Dickerson Pike is ready for improvement.

It is no secret that Dickerson Pike is looking forward to significant development in an unprecedented way. Dickerson properties that were sold for next to nothing a decade ago are now selling for nearly a million dollars an acre or even higher in some cases as more and more developers seek affordable land within the Nashville urban core. As money continues to be invested into Dickerson Pike, the city is doing well to plan ahead to make sure that gentrification does not negatively impact the current residents of the surrounding neighborhood. 

Last week, The Cauble Group took a field trip just down the road from our office to meet at the Rocketship Northeast Elementary’s gymnasium to attend a Dickerson North Corridor Study led by the Nashville Planning department to discuss the future of Dickerson Pike. Upon arrival, the parking lot was packed with cars spilling into the surrounding areas of the school covering the adjacent streets with parallel-parked vehicles. Before even entering the gymnasium, it was clear to see that the residents surrounding this corridor were eager for their voices to be heard. People were scrambling to take a seat as chairs quickly began to disappear faster than volunteers could place them. The large turnout must have been underestimated because by the time the presentation started, there were still many attendees left standing. 

One of the first things that was heard through the crowd was a man that loudly spoke, “No more tire shops!” followed by a slight chuckle from the rest of the audience. Yes, there are many tire shops up and down Dickerson Pike, and many operate out of neglected buildings with piles of junk gathered in their lots. In fact, the office that TCG operates out of (1301 Dickerson Pike) was once a tire shop. The previous owner paid a visit recently, and could not believe what his eyes were seeing as he tried to remember a time where he would once service vehicles inside the same space where cubicles and office chairs now sit.

Check out our blog post on 5 Reasons Why Dickerson Pike Has More Potential Than Any Corridor in Nashville.

Beautifying the Dickerson Pike Corridor

Not but a few months ago, another auto shop was operating at 2535 Dickerson with junk cars, scattered parts, and a deteriorating school bus littered the large lot. The Cauble Group was hired to lease out the space and successfully replaced the run-down mechanic shop with a landscaping company that cleaned up the lot, added new gravel, and brought the building the building back to life by simply adding a fresh coat of paint, making the property look very attractive. Smaller scale adaptive reuse projects and touch-up renovation jobs like these cast the vision that people need to see in order to recognize the benefits of developers and new faces entering their home neighborhood and help to diffuse the horror stories of gentrification that have negatively affected some communities of the past. 

The Nashville Planning Department did a good job setting up an activity that would allow all voices to be heard, while also facilitating discussion amongst attendees in order to pinpoint the areas and topics of change that are most important to the community. At each table consisting of about 10 people, groups had a map of the Dickerson North corridor in front of them where they used stickers, markers, and post-it notes to indicate main points of table discussion. At the end of this exercise, groups chose one member from their table to present to the entire gymnasium, going over key points from each table’s discussion. 

One particular subject that seemed to be unanimous was the addition of sidewalks. Walking on the side of Dickerson pike is common, but the presence of sidewalks disappears as you travel further North - unlike many other East Nashville neighborhoods. This issue would seem especially urgent considering the number of schools in the area. Having continuous sidewalks and cross walks will not only add an extreme level of safety to Dickerson Pike, but also will help in the beautification of the corridor while adding value to adjacent properties and encouraging more growth. The addition of sidewalks will be the most important issue that the Nashville Planning department should focus on as they look to make improvements moving forward. 

Restaurants, Retail Headed to Dickerson Pike

Another widespread topic of discussion was the lack of “sit-down” restaurants along the corridor. One woman complained that there was only fast food along Dickerson Pike, but she was very happy when a member of The Cauble Group shared with her the plans just announced for the former Piggly Wiggly at 917 Dickerson Pike. TCG has teamed up with property owner, Danielle Rice, and architect, Jamie Pfeffer, to transform the old, barrel-roofed grocery into a hub which will house restaurants, retailers and other boutique businesses with two floors of short-term rental apartments above. As it was originally named in 1946, “Grand Central Market” is expected to open it’s first phase later this year in Q3, which is sure to bring a smile to the faces of many folks who attended last week’s meeting. 

Greenways, bike lanes, and even a light rail were mentioned and supported at the meeting amongst other topics, but as a whole it seems that the majority of Dickerson Pike’s surrounding residents are ready for the change without many oppositions. They look forward to the benefits of bringing more visitors to their community, but want to make sure that it is done correctly and at a pace where the city is able to provide appropriate infrastructure to support the growth.

Projects like Grand Central Market will be important catalysts in growth of this area and significant influences for setting the tone of future development, so it will be important to make sure they are done correctly and that tenants are vetted appropriately in order to benefit everyone. The Cauble Group is excited for the opportunity of such a large responsibility and look forward to working with nearby residents to maintain the integrity of Dickerson Pike while restoring it it to its former glory days when it was the main route to Opryland USA. 

We have just begun screening and touring groups that are interested in operating their businesses in Grand Central Market. We are looking for local restaurants (or restaurants that are locally known in other cities), boutique shops, and retailers to fill the 13,600sf that we now have available. Please email sam@thecaublegroup.com with any businesses that you know may be a good addition to this area of East Nashville.