MURFREESBORO, TN - It’s been a long road, but it looks like Murfreesboro’s One East College, LLC project is finally moving forward. Mayor Shane McFarland broke the news Wednesday morning on WGNS Radio’s Action Line, sharing that the city and developers have found a way to proceed—though not exactly as originally planned.

The hotel component? That’s off the table. But the rest of the mixed-use vision is still alive: condominiums, office and retail space, public parking, and preserving the historic First Methodist sanctuary. Mayor McFarland said the sanctuary might become a large restaurant or even a performance venue, depending on how plans evolve.

And speaking of the sanctuary—yes, it’s still standing, and yes, it’s been maintained. The mayor explained that the developers kept insurance on both the sanctuary and the bell tower, which required monthly engineering reports and annual structural studies. Any maintenance flagged in those reports had to be completed to keep the coverage.

“We were all concerned with that,” McFarland admitted, “and it was a relief to see that the sanctuary had been maintained.”

The updated plans haven’t yet gone before City Council, but the mayor hinted that the city’s need for office space could make this location—just off the square—a surprisingly good fit.

This announcement marks a major shift after years of frustration. The city sold the property to One East College, LLC back in 2019 for $1.8 million. The 2.5-acre site included the historic church, a city-owned parking lot, and surrounding parcels. The original vision was ambitious: hotel, residential units, retail, office space, and public parking. But after initial demolition, progress stalled. By 2020, the site sat quiet, and by 2024, the city had revoked tax incentives and began formal condemnation proceedings.

Now, with developers re-engaged and the mayor sounding optimistic, Murfreesboro residents may finally see movement on a project that’s been frozen in time. WGNS will continue to follow the story as plans head toward City Council.

So that you can get the entire vision of the dramatic turn-around, here is the entire segment of Wednesday morning’s radio broadcast on WGNS with Mayor Shane McFarland...