Save Cheekwood
- Cheekwood
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Cheekwood Launches "Save Cheekwood" Campaign in Response to Radical Legal Effort to Shut Down Historic Landmark
Jackson Moore, and neighborhood group files appeal demanding an immediate halt to all public use, educational programming, and construction of city-mandated parking infrastructure at the 66-year-old non-profit institution.
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens today announced the launch of the "SAVE CHEEKWOOD " Campaign, a widespread grassroots mobilization effort aimed at protecting one of Nashville’s oldest and most beloved cultural landmarks from an aggressive legal effort to halt its public operations.
The campaign comes in direct response to a legal appeal filed with the Metro Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) by Jackson Moore and a neighborhood group called "Neighbors for Safety.” The filing openly demands that the city issue a Stop Work Order for "any further use of the property," a radical action that would effectively force Cheekwood to close its gates to the public, end school field trips, and cancel all of the nonprofit’s programming, including its historic cultural events and seasonal celebrations Nashvillians have made their family traditions.
"We are deeply disturbed that a self-serving faction of neighbors is pursuing legal avenues that would shutter Cheekwood as Nashville knows it," said Matt Kisber, Chair of Cheekwood’s Board of Trustees. "By attempting to freeze public access and halt construction of a city-mandated parking facility, this group is threatening the future of a non-profit institution that has served generations of families. We will not allow this treasure to be stripped away from the Nashville community."
The neighbors’ legal complaint targets Metro’s permit for Cheekwood’s new on-site parking facility. Cheekwood officials noted that the project is heavily misrepresented by the opposition.
For example:
City-Mandated Infrastructure: The parking facility is a direct requirement of Cheekwood's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Metro Nashville.
Reducing Overall Parking: The project actually reduces Cheekwood's parking capacity from 810 overall spaces to 750 spaces, intentionally keeping visitor capacity flat.
Neighborhood Relief: By moving parking entirely onto Cheekwood's property, the facility removes the institution's reliance on Metro Parks land for overflow parking and provides visitors with seamless access to the Estate and Gardens.
Supporting Traffic Solutions: Contrary to false claims Cheekwood opposes a Highway 100 access drive, Cheekwood supports a shared-use Highway 100 access drive to help alleviate traffic concerns for the community.
The "SAVE CHEEKWOOD" campaign is a call to action to Cheekwood's deep community of supporters, including local elected officials, city leaders and thousands of Middle Tennessee families who have made countless memories at Cheekwood. Supporters can help Cheekwood in a number of ways, including:
Signing a petition directed at Metro officials and the Metro Board of Zoning Appeals: https://c.org/vsNBm5b24n
Contacting their Metro Councilperson and asking them to support Cheekwood.
Urging others to lend their support.
