La Vergne, Tennessee

4 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 will bring in even more businesses to the area. HighPointe 24, as it’s called, will become home to some “major companies,” according to Broeker. “We are under an NDA so we cannot speak to who is coming, or at least interested in the area, but it is filling up quickly,” he says. “If we had more space, quite frankly, we could fill it up.” Not only is the city’s business count rising, but its population is also, too. Broeker estimates that La Vergne will continue its path of growth into the mid-60,000s, if not more, over the next decade. To help with the rise in population – and to generate more tax revenue to pay for it – La Vergne is turning its focus to adding new commercial projects to its city limits. “It’s important to us to develop that sales base so we can get the sales tax to grow, but grow in quality and grow to the standard that we’d like to enter in the future,” Broeker says. They’ve got numerous projects underway that will include grocery store anchors, grocery concept stores, sit-down restaurants, and other types of retail. Membership warehouse chain BJs Warehouse has already broken ground across from the aforementioned HighPointe 24. This will be the first BJs location in all of Tennessee. The city’s growth is being seen in housing, as well. La Vergne’s South Waldron area is seeing the most growth, with somewhere between nine and 11,000 homes being built. Even more commercial development will accompany those homes along Waldron Road. “You’re looking at your grocery stores, your neighborhood service,” says La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole. “And for residential development, we’re looking at a combination of properties being developed as a single-family – probably the bulk of it, and then you have some multi- family there as well. Our pricing starts at around $350, 000 and up for these new homes.” Water andWastewater Equipment Sales and Service ✦ All our technicians are trained and certified ✦ Satisfaction guaranteed on every project ✦ Three generations and 40+ years experience Contact us Today! www.wasconinc.com If it sounds like the city is moving at a rapid pace – it is, Broeker says. “I have worked in some capacity for the city since about 2010 and I can say now, this is the hottest we’ve ever been in terms of our growth,” Broeker exclaims. “We are a sought-after destination.” On top of its prime location, La Vergne has many other reasons that are attracting people and businesses to the city. For one, the median income is $20,000 higher than the state average, and then there’s the quality of life. “This is a great community,” Cole says. “We’ve got jobs, lakefront property and we’re nestled right in a good area here in Middle Tennessee. We have lots of opportunities and overall, the individual community itself, we all pull together and we have different activities and events. That really makes La Vergne, La Vergne.” On any given weekend you can find a host of events taking place across the city. Every fall they host the annual Old Timers Festival, which kicks off with a parade through the heart of the city and ends at Veteran’s Memorial Park for a craft and vendor sale, food, and live musical performances. The city recently hosted its Howl at the Moon 5k race, the first and only nighttime 5k race in the state, which attracted hundreds of people from all over the Nashville area. Cole credits both the Parks and Recreation Department and the La Vergne Public Library for helping to keep residents entertained with activities and events all year long. “The library essentially has events from age zero to 99,” Cole says. “They have everything from arts and crafts to painting, Lego playing, take and make crafting, story times, magicians, and puppet shows, all at our public library. “At the same time, our parks and recreation department does some amazing events all throughout the year, whether it’s our block party, which is our signature event, they do the LA VERGNE , TENNESSEE Old Timer’s Festival, our Winter Festival with a parade. We also do a Veteran’s Day Program, Martin Luther King Day program. We have lots within our community and it’s something that helps bring everyone together.” Major holidays are celebrated in the city with an annual Independence Day celebration, Goblins and Goodies event for children and a Zombie Night at Halloween, and a plethora of activities to ring in the Christmas season. “We have a Christmas parade where various civic groups and sometimes just residents decorate their trucks and their cars and they bring them down to the Christmas festival,” Broeker explains. “This year they added an actual ice rink, which was a big hit. And they’re looking to expand this year.” The city also regularly hosts smaller events throughout the year, including Movies in the Park,senior center events, and hosts tournaments