Peabody Master Plan

The Peabody Master Plan serves as a transformative vision for Nashville’s historic Rolling Mill Hill, creating a vibrant mixed-use district where history, urban life, and natural landscapes intersect. Initiated through a public competition facilitated by the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) in 2016, the master plan was awarded to Stiles | Hensler and Eakin Partners, with HASTINGS leading the design and planning of Peabody Plaza and Peabody Union.

Peabody Plaza, the first phase of the development by Eakin Partners, replaces a 250-space surface parking lot with a thoughtfully integrated 290,000-square-foot Class-A office building and 37,500-square-foot public park. Strategically positioned along the western edge of the site, the building holds the street edge while creating space for the park. The open space anchors the development and establishes a gathering place for the neighborhood while linking SoBro and the Cumberland River Greenway. Beneath the park, a 1,005-car parking garage is buried five stories below grade, optimizing the site’s potential for connectivity and activation. The building’s façade, composed of precast concrete panels, brick, Oko skin, and glass, is inspired by the organizational rhythm of the nearby historic trolley barns, providing a contemporary response that acknowledges the site’s industrial past.

Peabody Union, developed by Stiles | Hensler, is the centerpiece of the greater master plan—an ambitious mixed-use development that establishes the South Bank neighborhood as a dynamic live, work, and play neighborhood. Located north of the historic Trolley Barns, the development introduces a total of 250,000 square feet of Class-A office space, 50,000 square feet of retail space, and a 455,000-square-foot luxury residential tower across four interconnected buildings.

Inspired by the linear orientation of the adjacent Trolley Barns, the design employs a series of low-scale base buildings, or “barns,” arranged to preserve and extend the network of pedestrian alleys running north-south. Paseos weave these pedestrian spaces, the centralized park, the Cumberland River Greenway, and the surrounding urban streetscape together. The result is inviting and interconnected public spaces which encourage exploration. multiple unexpected moments as people travel to and through the site, creating a more inviting, interesting, and interconnected experience. Above these base buildings, a sleek 27-story residential tower clad in dark copper-anodized aluminum soars 300 feet above street level, enhancing the district’s skyline while allowing pedestrian flow beneath.

The master plan prioritizes walkability and seamless connectivity, knitting together public and private spaces with thoughtful urban design. Extensive use of below-grade parking allows for unbroken pedestrian circulation, while the introduction of new retail, office, and residential spaces adds critical mass to the district, promoting a thriving, 24/7 environment.

Together, Peabody Plaza and Peabody Union create a cohesive vision that blends historic preservation with contemporary innovation. Through this master plan, HASTINGS has reimagined South Bank as a destination where Nashville’s past, present, and future intersect to create a vibrant and welcoming urban experience.