Just 14 miles from Nashville, today's Franklin, Tennessee, is the result of years of work and investment. The area has seen significant progress with an eye on historic preservation, designs that looks to the future, and a focus on economic development. Companies are choosing the area for expansion and relocation and new retail and restaurants are seeing success.
In the late 1980's, the Franklin downtown district had a high vacancy rate and a deteriorating physical condition that harmed adjacent neighborhoods' value and quality of life. Economic development in the city was at a standstill due to the negative image stemming from the downtown district's worn-out condition. Downtown was not a place where people wanted to be.

The City of Franklin hired CT Consultants in 1990 and asked that they work closely with the City, The Heritage Foundation, business and property owners, and other key stakeholders in designing and implementing comprehensive capital improvements and streetscape enhancements for the four-block downtown Main Street and Public Square district. The impact of the Main Street project was immediate, resulting in private sector reinvestment along Main Street; that success has continued to date, evidenced by a Main Street that is nationally recognized and economically thriving.

Because of the success of Main Street project, CT was retained in 2004 to develop a master plan and concepts for the corridors within the historic downtown district and the gateway corridors leading into the downtown. Encompassing nearly 13 miles of roadway, the City recognized the economic development potential, and the need to create a "sense of place" and improved quality of life for the community.

 
Addressing the needs of Franklin has been a 30+ year-long, and on-going effort with an investment of millions of dollars. The success of these projects can be measured in the increased level of pedestrian activity, the inviting and safe atmosphere, and the effects of traffic calming that accommodates increasing traffic volumes.

Of the 13 miles in the master planning area, approx. 3 miles have been implemented to date, including:

The 1.5-mile Hillsboro Road Gateway Transportation Corridor/Fifth Avenue Downtown Corridor no longer served the community's needs, with aging and problematic infrastructure that included inadequate roadway widths, lack of pedestrian facilities, parking lots that bled into the roadway, and a lack of curbing to define the street.

Columbia Avenue included approximately .5 mile of roadway and pedestrian improvements to connect. downtown to historic Civil War tourism sites. Existing worn out and unfriendly pedestrian conditions were a deterrent to heritage tourism, economic growth, and the City's goal of a walkable community.

The improvements unify the previously disjointed corridor, tie into the Main Street business district, provide a safe and inviting environment for pedestrians, and calm traffic while efficiently accommodating the 13,000 vehicles using the corridor daily.

The improvements to Franklin, TN, are apparent to anyone visiting. With reviews noting, "Downtown Franklin is a cool place to visit! A lot of shops and restaurants. A lot of historical markers and historic churches as well," and "Every storefront was open, {there was} plenty of parking with nice walkable downtown areas." Franklin has achieved what they hoped, with an eye toward even more!


The upcoming Streetscapes Issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. This project was not chosen for a Feature in the issue, but we at LandscapeArchitect.com thought the project deserved to be showcased online . . .

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