Fallingwater
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Posts posted by Fallingwater
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I ventured into Nashville to hopefully get some evening photographs. I used film and it did not turn out well at all so I went back on Saturday night with a camcorder and extracted still images from the video. Those turned out better. I put them in a photo set on Flickr if you care to see them. Just click on any of the thumbnails that you wish to see and it will enlarge.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fallingwater1...57611782889720/
I also took many of the photographs and made a video which was placed on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8stfqVopCXs...re=channel_page
Generally, I would stay away from presenting or featuring that side of Nashville which is mostly tourist as I think Nashville has much more to offer that is not part of the traditional outside perception but it was night and Lower Broad still has the most action.
I actually approached from the West down West End Avenue and I could not believe how little traffic there was for a Friday night (6:00 O'Clock PM). Saturday evening was the same. Where is everybody? Why have most of the floodlights on the Parthenon been turned off? The Parthenon was dim as were most of the buildings downtown. 4th, 5th Avenues, Commerce and Union Streets, Legislative Plaza; They were all desolate. Has the expansion south of downtown drained those areas of pedestrians? It was weird.
I will include a few photos here as the entire set has over 50 photographs. Hope you like.
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I ventured into Nashville to hopefully get some evening photographs. I used film and it did not turn out well at all so I went back on Saturday night with a camcorder and extracted still images from the video. Those turned out better. I put them in a photo set on Flickr if you care to see them. Just click on any of the thumbnails that you wish to see and it will enlarge.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fallingwater1...57611782889720/
I also took many of the photographs and made a video which was placed on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8stfqVopCXs...re=channel_page
Generally, I would stay away from presenting or featuring that side of Nashville which is mostly tourist as I think Nashville has much more to offer that is not part of the traditional outside perception but it was night and Lower Broad still has the most action.
I actually approached from the West down West End Avenue and I could not believe how little traffic there was for a Friday night (6:00 O'Clock PM). Saturday evening was the same. Where is everybody? Why have most of the floodlights on the Parthenon been turned off? The Parthenon was dim as were most of the buildings downtown. 4th, 5th Avenues, Commerce and Union Streets, Legislative Plaza; They were all desolate. Has the expansion south of downtown drained those areas of pedestrians? It was weird.
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What ever bacame of the the Marina that was supposed to be built on the river at Riverside drive hwy 48 area and the revival of the Two Rivers mall? Wasn't Belk returning to this mall as a second Clarks-vegas location?
I don't know anything about Two Rivers but I believe funding has just been approved for the Marina and water park.
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Great shots. Too bad the city and CDE did not make the initial investment to bury those power lines.
Also, I wonder when construction of the second medical office building will begin? Once finished, this will be a massive complex.
I agree about the powerlines especially since I enjoy taking photographs. Power lines will ruin a picture every time! Grrrrrr.
I wasn't aware there was going to be a second office building. Cool. It's good to see Clarksville getting some of these.
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Im going to try to get some photos of the Strawberry Alley project and also the new office building going up across from Gateway Medical Center. I think the new office building looks very nice and is certainly an upgrade on the majority of what has been built in St. B.
I'm excited about the Dow Corning project which is supposed to be announced by Gov. Bredeson on Monday. I don't think it will be employing a tremendous amount of local people but I do think this mega-investment (said to be the largest industrial investment in Tennessee history including the VW plant in Chattanooga) could possibly bring in other businesses.
Some pics taken this weekend. The first is the new office building being constructed across from the new Gateway Hospital.
Below is the new Gateway Hospital (Rear Side)
Below are some shots of the refurbished Legion Street now known as Strawberry Alley. This was really an eyesore before with electrical lines all over the place and dumpsters on the street. It is now a one way street with wide sidewalks and a new 22 foot fountain.
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As far as the area around the new hospital, there is a mix of small and large-scale office buildings being developed...only one completed at this point. The new Physicians Office Building 1, which ties into the hospital, is move-in ready now I believe. Also, they are pushing a large corporate office/retail park directly across from the hospital, but I do not believe it has gotten off the ground as of yet.
As far as the old hospital, the Atlanta-based company that was to develop the area with retail has backed out. However, I believe a Brentwood-based company has entered into an agreement to develop the area. Parts of the hospital are still being used until early next year...physician offices and the Lifelight helipad. Lifelight will be moving out to Outlaw Field, where they have built a new hanger, early next year. Some of the physicians have been waiting to move into the new Physicians Building 1, which should now be finished.
Also, we keep hearing rumors of all kinds of big box retail coming out to the Sango area. However, I believe they are all waiting for the 41-A widening project to begin, which has been pushed off due to the state's budget problems.
