A Permanent Home for NSA- 30 Years in the Making

NSA’s building sucks—we all know this.

Everyone who has ever set foot in this place has made a face of disgust and said, “Ew.” Students, teachers, family: we all desire a new building. Every year the complaints are the same, and our begging goes unheard; but this isn’t a recent issue by any means. NSA’s location has always been a hot topic, and we’ve gone through several changes since our founding in 1993.

We started as a magnet program housed in Pearl Cohn High School for four years before moving to the Cumberland High School campus in 1997, becoming our own stand-alone operation. Cumberland High was built in 1929, so it was already considered an out-of-date building. During the first year at Cumberland, there were only 213 students enrolled. At this time, parents and students alike complained that the quality of NSA’s education was lacking, saying that since they moved to a stand-alone building, they lost many of the resources they had at Pearl Cohn. The Cumberland campus had no theater, no auditorium, and it would cost 7 million to renovate. The principal at the time, Robert Churchwell Jr., pushed aside the complaints, saying they would be fixed in time as NSA grew and became more developed. In 1998, he was fired and replaced by Elbert Ross.

In 2003, NSA moved to its current location here at TPS (Tennessee Preparatory School) campus on Foster Avenue, leading to backlash from many, as this was not the original plan. The proposed idea was to move NSA closer downtown, putting us in the middle of historic art sites. However, no funding was provided since a suitable plot of land couldn't be agreed upon. Folks living near the Cumberland location pleaded to not move the school, as it was in a neighborhood that benefited from the art culture and would likely be replaced with something that didn’t improve the area. However, the area wasn’t fit for an arts school, so, TPS was suggested as a temporary, 5-year location until we could get adequate funding in 2008.

Clearly that didn’t happen, as we’re still here in 2024, but why? Cost was, of course, a factor. The district estimates a new building downtown would cost 16.7 million dollars to house 800 students. However, an alternative plan to house 2,000 students in Antioch would cost 37.6 million. Secondly, the issue of NSA’s location was deemed ‘not desperate’ at the time. The board figured our building was good enough.

But that was in 2003. The move here was meant to signal that change, although slow, was coming. We were promised to get our own, brand-new building over 20 years ago. Our 5-year stay quickly became a 21-year living situation here in our decrepit, old, roach-infested building. Back in 2003, sure, maybe the topic of a new building could be on the back-burner, but now we are learning in a safety hazard. Rats and cockroaches infest the walls, air conditioning units are in constant disrepair, and, just a few years ago, maggots started to fall from the ceilings. However, our principal Dr. Justin Thomas has done his best to make NSA a better environment with the grant we got just last year. The student body is grateful for the new editions of an art gallery display, renovated café, and stage. It’s clear Dr. Thomas cares about us and wants the best, but he can only do so much.

Fellow journalist, Jules Reed, interviewed Dr. Thomas in search of answers to our burning questions regarding our new building, which you can read about in the article, "An Interview with Dr. Thomas: "It's going to be world-class." When asked about the progress, Dr. Thomas stated, “The mayor and director of schools are working together to make it closer to reality,” and, “The mayor’s budget in the fall will determine if it is completely likely.”

Dr. Thomas also mentioned the district hired an architect firm, BAUER ASKEW Architecture, to design our new building, which he believes the students will love, stating it will be “world-class.” Regarding the timeline of completion, he believes it will be completed in four to five years if approved. In terms of location, which has been a popular topic in the past, he says we will remain right here, planning to demolish unused buildings near the road to make room.

It looks like, once again, the future of NSA relies on funding from the district. Dr. Thomas is very involved and doing everything he can to ensure a positive environment, both for the current and future building. Dr. Thomas’s involvement, however, will not be the deciding force to give us a new building. As he says, “I am one miniature voice at the table.” We will all be long gone by the time the building is completed, but it’s important we continue this fight for the younger generations coming after us. Don’t lose hope, NSA.

Sources:

Staff interviews and articles from The Tennessean archives.

Note: As of this article’s publication, NSA staff and students have been meeting with architects from BAUER ASKEW to articulate our needs. According to the architects Josh Murray and J. C. Elder, alongside MNPS Executive Director of Facilities Casey Megow and MNPS Project Manager Rich McCoy, the arts are the priority for this new building—NSA will be a showcase of what Nashville has to offer.