Public Meeting on July 29th at TCC
A few years ago, we started asking neighbors what they needed the most in their community. The answers were clear: People told us they needed a place to live, meaningful work, and a way to be in community with their neighbors — a community-run third space.
As you know, Trinity Community Commons has been striving to create that third space for more than a decade. In 2021, a fire severely damaged TCC’s sanctuary and office spaces and ended many of our community-building programs.
It forced the organization to reckon with our mission. How could we best use this partially destroyed property that we own, in a rapidly gentrifying part of East Nashville, to continue showing radical hospitality to all our neighbors? And could we use it to address some of the other neighborhood needs as well?
At its core, radical hospitality is about welcoming strangers into our community, our homes, and our lives. Hospitality is essentially treating others as family. In our neighborhood as in many parts of Nashville, we’ve witnessed over a decade of displacement, neighbors and friends being forced out into the periphery or onto the street. If we want to build a welcoming community, if we want to show hospitality that is truly radical, we need to build homes.
Last fall, we began partnering with Nelson Community Partners to draw out this idea in more detail. Together we’ve developed plans to revitalize our historic sanctuary into a vibrant community gathering space — and use the rest of the property to build affordable homes for families who need it most.
I’m excited to share that within the last few months, TCC has been awarded three major grants to begin turning these plans into reality. But the next phase is key: We want (and need) community input to shape this new iteration of TCC and its property.
On July 29th, from 5:30 - 7, we’re hosting a public meeting during the community dinner and we’d love for you to come join us. Drop in anytime to check out initial project plans, share feedback over dinner, and ask questions. We’re requesting a special exception from the board of zoning appeals on August 7th to allow for a site layout that both adds new housing for families while also preserving and restoring the sanctuary as a community resource hub.
This is not a rezoning, just a request for flexibility on parking requirements and to use the street setbacks recommended by the Highland Heights Community Plan. We think these small moves will make a big difference in creating a great place for residents and neighbors to live and gather, and we want you to come learn more.
In addition to your feedback, we need your support.
If you’re invested in community run third spaces that welcome and empower all neighbors, if you believe that housing is the best way to not only end homelessness but also show radical hospitality to our neighbors, donate to TCC today.
Every dollar you invest in TCC helps us meet our neighbors, meet immediate needs for food and connection, empower neighbors to host community led events, and create a future where all people can live, work, and gather together in community as equals in dignity and worth.
Together, we can make that future a reality.
Zach
