ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WTVF) — Antioch's leaders have a new plan to reinvent its old Hickory Hollow mall into a walkable, mixed-use, open concept space with a strong focus on the arts.
What's currently just Antioch Global Mall could be a space for much more than just shopping.
The vision includes potential housing for local artists, walk-through galleries, outdoor cinema, and new local startups and already mature businesses.
Vision: "Transform the mall and surrounding study area into a lively, mixed-use walkable center and regional destination that enriches quality of life, expands economic and life-path opportunities, and celebrates diversity."
So, what will it look like? How did we get here? What's the layout? Who is in charge?
Let's answer your questions about this new, up-and-coming space Antioch is promising.
Background
Metro purchased the former Hickory Hollow Mall property in 2022, launching a year-long community planning process to prepare a master plan for the mall site — and framework a plan for the surrounding study area.
What will it look like?
I'm guessing when we say mall, you think of a large building with all sorts of retail: candles, clothes, food, etc. This is partially that, but also much more.
Here's the first look at the plans, as shared in the proposal:
Two million square feet of new development is planned around four spaces that are already functioning in Antioch: The Ford Ice Center, Nashville State Community College, KIPP School, and the Library and Community Center. It will double the amount of development on site.
The plan develops the 78-acre space into four different parts: Arts and Innovation District, Antioch mixed-use area, Bell Road Area and Industrial / Flex area.
What is this space going to provide, if the plan passes?
Metro bought majority of the property in 2022, and started asking the community for help and input in 2023. Moving forward, they have several goals for the Antioch Global Mall and surrounding space.
- Land use — Quality of life, equity, healthy environment, and economic opportunity are all must-haves for the new space.
- Urban design — Making sure the space has a variety of uses, not just retail.
- Mobility — There will be a WeGo transit center in the space as well as pedestrian and bike lanes that help make it easy to access for everyone, not just drivers.
- Environment — The plan talks a lot about preserving the climate, and one of the ways they hope to do that is with more open green spaces and restored natural areas.
- Culture — Grow the "full spectrum of the arts and artists," with "Antioch as a hub for Nashville's creative community."
- Education / workforce — Creating "cradle to career programs" within the area that help bring people into the workforce with the skills they need to achieve their goals and dreams in the world of work.
Put simply, the hope is that it will have lots of emphasis on local artists, programs to help people enter the workforce, be easy to bike, walk and bus around, and have several different uses — all of which will help ensure economic growth, increase quality of life and diversity, and encourage a healthy environment.
Timeline moving forward
Want to add your opinion? You can share how you feel until July 11. The master plan will be presented to the Planning Commission on July 25.
All you have to do to share is email Anita McCaig at anita.mccaig@nashville.gov.
There are also three in-person meetings you can attend — information on these as well as other summary information can be found on the website.
You can view the full master plan below:
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
