Writer: Joshua Andino
2 min read June 2023 — As Oracle continues to work on its new waterfront campus, Mayor John Cooper released a rare conceptual image of what the area might look when the property is finally developed.
Mayor John Cooper released the image of Oracle’s proposed pedestrian bridge spanning the Cumberland River, connecting Germantown to the 70-acre campus on East Bank. No plans have been officially confirmed, reported the Nashville Business Journal
In a statement, Cooper said, “This new bridge built by Oracle will create a new, convenient way for walkers and bikers to get across the river. Residents who live in McFerrin Park, for example, will be able to take this bridge to the farmers market, a Sounds game, or to a job downtown.” He added,”Making it easy and more affordable to get around Nashville is an essential component of our larger East Bank vision.”
Oracle, the Austin-based technology company, is the largest jobs deal in Tennessee history and is expected to create 8,500 jobs upon the completion of its campus in 2031 and the fifth largest investment in the state at $1.35 billion. The new hires will comprise a mix of technology, sales, and administrative positions with an average salary of $110,000. Already, the company has hired 500 new employees and is currently leasing 100,000 square feet of space in Downtown Nashville.
Oracle is expected to have 30% of its workforce in Nashville by 2027, creating 2,500 jobs.
A number of Oracle executives are involved in the move, including chairman Larry Ellison and Merissa Khachigian, the company’s registered lobbyist who appeared before the Metro Council more than once throughout 2021 as the city was finalizing its incentive package. According to the agreement between the city and the company, Oracle will pay up to $175 million of the construction cost and retain half of the property tax from the site. The city will receive the remaining half.
The pedestrian bridge itself is indicative of the shift underway across Nashville as city officials and local businesses look to develop modes of transportation that are not dependent on cars. Nashville’s population has exploded over the last few years, and traffic has become a common issue for a city that did not have its own transportation department until 2021. To that end, Oracle has been working alongside the city and local stakeholders to implement the Imagine East Bank vision plan, which includes a large boulevard on the eastern terminus of Oracle’s land and dedicated lanes for bus rapid transit
“This is the largest-ever community-driven planning process ever for Nashville, and the result will be something that protects us from haphazard, piecemeal development and sets the stage for an East Bank that provides transportation solutions, affordable housing, parks, civic space and all the features of great neighborhoods,” said Cooper at the time. “We are deeply committed to creating an East Bank that serves all of our residents, connecting neighborhoods through innovative transit, reducing traffic and prioritizing affordability as we move into this next phase.”
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Photo Rendering via Oracle Corp. and Metro Nashville