Im going to try to get some photos of the Strawberry Alley project and also the new office building going up across from Gateway Medical Center. I think the new office building looks very nice and is certainly an upgrade on the majority of what has been built in St. B.
I'm excited about the Dow Corning project which is supposed to be announced by Gov. Bredeson on Monday. I don't think it will be employing a tremendous amount of local people but I do think this mega-investment (said to be the largest industrial investment in Tennessee history including the VW plant in Chattanooga) could possibly bring in other businesses.
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I am surprised no one posted this.
Clarksville is ion the running for a new Dow Corning plant that could employee 4000. This will be a huge boost to the areas economy if built. This is 4 times the number of jobs that the VW plant will bring.
I read an article which stated the plant could employ 4,000 or 400. Haha, I don't think it is very clear how many would be employed. I would like to see Clarksville get this project much, MUCH more than I would have liked them to get the VW plant. Also, I'm not sure but I do believe the land being eyed is the certified megasite.
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Well, Clarksvillians, the census estimates are in and Clarksville comes away the winner. Clarksville ranks #9 in the nation among "large cities" (pop. 100,000 and up) in rate of growth. The estimated population is now approximately 119,500. Clarksville constituted the largest population increase in the State speaking of mere raw numbers; 5,400 new residents. Nashville Davidson County added 5,200. Knoxville and Chattanooga each added over 1,000 and Murfreesboro added 4,500.
Edited: Looks like Miami beat me to the punch.
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So, how are the people of Clarksville reacting to the "Worst City in the Country" label?
With much jocularity from what I have read especially since the city just adopted the new "Tennessee's Top Spot" slogan which nearly everyone seems to hate. In regard to that slogan, many asked the question; Top spot in what? So now the slogan has some true meaning.
I think the distinction was worst city in the country to raise a family. Well, I think nearly everyone would strongly disagree with that, myself included. It is far from the worst place in the country to raise a family although I would not consider it anywhere near the best either. The funny thing is that Clarksville has rated quite highly in other such studies and polls such as Places Rated, etc.
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LCM does most of the architectural work for Austin Peay. While their work is solid, I see it as mediocre. I know there are budget constraints with any state school that limit what can be done. However, it seems as though they design the same types of buildings each time. I would like to see a little "envelope pushing" by them. Clarksville and APSU could both use the added building character.
Insofar as LCM is concerned with respect to APSU I am only familiar with the new Rec. Center and I do consider that building to be very aesthetically bland especially on three sides of it! However, I thought the Courts Bldg. and FM Bank buildings, while not daring, were nice additions to downtown and complimentary of the surrounding architectural landscape.
That being said; I have no objection to someone pushing the envelope as you say - daring and bold! I do not like the idea of a city that sees its downtown as being completely married to what builders erected back in 1890.
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A good article today in the Leaf Chronicle about the resurgence of downtown residential construction. One project that was mentioned was the planned 2nd Street Lofts and mentioned a rendering by the Architects, Lyle, Cook & Martin. I like the work of this firm and was wondering if that rendering is available to view on the internet?
I love the fact that more people are building and moving to the downtown area. Hopefully this will generate new life for that area of so much potential. All the projects do seem like small ventures thus far but it's a start.
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The majority of the workforce in Clarksville, and in most of Tennessee, have skill sets that are more in line with manufacturing employment, so it makes sense to me that cities and the state try bring the most and best jobs in this category as possible. White collar jobs are not very useful if folks won't qualify for them or have the skill sets to tranistion into them. Cities of course still need to try to attract white collar jobs to diversify their labor-force and create new opportunties for younger more diversely trained workers entering the labor market, but when the majority of your workforce would benefit from blue collar manufacturing and/or service sector employment, then that's what you have to go after.
My understanding and experience is that most Japanese and German manufacturers treat and pay their employees very well. Unfortunately the examples I can think off the top of my head that use "temps" in the fashion described are all U.S. based manufacturers, which is not to say it's exclusive. It also seems to be mainly the US auto makers, and esp. some of their subsidary supply firms, who are having to cut wages, use temps, etc. to stay competative against their better managed competitors who have not had not incurred "legacy" benefit liabilities from operating within the US labor market for decades.
If Clarksville lands VW I think you will be pleasantly suprised at how good an employer and corporate citizen the city will have landed. I have never seen or heard of a city that has a foreign owned or domestic auto-maker who has not reaped substantial benefits for its local workforce and community. Look at Princeton, IN; Smyrna, TN, Bowling Green, KY; Canton, MS, Spartanburg, SC, etc. I doubt any of those cities would trade their plant for a white collar operation, as that is simply not the right demographic fit for those cities or their workforce at this point.
