Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cloud Hill?

Cloud Hill is the proposed revitalization of the Greer Stadium property, 1.5 miles south of downtown Nashville at the base of what was originally known as St. Cloud Hill. This property is historically and culturally significant to the city, and Cloud Hill is an attempt to activate this site and create a community asset worthy of its location.

What will happen to Fort Negley?

Fort Negley is the largest inland stone fort constructed during the Civil War. The limestone walls of the fort were built during four months in 1862 by conscripted African-Americans and freed slaves for the Union Army, which at that time occupied the city of Nashville. They were rebuilt using Works Progress Administration laborers in the 1930s and ʼ40s.

The Cloud Hill proposal does not encroach on Fort Negley’s land. The fort will not be touched. It is the intention of the Cloud Hill team to draw renewed attention to Fort Negley and create a design that is sensitive to the needs of this historic site.

How will Cloud Hill address the archaeological significance of the property?

Before anything happens, the Cloud Hill team has engaged an archaeologist to review the site to determine historically sensitive areas. Some of the conscripted African-Americans and freed slaves who built Fort Negley may have been buried on or near this property. It is also true that much of the property was leveled for the stadium and parking lot back in the 1970s and ʼ80s, so the goal will be to determine the archaeological significance of each section of the site, much of which is currently under asphalt.

The Cloud Hill property sits near Fort Negley and the City Cemetery. We are sensitive to both of these important historic sites, and intend to work with Metro, the neighbors and historical advocates to ensure that Cloud Hill is revitalized in a way that honors and celebrates the history of this location.

What will happen to Greer Stadium?

Greer Stadium, home to the Nashville Sounds from 1978–2014, has been abandoned since the Sounds moved to First Tennessee Park at the beginning of the 2015 baseball season. Most of the stadium will be removed. Some concrete sections of the grandstands may be repurposed for possible use. We also hope to keep in place or repurpose the guitar scoreboard.

How much open space is anticipated?

What was once the Greer Stadium playing field will become publicly accessible green space – a 4.5-acre ‘Great Lawn’ – and the focal point of the revitalization. Determining how this space is used will depend on collaboration and input from the public.

In addition, play parks, public courtyards and other open greenspaces will be interspersed throughout the 21-acre site, creating open areas on more than 7 acres – a third of the site.

How will this project interact with the surrounding neighborhood?

In 2005, with the help of the Nashville Civic Design Center, people in the neighborhoods near the site and throughout Nashville began discussing their vision for the property. Not long after the Sounds moved out of Greer Stadium, this conversation continued, and our team participated in many of the discussions. From those discussions, Metro established a number of objectives for the site, which became the framework for the Request for Qualifications that was issued in early 2017. Our goal was to listen to the neighbors and align our proposal with Metro’s objectives, and by doing so, we feel that we have taken the first step in connecting with the neighborhood.

Much work remains, as we listen to the community and refine the design concepts that were part of our proposal. We plan to work with Metro to open up the ‘Great Lawn’ to the community as soon as possible. We plan to host a benefit concert to raise awareness for the project and raise funds for the maintenance of Fort Negley. We also plan to set up a ‘Help Desk’ on the site to elicit ideas from the community, and conduct guided weekend tours through trails and paths on the site.

What structures will be part of Cloud Hill?

What actually will be built is still to be determined through ongoing community input and discussions with the city. The basic Cloud Hill plan calls for:

• 294 units of affordable, workforce and market-priced housing – The actual percentage of affordable housing on the site will be determined after further conversations with Metro and the community.
• 117,000 square feet of maker and creative office space – ‘Maker space’ describes the kind of creative and collaborative center where innovative ideas take shape.
• 48,350 square feet of neighborhood retail – Again, the retail offerings will be determined in collaboration with the community. In addition, we have plans for a community garden, community kitchen and a farmers’ market on the site.
• 28,000 square feet of art and music ‘generator’ space – The vision for Cloud Hill as outlined by Cloud Hill partner T Bone Burnett calls for the site to become a nexus for music and art collaboration.
• A 21,200-square-foot community and culture shed – This flexible, open but covered space creates a place for ‘pop-up’ activities of all sorts.

The structures envisioned will be positioned on the site to provide as little disturbance as possible for the views from Fort Negley.

What changes will occur on Chestnut Street?

A key neighborhood and Metro objective is to ‘activate Chestnut Street,’ which is the ‘front door’ of Cloud Hill. Our goal is to make Chestnut Street a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare that becomes a welcoming introduction to this new neighborhood gathering place.

What will Cloud Hill cost Metro taxpayers?

We proposed that there will be no cost to Metro taxpayers for this project. The Cloud Hill partners envision spending approximately $7 million to revitalize the site, and paying another $1 million to Metro. Cloud Hill will hold a ground lease, but Metro will retain ownership of the property. Cloud Hill also does not intend to request tax-increment financing (TIF) for this project, a financing tool typically used in major commercial projects.

What are the remaining steps in the process?

There must be a significant amount of additional community input, and a number of Metro agencies and the Metro Council must approve this project before it can move forward. Once approvals are received, construction and activation of the site can begin. We hope to have the project complete by 2021.

How can Nashvillians get involved and learn more about Cloud Hill?

You can sign up to receive information and learn more about all things Cloud Hill by going to our contact page and filling out the form. We welcome your feedback.

You can also visit the events section of our site for information about upcoming community meetings and other community events.