NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville's famous listening room known for its intimate songwriter performances, is suing over flooding that caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage last year.
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 23 in Davidson County Chancery Court, seeks at least $310,000 in damages from Green Hills Owner LLC, which owns the neighboring Rosette development, and engineering firm Kimley-Horn and Associates.
According to court documents, heavy rain on April 2 and 3, 2025, caused water to back up behind the Bluebird Cafe on Hillsboro Pike. The water eventually broke through a glass door and flooded the building's lower level to a depth of at least eight feet.
The flooding damaged the building, destroyed property and forced the Bluebird Cafe and neighboring salon Patio Coiffures to close.
The lawsuit claims a drainage system installed during construction of the 22-story Rosette tower next door was responsible. It alleges a drainage pipe filled during the storm, while debris blocked an undersized grate, causing water to back up behind the Bluebird Cafe.
Court documents also show that an engineer reviewing the development's plans warned of potential drainage problems in 2022, specifically raising concerns about water collecting behind the Bluebird Cafe.
According to the lawsuit, the building had flooded only once in more than 40 years before April 2025. It did not flood during Nashville's historic 2010 floods.
The Bluebird Cafe and neighboring property owners are suing over negligence, nuisance and trespass. They're also asking the court to require changes to the drainage system to help prevent future flooding.
The lawsuit seeks at least $310,000 in damages, along with punitive damages against Kimley-Horn.
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