ATLBrain
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Posts posted by ATLBrain
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NT, is your friend sure that it's the Signature tower that's in the rumor, and not another building? I must admit that I'm blindsided by this one. Good job, NT.
The reason I'm asking is that I have heard from a credible source that there will be another pair of mixed use towers in the gulch.
With all the talk about the new CC up in the air, apparently there's a developer out there unwilling to wait.
(Do I tell or not? No... OK... I'll say just a leeeeetle bit of a rumor).
I don't like to trade in rumors, but my source didn't swear me to secrecy. Plus, the gulch has been the subject of wild and realistic rumors in recent years, but this time... my friend at Vandy has heard serious discussion about a really big project that could eventually consist of four towers. So here goes. Consume at your own risk.
The taller tower will be at least 50 stories and will be a mix of condo and hotel floors. It will be connected by a multi-level retail/bar/restaurant area to a second tower that will front on Church.
The second tower is rumored to be shorter than the first at around 30-35 and will be office. There will be a parking structure designed to handle additional office on top if the demand exists.
Apparently, this project will go between Broad and Church.
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Yikes. I'm not getting a good feeling about this one Mabel.
The demand for this must be "sky high". Still, I think I'd rather see several 30-somethings. I guess there's always Novare in the gulch.
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Clement is no longer the Congressman from Nashville, having since been replaced by former 4th district Congressman Jim Cooper (in 2003). Though being a Republican and not much of a fan of any of these guys, I'd at least credit Clement in attempting to bring in some $$ for certain projects.
OIC... Thanks. The only thing I know about Cooper is that he came and had dinner with several of us in my law class at Duke back in (I think) '95... and he had just lost his bid for Senate (I think)... and maybe he also lost some healthcare bill he had sponsored in congress. Anyway, he was one boring and bitter guy. He was so critical of those idiotic Tennesseans who voted against him. Obviously they didn't know a great thing when they saw it. I'm kind of surprised he was elected from Nashville, but that explains a lot. I was unimpressed by him.
If Clement really is a supporter of mass transit (namely LRT), and if he gets elected mayor, then maybe he'll go to school on Charlotte's experience. I do think Nashville sorely needs some form of mass transit in its core.
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Thanks Metro.M... I've been liking what I've seen up in CLT. I can't help thinking that CLT would have seen most of that investment anyway, but at least with LRT, it's being concentrated around the lines. That's a good thing in the long run.
It's interesting to compare NSH with CLT in transit, although I tend to think of CLT as five-to-ten years ahead of NSH in nearly everything. Having said that, I think the Nashville people need to realize that CLT has had better leadership both in their City Hall and on the Federal Level. Charlotte's plan is similar to what Dallas has done on a much larger scale.
Simple comparisons between the two would suggest that CLT's plan promotes urban density while NSH's promotes (additional) spread out development.
Speculating here: I think CLT has an advantage to NSH in passing the tax increase in that most of CLT's constituents still live in the same county. NSH is much more spread out over other counties. As such, I think many of the voters in Rutherford, Williamson, Sumner and Wilson would be against mass transit. I still think that's bassackward thinking, but we saw the same thing happen here with Cobb and Gwinnett counties trying to keep MARTA out.
BTW: Isn't the U.S. Rep from CLT the former Republican mayor, right? What is her name? Sue Myrick, right?
I mention this in pure contrast to the really bad job that Bob Clement and Bart Gordon (both Democrats) have done for Nashville. Not to mention the dismal job that their current mayor Purcell has done as far as leading the way for any transit in the CBD. From where I sit, there's been little leadership on the plan for Davidson. I don't think it's just a Republican vs. Democrat thing with the Republicans running things b/c John Lewis gets nearly everything he asks for. Plus, they're all spending like drunken sailors up there.
Maybe someone from NSH can shed more light on the leadership on both a local and federal level.
As a taxpayer, I must say that I hope every city is seeing a tradeoff of choices. In other words, if NSH chooses to build more freeways, then its federal allocations for mass transit should be adversely affected. Conversely, if CLT is spending its on LRT then it should get less on highways. It has to do with accountability.
It's an outrage that ATL and the surrounding region keeps getting federal funds to expand our expressways with seemingly no accountability. Now our city leaders have their hands out for the beltway. Such unaccountability enables wasteful spending.
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There used to be a streetcar system in Nashville. I believe there was even a line that went all the way to Belle Meade. I have heard that the reason B.M. Blvd has the wide median was b/c it used to be the bed for the streetcar tracks. I really don't know if that's true. Maybe somebody else knows for sure.
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Can someone tell me what this strange building is across from the train station?
I also found some other strange structures on that side of the river...
I believe that's the old admin building for Nashville Bridge Co (Nabrico) owned at one time by George Steinbrenner. It think it was subsumed by the property acquisition for the coliseum. At one time about seven years ago, I think that Bud Adams vetoed the Gerst Haus moving into this one. I'll betcha Dave has lots of info on this one.
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I am surprised no one has mentioned bikes and walking.
That would never work because McDonald's does not have a bike-thru window.
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Wow, that does sound cool--also kinda sounds like sci-fi stuff--seeya at the Nashville Underground. I like the sound of that.
ATL--"the next 5 years, as the commuter rail is wrapping up"
I'm admittedly rusty on start/end dates... they must have been start dates that I was thinking of. I'll defer to your knowledge of the timelines. My buddy rattled off years, and I was going from memory. I'm sorry about not getting it right. The thing I did pick up from him was the "early in phase 1" vs. "later phase 2 or 3" when the system would be completed. As I think about how long it took Atlanta to build the core network of Marta's LRT (15 years), then it seems more realistic to think LRT in Nashville could be finished before 2025. Still, it's nice to know they're already trying to plan for it.
