MONEY

Nashville chews on temporary food truck park idea

Lizzy Alfs
lalfs@tennessean.com

A Nashville development company wants to bring a temporary food truck park to the Wedgewood-Houston area.

Core Development and landscape architect Hawkins Partners filed a specific plan application with Metro's planning department to temporarily establish an area for mobile food vendors to park at the northeast corner of Martin Street and Merritt Avenue on property owned by Core.

Core Development's Andrew Beaird declined to provide further details on the food truck park, adding that the project is still in its planning stages.

The site would have vehicle and bike parking in addition to the food truck park, according to the filing with Metro. Food trucks could occupy the spaces from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. A site plan shows space for 16 food trucks at the park.

Sixten Land Group LLC, an affiliate of Core Development, purchased the 4.82-acre property at 610 Merritt Ave. for $2.4 million last year, with plans for a mixed-use development that would include live-work units, residences and restaurants. It was formerly home to A.B. Collier Wrecker Service.

The temporary food truck park would occupy a portion of the property.

Nashville has a thriving food truck industry, reflective of a nationwide trend that is thought to have originated in Los Angeles in 2008 before it spread to other U.S. cities.

The Nashville Food Truck Association has more than 40 vendors — a number that has risen steadily since 2010. But unlike Austin, Texas; Portland, Ore.; and other cities, Nashville doesn't have a daily, designated food truck park that diners can frequent, and where a group of vendors can park on a daily basis.

Other Nashville property owners have toyed with the idea of a food truck park.

The owners of Rippy's and Honky Tonk Central downtown considered establishing one on the site at Third Avenue South and Demonbreun Street after plans for the 24-hour Avenue Diner hit a snag. The idea for a food truck park eventually fell by the wayside after the diner was granted city approval.

Most Nashville food truck vendors roam the city; a typical week might include serving lunch at an office park, catering private events, serving outside a local bar and attending a live music event. In addition Metro launched its Mobile Food Vendor Pilot Program in 2012, which designates nine food truck zones downtown where vendors are authorized to operate.

Reach Lizzy Alfs at 615-726-5948 and on Twitter @lizzyalfs.