Nashville Council considers easier path to outdoor dining, signs, sales for Second Avenue
Businesses toiling to stay afloat during the slow rebuilding of Nashville's historic Second Avenue may soon have a new lifeline intended to help them attract customers despite ongoing construction.
Three years after a bomb blast damaged 65 buildings on Dec. 25, 2020, the number of street-level businesses has shrunk from 46 to 25, according to the Nashville Downtown Partnership. The street intersects with Broadway in Nashville's famous entertainment district, but crowds that used to wander over from honky tonks have thinned, deterred by heavy construction, closed streets and blocked sidewalks.
Nashville's Council on Tuesday advanced legislation that would chart an easier path for remaining businesses to entice customers through creative signage, lighting, outdoor product displays and outdoor dining options.
The legislation would designate Second Avenue from Union Street to Broadway as a "Tourism Improvement Zone," waiving application fees and typical permitting to allow businesses to do the following, so long as they obtain approval from the Nashville Department of Transportation:
Sell wares outdoors in front of their business without a street vendor permit
Place advertising and signs on sidewalks
Place banners on public poles and structures
Apply at no cost for permission to create an outdoor dining area (for food and beverage businesses with fronts along the zone)
Use external lighting
Hold live performances or use outdoor amplification for audio/video so long as noise complies with Metro laws, with the approval of NDOT and the Metro Nashville Police Department
NDOT and MNPD would continue to manage obstructions to public streets and sidewalks.
Metro Council passed the bill on its second of three readings on Tuesday. Should it secure final approval, the TIZ will be in effect through March 3, 2026, unless the council passes a resolution to extend the end date.
More: Drawn-out Second Avenue remodel poses challenge for business owners: 'It's a gut punch'
Nashville Downtown Partnership Vice President Jeanette Barker told council members on Monday that 70% of the remaining businesses on Second Avenue are locally owned, and all have seen their revenues fall due to declining pedestrian traffic on the street. Before the bombing, Second Avenue saw about 27% of Broadway's foot traffic. That fell to 20% after the blast and has now dropped to 12% of Broadway's pedestrian count, she said.
"Setting up this TIZ with a specific timeline and end date to accommodate the construction planned on Second is a simple and effective way to ensure flexibility for business owners who have been trying everything they can to stay afloat until the reimagined Second Avenue becomes a reality," Barker said.
This legislation comes as Metro pushes forward to the next phase of a redevelopment plan designed to prioritize pedestrian-centric space. Streetscape replacement on the block between Broadway and Commerce Street will bring construction to the front door of many of the most active businesses. While the street is closed, an 8-foot walkway will be kept clear for access to businesses. Work on the block is targeted for completion in 2025.
District 19 Council member Jacob Kupin, the bill's sponsor, said Tuesday that it offers a "curated approach" to buoying businesses as the street is rebuilt. NDOT will be the "driving force" behind the initiative, monitoring and approving permits, he said.
Barker said waiving fees and streamlining the process is a small step, but helpful nonetheless.
"This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we've been working on supporting these businesses and property owners ever since the blast," she said.
Molly Davis contributed.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville's Second Avenue may get boost with outdoor dining, sales
