Outcry over the potential redevelopment of RCA Studio A in Nashville is raising tough questions about the conflicting dynamics of property rights and cultural heritage.
Mark Guarino updates the unique preservation concerns of Music City, which is amidst a building boom and the gentrification concerns that come with it. According to Guarino, "The building [RCA Studio A] and many others located in Music Row, the nucleus of the city’s country music industry, is threatened by an economic boom that has sent property values skyrocketing and increased the metro area’s population by 25 percent between 2000 and 2012."
"In July, the site that houses Studio A was sold to a developer that has said it may be too decrepit to save; many fear the space will be razed and replaced with condominiums."
Given Nashville's unique and famous cultural heritage, the threat of transformation makes the cultural stakes of gentrification uniquely conspicuous, according to Guarino: "For any city, boom-time conditions are followed by inevitable growing pains. But veterans of Nashville’s commercial recording industry complain that a city that has branded itself over the last 50-plus years as 'Music City' is in danger of turning into a landscape of luxury apartments, mixed-use retail and other amenities."
FULL STORY: Nashville's Music Row: Should ugly buildings be preserved?
A Boom in Nashville, but Fast Growth Could Bring Problems
Nashville has a great deal going for it, but rising housing costs and gentrification could take it down a darker path.
Housing Costs Driving Aspiring Musicians Out of Nashville
Boom times in Nashville have some in the Music City worried that as musicians and other artists struggle with the cost of living, the city will lose its identity as a cultural and creative capital.
Where America Rocks Out
Nashville? New York? Austin? L.A.? Fans love debating which city has America's best music scene. Richard Florida brings an analytical eye to the question by investigating America's leading centers for musicians and the music industry.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Understanding Road Diets
An explainer from Momentum highlights the advantages of reducing vehicle lanes in favor of more bike, transit, and pedestrian infrastructure.
New California Law Regulates Warehouse Pollution
A new law tightens building and emissions regulations for large distribution warehouses to mitigate air pollution and traffic in surrounding communities.
Phoenix Announces Opening Date for Light Rail Extension
The South Central extension will connect South Phoenix to downtown and other major hubs starting on June 7.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service