Hello Rural King,
I do hear what you are saying and can concur with much of what you have stated. For instance, I will in no way deny that cities and communities reap tremendous economic benefits from such an industry. My point is at what cost to the vast number of people who actually work there. I have worked in one such facilty for over 15 years.
It is not just the US manufacturers which use Temps extensively. As a matter of fact, Nissan outlined plans to its workforce about one year ago an idea borrowed from "The Big Three" whereby work is now designated as being either "core" or "non-core"; "non-core" meaning any individual job which is not directly and physically involved with actually placing a part on the car as it is being built. "Non-core" jobs would be filled by temps "through attrition." That is worth 600 forklift operator jobs alone.
Toyota has been considering another idea; In a fairly recent memo produced and circulated amongst Toyota Management, they stated that when they first entered the US market as a maunfacturer that they used the big three as a benchmark for hourly wages. However, they stated, Toyota is now the leader in the industry and can now set the benchmarks. Rather than paying wages established within the industry they are looking into paying wages comparable to all industries in a region which, of course, would bring the hourly wages down considerably to around $15 per hour.
Yes, I agree that the city officials would not want to rid themselves of the Nissan plant and see it as a definite economic plus for the city. Afterall, Canton and the Jackson area was in desperate need for jobs and Nissan supplied them. However, I have not been looking at it from that perspective but from the perspective of the ones who obtained jobs there. Canton has had a most difficult time retaining workers and the Canton workforce is not a happy one in the least. After having written the last sentence, I just did a quick Google search for an old article I once read about the vast number of workers leaving the Canton plant. I found a few other articles instead such as the one provided below where a Mississippi Senator called the plant a "slave labor camp."
A big albatross hanging around the necks of the American Manufacturers is their vast number of retirees and the cost for their penchants and continued healthcare. The foreign transplants do not have that expense as of yet to any large degree and make no mistake that the transplants do NOT want to find themselves in the same position. they are doing everything possible to avoid it. Tis better to rid themselves of older workers before they retire than to keep the promises made to them when hired.
The Nissan Smyrna plant opened in 1981 and many would be entering reitrement but one does not hear of very many retiring because not very many of those then hired remain. Most don't make it! Of the 16 new hires (along with myself) within my original small workgroup over 15 years ago, only four of us are still employees and of that four only one of us has not had surgery due to some work related injury - that one being me - although I have been carried to the hospital once and have had more cuts, contusions, sprains, etc., that I can even count. Walking is now difficult and became so when I was still in my 30's.
My prediction is this; Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn will close the Smyrna plant within the next 5 - 8 years.
You think I will be pleasantly surprised by VW? Ha, I've been in this business too long for that. BTW, people at work, Management included, consider me to be a "company man" and one of the better attitudes. Unfortunately, they are right.
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I think the VW plant would be great for Clarksville. However, we really need more white-collar jobs in this town.
We have never had any trouble attracting industry. We really need businesses and corporations that attract higher-paying jobs. This would also benefit Austin Peay in that these companies could either co-op or develop working relationships with certain degree fields at the university.
But, a VW plant could help in that its high profile, high media attention could attract these type of businesses. So, it could be a win-win for Clarksville.
I agree fully with you, miami1855, that Clarksville needs more white collar businesses and jobs. It is severely deficient in that area.
I also do not completely understand Clarksville's prioritizing getting an auto manufacturing plant. To be sure, such a facility would bring a lot of jobs to Clarksville and if that is the bottom line then so be it. However, the trend in the auto industry is toward severely decreasing wages and benefits for new hires and many areas of automobile assembly which were once performed by company employees are now outsourced. Many employees now going into work at an auto plant are actually Temps who work for some Temp service and they receive only a fraction of the wages and none of the benefits. The UAW has been trying to force auto manufacturers to at least hire a temp into the auto company if that temp has worked there x amount of time.
At any rate, one of the reasons I do not understand cities trying to lure these auto manufacturers (aside from creating jobs) is that one reason auto manufacturers were able to gain such high wages at about $25-$35 an hour is because that industry has an abysmal injury rate. Surgery or the need of surgery is commonplace as workers are especially susceptible to repetative stress disorders but also traumatic type injuries as well. Hence, I would think any city would want better for its citizens than to see so many of them crippled. It could potentially be good for physical therapists, pharmacys and physicians in a city but auto companies have brought all that "in-house" too.
