Merus is taking the wrecking ball to RiverGate Mall. It’s the first tangible step of the $450 million redevelopment of the onetime thriving retail center. The mall opened in 1971. Merus paid $33 million for the 57-acre site. Development partners include Fulmer Lucas, Smith Gee Studio and Pinnacle Bank.
Merus is planning a massive mixed-use development on the site in Goodlettsville. Plans include 130,000 square feet of retail and dining space, nearly 1,000 housing units and a center green and plaza for community programming. The housing Merus plans to build includes 700 multifamily units, 100 townhomes and 80 senior housing units, retail and dining space in a pedestrian-friendly master-planned community. The project is backed by Metro Nashville through a tax increment financing deal. The developer closed on its $33 million purchase of the mall in February…