Construction is about to begin on renovation of the First Tennessee Building, adding street level and rooftop restaurants and second-and-third-floor office space on the square in downtown Franklin. Set to open in the summer of 2017, the 231 Public Square project will be capable of accommodating up to 500 guests and make downtown Franklin an even busier place.
Many people are asking ‘where are all these people going to park?’ It is a legitimate question, considering that parking downtown, night or day, is at or near capacity seemingly 24/7.
The development plan says that parking will be off-site, meaning on the street or in the 3rd Avenue or 4th Avenue parking garages. The lot at First Tennessee will still be open, but will be devoted to those working in the building. The city-owned garages can hold 350 cars. The plan says that, all in all, more than 400 spaces are available to hold any additional parking needs. This means the already usually-packed garages and street parking.
A long-term solution to the increased demand for parking as downtown Franklin continues to grow- in terms both of development and popularity, of course, is the planned $87M Harpeth Square development scheduled to break ground in downtown in 2016. The project–a 155 room hotel, 155 apartments, 15,000 square feet of retail space– includes plans for a 600-space parking garage, essentially doubling the garage capacity in downtown Franklin. The project is set to start constrution in 2016, so will dovetail nicely with any increased parking pressure from the 231 Public Square project.
The 231 Public Square project will have its main access off of 2nd Avenue South as well as two alternate access points further south on 2nd Avenue South
Essentially, the renovation will add 20 feet to the west side of the building facing the square.
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