MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Downtown Murfreesboro is undergoing a wave of redevelopment as multiple older homes are being torn down to make way for new housing projects, including luxury townhomes and multi-family residences.

While this is not connected to the multi-purpose structures planned for South Church Street at NW Broad or the Bank of America site on East Main, the changes are reshaping the landscape along North Church and North Spring Streets.

New Townhomes Rising - At the intersection of North Spring and East Bell Streets, luxury townhomes priced from $500,000 are under construction, part of a development that spans both sides of Olive Street. Nearby, the former properties at 500 and 510 North Spring Street were purchased by Canaan Builders, LLC, in 2024 and 2025, and have since been demolished for additional townhome projects.

On North Church Street near the health department, three homes and a vacant lot cleared this week will soon give rise to as many as five multi-family townhome-style structures.

Historic “House of Mayors” Gone - The most notable loss in this redevelopment push was the 1850 Victorian mansion at North Spring and East Bell Streets. Once known as the “House of Mayors” for having been home to four Murfreesboro mayors — Ingram B. Collier, Newton B. Collier, James H. Crichlow Jr., and N. Collier Crichlow — the structure was demolished in January 2023 after decades of neglect.

Originally built by architect Sterling B. Jones and later tied to Revolutionary War veteran and founding father of Murfreesboro Captain William Lytle, the mansion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Despite its significance, restoration costs were deemed too high.

Rutherford County Historical Society President Pettus Read previously told WGNS News about the loss:

“Yes, it is hard to see old structures like this come down that contain the historic stories of our past … Often the cost to restore can become way beyond the justification to rebuild a structure, unless there is a major historical significance of the building and this construction has suffered years of neglect.”

The former site is now set to become the 12-unit Spring Street Townhomes, with three new buildings planned.

Balancing Growth and Preservation - As Murfreesboro grows, tensions remain between honoring history and making room for the future. Many residents remember the historic homes fondly, while developers point to the need for modern housing near downtown.

For now, only the sounds of construction and the sight of new foundations remain where history once stood.

See all the photos of downtown changes above this article.