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Historic Preservation Overlays

A Layered Approach to Preserving City Character

About Historic Overlays

The Preservation Society of Nashville values historic overlays. We believe an increased focus on strengthening and adding to the city’s overlays could help save our valuable historic resources.

A historic overlay is a zoning tool used to protect the architectural and historical character of Nashville's neighborhoods by managing growth and change through public design reviews. It is "layered" on top of the base or land-use zoning of an area and does not impact the use of properties. Historic overlays are locally designated and administered by the Metropolitan Historic Zoning Commission (MHZC), ensuring that changes to properties align with the neighborhood's historical significance.

Changes for locally designated properties are guided by the ordinance and design guidelines. The guidelines are based on national standards and customized for specific neighborhoods. They provide direction for project applicants and ensure that all applicants are treated fairly.

Most notably, in the City of Nashville, a historic preservation zoning overlay is the only tool to prevent demolition.

Main Types of Historic Overlays

In Nashville, there are currently six (6) types of historic overlays, but three (3) types are used most frequently. All historic overlay types and the designation process can be found in the Metro Historic Zoning Handbook.

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Current Neighborhood & District Overlays

The historic overlay process is administered and managed by the Metro Historic Zoning Commission. Below is a snapshot of the program. For more information and to apply for an overlay, please visit their website.

Est. 1985

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The Lockeland Springs-East End Neighborhood Conservation overlay preserves one of Nashville’s most intact early 20th-century streetcar suburbs, blending Queen Anne, Craftsman, and Classical Revival architecture. Like other conservation overlays, it regulates exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2007

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The Eastwood Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville's most intact early-to-mid 20th century residential areas, representing the city's streetcar suburb development. Established in 2014, this conservation overlay regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2008

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The Greenwood Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of East Nashville’s most cohesive early 20th-century residential areas, featuring Craftsman bungalows and American Foursquares built between 1910-1940. This conservation overlay regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2008

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The Maxwell Heights Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville's most distinctive early 20th-century residential areas, developed as part of the city's streetcar suburbs. This overlay focuses on regulating visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2016

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The Inglewood Place Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville’s most cohesive early 20th-century streetcar suburbs, established in 1909 with its distinctive grid of Craftsman bungalows and Tudor Revival homes. This overlay regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2017

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The Eastdale Place Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville’s most intact mid-20th century suburban developments, showcasing Minimal Traditional and Ranch-style homes built between the 1920s-1960s. As part of the Jackson Park National Register Historic District, this overlay regulates exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2021

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The Haynes Heights Neighborhood Conservation Overlay protects one of Nashville's most significant mid-20th century African American middle-class neighborhoods, developed in 1955 during the postwar suburban expansion. This overlay regulates exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines

Est. 2023

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The Lathan-Youngs Neighborhood Conservation Overlay protects one of Nashville’s few intact mid-century African American neighborhoods, developed during the 1940s-1960s under Jim Crow segregation policies. Approved in 2023, this overlay regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines

Est. 2017

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The Haynes Manor Neighbhorhood Conservation Overlay protects one of Nashville's most significant mid-20th century African American middle-class neighborhoods, developed in 1964 during the Civil Rights era. This conservation overlay regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines

NEIGHBORHOOD
Districts 2, 5, 6, 7

Est. 1989

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The Blakemore Urban Design Overlay (UDO) preserves the early 20th-century character of this distinctive Wedgewood Avenue corridor. Established in 1989 as part of a Planned Unit Development (PUD), this overlay regulates building placement, scale, and architectural features to maintain compatibility with the area’s Tudor Revival, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival-style structures.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 1997

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The South Music Row Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves the mid-20th-century character of this iconic music industry district, where historic recording studios and music publishing houses blend with early residential development. This overlay regulates exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2003

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The Belle Meade Links Triangle Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville’s most significant early 20th-century planned communities, designed in 1915 by landscape architect O.C. Simonds. This overlay regulates exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2004

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The Belmont-Hillsboro Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville’s most intact early 20th-century streetcar suburbs, developed between 1900–1924 as middle-class housing near Belmont University. This conservation overlay regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines

Est. 2005

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The Elmington Place Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville’s most cohesive early 20th-century residential districts, developed between 1911–1940 on land originally part of Edwin Warner’s estate. This conservation overlay regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2006

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The Hillsboro West End Neighborhood Conservation Overlay protects one of Nashville's largest and most intact early 20th-century streetcar suburbs, developed between 1905-1935 as middle-class housing near Vanderbilt University. This overlay regulates exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines

Est. 2016

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The Waverly-Belmont Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville’s most significant early 20th-century streetcar suburbs, developed between 1900–1930 on land originally part of A.W. Putnam’s historic farm. This overlay regulates exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2018

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The Edgehill Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville's most significant African American historic districts, originally settled by freedmen after the Civil War near Fort Negley. This overlay regulates exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2023

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The Salemtown Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville’s most historically significant post-Civil War African American communities, originally settled by freedmen in the 1860s. This overlay regulates exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

NEIGHBORHOOD
Districts 17, 18, 19, 23

Est. 1996

The Richland-West End Neighborhood Conservation Overlay protects the early 20th-century character of one of Nashville’s most intact historic suburbs. It focuses on regulating visible exterior changes—new construction, additions, demolitions, and relocations—while allowing sensitive updates. Unlike stricter historic overlays, it does not review exterior alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 1999

