Jefferson Street, Nashville

Policy, Planning, and Systemic Change

This level represents the most impactful use, focusing on guiding the future of the corridor through legislative and strategic action.

• Informing Land Use and Zoning: Provides a visual inventory to support data-informed decision-making for future planning and investment in the community. This includes guiding zoning decisions to ensure appropriate mixtures of commercial, industrial, and residential uses.

• Cultural Preservation Legislation: Helps stakeholders identify opportunities for cultural preservation, allowing policymakers to designate historic districts or offer incentives/protections for religious sites and culturally significant businesses along the corridor.

• Directing Public Investment: Guides the strategic deployment of public funds (e.g., infrastructure grants, facade improvement programs) toward specific properties or areas that align with community-driven economic growth goals.

• Urban Renewal Strategy: Documents where development is currently occurring, allowing city planners to manage growth and prevent displacement of long-standing businesses or residents.

Assessment and Strategic Research

This phase uses the map as a diagnostic tool to understand the current landscape and quantify opportunities for growth.

• Economic Opportunity Identification: Helps identify opportunities for economic growth by mapping the current landscape of businesses and industry.

• Vacancy Analysis: Pinpoints the location and number of vacant lots, which is crucial for community development as it indicates prime opportunities for infill housing, new business creation, or green space development.

• Development vs. Preservation Tracking: Allows stakeholders to track and analyze where development or preservation efforts are concentrated, ensuring a balance between growth and cultural continuity.

• Market Research for Recruitment: Provides a comprehensive inventory that can be used to recruit specific types of businesses to fill service gaps or build on the existing commercial ecosystem.

Community Engagement and Collaboration

This level focuses on using the map as a shared reference point to build consensus and mobilize local efforts.

• Facilitating Public Dialogue: Acts as a visual, shared tool for community members and stakeholders to understand the existing property and land use along the corridor.

• Involving Religious Institutions: By mapping religious sites, the map ensures these key community anchors are included in planning discussions related to corridor development and preservation.

• Developer-Community Alignment: Serves as a pre-screening tool for potential developers, showing them the community's assets and preservation priorities, thus ensuring proposed projects are aligned with community values.

Advocacy and Individual Empowerment

This level focuses on equipping local residents and entrepreneurs with immediate, actionable information.

• Advocacy for Small Businesses: Provides existing businesses with data to advocate for tailored support, such as relief programs or streetscape improvements.

• Entrepreneurial Empowerment: Allows new entrepreneurs to quickly locate vacant lots or properties zoned for specific uses, reducing barriers to starting a business in the corridor.

Grant Application Support: Equips local non-profits and community groups with visual, location-specific data to strengthen applications for cultural preservation and economic development grants.