Oracle Seeks Rezoning for East Bank Project

Oracle filed to rezone a portion of its East Bank holdings in Nashville, a move that signals incremental progress on what’s expected to be the company’s future world headquarters.

The tech giant submitted documents last week to the Metro Planning Department requesting to rezone 9 acres of its River North property from industrial use to “mixed-use intensive,” a category that allows for residential, office and retail development, the Nashville Business Journal reported. The rest of Oracle’s land is already zoned for such uses.

The rezoning request comes as Oracle expands its East Bank footprint and nudges forward on its $1.35 billion riverfront tech campus, a project once declared by Chairman Larry Ellison as the firm’s future global HQ.

Construction has yet to begin, and a start date remains unannounced. Nashville-based Hawkins Partners filed the rezoning application on Oracle’s behalf. A hearing is slated for July 24.

Since its first East Bank purchase in 2021, Oracle has now amassed more than 70 acres and spent roughly $379 million across multiple acquisitions. This year alone, it shelled out over $100 million to expand, buying a 3.7-acre site from GBT Realty for $60 million and a 2.73-acre parcel from MRP Realty and Creek Land Capital for $42 million. The latter group recently completed its $220 million mixed-use project The Landings at River North on the neighboring site.

Its campus buildout remains on hold, but Oracle has continued to grow its Nashville office presence through leasing.

It recently expanded its downtown footprint to over 200,000 square feet after subleasing two floors from HealthStream in Capitol View. Coordination between Oracle and Metro officials has recently ramped up, with the city forming a dedicated team to handle the development, Axios reported.

Oracle has until 2031 to deliver on its 8,500-job commitment tied to economic development incentives. The project, which Ellison tapped architect Norman Foster to design, represents the largest economic development deal in both city and state history.

— Judah Duke