doormanpoet

According to William Williams and David Kaeline (sp) (who used to work for MDHA )who now works for Tony the groundbreaking is in May and 144 units are sold. It is definately happening, no question now. Tony has everything on schedule.

Nashville needs some downtrown shopping as well, or the purpose of moving downtown is basically nil. Why live downtown if you still have to drive to Green Hills to shop?

The last day the parking lot will be open on 5th and Church is January 1st, 2007. Construction starts sometime after that.

Publix was rumoured to build a store across from the lot where the baseball stadium is going off of Gateway Blvd. This is the green lot next to the power plant with the brick facade.

I have no doubt this project will happen. Turner construction does not sign on to do just any project.

William spoke to Tony today. Everything is right on schedule. Ground breaking is in January/early spring. 1/3 of the units are reserved, and the hotel portion is still on track. William took a tour of Viridian today. Encore completed by July 2008.

http://enr.ecnext.com/free-scripts/comsite...e=nebuar060731a

Anymore speculation who the hotel tennant is? Could it be the Intercontinental? Could they choose Signature Tower over WES? Hmmmm.... I can't wait to find out.

Must be nice.

Has the 6.5 million dollar penthouse sold yet?

I thought this was a done deal. I have driven by before and I never saw anything.

Tony waved at me today from the Signature Tower sales office. He was seeing clients. I bet this building sells out fast. I predict we see a sign soon, and I bet ground breaking is actually sooner than January 2007.

I seriously doubt MDHA would adversely affect or effect a man putting $200 million of investment downtown. Nashville has been known to make big mistakes though like losing American Airlines hub, and the Nashville to London plane route.

I just got back from a week in Phoenix/Scottsdale/Tempe AZ and I just had to drive by and see the model. I got there about 7:15 or so and I just looked in the window. It is quite impressive. I think Tony will get his 5 votes. I am going to be 46-47 by the time this beauty is completed, so I am not going to wish the next 3 or 4 years away! I am not ready to push 50 yet! West End Summit, Terazzo, Icon, Encore, West End, Suntrust Plaza, MTA City Center, The new Federal Courthouse, The unamed sliver building, Adelicia one and possibly two, and so many other projects are going to break ground and be completed before this building is finished. By then we should also see the new Sounds Stadium, Schermerhorn, Hampton finished. The key here is patience. Phoenix with 3.1 million people in it's msa, is a lot larger than Nashville, but the skyline is rather small for a city it's size. Our Downtown and Midtown are about the same, if not a little larger than Phoenix. What they really focus on is the natural environment. They have no billboards, and all buildings must reflect the natural landscape. Even McDonalds had very nice buildings that reflected the natural surroundings. Remember, this is Frank Lloyd Wright country. The only drawback is the amount of cars. It is not too pedestrian friendly unless you are in the residential desert areas. Frank LLoyd Wright did not like a built environment that did not put nature first. There is about 200-250 square miles of urban sprawl meaning that 50 or more miles in any direction is made up of the built environment sandwiched in the valley inside the mountains. The lack of high rises makes it possible to actually see 20 or more miles away! It is almost impossible to get lost. Coming back to Nashville really shows how different parts of this country are. The 3.1 million people of the Phoenix area would not allow a 1047 foot building block the view of a scenic mountain! I love the idea of Signature Tower, but let us not forget the beauty of the green valley that Nashville sets in. I hope that with all of these projects, we add some greenery and beautiful landscaping to our new urban projects. This is a lesson that Atlanta is learning. With all of the mega towers they are building, they have forgotten the pedestrian and the natural environment.

The final height is not that much of a concern to me as much as the start date to see that old surface parking lot go. I think another tall tower will follow. Jacksonville, Charlotte, Orlando etc... are experiencing the same thing. So many people at my hotel are impressed with Viridian. They are gonna freak when they see the Sig. Tower!

My philosophy basically is that I don't believe it before I see it. Here are a few examples of what was promised and never built. 1) Ryman Center: one 47 story building surrounded by five 27 story buildings. ECD 1989 2) Nashville City Center 2: @ 40 stories the tallest office tower for Nashville. ECD 1990 3) Broadway Center: A 19 story tower built on top of the old post office. ECD 1988 4) A 45 story hotel currently where the TPAC building now sits. ECD 1980 5) The original Cumberland: A 19 story office tower where the Marriot Courtyard sits on 4th Avenue. ECD 1990 6) A 48 story office tower on 7th and Commerce: Now a surface parking lot. ECD 1987 7) A 45 story office tower on 7th and Commerce where the James Robertson sits. ECD 1987 8) The Nashville Tower: A 750 foot observation tower where riverfront park now sits. ECD 1975 9)Plaza for the Arts: a 12 story tower on 12th and Demonbreun. ECD 2005 10) The Towers at Lebanon, TN. four 80 story towers and a 100,000 seat football stadium. ECD unknown. Lets not get our hopes up for anything. Let's not get disappointed. DP

Your city looked wonderful on the PBA (pro bowlers tour) telecast today. The tournament was actually in Trussville, Titusville something like that? (sorry for the misspelling.) I guess this is a suburb of Birmingham. The skyline shots after commercials were awesome! They had some great shots above the towers. Nice skyline Birmingham! John from the Nashville forum.

I'd like to see another tower there soon!

A state income tax would help! People don't realize that a state income tax is deductible off of your federal income tax. You are simply sending money directly to the state rather than waiting for the federal government to divide it up. A state income tax would make it easier to get money for such projects.

It would also be nice to see Americans actually walk somewhere! I wish I had a dollar for every person in my hotel who told me that walking a couple of blocks it too far, they would rather take a cab or drive.

I remember back in the 1970's a subway was proposed! There was also a proposal to have lower broadway under a glass dome and made into an entertainment complex. Back in 1970, Nashville, Davidson County was 450,000 people. We have added over 100,000 since then so it makes a lot of sence to have as much mas transit as possible. It is ashame that a cab ride to the airport from downtown is $20. If we had a MARTA system like Atlanta, it would be $1.50!

Does anyone from these cities have any news? Anything from the Tri-Cities? I was in the Boro last weekend and it was beautiful! On a sad note, although I am a Clinton Democrat, I hated seeing the Republican Party headquarters for Rutherford County vandalized last weekend. Someone, and they got them on tape, smashed out the windows and destroyed stuff. The office manager told us as we walked by and asked what happened, that people have been spitting and urinating on the place. The have also thrown feces on the windows. I hate Bush, but I am not going to destroy property because of it.

Whatever happened to our landport next to the GEC? Is it in use?

Unfortunately you are right. I have tried to talk my wife into moving downtown so I could walk to where I wanted to go, but I could not get near the size house in town as I do out in the country.

I would love a commuter rail. I would love to sell my car and no longer have to buy gas at $2.19 a gallon. I would love to not have to carry car insurance. In a emergency I could take a cab, or rent a car. Owning a car is just a drain to throw your money down.