Tennessee Justice Center
Small Project (25,000 sf or less)
The renovation & addition of a former liquor store enabled the Tennessee Justice Center to live out their mission of building equity into the lives of local residents at their new facility. The new location and design allows the staff to more easily serve the underrepresented communities needing assistance and the exterior design uses murals and graphics to celebrate local champions and exhibit pride in the community.
Awards Year | 2024
Project Statement
The Tennessee Justice Center is a nonprofit organization providing legal advocacy to under-represented populations. To expand their offices, TJC purchased a property at 155 Lafayette Street within sight of downtown Nashville in Napier Park. The property included 0.83 acres with an existing building with a footprint of approximately 10,720 sq. ft. which was first developed in 1956 as a small spec commercial facility and later as Ideal Liquor Store until the property was sold in 2021.
The reimagining and renovation of the building to meet the new programmatic demands and address the aging condition of the building had to resolve multiple challenges. These challenges included neighborhood, code, structural and architectural parameters. The desire to invest in the neighborhood was a directed response to the recent media coverage in discussion of zones of stalled development in Nashville.
Because half of the site slopes below FEMA’s 100-year flood plain, the basement level (which is fully below the flood plain) was unfinished and primarily used as storage. To meet the renovation and expansion objectives, a third floor was added which included 6,000 sq. ft. of useable area plus a 450 sq. ft. rooftop patio. The final configuration exceeded the current area needed by TLC and enabled them to lease 3,800 sq. ft. to another local non-profit organization with 2,600 sq. ft. of shared and subsidized amenities.
Modifications to the structure to install the new third floor, an elevator, and stairs required extensive structural analysis and reinforcing. In addition, to meet current energy code insulation requirements, the existing building’s concrete structural frame, precast concrete-tee floor and roof structure and single-layer concrete block perimeter walls required remediation or replacement.
The design team developed and negotiated acceptable solutions to meet challenging zoning, flood, and stormwater limitations with permitting authorities. These included a restriction against enlarging the building’s footprint, a reduction in impermeable surface area on site, the installation of flood vents within the basement, the installation of new and improved sidewalks, and the installation of a bioretention pond.
Occupant comfort figures heavily into the design. Substantial daylighting is delivered by new windows using multiple types of glass and coatings to suit their solar orientations. Interior glass walls offer transparency within individual offices. A rooftop patio connected to the staff break room provides access to fresh air and a view of the neighborhood, and extensive use of graphic design and photography reinforce the mission of the organization.
Framework for Design Excellence Narrative
Design for Equitable Communities - The project provides a permanent home for the Tennessee Justice Center and directly connects them to the communities they serve. In addition to their own advocacy mission, it also provides sufficient leasable area to enabled a partnership with another community service program, Napier Kitchen Table, who provide meal and youth care services in the neighborhood. The painted murals found on the building’s exterior provide a unique reflection of the community, growing from a single mural painted years before the renovations and preserved through construction. The glass entry is proudly adorned with historic inspirational personalities. And the interior artwork centers heavily on the community members whom the Tennessee Justice Center serves.
Design for Integration - It was discovered in the project’s conceptual design and budgeting that the addition of a new upper floor would provide the most benefits to the project’s economics, the community services made possible, and the sustainability of the final product. Renovating the partially-buried garage level into office space would have come at a tremendous cost and never provided a humane working environment. Thus the project team strategized the construction of a new floor level. With views to downtown Nashville and the community, this provided both a more generous work environment and surplus usable area than required. The careful planning of this extra area enabled a leasing income to the client as well as a partnership with a compatible community service program who was in need of a home.
Design for Change - As the Tennessee Justice Center grows and changes, their facility provides multiple work zones which will be adaptable and expandable simply by reconfigurations of furniture. Additionally, the current surplus area can generate leasing income until a time comes that the area is needed by the client’s own operations. The project’s site development also includes new stormwater detention and filtration structures, preparing the site for the next generation of its service to the community.
LEED/Green Certifications
Photo Captions
1. Overall site context of the location of the new Tennessee Justice Center Offices. The location specifically brought the staff into one of the many neighborhoods and populations that they seek to serve through their work.
2. Site Plan for renovation to provide parking and bring plantings to a harsh commercial district, while improving storm water management.
3. Existing building with concept sketch for addition. The Community has stated that the renovation has transformed a building which brought death to the neighborhood by the selling of alcohol, drugs, and processed foods into a space which brings life to the community.
4. The exterior at entry with murals highlighting civil rights figureheads and the community landmark mural of the Black Panther, the mural predated the renovation, and the community requested that it remain for it’s inspiring symbology. This mural became the spring point to enrich the exterior with similar inspiring heroes of the community.
5. Existing building with concept sketch for added level from Lewis Street side of the building. The renovated structure now houses staff parking on the lower-level garage and staff offices on the upper level. The main middle level houses community resources for education and after school care as well as a community meeting room for various activities, all serving the goals of bringing life to the community.
6. Renovated building from Lewis Street corner, the murals highlight civil rights figure, including the first day of Nashville Schools integration
7. Primary Staff workspace on the added upper level, windows open to north light facing the neighborhood which the organization serves.
8. Primary open connecting stair within the TJC workspace. The purple wall is covered in framed images of the mothers and families that have been helped by their work, reminding them of the why of what they do in their new space.
9. North elevation a composite of existing and new with the community inspired murals facing Lewis Street.
