Mount Juliet commissioners ask staff to draft RFP for downtown redevelopment, consider new city hall

At a Jan. 27 workshop, the Mount Juliet Board of Commissioners discussed launching a request for proposals to redevelop about 89 acres of city-owned property in downtown Mount Juliet and asked staff to return with an RFP that would include infrastructure plans, ongoing maintenance expectations, an emphasis on downtown walkability and a municipal financial-impact statement. City Manager Kenny Martin framed the discussion as exploratory rather than a finalized plan.

The RFP discussion matters because the city would control use of downtown land it recently acquired and could either lease portions, sell or trade land to a developer, or reserve space for a new city hall. Commissioners said the decision could shape downtown character, parking and traffic patterns and city revenue for years.

City Manager Kenny Martin told the commissioners the review is “exploratory” and that he brought maps and proposals only to get direction: “I put up a few maps just basically for folks who may not understand the outline of the city's properties downtown… Mine was more or less to get marching orders and a vision from the commission of what you would like to see for the property,” Martin said. He said the city doubled its downtown…