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We went Saturday afternoon for the Jazz and Wine portion of Rivers and Spires. There were 15-20 Tennessee local wineries offering tastings and wine/food demonstrations. It was a blast.
And, from my understanding, the tickets are used in order to ensure that the festival gets its fair share of the profits. Vendors could easily keep cash without the festival promoters ever knowing. It is an inconvenience, but I understand why they do it.
Yep, I was in that area also on Saturday afternoon and had the good fortune to see a few selections from the US Navy Band. Didn't sample any wines though.
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Attended the Rivers and Spires Festival on Saturday 4/19/08.
The clouds were dark and dreary as the temperatures plummeted. It was cold and this seemed to keep the usual crowds a bit lower than the past two years. However, my daughter and I saw a good Blues Rock group in Blue Mule who had an "axe man" who could really tear it up.
As the evening descended we ventured to another stage to watch Hot lanta. Much to our delight it was the same band that appeared last year on another stage but they were called "Cousin Hogg," an Allman Bros. Tribute Band. Last year they absolutely mesmerized the crowd and they certainly did not disappoint this year. They are the consumate professionals who do not miss a note. The Country group LONESTAR was the headliner for the evening on that stage and they followed Hot lanta but we did not stay for LONESTAR. Making our way back to the vehicle we noticed that the crowds were jam packed which was nice to see.
I love that festival but my only big complaint is the practice of having to buy tickets to purchase food and other items. In the past, most vendors were more than happy to simply accept a customers cash and I doubt anyone wants to fool with tickets. Get rid of the tickets altogether.
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"Gateway" no longer.
Cleaders unveiled a new logo and campaign slogan for Clarskville......"Tennessee's Top Spot."
http://theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...411010/1002/rss
Thoughts?
Aaarrrrrrggghhhhhh!
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An article in today's Clarksville Leaf Chronicle says that work has begun on revamping Legion Street downtown. This is a major project. Legion Street is one block over from Clarksville's darling avenue which is Franklin Street. Whereas Franklin street has all the charm and receives all the attention, Legion Street is an absolute eyesore with power lines running its length and sidewalks which are not up to code and garbage dumpsters along the street. The Clarksville City Hall building terminates this street.
The power lines are being buried underground and the street will receive new 20' wide sidewalks. The street will become a one way avenue with landscaping, period lighting and a large fountain and clock. Definitely an improvement and one I am anxious to see when it is complete.
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If you look at the 3rd photo posted by Miami1855 (Public Square) you will notice a building with a black awning and a red brick building next to it. Today's Leaf Chronicle (4/1/08) has an article abut the city council building a new chambers building where the buildings cited above will be razed. The Architect, Jerry Clark and Associates, says final plans are still one year off but he wants the council to "Think Big." If he means "big" in terms of size then the building will need to be vertical because it looks like it is a rather small lot for anything "big" other than a tall multi-storey building.
It should be noted that directly behind those buildings is part of the River Walk known as the Upland Trail and also a street. It is also on a very steep grade sloping downward toward the river.
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@ miami1855 - Thanks for the great pics of the city from F&M Bank HQ. I haven't seen any recent pics of downtown in awhile, so it was nice to see how the downtown was looking now a days.
The Roxy expansion sounds like a great project. It certianly will take the facility to another level with that sort of increase in seating capacity. Thanks to PHofKS for the link and image.
@ Fallingwater - Thanks for the info on the potential Knights of Columbus building rehab and the Rivers and Spirals Festival coming up this April. I will have to tell my fiance about the festivasl as we might have to try to arrange a trip to visit her friend in the city to coincide in order to check it out.
The Rivers and Spires Festival began in 2003 as a way to honor troops returning from Iraq. It hsa since grown to include much more than that as the festival committee also wanted to celebrate Clarksville's diversity of population. The festival is three days long but, again, I think the best times to go are on Friday and Saturday nights. This past year the festival garnered the prestigious Gold Grand Pinnacle Award from the International Festival and Events Association. The American Bus Association has also given it props as among the "Top 100 Events in North America." The Southeast Tourism Society gave it the distinction of being one of the "Top 20 events in the Southeast." The State of Tennessee gave it the Tourism Spotlight Award. Uhm, I don't know if I would call it one of the top events in North America but it is pretty cool nonetheless and I have certainly been impressed by it.
Not connected but I also believe that the city is being granted funds to restore Fort Defience which was the Civil War fortress overlooking the Cumberland River at the confluence of the Cumberland and Red Rivers. The plan was to extend the River Walk to the fort which would include a pedestrian bridge across the Red River to the fort. The earthworks to the fort are already pretty well preserved but the interpretive signage and such could be much better. UHm, the fort itself sits in a pretty bad neighborhood though. Incidentally, the fort was abandoned shortly after the fall of Fort Donelson as it was decided that Clarksville would surrender in order to bolster a defense of Nashville. Of course, Nashville surrendered without a fight too (initially).
