DONELSON, Tenn. (WKRN) — Donelson has been dubbed a food mecca, and with homes priced slightly lower than other Nashville neighborhoods, new residents are choosing to move to the area.
Continuing with News 2 on Tour in Davidson County, we take a look at why some envision Donelson as the next East Nashville.
Tell someone you’re going to Donelson, and there’s a good chance the trendy restaurants are first to come up.
“Things have blown up around here. Burgeoning restaurant scene. And just when you think we’ve hit the pinnacle, there’s something else,” said Terri Williams Nutter, executive director of the Donelson-Hermitage Chamber of Commerce.
Nutter points to the number of hot Nashville restaurants that were looking to open a second Middle Tennessee spot and chose Donelson. One of those is an East Nashville staple, Red Door Saloon, which is building its Donelson spot on Old Lebanon Pike. Nutter said the newcomers are creating a rich food scene alongside well-known Donelson classics, like Nectar Urban Cantina.
“We are considered the new food mecca… Fryce Cream just came here last summer; Red Door is behind us; Uncle Bud’s has been here for a long time,” she said.
But Donelson is more than good eating. The new public library is drawing families to Donelson Plaza, golfers have the public course Two Rivers, shoppers have dozens of stores at Opry Mills and history buffs can step into the past touring Two Rivers Mansion.
“There’s more in the Donelson-Hermitage area than you can find in one place in anywhere else in Nashville,” Nutter said.
There’s a push to develop Donelson’s downtown business district even further. The Donelson Flats allow more people to live and shop near the business district, and also jump on public transit like the Music City Star, where there are plans to expand.
“Ease of movement is the focus,” she told News 2.
As Davidson County continues to grow, leaders say that in Donelson, public transportation, like the train station, is a big part of that future.
“We have a lot of things that make our community different and that is one of them – that you can get downtown, or if you want to go in the other direction, you can hop on and go hit one of the other communities too,” Nutter said.
Homes in Donelson sit just below Nashville’s median price point, and that affordability has new buyers moving in. However, Nutter said as that continues, Donelson’s relative affordability won’t last long.
“The price per square foot is going to change. And I would say that would be one of the challenges,” she said.
“You think Donelson could be next East Nashville?” asked News 2’s Mark Kelly.
“Absolutely,” replied Nutter.
The Donelson-Hermitage Chamber also said the airport’s success is a big boost for Nashville’s East side. The hope is to make Donelson a place where visitors can stay, enjoy the attractions and take the train into Nashville for a day.
