7 Big Mixed-Use Projects Coming to Williamson County

mixed use ovation

NEW Susan Gregory Footer

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

5. Ovation

If it feels like you have been hearing about Ovation, lauded as the crown-jewel in Cool Springs mixed-use, for years it is because you have.

The massive and massively expensive (about a billion dollars) project has been in the works for years. The 68-acre site was the largest mixed-use project around locally that had commercial, residential and office space in it until the Alexander Farms project in Spring Hill was announced.

The plan for Ovation, owned by several developers, envisions 950 residential units, 480,000 square feet of retail space, 1.4 million square feet of “top grade Class A” office space, and two hotels with a combined 450 rooms. It will be anchored by a 12-floor, 300,000 square foot tower.

The latest news about it came in March, when one of the developers of the project Highwoods announced its anchor tenant would be Mars, which had been looking for a Cool Springs headquarters.

Mars, which employs more than 1,000 people already in the county, will build a $96 million, 224,000 square foot headquarters in two connected buildings with structured parking.

“For the last 11 years, we have called Franklin home and we’re excited about our new U.S. headquarters at Ovation, one of the largest planned mixed-use projects in Williamson County,” Renee Peets, vice president and executive project sponsor of Mars Petcare, said. “It’s an exciting project, ideally situated in a vibrant location, and will bring the best of ‘work, rest and play’ to our nearly 1,000 area Associates and their pets.”

Construction on the Mars buildings, being built on Highwoods’ 68-acres of the site, will begin in the fall with a targeted completion date of spring 2019.

Highwoods has allowances from the city of Franklin for all the site’s office space, and the Mars building will be the first of a four-to-five building business campus on 12.5 acres the developer is calling East End at Ovation.

“We are flattered Mars Petcare, a new customer for Highwoods, has chosen us to be their developer-landlord,” Ed Fritsch, president and chief executive officer of Highwoods, said. “We are thrilled by this opportunity to work with such a widely respected, internationally recognized and admired company and appreciate their confidence in our team and brand.”