The Cleveland Park and McFerrin Park sections of East Nashville have been in the middle of a renaissance — maybe even more than the neighborhood on the whole — for years now. New homes, new businesses, and a renewed energy have all been a part of the picture, as has an embrace of the historic structures that were a big part of the area’s heyday.
On the latter front, probably the best example: The Roxy Theater district, once a bustling commercial hub, and, for years, a spot brimming with potential that sat fallow.
The movie theater itself opened in 1937, amid a mix of shops around Wilburn and Meridian Streets that formed a picturesque central square in the East Nashville community, with a drug store, barber shop, dry goods store, post office and more. The Roxy closed in the ’50s, and it and many of the surrounding buildings underwent a number of changes through the years, many of them ending up empty, and essentially forgotten, for a long stretch of time. (You can read about the history of the Roxy Theater and its neighbors at the Nashville History blog.)
Finally: a real Roxy reboot
Attempts at a Roxy reboot have come and gone in recent years, but right now, a group of investors seems to finally be making it happen. Partners Elliot Kyle, Jamie Pfeffer, Rob Lowe, and McClain Towery unveiled their plans for the Roxy in 2016 — a new venue/event space with a potential restaurant component — and they quickly went to work on a number of nearby historic buildings, too.
Since, several of those buildings have been completely revamped, and welcomed new businesses: Upscale restaurant Folk, led by Rolf and Daughters chef Philip Krajeck, is one high-profile example, and several other spaces are coming along too, including the former Ray of Hope church, set to be the new home of the Bond Collective coworking folks.
The Roxy is still in progress, but we’re set to get our first look at it in a long while: On Thursday, Nov. 15, Nashville Design Week — our city’s first weeklong celebration of local design talent and growth — hosts its closing party at and around the Roxy.
The Nashville Design Week Closing Block Party isn’t just for design folks, either — it’s free, and open to everyone, and will include a design market (organized by the folks behind Nashville makers market Porter Flea), food, drinks, music, a photo both and a whole lot more.
It’ll also be a fantastic opportunity to explore the growth in and around Cleveland Park and McFerrin Park, and to see where the Roxy district is, and where it’s headed. You can learn more about the Nashville Design Week Closing Block Party at their Facebook Event Page, but it runs 5:30 to 9 p.m. that night, and registration is easy/free through Eventbrite.
Looking to live amid this vibrant growth?
We’ve become such fans of this area, which is part of why we were so excited to get to list 1211 B Montgomery Ave., a nearly-new home right around the way from the Roxy, with 3 beds, 2 1/2 baths, a breezy, open layout, awesome covered decks and a fantastic fenced yard.
If you’ve been hoping to find a new home in East Nashville that puts you close to dining/shopping/all-around energy, 1211 B Montgomery Ave. might be your dream home. Take a look at more about the home here, and let us know if you have any questions, or would like to take a look in person!