A mixed-use development plan that includes 655 multifamily housing units along Central Pike in Wilson County is being brought back for consideration after being shelved for about two years, according to the city.
Lifestyle Communities wants to develop the project on about 63 acres between South West Cook and South Mt. Juliet Roads. The Lifestyle Communities restaurant brand, The Goat, is also part of the plan.
LC Mt. Juliet II was originally presented in 2022, but it stalled and was eventually deferred due to concerns about overwhelming area roads.
Lifestyle Communities is trying to build a second development in Mt. Juliet and a third in Wilson County.
“Mt. Juliet is a vibrant and growing community, and while we don’t have a specific project or timeline to comment on at this time, we look forward to exploring opportunities to bring new projects to life there in the future,” Lifestyle Communities spokesperson Ana Titus said.
Are road projects coming?
A new Central Pike interchange and widening on Central Pike and South Mt. Juliet Road are part of the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s 10-Year road project plan, released in 2023.
However, there is an uncertain timeline on starting and finishing those road projects, which may have even gotten a bit more complicated in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s more urgent damage to thoroughfares in East Tennessee.
“I didn’t support (LC Mt. Juliet II) two years ago and I can’t now,” City Commissioner Scott Hefner said pointing to the proposed density and traffic impact. “It might be a good project, but it’s too soon.”
Plans have been submitted to build a Lifestyle Communities mixed-use project on land in Wilson County that the company is seeking to annex into Mt. Juliet.
LC Mt. Juliet II will need annexation into Mt. Juliet, a city land use plan amendment and a rezone in order to move forward.
There are several road improvements being requested by city staff as conditions for approval, which would be subject to review by planning commissioners and ultimately city commissioners, according to staff.
Some of those conditions are based on the progress of state approved projects.
The LC Mt. Juliet II plan could appear on the Mt. Juliet planning commission agenda for Jan. 16. The project will eventually need city commission approval over two readings.
LC already established in Wilson County
Not only is Lifestyle Communities established in Wilson County, it’s also established in Mt. Juliet and othe cities.
Mt. Juliet has an existing development approved for around 450 units in the Providence area.
And Lebanon has approved approved a Lifestyle Communities mixed-use development on Franklin Road, south of Interstate 40 and near South Hartmann Drive. It includes about 590 units. Plans are to break ground on the project in either the first or second quarter of 2025, according to the company.
Along with the The Goat, plan amenities include pickleball and volleyball courts, a pool, wellness building and a live-work building.
Where state road projects stand
Construction on widening Central Pike and the Central Pike interchange – two separate projects – is estimated for 2030, according to the TDOT project plan. Widening South Mt. Juliet Road has a construction start estimated in 2032.
Hurricane Helene damage in East Tennessee resulted in a $478 million appropriation in federal disaster funds, TDOT spokesperson Greg Summers said.
That disaster funding comes through a reimbursement process that requires Tennessee to front the money needed for damage repairs and then seek federal payback.
No work will stop because of a lack of federal funding, TDOT officials said. The agency is working on an updated 10-year plan to present to the General Assembly this spring.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lifestyle Communities reups plan for 655 homes, eatery in Tenn. town