Plan would convert 103 acres into Spring Hill town center

A developer is proposing a plan to convert 103 acres of land on Highway 31 into a new town square for Spring Hill.

The site, which is home to the Tennessee Children's Home, would be developed into a $155 million mixed-use city center and include a new city hall and public library, as well as retail, office and residential components.

Historic Ferguson Hall, which is on the property, would serve as a visitors center.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our community to come together and create a vibrant town square bringing the city and its citizens to a core synergistic location," said David Buschmann, Insight Properties president, in a prepared statement.

Specifically, the project would include 320,000 square feet of office, restaurant and retail space, and up to 600 residential units, which would be built out over a period of seven to 10 years, according to Insight Properties. Three parking decks, two new traffic signals and a major thoroughfare plan are also within the project's master plan.

If the proposal is approved, Tennessee Children's Home would build new facilities on Doc Robinson Road in Spring Hill.

"The Children's Home has reached a crossroads where we either have to raise significant dollars to renovate our existing campus or we build an entirely new campus," said Brian L. King, board president, in a prepared statement. "We're working with the city and Insight Properties to ensure we can not only fund our new campus but also provide a legacy for Spring Hill. This is a very exciting project that I believe will become the heart of this wonderful city."

Founded in 1909 as the Tennessee Orphan Home in Columbia, the faith-based Tennessee Children's Home provides housing and treatment for boys 13-18 years old. The organization moved to Spring Hill in 1935.

According to the developer, 40 percent of the property would be maintained as city park space, and a public amphitheater located around an existing lake on the property would hold "festivals, concerts and family activities."

"The city has received citizen feedback that there is a need to create a synergy for our community around a town square," Buschmann said. "If we are able to move city hall, that will free up space to expand the police department and, overall, it will give the city an incredible new focal point to be enjoyed by both residents and visitors."

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Insight Properties believes the development would qualify for tax increment financing (TIF) and has asked the city to look into using TIF to fund the infrastructure of the property and development of the civic structures, but a TIF tax specialist would have to confirm whether the project is viable.

Buschmann, who is the coordinator for the development, said the plan for the project took about six months to layout. A master plan for the development was presented to Spring Hill's Board of Mayor and Alderman on Monday.

"We're very fortunate, it's just booming here in Spring Hill and there are a lot of young families here," Buschmann said. "I've been involved in several projects down here including the Del Webb community along with this town square project. Those are the second and third largest projects in Spring Hill since GM so I'm proud to be a part of it."

The project would be a game-changer for Spring Hill, which is projected to grow by 78 percent from 2010 to 2030, according to the city.

Reach Collin Czarnecki at 615-852-1130 or on Twitter @CollinReports.