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I agree with others who think that Nashville is doing it right. This is pratical and realistic step forward for regional mass transit. There is simply not enough demand for light rail, except maybe for a DT to West End route and there is little chance IMO that one limited line would get much support in Metro Council.
I got an earful from my buddy who works at Vandy's Dev. Office.... Of course he's busy with the $1.5 billion in construction going on there and campus planning. But rest assured, his department at Vandy is very much involved in planning for LRT. He said that a target for completing a full ring around the West End and DT centers is 2015, and it will be about $1.2 billion. Not surprisingly, they're weighing the possibilities of floating bonds backed by Hotel/Motel taxes. They're trying to see if they can split part of the costs with what will no doubt be required for the convention center. As he told me... Regarding mass transit, Nashville is early in phase 1 of a possibly 3 phase build out. So you'll all be hearing more in the next 5 years, as the Commuter Rail is wrapping up.
They are doing full traffic planning and working with the MTA on future development and ridership needs (e.g. how could Peabody residents get to new classrooms if they are built along 31st). They're also considering going under the campus. That would be hilarious if Nashville had a "subway". Of course with all the rock, that would drive the costs up a lot. Obviously they're still planning.
The big question mark this early in the game is what's going to happen DT. Of course, one key area that they need to wait on for real time study is the completion of the commuter rail stations and see what traffic demands will be from one station to another. Second, they'll need to see where the new convention center and hotels will go. One idea kicked around is for a partial underground running along Demonbreun and coming out at the gulch. There could be a station underneath the proposed roundabout at 8th and Demonbreun. The possibilities are very cool.
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Thanks. Good info. Things are hopping up there.
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Sorry for the twenty questions, but where exactly is the Palmetto 8 project? And is the Northshore Project listed above the same project announced with the Greenlife Grocery?
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Thanks Hankster for the info.
The economics look damn good (provided he sells all condo units). Swagging a guess of an average $630K per each unit (12). That'll bring in $7.5M, not to mention the rental on the ground retail. Of course, SG&A costs aren't known, but apparently a very nice return on the $3.5M construction costs.
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I like the way that 417 Frazier looks. Has that been started?
It's nice to see the Northshore doing so well.
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A friend of mine up there has a realtor wife. They came to visit yesterday, and she mentioned that she's never seen so much real estate activity in her 14 years as an agent. She said that her satellite office alone has sold 30 houses to transplants from Florida. She said that they can't get hurricane insurance for their homes. Apparently, the firm where she works has sold hundreds of houses to Katrina evacuees too.
I'm sure we're getting the same thing in Atlanta. She pointed out that nearly all of the buyers out of her office are fairly recent retirees. They hadn't yet put deep roots in Florida, and they like the fact that TN has no income tax (like Florida). She said they're called "halfbacks" as many of them originally moved from points in the north and midwest to Florida. So TN is halfway back to where they came from.
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I noticed a few weeks ago that there was a steel substructure for an office building in the office park (across from the golf course) fronting I-75 near Exit 3 (East Brainerd Rd.). Also, one of my firm's Chattanooga partner said that a BMW dealership was going in on that hill right there at the East Brainerd exit.
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Hank, the first pic says it's the Marriott, but isn't that the Tortilla Factory? I think I can see the original Aquarium in the background. I realize that the Courtyard is adjacent to the Tortilla Factory.
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I hope Nashville takes a lesson or two from Chattanooga on how to use their river.
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The Read House is beautiful. They did a fine job with the reno.
I have seen pre-'66 pics of the building, and consider it to be a beauty. Will there ever be any efforts to remove that dreadful "modern" paneling and restore the structure to its beaux-arts glory anytime soon ?That's just sad. The 50s thru 70s were just destructive for so many places, I can attest to how much it ravaged Atlanta.
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Just great! I've really enjoyed my trips up to Chatty. Often, I get the impression that there's more going on in DT Chatty than in DT Atlanta. It's really bustling day and nighte.
I actually ate dinner last spring at that Porter's Steakhouse in the Read House Sheraton. I had a peppercorn steak (I forget the cut). It's very good if you like (make that love) pepper. That street that it fronts (I think MLK) is seeing some development too (EPB Building?). How much was that one?
Do you know how well the $200M Blue Cross Blue Shield HQ will be integrated into the fabric of DT. It will sit on top of that big hill next to DT.
Also, I was very impressed by the amount of infill all over downtown. Plus the north shore is seeing lots of activity too.
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I think this development is the proverbial "Tip of the Iceberg".
I agree. I think that the Iceberg is emerging around Waldron Rd., and now there's talk about speeding up the connection of Sam Ridley Parkway to Brentwood. That would flat-out open the whole dang thing up to thousands more acres of sprawl (errr, I mean houses).
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Regarding the Gallery Tower... I realize I'm quite picky, but I'm very disappointed by the renderings especially for such a prominent location in town. I'm a bit surprised that this is Novare.
Signature Tower
in Nashville
Posted · Edited by ATLBrain
You're welcome. But the funny thing is that the rumor didn't mention anything about Tony. I'd think that his name would be front and center if it was going to be done by him. I'll keep you posted as I get more.
I'm pretty sure he owns the property across Church Street. That parcel is bounded by 11th/Charlotte/Church. He has mentioned the possibility of 2-3 buildings of 15-20 stories for this, hasn't he?