This story was originally published by the Nashville Banner, part of the Banner’s ZIP Code Project. Sign up for their newsletter at nashvillebanner.com/newsletters.
Dozens of North Nashville community leaders, clergy and elected officials gathered under a clear tent on Scovel Street early Wednesday. If not for the line of shovels and hard hats in pre-placed dirt outside of the tent, you would not have known you were at a groundbreaking ceremony on a property development.
Instead, the joyous and passionate crowd, moved by soulful worship singing, dancing and a near-constant instrumental band read more like a church revival as the community celebrated the launch of Elevate North Nashville.
“Today is no ordinary service. No ordinary groundbreaking,” Bishop Clary K. Butler told the crowd. “It is a ground shifting moment for North Nashville.”
Elevate North Nashville is a community development corporation launched by the House of God church, which is headquartered in North Nashville. Through the group, House of God will build more affordable and workforce housing. The church, which has owned some housing in the area since the 1970s, has made an initial investment of $1.5 million, which will go, in part, toward funding two duplexes on the property where the groundbreaking was held.