Lipscomb celebrates new downtown location with Spark grand opening Tuesday, Sept. 19
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
Lipscomb University will officially become part of Nashville’s bustling downtown district with the grand opening of its latest Spark location at the corner of 4th Avenue and Commerce Street on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at a ceremony set for 10 a.m. The ceremony is open to the public and all are invited to attend.
Nashville Mayor Megan Barry along with Ralph Schulz, president of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce; Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry; historian David Ewing; John Lowry, vice president for development and external affairs at Lipscomb; and Rob Touchstone, founder of The Well Coffeehouse and director of business as mission at Lipscomb; will participate in the grand opening ceremony.
At Spark, Lipscomb University will offer graduate classes, leadership development programs and event space conveniently located for those who live and work in downtown Nashville. The opening a location in downtown is yet another way the university is serving Nashville, said Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry.
“I’ve said many times in my tenure at Lipscomb that the city is our campus and the world is our classroom,” said Lowry. “Downtown is part of our campus. Through our Spark facility located in the heart of downtown, we are bringing our education to this area, which provides a service to those here. We plan to fully engage in the downtown community through service, by being involved and by being a good neighbor. We look forward to being a part of this thriving sector of our city.”
The 20,100-square-feet of office space is located on the ground floor of Nashville’s 4th and Commerce garage, 147 4th Avenue N. The transformation of that space, which previously sat empty for a decade, began in May 2016.
John Lowry, vice president for development and external affairs and executive director of Spark, said he is pleased with the transformation process.
“This space that has been unused for so long has been transformed into a state-of-the-art learning community that will serve those working and living in the downtown area in new and unique ways,” said Lowry. “The space is inviting, the programs that will be offered here will be life-changing and the university’s presence downtown will be yet another way Lipscomb is serving this city and providing access to education in innovative ways.”
A technology-rich facility, Lipscomb’s downtown facility offers flexible space and innovative delivery systems for Lipscomb graduate, adult learning and certificate students as well as for corporations and community organizations in the area who are looking for a meeting venue that encourages fresh thinking. The facility is equipped to bring class and virtual meeting participation from multiple locations.
Lipscomb University signage adorns the top of the parking structure and is a visible part of the Nashville skyline day and night.
The facility is patterned after the university-operated Spark located in the Cool Springs area in Franklin. This fall in the downtown Spark facility, Lipscomb is offering leadership development initiatives, such as its Driving Sales Performance certificate program and its new CEO Connect program, in addition to a full slate of graduate courses. The Well Coffeehouse opened its third location in the new Spark facility.
In 2012, Lipscomb successfully launched its first Spark facility in Cool Springs. Spark integrates people with architecture, technology and expertise for the purpose of inspiring creativity, fostering dialog and enhancing collaboration.
Want to know more? Visit spark.lipscomb.edu.
—Photos by Kristi Jones