Page 12 - Murfreesboro, TN Comprehensive Plan: Chapter 7, Economic Development

7.12 Chapter 7

DRAFT 12.02.15

The following Economic Development Priorities story, mixed-use, master-planned developments that
will be elaborated on in the following sections: incorporate restaurants, bookstores, theaters, coffee-
shops, printing and copy stores, performance venues
and housing in unified pedestrian-oriented settings.
7.1 ENGAGE MTSU
Universities are frequently minority/lead investors in
such developments and are often directly involved in
7.2 INVEST DOWNTOWN
recruiting developer partners. As discussed in Chapter
7.3 INCENT/MARKET CLASS A OFFICE SPACE 4, Land Use and Character, MTSU may also be able to
accommodate some mixed development of this type on
7.4 POSITION FOR MODERN MANUFACTURING its developed north and south ends).

7.5 EMBRACE ENTREPRENEURSHIP As recommended within its 2009 Campus Master Plan,
the University should also be encouraged to develop
7.6 PURSUE “OPPORTUNITY ECONOMICS” out to its edges (particularly along Main Street) so that
the campus boundaries blend-in with the urban block/
7.7 BUILD LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT setback pattern of the surrounding city. As discussed
CAPACITY within Chapter 2, Growth Capacity and Infrastructure,
and Chapter 3, Mobility, regular shuttle service to
7.8 PROGRAM-BACKED MARKETING
Downtown and other activity areas along with frequent
7.1 Engage MTSU bike-paths/lanes should also be established.
The City should also partner with MTSU to either create
or spin-off university “flagged” facilities that would
be better situated off-campus such as a future MTSU
Commuter College Town to University: business incubator, graduate and/or married student

“Town to Gown” housing; a technology park, campus bookstores
or various-arts venues. All of these initiatives will
incrementally help de-isolate the university and infuse
As mentioned in the introduction and elsewhere, the more vibrancy into the rest of the city.
presence of MTSU in Murfreesboro gives the City a
potentially enormous economic advantage within the STRATEGY 7.1.1: Expand the activity-sphere of MTSU
region. Maximizing this advantage however essentially within the City. Create opportunities for MTSU to site
boils down to two major must-dos: (1) increase the ancillary facilities and programs off-campus.
integration/decentralization of the campus within the
City; and (2) expand the technology development/ ACTIONS AND INITIATIVES
tech-transfer capacity and apparatus of MTSU. Of the 1. Engage the MTSU administration on opportunities
two, the City will most likely have more influence and to re/locate spin-off campus programs and facilities
resources to contribute to the former than the latter; in/near Downtown and the historic ‘Bottoms’ area.
however it should pursue both with equal vigor. The City’s approach to MTSU should be as a possible
coinvestor in such facilities.
In terms of decentralizing the university, the City should
work with both MTSU and developers to expand off- 2. Identify key off-campus redevelopment opportunities
campus student housing options. Ideally, these would that could host new or expanding MTSU programs
and activities.
take the form of blended, mixed-use development
projects in or near downtown or at other off-campus 3. Engage MTSU, the Rutherford County Chamber
planned-development nodes, such as the student village of Commerce and private developers to establish
proposed on the Future Land Use Map (refer to Map 4.2, an MTSU-flagged business incubator Downtown.
Consider having the City take a significant investor/
Future Land Use). The goal is to establish an identifiable operator role in such a facility.
off-campus student “scene” and drive more university-
related activity into the wider city (refer to MTSU, Page 4. Initiate discussions with MTSU and the state on
developing a tech park or innovation zone within the
5-46, in Chapter 5, Housing and Neighborhoods).
city.
What is contemplated here are not rows of bars and 5. Work with Murfreesboro’s Main Street program
cheaply-constructed barracks housing, but rather multi- to establish more student-focused entertainment