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I attended a party at the new F&M Bank headquarters in downtown Clarksville and took some photos of the area. Their top floor has a beautiful ballroom area with outdoor patios on all four sides, allowing for a 360 view of downtown.
Lots of spires. The historic Montgomery County Courthouse, Customs House Museum, Leaf Chronicle newspaper and several historic churches.
City Hall and Legion Street, with Austin Peay's Dunn Center and Hand Village in the distance.
Public Square and the Riverside Drive area. A ton of new residential development in the Emerald Hill district (at top).
Historic Franklin Street, with Austin Peay's Sundquist Science Complex and Browning Building in the distance.
Riverside Drive and the Cumberland Riverwalk.
South Riverside Drive with the Cumberland Riverwalk (bottom left). You can also see the CSX bridge where the pylon had to be re-built after the barge accident last year. In the distance, you may be able to see where the new marina will be built...in the area between the large white flagpole on the riverbank and the bridge.
Nice pics, Miami1855. I've always wanted to take some pictures from those balconys on the FM Bank Bldg. The very first photo reminds me; Do you know the status of the surface parking lot in your first photo? I know the Roxy wanted it to expand but the Roxy and the City were at odds concerning the property.
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Sorry, but that design is so uninspiring, even for a hospital built twenty years ago, much less for a brand new one.
If someone can dig up a pic of the Sutter Roseville (CA) Medical Center, you will see that hospitals can -- and I argue, should -- be designed in innovative and inspiring ways. Things like skylights throughout, and corridors that run at angles, and curves at interesting focal points, and well you get the idea. I'm no architect, but I'm like most people who can appreciate when a hospital doesn't look like a hospital.
The best I could find, but it shows only the front canopy. It's designed in a prairie style (with some Spanish mission undertones)...
I agree completely that the aesthetic looks are hardly inspiring. However, it is supposed to be a state of the art facility and it has attracted some medical specialists which were not previously available in Clarksville. But, yes, I too was disappointed in the physical aesthetics of the structure especially since it occupies a location of high visibility from I-24.
The immediate area is seeing some building going on and it looks as if there is room for quite a bit more along Ted Crozier Blvd..
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What's going on in downtown Clarksville now a days? Any new businesses or rehabs of older structures going on?
I don't live there, Rural King, so I do not know everything that is happening but I do know that a group from Springfield purchased the Knights of Pythias building and is rehabbing that wonderful structure. It will be a mixed use building and I think will offer a few lofts.
Also, the Rivers and Spires Festival will be held downtown from April 17-19. This festival, while less than 10 years old, has garnered some major awards. I first attended two years ago with my daughter and went last year as well. Will definitely be attending this year as well. GREAT event! It now covers about 8 city blocks. I think it is better to go on a Friday or Saturday evening when the streets are packed.
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Thanks for those wonderful pictures, Justiceham! You captured one of my favorites views in town with your photo looking toward the Gateway Medical Plaza on Medical Center Parkway. I don't know why, but there's just something cool about that view. I also like your shot of the McMansion. I don't know that I've ever seen that one before. It's a lovely house!
I like that picture too, Relient J. There is a nice blend of beautiful landscaping and rising structures and I like views where an avenue seems terminated by a large structure although in this case, MCP merely makes a bend. Overall though this picture shows an area of town which appears very beautiful and exceptionally clean. Very inviting.
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No, I'm not speaking of a "fall" in any physical or economic sense; I am speaking of the Fall season in Murfreesboro - had you going, didn't I?
I have been a little disappointed in the Fall colors this year. I have seen seasons in the past which offered greater diversity and brilliance in color but I decided to take my camera to a few locations around Murfreesboro and attempt to capture some of Murfreesboro's Fall foliage. I came away with two new sets of photogrpahs posted to my Flickr page. One set features photos taken almost exclusively on East Main Street whereas the second set was taken at various locales such as my neighborhood, the Greenway, and out near the Rockvale Community.
Above should take you to the two links if you care to view the photos. Below I will provide a few of my personal favorites. Hope you enjoy.
Project Thread/New Construction/Photo du jour/Const. CAMs
in Nashville
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You're welcome, Hankster. Nashville was one of my three homes (Clarksville, Nashville, Murfreesboro) and it was home for 14 years. I moved in 1995. The place has changed alot even from that time.