Christmas Day bombing: Building a better Second Avenue 3 years later
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The remnants of the 2020 Christmas Day bombing still leaves its mark on Second Avenue. However, three years later, restoration efforts continue to make progress.
Attorney Richard Warren represents multiple property owners along Second Avenue, including short-term rental properties that took a direct hit. He recalls one of his clients who was staying in their unit the morning of the bombing.
“They were there when the police came around early in the morning, knocking on doors, saying ‘there’s a bomb, you’ve got to evacuate,’” Warren recalled. “And his wife and small children were there at the time, too.”
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As a Nashville native himself, Warren said the destruction was especially hard to see.
“They’re over a hundred-year-old buildings, so they’re a little bit fragile to start with and they took a direct hit from the bomb, so most of the Second Avenue facades of the building were destroyed,” Warren said.
Now, his clients have worked with Metro Council, the Planning Commission, and the Historic Zoning Commission to come up with future plans for the property. Some hope to restore and keep their units, while others are looking for investors to go in on the project, or possibly sell.
Overall, outlines of their portion of Second Avenue includes a walkway connecting Second and First Avenues, as well as specially preserved bricks to incorporate the historic character of the area.
“The hope is that it’ll be a little different attitude than Lower Broadway, which obviously has the honky tonks and things like that,” Warren said. “This is a little bit more sedate and I think probably something that local people would probably be more inclined to go to.”
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The revitalization is twofold, with one part falling on property owners, and the other involving the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA). MDHA is focusing on restoring the streetscape and sidewalks.
“We’re going to have outdoor dining, we’re really excited about that,” explained Michelle Scopel, Senior Project Manager in Urban Development at MDHA. “We’re putting six different species of trees back, so there’s going to be some variety there, a lot of vegetation. Artistically, we’re doing some interesting, historic facts in the street.”
Scopel also highlighted a special Second Avenue mural on the side of the side of the AT&T building, created by local artist Phil Ponder. The art was unveiled over the past year in June.
Like Warren, Scopel is also a Nashville native, and hopes to keep locals at the focus of future plans for Second Avenue.
“Second Avenue has a special place in my heart and a lot of folk’s hearts. This is where we hung out back in the day, you know, Second Avenue was the lively part of downtown,” said Scopel.
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Sidewalk and roadway construction for the north block began last May and is now halfway complete. At the start of the 2024, construction for the south block will begin.
“We’re designing this space for people who live here. A place for us to come back to,” Scopel said.
MDHA’s portion of Second Avenue restoration comes in at a price tag right around $39 million. Their portion is already fully funded, combining funds from various city departments.
As for private property owners, Warren said construction will cost several million dollars, which is why some of his clients are seeking investors to partner with.
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He also admits the project is still months, if not years, away from completion. However, he remains optimistic about the final outcome.
“I think everybody is working in the same direction and I think we’re going to wind up with a better project at the end than we had before all this happened,” Warren said.
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