La Vergne mayor backs proposed international grocery, 260 apartments: 'I am excited'
Developers propose plans for a yet-identified international grocery store and 260 "Class A" apartments off Murfreesboro Road in La Vergne.
The 23-acre project on the northwest side of the road by Floyd Mayfield Drive also would include a yet-identified full-serve restaurant, two fast-food restaurants, and a coffee shop, said Josh Hamby, director of development with Woodhaven Development Group, which is based in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina.
The developers further propose a convenience store with fueling stations and a traffic signal at the Murfreesboro Road intersection with Veterans Memorial Parkway in a suburban city that's between the southeast side of Nashville and Smyrna.
Hamby told the La Vergne Planning Commission members on Aug. 15 that the apartments would be behind the Dunkin' Donuts, and could possibly attract Cajun and Tex-Mex restaurants along Murfreesboro Road, which is part of U.S. Highway 41.
"They want Class A apartments moving to La Vergne and living in a nice place," Hamby said after talking to the planning commissioners that include Mayor Jason Cole.
The apartments are needed to attract the grocery store, and the grocery store also entices the other retailers, Hamby said.
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Public can speak prior to rezoning votes for project
The proposed mixed-use development must be reviewed for the next couple of months by city officials, including the planning commission, before the elected La Vergne Board of Mayor and Aldermen can consider adopting the rezoning, Cole said.
The public will get the chance to speak about the proposed rezoning by arriving by 6:30 p.m. at the board meetings on Sept. 5 and Oct. 10 at La Vergne City Hall.
"I am excited for the economic activity this whole project will bring, including a new grocer, new restaurants and new services of our residents," Cole said.
La Vergne's existing grocery store options at this time include a Kroger, Save A Lot, Walmart Supercenter and Maria's Market on Murfreesboro Road, and a BJ's Wholesale Club on Industrial Boulevard near Interstate 24.
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The yet-identified international grocery store will be in a stand-alone building rather than be part of a shopping center, Hamby said.
All of the yet-identified restaurants, coffee shop and convenience store will operate on five out parcels of property along Murfreesboro Road by "national credit retailers," Hamby said.
Pedestrian project: La Vergne awarded $2.6M grant for Murfreesboro Road improvements
The proposed development would add to a city's plans to build sidewalks and signalized crosswalks on Murfreesboro Road after winning a nearly $2.7 million federal grant to pay for much of the pedestrian project in 2020.
Mayor Cole expects the pedestrian project to go out for bid within a year after engineering work is completed.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
Proposed development facts
Location: La Vergne off northwest side of Murfreesboro Road (U.S. Highway 41) near Floyd Mayfield Drive
Number of "Class A" apartments: 260
Commercial uses: yet-identified international grocery store in stand-alone building, full-service restaurant, two fast-food restaurants, coffee shop and convenience story with fueling stations
Road improvement plan by developers: signalized intersection at Murfreesboro Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway
Total acres for project: 23
Source: Josh Hamby, director of development with Woodhaven Development Group, which is based in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Grocery store, 260 apartments proposed for La Vergne, Tennessee
