NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Nashville establishment is moving for the first time in a century, and it will pave the way for development.
More change is coming to the Gallatin Avenue corridor. New homes are going up, and now the Lincoln College of Technology has been sold to a developer for tens of millions of dollars. Most know it as the former Nashville Auto Diesel College that's been rooted in town for more than a century.
“People know us, their grandkids have been around, their kids have come around, and a lot of these buildings have been around 30, 40, 50, 60, years,” campus president Dave Whiteford said.
Whiteford said it's time to upgrade.
"We look forward to our next phase in our history, and that our students are going to have a state-of-the-art facility all under one roof."
They're in negotiations with a nearby property and worked out a lease agreement to stay put until their new lease is signed.
Construction on the mixed-use development won’t start anytime soon, which means the move likely won't impact current students.
“I don’t think I’m going to be here when we do move. You gotta think they’ve been accustomed to waking up every day and coming here now they got to go somewhere else,” student Jamario Stewart said.
Developer Southern Land Company plans to build 800 multi-family homes, 150 single-family homes, and 300,000 square feet of commercial space.
They want to preserve the old Renraw home and relocate it on the property. In addition, they want an open green space with restaurants and retail.
"This is going to be a really nice community," Whiteford said.
For many it will be bittersweet.
"Some people like change, then it’s going to be good for them, some people don’t — then it’s probably not going to be good for them," Stewart said.
East Nashvillians and neighbors tell us they have some parking and infrastructure concerns. So they're anxiously waiting to see more detailed site plans in the future.
