ATLBrain

Don't you think it's possible that Magic has identified an opportunity in Nashville? From what Parkavenue has said, it sounds like there's an un/under served market.

Actually, Nashville does not need anything when it comes to this project. As for squelching the details via the website, I understand why any developer wouldn't want to reveal too much. For truly interested parties will be compelled to call the brokers regardless. Besides, those units marked as "sold" changed so frequently, that they weren't reliable in the first place. I mentioned above, that Giarratana should revamp his marketing of this building if he wants to see it become reality. Of course, I make that statement with as spotty information as anybody else on this board has.

For all I know, there's a lot more that's wrong with this plan than marketing, but the first thing I question is the marketing. Specifically, I think it's a mistake not to place ads in the national publications like WSJ/Barrons/Forbes et.al.. All one needs to do is look at the pool of potential buyers for these condos... and look at who is buying the multi-million dollar properties across Nashville and conclude that many of them are coming from outside the Nashville region. Just last week, a hedge fund founder from NYC bought an historic home in Nashville for $5 million. I'm not saying that they're necessarily all going to want to live in a loft, but (seems to me) you've got to extend your reach. That's how it happens here in Atlanta. Alex Palmer seems to have gotten that message: I've seen ads for WES in (at least the regional editions of) the WSJ here in Atlanta. It seems to me that this would be a basic understanding of the market... and the potential of the demand.

I feel the same way as Elvigy. If Giarratana made the comment quoted by Maestro above (something to the effect that he has too much money in this project to abandon it), that is a really bad reason to keep going. Back when I was in business school... on the first day of my first class of my first year, the prof said that "sunk costs" are not a good reason to stay in a venture. If this is Tony's reasoning, then I'd be afraid to be investing with him in this project. I just can't help but think that this ship has sailed. When it was a smaller project and the flames of DT condo living were just getting hot, it seemed much more of a viable project to me. Six months ago, I still had faith that something would come of this project, but I think Giarratana's timing is way off at this point. Did he get distracted with his other projects? Was this one too big of a bite to chew?

I love knoxville... of course, I married a knoxville girl. Still, I think it has some of the most beautiful residential areas of any city.

maybe a new tower would look more in-line with the rest of Nashville's skyline. I realize I speak totally out of ignorance of the future of this project. It always struck me as beautiful, but too tall (for any place!).

Because I've seen it before here in Atlanta, I believe that Nashville will get its share of 500+ footers. I remember when the IBM (Atlantic Center) tower went up in the mid-80s and how astonished everyone was that such a tall tower was being built so far from (even the Bellsouth Tower) the few other buildings that tall that were downtown. Of course, it was just the first of so many others that followed. I believe supertalls will happen in Nashville too. When the taller towers come to Nashville, they will have a major impact on the visual density of DT. When taller towers of Atlanta's midtown were first built, they had a bit of a diluting effect (if that makes sense) on the apparent density of our DT (including midtown). In effect, they stretched the skyline out. In Nashville, they'll likely go downtown... and when they do, they'll look very nice against the already-built 300-400 footers. I can envision a skyline somewhat like Minneapolis'. You could say that Nashville is in the process of building a nice "foundation" for the future supertalls. If I look ahead with a generous dose of optimism, I see the possibility of Signature... and a 600-700 foot hotel (as has been rumored)... and another tall counterpart to the Pinnacle in the next 10-15 years or so.

You in fact did say you like the look and feel of Atlanta. I love Atlanta, and even I agree on your point about traffic. I totally got your point about Atlanta's ability (collectively) to build up rapidly, and it is thank goodness. However, as the hub of the south, we have a greater capacity to build more and faster. I think it's exciting to watch how Nashville is arriving at that point now and hope this building gets built. However, I have not seen anything lately to suggest that it's anything other than a long shot (still).

I thought there was some plan to make the Smyrna airport a type of cargo airport like Alliance in Ft. Worth. I can't remember where/why I thought that, but this article says its focus is on GA and Corp. So I guess I heard wrong. It would seem perfectly suited for cargo with industrial around it like Alliance.

Nobody (other than Giarratana's people) knows anything about the financing or minimum units. There has been nothing officially announced on that either. The marketing still goes on.

Haven't been to Nashville in over six months, but I believe you're referring to the site of the new MTA bus transit center.

So who owns the parcel(s) across that plaza from Schermerhorn? Are they part of the respective properties that front on Broadway? It's a shame that the development of the SSC did not include some sort of underground parking there that could have tied-in to both the parking garage under/across 4th Ave and have some sort of Piazza area with open air shops etc. in that parking lot. Are there any plans for that area?

It's all the information I need to know that he is not ready now. In fact, IMO the reason(s) is irrelevant to me b/c he either will or will not get it resolved before his window of opportunity shuts. We just don't know how long that window will stay open. That depends on so many factors that cannot even be accurately speculated on. BTW: Bizjournals reported last week that he has pushed back his groundbreaking to an unannounced date. No reasons were stated or speculated upon as to why he is not ready.

Clark, that should teach you not to use your frequent flier miles next time... LOL.

Remember that this pic was taken about 10 years ago, and lots of stuff was not there yet. So Sommet looks closer without the Schermerhorn in front of it. The Gateway bridge was not there either. The shadows also add something of a distortion as the west bank of the river blends into the structures above it. Also, Rolling Mill Hill is actually much closer to the I-24 Bridges than one may think at first glance. I've noticed that when I've been a passenger in cars going over the river. BTW: That's Shelby Park in the foreground, right?

I thought the property is completely surrounded by a fence with pictures of Signature Tower on it.

Lexy, why does it seem that so much cargo is being run through BNA? Is this a recent trend or has it been this way for some time? Also, how does it impact passenger capacity?

Yet again... it's so hard for me to separate rumor from fact. Did Giarratana, in fact, say that he would announce groundbreaking on July 7? Or is this just more of the speculation surrounding this project?

Nice shot of that tower, although I'm not a fan of it at all. Question: Why are Icon and Terrazzo under construction not visible from that angle?

Didn't the Union Rescue Mission move into that area?

Isn't he purportedly going to break ground on Signature next week? If so, then won't we know really soon?

^^^ Yes. At this time, nobody knows what is going to go there in the ballpark's place. The mayor apparently fumbled (sorry for the misplaced metaphor) that one.

Whoa! Lexy, is ranking high on a list of miserable places a good thing? LOL

Atlanta.

I'm pretty sure that was my post which you guys are referring to, but somebody deleted it with a whole block of posts. It was in this thread. It had a description of the wind speeds at different heights for two buildings in Atlanta and their different top designs. It also had a link to an article about the BofA design (ATL) and how they studied different sounds for different designs in a windtunnel.