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The Woodlawn West Neighborhood Conservation Overlay safeguards the mid-20th century residential character of a neighborhood known for its cohesive suburban development. Like other conservation overlays, it regulates visible exterior changes—including new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while permitting compatible updates.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2000

Established to protect one of Nashville’s earliest suburban developments, the Cherokee Park Neighborhood Conservation preserves the neighborhood’s distinctive 1920s–1950s character. Like other conservation overlays, it regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while permitting compatible updates.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2007

The Richland-West End Extension Neighborhood Conservation Overlay expands protections for this historic early 20th-century suburb, safeguarding its distinctive blend of Craftsman, Colonial Revival, and Tudor Revival homes. Like the original overlay, it regulates exterior modifications—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2009

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The Whitland Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville’s most charming early 20th-century suburbs, known for its Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, and Craftsman-style homes along tree-lined streets. Like other conservation overlays, it regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2011

The Park & Elkins Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves the early-to-mid 20th century character of this Sylvan Park subdistrict, one of Nashville’s most intact historic neighborhoods. Like other conservation overlays, it regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding or fence replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2017

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The Bowling House District Neighborhood Conservation Overlay protects the early 20th-century character of Sylvan Park’s historic core, where James A. Bowling’s 1904 home gave the neighborhood its name. This conservation overlay regulates visible exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

Est. 2017

The Kenner Manor Neighborhood Conservation Overlay preserves one of Nashville's earliest transitional suburbs, showcasing the evolution from streetcar to automobile-era development between 1914-1940. This conservation overlay focuses on regulating exterior changes—new construction, demolitions, and major additions—while exempting minor alterations like siding replacements.

Design Guidelines - Part I

Design Guidelines - Part II

NEIGHBORHOOD
District 24

Est. 1978

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The Edgefield Historic District Overlay protects Nashville’s first National Register-listed residential district (1977), preserving its 19th-century origins as an elite suburb and early 20th-century transformation into a vibrant streetcar neighborhood. This overlay regulates all exterior changes—including new construction, demolitions, and architectural details—with stricter oversight than conservation overlays.

Design Guidelines

Est. 1997

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The Second Avenue Historic District Overlay protects Nashville’s first National Register-listed commercial district (1972), preserving its 19th-century warehouse buildings that anchored the city’s post-Civil War industrial boom. This overlay strictly regulates all exterior alterations—including architectural details, new construction, and demolitions—to maintain the district’s Victorian Italianate character. This area was heavily impacted by the 2020 bomb.

Design Guidelines

Est. 2008

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The Germantown Historic District Overlay protects one of Nashville's oldest and most diverse 19th-century neighborhoods, originally settled by German immigrants in the 1840s. This mixed-use overlay regulates all exterior changes—including new construction, façade alterations, and demolitions—while encouraging adaptive reuse of historic industrial and residential buildings.

Design Guidelines

Est. 2015

The Downtown Historic District overlay protects Nashville’s most architecturally significant commercial core, preserving its collection of late 19th and early 20th-century skyscrapers, warehouses, and government buildings. This strict overlay regulates all exterior alterations—including façade modifications, signage, and new construction. PSN advocated and helped pass the addition of 35 properties to this overlay in 2023.

Design Guidelines

Est. 2020

The Marathon Village Historic District Overlay protects Nashville’s iconic early 20th-century automobile manufacturing complex, preserving its rare industrial architecture from the 1910s Marathon Motor Works era. Established through adaptive reuse efforts, this overlay strictly regulates all exterior alterations—including façade repairs, signage, and new construction—while encouraging creative redevelopment of the historic factory buildings.

Design Guidelines

Est. 1985

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The Woodland-in-Waverly Historic District Overlay protects one of Nashville’s earliest designated historic districts (1985), preserving its evolution from 19th-century farmland to a 20th-century streetcar suburb. This preservation overlay regulates all visible exterior changes—including architectural details, new construction, and demolitions—with more comprehensive review than conservation overlays.

Design Guidelines

Est. 2024

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The Elliston Place Rock Block Historic District Overlay preserves Nashville's iconic music and entertainment district that emerged as the city's counterculture hub in the 1970s. Currently under consideration (as of 2024), this proposed overlay would regulate visible exterior changes to key historic properties while allowing creative adaptive reuse of the district's early 20th-century commercial buildings.

Design Guidelines

HISTORIC DISTRICT
Districts 6, 7, 17, 19

How to Apply
for an Overlay

Applying for a neighborhood overlay in Nashville involves a collaborative process between residents, local leaders, and city officials. This guide outlines the steps necessary to initiate and navigate the overlay application process, ensuring that your neighborhood's unique character is preserved while accommodating thoughtful growth and development.

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PSN Preservation-in-Motion Series | Episode 1: Understanding Nashville's Historic Overlays

PSN Preservation-in-Motion Series | Episode 1: Understanding Nashville's Historic Overlays

01:12

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Historic Preservation Overlay 101

Historic Preservation Overlay 101

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Introducing the Preservation Society of Nashville

Introducing the Preservation Society of Nashville

07:30

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