A Connecticut real-estate developer is dusting off big plans for East Nashville, reviving a dense mixed-use project along the Dickerson Pike corridor that would swap out low-rise storefronts for multiple residential buildings with ground-floor retail. The latest filing would allow at least one tower to climb to roughly 12 stories and split construction into two phases. The proposal is expected to get a public airing in mid-April, when city zoning officials take up requests for extra height and looser setback rules.
As first reported by the Nashville Post, Forstone Capital, filing under a holding company called 1218 Dickerson LLC, bought the core parcels in late 2021 for about $10 million. The company has asked the city for special exceptions to local setback and height limits, with the outlet noting that Forstone plans to present those requests to city boards as part of a phased redevelopment strategy.
Site and filings
Metro Planning Commission records show the rezoning application, listed as case 2022Z-034PR-001, covers several adjoining properties: 1218, 1224 and 1236 Dickerson Pike, plus 5 Ligon Avenue and a connected Whites Creek Pike lot. According to a Metro Planning Commission staff report, the requests aim to secure mixed-use zoning within both the Dickerson Pike Sign Urban Design Overlay and the Skyline Redevelopment District.
Design team and scale
Local architecture firm EOA is listed on the documents as the project designer, while the Nashville office of Benesch is tapped for civil engineering and land-planning work, according to reporting tied to the filing. Plans call for the project to unfold in phases and to feature multiple mid-rise buildings, including at least one structure that would reach 12 floors.
Forstone, based in Darien, Connecticut, is led by principals Brett Wilderman and Brandon Hall, who have overseen several adaptive-reuse and downtown redevelopment projects in New England, per the CT Post.
Where it fits on the Pike
The Dickerson Pike corridor has quickly turned into one of Nashville’s busiest stages for larger multifamily and mixed-use projects, with a steady stream of filings and land sales in recent years. Hoodline recently highlighted a separate 280-unit “Skyline Apartments” proposal on the corridor, and the Nashville Business Journal has followed a series of multimillion-dollar property deals nearby, all pointing to mounting development pressure along the Pike.
Next steps
Public filings, staff reports and the case docket are available through Metro’s Legistar and Planning Department websites, where nearby residents can comb through the details and check upcoming hearing dates. The requested special exceptions are slated to make their way through the Board of Zoning Appeals and other land-use hearings before any construction permits can be issued.
