Nashville Farmers' Market
Year-round market on Rosa L. Parks Blvd with farm sheds, a garden center, and food vendors.
Germantown · Nashville, TN
Certificate of Appropriateness work in Nashville's oldest neighborhood
Germantown is Nashville's oldest neighborhood and a National Register district with full historic preservation zoning. Exterior work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Metro Historic Zoning Commission — a real process, and one that rewards drawings prepared to the guidelines.
History & architecture
How Germantown was built
German immigrants settled the area north of downtown beginning in the 1840s and 50s, building along Jefferson Street, 3rd Avenue North, Van Buren, Taylor, and 8th Avenue North. The enclave flourished through the 19th century alongside Irish, Italian, Swiss, and Jewish neighbors before mid-20th-century disinvestment.
The district was listed on the National Register on August 1, 1979 and later gained Metro historic preservation zoning. The surviving fabric is Victorian, Italianate, and Gothic Revival brick rowhouses and single-family homes plus 19th-century churches and institutional buildings, with heavy townhome and condo infill since the 1990s.
- Typical era
- Mid-to-late 1800s originals plus 2000s–present infill
- Dominant styles
- Victorian, Italianate, Gothic Revival brick; modern townhomes and condos
- Typical lot
- Narrow 19th-century urban lots
- Redevelopment pressure
- Heavy infill since the 1990s, but tightly regulated by design review
Landmarks & shared spaces
Places that anchor Germantown
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
Large state park bordering the neighborhood with monuments and open green space.
Morgan Park
Historic neighborhood park and the district's main community gathering space.
Werthan Lofts
Historic industrial mill complex converted to residential lofts.
Assumption Catholic Church
19th-century German Catholic church and one of the district's defining landmarks.
Businesses & districts
Where Germantown gathers
Monell's
Family-style Southern restaurant and a Germantown institution.
Nashville Farmers' Market
Hub of food vendors, restaurants, and artisan shops on the district's edge.
Terry Black's BBQ
Anchor restaurant along the 5th Avenue and Jefferson corridor.
5th Avenue / Rosa Parks Boulevard
Growing mixed-use strip of restaurants and retail serving the neighborhood.
Zoning & overlays
Common zoning codes in Germantown
These are the base districts and overlays we see most often on Germantown lots. Always confirm your parcel's district and overlays on the Metro zoning map before design decisions get expensive.
RM20-AMulti-family residential, 20 units/acre, alternative standards
The core residential district — rowhouse and small multi-family scale rather than detached single-family.
MUGMixed Use General
Applies along parts of Jefferson Street and 3rd Avenue, allowing ground-floor commercial with residential above.
CFCommunity Facility
Covers institutional parcels including churches and the Farmers' Market frontage.
Overlays that apply here
Historic Preservation
Germantown Historic Preservation Zoning Overlay
Adopted 2008 and amended in 2017 and 2024. Full design review of alterations, additions, new construction, outbuildings, signage, and demolition throughout the historic core.
Permitting path
- 1Confirm the parcel sits inside the Germantown historic overlay — the boundary roughly follows Jefferson St, 3rd Ave N, Van Buren St, Taylor St, and 8th Ave N.
- 2Prepare drawings to the Germantown Historic Preservation Design Guidelines, which address materials, window and door proportion, roof form, and setback.
- 3Apply for a Certificate of Appropriateness from the MHZC. Staff can approve minor items; new construction, additions, and demolition go to the commission.
- 4With the Certificate in hand, submit to Metro Codes for the building permit.
Why it matters
Germantown's place in Nashville
As Nashville's oldest neighborhood and a National Register district, Germantown carries the city's 19th-century immigrant history in its built fabric.
Its late-20th-century revival from disinvested industrial edge to one of the most desirable districts near downtown made it the flagship example of preservation-driven revitalization in Nashville, and its guidelines set the tone for historic districts citywide.
Events & festivals
What happens in Germantown
Germantown Oktoberfest
October
One of Nashville's largest neighborhood street festivals, with music, beer, and vendors.
Germantown Spring Block Party
Spring
Neighborhood block party with live music, local vendors, and food from the district's restaurants.
Nashville Farmers' Market events
Year-round
Recurring markets, holiday events, and vendor pop-ups.
Bicentennial Mall programming
Periodic
Public events and concerts at the adjoining state park.
Designing here
What this means for your Germantown project
- Every exterior change needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, including items that would be routine elsewhere. Budget review time into the schedule up front.
- Masonry detailing, window proportion, and cornice lines drive approval on the historic buildings. Documenting existing conditions carefully makes the case for what you propose.
- Rear additions and rooftop work are reviewed for visibility from the public right-of-way — what can't be seen from the street usually has more latitude.
- New infill is expected to be compatible, not imitative. The guidelines allow contemporary design as long as scale, rhythm, and materials relate to neighbors.
FAQ
Questions about Germantown
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