-oriented development?

Principle Seven: CREATE NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY
How would you describe “the sense of place” in Lebanon’s town center, and is this compatible with transit-oriented development?

Principle Eight: PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
What environmental resources in Lebanon’s town center need to be protected and preserved, if there is future transit-oriented development?

Principle Nine: CONSERVE LANDSCAPES
Where should open space be preserved in Lebanon’s town center, if there is future transit-oriented development?

Principle Ten: DESIGN MATTERS
How do you feel design excellence can promote a successful and healthy town center for Lebanon, incorporating transit-oriented development?

PRIMARY VISIONING IDEAS BY TABLE

Table One

• Using city grant greenway funds, connect the train station to the Square with pedestrian friendly ways through the Mill area.
• Change the alcohol ordinance on the Square to help recruit interesting restaurants.
• Widen the bypass, including sidewalks and attractive streetscapes.
• Renovate the Capitol Theater and bring it back into use.

Table Two

• Provide quality rest rooms on the Square and at the train station.
• The old shopping center (Save-a-Lot / Kroger) presents an opportunity for redevelopment.
• Improve landscaping on public streets and spaces – not just trees, but multi-level and layered, with street furniture and human elements.
• Provide a park – not parking – in the center of the Square.

Table Three

• Make the Square a destination, with shops, cafes and outdoor activity and seating, and transform Main Street and Cumberland coming out of the Square into boulevards.
• Widen Hill Street and promote new offices and mixed use residential development.
  Connect Don Fox Park to the train station, the Square, and the Farmers Market with a greenway and secondary parks.
• Widen Baddour Parkway to a boulevard, with a median, wide sidewalks and trees.

Table Four

• Focus on the Mill as a mixed-use entertainment center, similar to the Gulch in Nashville.
• Eliminate regulatory barriers to downtown development – such as zoning – to allow for mixed use outdoor dining, and restaurants that can provide alcohol on the Square.
• Provide incentives for development – consider establishing a Redevelopment District.
• Construct parking garage(s) within walking distance of the Square and/or train station.

Table Five

• Add a draw to development within the Square – there is a need for more than antiques and attorneys (i.e. restaurants that serve alcohol in renovated, interesting spaces).
• Add a trolley line within the District, Cumberland University, Walmart and the Mall.
• Promote mixed-use development along North Cumberland.
• Promote multi-family housing at Caruthers.

Tables Six, Fifteen, Sixteen and Seventeen combined

• Strengthen the identity, marketing, and streetscape of Greenwood Avenue to encourage retail and commercial development.
• Improve sidewalks.
• Address issues of the Music City Star (i.e. additional run times, including non-business hours, rest room facilities at stations, more user friendly promotion uses, and consider merger of MTA and RTA).

Table Nine

• Address the Square (i.e. lack of store types, connections to train, Square and Farmers Market, parking, vacant spaces, rezoning, and land assembly).
• Build on what makes Lebanon unique (ex. promote lofts downtown and move the log cabin).
  Showcase (future) workshops at the Fairground.

Table Ten

• Provide more flexibility in zoning.
• Conduct a safety inspection of the buildings on the Square, and adaptively reuse as appropriate.
• Commission a master plan for the Square, the RTA station, and the areas in between.
• Bring people to the Square through concerts and other events.

Table Thirteen

• Hill Street has the potential for development.
• Work to attract visitors.
• Provide a greenway on Greenwood to Cumberland University.
• Recognize various wars at public spaces.
• Make the Square pedestrian only.
• Locate a man-made lake at the west recreation area.

Table Fourteen

• Encourage revitalization through Transit-Oriented Development.
• Utilize Transit-Oriented Development to infill vacant areas in the downtown.
• Future greenways and surrounding areas should be seen as opportunity areas.
  Promote mixed-use at the Mill.
• Transform the creek from a liability to a beautiful asset i.e. greenway, river walk, dam to pool water, paddle boats, “flooding is a legend.”

What is Transit Oriented Development (TOD)?

A Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a mixed-use community within an average 2,000 foot walking distance of a transit stop and core commercial area. Transit-Oriented Developments mix residential, retail, office, open space, and public uses in a walkable environment, making it convenient for residents and employees to travel by transit, bicycle, foot or car.

In summary, the principles of Transit-Oriented Development are to:

Organize growth on a regional level to be compact and transit-supportive;

Place commercial, housing, jobs, parks, and civic uses within walking distance of transit stops;

Create pedestrian-friendly street networks that directly connect local destinations;

Provide a mix of housing types, densities, and costs;

Preserve sensitive habitat, riparian zones, and high quality open space;

Make spaces the focus of building orientation and neighborhood activity; and

Encourage infill and redevelopment along transit corridors within existing neighborhoods.