Antioch Transit Center Design RFQ

WeGo Public Transit (WeGo) is soliciting Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Engineering design services from qualified firms for a regional transit center and associated roadway infrastructure improvements within the Global Mall Redevelopment area in Antioch, Tennessee. Consultants are expected to demonstrate robust experience and expertise in all components of the scope of work. The successful Consultant will provide design services to deliver a project that enhances transit service, access, and rider experience, and facilitates local and regional transit connectivity.

Project Timeline

Consultant selection and award is expected by end of Q4 2026. Construction of the transit center and off-site infrastructure is planned to be completed by 2029; the Consultant shall demonstrate how they can accelerate or meet this timeline.

Milestone target dates are as follows:

• 30% Design: 2/28/2027
• 60% Design: 5/15/2027
• 90% Design: 8/31/2027
• 100% Design / Issue for Bid (IFB) Documents: 12/31/2027
• Construction Start: 7/1/2028
• Construction Completion: 6/1/2029

The Antioch Transit Center will be built on a portion of the former Global Mall site (5252 Hickory Hollow Parkway), just north of Bell Road and east of I-24. The site is served by Bus Route 55 Murfreesboro Pike, which provides high-frequency service (every 15 minutes or less) on weekdays and weekends, connecting the Hickory Hollow area to Downtown Nashville. The proposed transit center will allow for expansion of WeGo services made possible by Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s successful Choose How You Move (CHYM) Transportation Improvement ballot initiative. WeGo has advanced several pre-development tasks that will inform the final design, described further in the Project Overview.

Currently, the Global Mall site’s core use is geared towards public and community services. The site includes a satellite campus for Nashville State Community College, the Ford Ice Center, a temporary location of the Nashville Fire Department (NFD) Headquarters, the Southeast Branch of the Nashville Public Library, and the Southeast Regional Community Center of the Metro Parks system. The parking lot of the Community Center serves as a park and ride facility for Bus Route 55 as well as a WeGo Link transfer point. Figure 1 provides an overview of the existing conditions of the site.

Figure 1 Project Site

The transit center is a critical component of the adopted Global Mall Area Master Plan, which envisions the redevelopment of the former mall site through design guidelines intended to assist with transforming the area into a lively mixed-use, regional destination, including cultural uses, mixed-income housing, and retail. An excerpt from the master plan for the redevelopment, including the transit center, is shown in Figure 2. The 2024 adopted Global Mall Area Master Plan and the Specific Plan zoning adopted via BL2024-448 Global Mall Area Preliminary SP (Appendix A) should be carefully reviewed by Consultants as it lays out the vision and goals for the transit center and planned redevelopment of the area.

Figure 2 Global Mall Redevelopment Master Plan with Transit Center (site highlighted in purple)

The transit center, along with the other potential future developments, are expected to affect multimodal traffic in the area. Therefore, in addition to the transit center, the Consultant will provide design services for critical on-site and off-site roadway and traffic signal infrastructure improvements as identified previously. These improvements include, but are not limited to, the construction of new onsite access roadways, the addition or extension of dedicated turn lanes, and the modification of traffic signals. The off-site infrastructure improvements being considered are presented in Figure 5. More information can be found in the operational and traffic mitigation analysis conducted and attached as Global Mall Summary of Analysis – Technical Memorandum (Appendix B) and the attached study WeGo Antioch Transit Center Operational Requirements (Appendix C) prepared during the pre-development phase of the project.

See Figures 3, 4, and 5 for concept diagram, transit center layout aerial overlay, and schematic of infrastructure improvements.

Figure 3 Antioch Transit Center Concept Diagram

Figure 4 Antioch Transit Center Aerial Overlay

Figure 5 Proposed Roadway Infrastructure Improvements

Project Overview

Overall project management for this Scope of Work will be conducted by WeGo, with support from the agency’s Capital Program Management Consultant (CPMC); the Consultant will be expected to coordinate closely with WeGo and the CPMC. A Project Manager will lead the day-to-day direction to the Consultant and will be responsible for the review and acceptance of deliverables.

Project Scope

WeGo is soliciting Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Engineering design services for a transit center and off-site roadway and infrastructure improvements, including:

• 11 bus bays (Routes 55, 52A, 84, new Crosstown Connector & Express planned)
• Structured Parking to include at minimum
  • 265 transit spaces (250 park and ride, 15 employee/non-revenue)
  • 182 library / community center parking spaces
• +/- 4,000 square foot passenger/employee amenities
• +/-19,000 square foot ground floor retail (shell space)
• Roadway improvements (including new onsite access roadways and addition of turn lanes to existing infrastructure)
• Traffic signal modifications

Project Objectives

The project has the following objectives:

• Enhance transit rider experience;

• Increase safety and security of transit riders, WeGo staff, area residents, and visitors;
• Expand regional and local connectivity;
• Improve operational efficiency and reliability;

• Provide accessible transit service to all users;
• Facilitate multimodal transportation connections;
• Promote economic activity and community vitality; and

• Support the long-term vision and goals of the area.
• Accommodate a future phase of residential construction on top of the proposed transit center and parking structure

Limitations & Considerations

The Antioch Transit Center is part of the Global Mall Area Master Plan, envisioned as a transformation of a once declining retail property into a connected, mixed-use urban district. The transit center must be designed to fit seamlessly into the long-term vision of the redevelopment project rather than function as a standalone facility. The Consultant must review and, as appropriate, incorporate the vision and goals of the 2024 adopted master plan and the Specific Plan zoning of BL2024-448 Global Mall Area Preliminary SP (Appendix A).

Additionally, prior and ongoing studies and concept plans prepared by WeGo must also be considered by the Consultant. These documents provide important operational, planning, circulation, and development context for the project and include, but are not limited to:

• Global Mall Summary of Analysis – Technical Memorandum (Appendix B)
• Transit Center Operational Requirements (Appendix C)
• Antioch Transit Center – Shared Parking Memorandum (Appendix D)
• Global Mall Mixed Use District – Transit, Parking & Residential Feasibility (Appendix E)
• WeGo Forward Long-term Plan (Target Completion Fall 2026)
• TDOT I-24 Transit Study

These materials establish a broader framework to guide the development of the transit center, including positioning the site to support future joint development opportunities with private partners, an outcome of particular interest to WeGo.

Consistent with prior project coordination, WeGo has already fulfilled the environmental review requirements for this project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Accordingly, the Consultant will not be responsible for preparing any additional environmental documentation or analysis.