Critics say the new operations facility will make some of the city’s problems even worse.
Cari Wade Gervin reports that Amazon’s announcement of an operations center coming to Nashville was met with some skepticism. Concerns have emerged about how the company’s new facility will affect Nashville, particularly around affordable housing and traffic congestion.
Amazon will be located at the Nashville Yards, a 15-acre commercial and residential development in downtown Nashville. Amazon has pointed to the $230 million investment it says the operations center will be bringing to Nashville, along with 5,000 new jobs.
“Yet [Metro Council Member Bob] Mendes questions how much tax revenue the city will see from the company, as it is renting space (and thus not paying property taxes) and that space is located in a development district where the profits from sales tax go to paying down the city’s new convention center’s bond debt,” reports Gervin.
Local activists also say they are not convinced that many of the new Amazon jobs will go to Nashville residents. In addition, the city’s housing costs are rising, and they are worried that the affordable housing shortage and gentrification will be exacerbated as high-tech workers move into Nashville.
FULL STORY: Will Amazon be good for Nashville?
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.
Op-Ed: Cities, Get the Scooters Under Control
Scooters are a useful addition to the mobility landscape, but cities need to address the many safety issues that come along with them.
Details of Nashville's Deal With Amazon Revealed
Nashville was a surprise benefactor of the Amazon HQ2 announcement earlier this month. Amazon will definitely benefit from the deal as well.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
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.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions