Nashville Mayor John Cooper unveils new designs for Second Avenue

Nashville Mayor John Cooper on Wednesday unveiled plans for a revived Second Avenue, featuring wider sidewalks with space for alfresco dining, newly planted trees and public art.

• The vision is the latest chapter in the city’s reclamation after last year’s Christmas morning bombing, which left part of Nashville’s original historic district to rubble.

Why is this important: Cooper says the city is looking to do more than make the most of a horrific situation created by the suicide bomber.

• “He’s using this tragic event as a galvanizer,” Cooper told Axios. “It’s a red flag to enhance the authenticity of the neighborhood, and it’s a call to action to create an opportunity from a challenge.”

The plot: Cooper, a real estate developer before running for public office, says he’s particularly excited about the city’s work to activate Riverside.

• In addition to connecting Second Avenue to the edge of the Cumberland River with a passage through reconstructed bomb damaged buildings, the Cooper administration has quietly invested funds in adding new riverside parks near the downtown.
• Metropolitan Council voted Tuesday to approve $ 20 million for Second Avenue infrastructure.

The last: At a press conference at the Wildhorse Saloon, the city also unveiled plans to add a new facade to the AT&T data hub that will better match the character of the historic district.