Client

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennnessee

Location

Nashville, TN

Services

Architecture, Civil Engineering, Experiential Design & Wayfinding, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, MEP Engineering, Structural Engineering, Sustainability & Resiliency Services

When Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee set out to relocate its headquarters and deepen community engagement, they asked Gresham Smith to transform two stand-alone structures into one unified, mission-driven campus. Acting on our core purpose of planning, designing and consulting to create healthy and thriving communities, our Life and Work Places, Land Planning, and Building Engineering teams collaborated to create a transformative, mission-driven space. From schematic design through construction, our fully integrated team partnered closely with the contractor to align vision and budget, resulting in a campus that balances thoughtful strategy with community impact.

The campus reflects a full-circle impact: donations directly fund workforce training and education programs located on site, creating a physical framework for economic mobility that serves the greater Nashville community.

100k
square feet
10k
people served

The project transformed two multi-tenant office buildings into a unified campus anchored by a new, light-filled Welcome Center. By converting underused parking into a shared communal lawn, the design fosters connection and accessibility. The campus supports Goodwill of Middle Tennessee’s vital mission through facilities including a public donation drop-off, career support Center, career and technical academy, adult high school, free daycare, enhanced WeGo bus access and the organization’s relocated headquarters.

Our multidisciplinary team included architecture, interior and experiential design, landscape architecture, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, civil, security, audiovisual engineering and sustainability consulting. This collaboration enabled integrated problem-solving, efficient solutions and high-quality outcomes within a strict budget—allowing savings to be redirected toward the client’s mission.

When cohesive leadership and multidisciplinary collaboration come together, it not only builds infrastructure but stronger, healthier communities. The Opportunity Campus is set to open in fall 2026, followed by the adult high school in 2027.