Metro Nashville Police Department Southeast Precinct
Small Project (25,000 sf or less)
The MNPD Southeast Police Precinct is a state-of-the-art facility designed to attract and retain a diverse police force by promoting wellness, camaraderie, and inclusion. More than a police facility, it serves as a community-centered civic asset that fosters trust, safety, and community engagement.
Project Statement
As the first phase and hub of a new Southeast Metro Campus, the MNPD Southeast Precinct establishes the tone for future city facilities and future growth. The design team worked closely with operations staff to understand the shortcomings of existing precincts and define a vision for a new model of policing. The project balances two essential objectives: serving as a civic beacon for the community while functioning as a highly efficient workplace that supports the security and operational demands of daily patrol activities.
From the outset, the Police Chief challenged the design team to rethink what a police precinct could be. Rather than simply replacing an aging facility, the goal was to create a workplace that supports officer well-being, strengthens recruitment and retention, and builds stronger relationships with the community.
Spanning 24,000 square feet, the precinct includes a 1,400 sf community room, small public meeting rooms, a 3,000 sf public plaza, a 700 sf fitness center, and dedicated indoor and outdoor wellness areas for officers. The site plan carefully separates public and private circulation, creating a welcoming civic entrance while maintaining secure and efficient patrol operations.
The architecture reinforces these goals by replacing the dark, inward-facing organization typical of previous Metro Police Precincts with a building shaped around daylight, views, and connection. A raised Patrol wing introduces a daylit circulation spine that welcomes officers returning from patrol while creating an inviting "front porch" that extends toward the neighborhood. The precinct also expands opportunities for community engagement through public gathering spaces, a children's green, and a future community mural, which encourage public interaction beyond traditional policing.
Achieving LEED Gold certification, the project reflects Metro Nashville's commitment to sustainable design and responsible growth. More than an operational facility, the MNPD Southeast Precinct establishes a new civic model that supports officer wellness, strengthens community trust, and creates a resilient foundation for the future Southeast Metro Campus.
Framework for Design Excellence Narrative
- Design for Equitable Communities: The MNPD Southeast Precinct reimagines the role of a police station as both an operational facility and a community asset. Guided by the Police Chief's vision, the project moves beyond a traditional precinct model to create meaningful opportunities for engagement and trust-building.
The site plan establishes a welcoming civic presence through a visible public entrance while maintaining secure patrol operations with separate circulation. The design extends this community focus through a 1,400-sf community room, small public meeting rooms, a 3,000-sf public plaza, a green space for children, and a dedicated wall for a future community mural. Together, these spaces encourage gathering, interaction, and neighborhood ownership. The raised clerestory band creates an inviting "front porch" that reaches toward the neighborhood, reinforcing the department's commitment to transparency, accessibility, and community connection.
As the first phase and hub of the future Southeast Metro Campus, the precinct establishes a civic identity that supports both public safety and future public investment in southeast Davidson County.
- Design for Well-being: The precinct was designed to directly address recruitment and retention challenges tied to stress, trauma, and mental health by creating a healthier work environment for officers. Existing Metro Police Precincts relied on inward-facing layouts that left many workspaces without natural light, creating disorienting interior environments.
The building was reoriented to maximize daylight and exterior views, with three-quarters of occupied spaces providing quality views of the surrounding landscape. Perimeter windows, transom glazing, and clerestory windows fill offices, workspaces, and circulation areas with natural light. The raised Patrol wing creates a daylit spine that marks officers' return from patrol while connecting them to a 700 sf fitness center, break room, and dedicated indoor and outdoor wellness spaces that support physical and mental health. Together, these strategies create a workplace that feels safe, supportive, and human-centered, strengthening camaraderie, improving retention, and helping build a more resilient police force.
- Design for Energy: Sustainability was a core priority throughout the project, aligning with Metro Nashville's environmental goals while supporting long-term building performance. Guided by a project-specific sustainability matrix, the precinct achieved LEED Gold certification through an integrated approach to energy efficiency, resource conservation, and occupant health.
High-performance building systems, including geoexchange HVAC, LED lighting, and a 100kW rooftop solar array, reduce energy costs by more than 50%. Efficient fixtures reduce potable water use, while low-VOC and recycled materials minimize environmental impact and improve indoor air quality. During construction, 89% of waste was diverted from landfills. Native plantings, dark sky compliance, and solar-ready and EV infrastructure further support long-term resilience and position the precinct for future operational needs.
LEED/Green Certifications
LEED Gold certification
Price/sq. ft. if provided
$756/SF
Photo Captions
1. The MNPD Southeast Precinct reaches out to the community, inviting the public to its front porch.
2. The project serves as a campus welcome mat and a safe place for the community.
3. The precinct offers spaces for community engagement and supports officers' well-being by providing indoor and outdoor wellness amenities.
4. The reimagined program layout fosters a healthier workplace and reaches out to the community.
5. The precinct is more than an operational public safety facility; it is a setting for meaningful community engagement.
6. The public entry extends a welcoming gesture to the community.
7. The front plaza provides a public amenity that welcomes the community.
8. The public lobby invites community connections.
9. Wellness areas within the precinct include a fitness center, break room, well-being room, and lactation room, supporting employees' health and camaraderie.
10. The building form was shaped to maximize the number of windows adjacent to offices and work areas, while transom windows and clerestories bring natural light deeper into the corridors.
11. Northeast-facing public facade maximizes transparency and daylight in the community spaces.
12. MNPD Southeast Precinct was designed to align with the city’s environmental goals while supporting long-term building performance, resulting in LEED Gold certification.
13. The building uses systems that reduce overall energy costs and environmental impacts.
14. The police precinct serves as a neighborhood beacon and proudly welcomes the community.
15. The MNPD Southeast precinct’s design is driven by the Police Chief’s vision to reshape the future of the force.
