OLLI0272 - **Lunch and Learn Series - Reimagining Campus: Vanderbilt's Innovation Neighborhood

Course Description

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
St. George's Episcopal Church, 4715 Harding Pike, Nashville

Vanderbilt University is launching an ambitious plan to transform more than 40 acres on the west side of campus into a vibrant, mixed-use innovation neighborhood. Designed to strengthen Vanderbilt’s research enterprise and deepen ties with the Nashville community, the project will replace underutilized parking lots with green spaces, pedestrian pathways, parks, and an expanded tree canopy. The district will combine research and development labs, startup and corporate partner spaces, retail and restaurants, housing, and community gathering areas—creating a place to live, work, and collaborate. Inspired by innovation hubs at Harvard, Penn, and Cornell, it aims to blend academic excellence with economic vitality. Chancellor Daniel Diermeier sees the initiative as a key driver for the Nashville Innovation Alliance and a way to attract new talent, foster entrepreneurship, and enhance the city’s housing and cultural landscape. With world-class architects and private developers involved, the decade-long project promises to reshape Vanderbilt’s connection to the city. This Lunch and Learn will share the vision, timeline, and potential impact of one of the most transformative developments in Vanderbilt’s history.