Paramount747

The larger issue in this redevelopment is this. The parking lot on the south side of the building is the only way to the back dock of the Renaissance. It will be interesting to see if the Renaissance will have to negotiate with the Masons Lodge to open their back wall and allow entrance to the Renaissance dock via their parking lot fronting Broadway.

I spent 7 years in the hotel industry. Many of our guests are not here for the typical entertainment offerings. I dealt with many from Europe and Asia on a daily basis. They were here for business, education, government meetings, healthcare initiatives and the like. They did not have the services they needed: 1) Efficient public transportation 2) Downtown Shopping and Retail 3) Groceries and open air markets Some would go to the Farmers market, but they could not walk to this right out their front door. Other amenities that they are used to when they come major cities in the USA were not here. They are used to cities like NYC, and when they come here they do not have what they expected. By visceral response, I am talking about the response one gets by visiting a multitude of art galleries, grand civic spaces, public art, greenways and other amenities we are just now developing and building. If you consider questioning and critiquing the same as complaining or being negative, then you simply miss my point. For too many years Nashville lagged behind other cities in addressing core cultural aspirations. Nashville only recently has embraced a more progressive approach to civic spaces, culture, city living, new urbanism, identity, and political and corporate structure and culture. This is something Austin, Charlotte, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Dallas, and Houston have done decades earlier. I just think we should set our sights on things a little higher. I think we should embrace a new cultural relativism and a new way of aspirational thinking and philosophy. Is that too much to ask?

Yes, many developers are only interested in making money. That is the American way unfortunately. I hope to go to Paris this fall to experience the architecture and street life there. The USA needs to be more like Europe. Our culture is skewed to one of consumerism rather than conservationism. If we adapted the European model of architecture and design, we have structures built to last a lifetime, rather than structures that are torn down every 20 years or so.

How is commenting we have a small skyline negative? How does that make me unhappy? You don't know me very well at all. In fact we have never met so that statement is actually quite unfair. I will be at the forum meet tomorrow, so when you get there we can chat. In any case, we are a nice quaint small southern city. There is nothing wrong with that. If your expectations are for more than that, than your expectations are too high. I have spent time in London, Edinburgh, Toronto, L.A, Chicago, NYC, San Francisco, Atlanta and other large cities. I in no way expect Nashville to ever be those cities, however; I do expect Nashville to embrace a very high standard of architecture and design. St. Andrews Scottland is a perfect example. When I was there a few years ago, the city was impeccably clean, and although there were no buildings above 8 stories, the skyline was dense, and has amazing architecture. That is what we should be striving for. When I say skyline, I do not necessarily mean height. If you knew my real feeling about the city, you would realize that I mourn the fact Nashville has lost 100's of vintage buildings and missed out on some real opportunities for density and infill. The skyline, if done correctly could, contain 100's of buildings in the 5-15 story range and appear to be huge if the right density is achieved. So when I lamented about our tiny skyline, that has MORE TO DO WITH DENSITY than height. I will see you tomorrow. When we meet you will see that I am not negative and unhappy. As a designer, artist, musician, and writer I am very particular when it comes to design, architecture, presentation, materials, and appearance. I don't like junk architecture, so I am critical. So what does all of this mean? Visitors to our city find out WHO WE ARE AS A CITY by our architecture. They see our culture. They see our soul. If our soul is full of junk design and architecture, than we are junk. We have no soul! Did I see that in Europe? No! I want our visitors to have a visceral experience when here. That is why I am so passionate, or as you say negative and unhappy. Be sure to introduce yourself tomorrow. I look forward to meeting you.

These also show how small our skyline really is!!

It's not ugly, just realistic. Your point well taken, but Green Hills filed lawsuits to stop a condo building. Some in East Nashville have killed projects due to their own inability to see the entire picture. Yes, there may be some negatives but if Stonehenge pulls out, Ron is right. You will get nothing because no other developer will even try to work wit you and you will be stuck with an urban waste land. If you take the approach of some cities, developers can build what they want on their own land without your input. As long as they are not building sex shops and the like, they could build 500 units and you would have no say so in it. We in East Nashville lost a large urban Publix Grocery store for Gallatin Road near 5 Points because of neighborhood leaders being too demanding, complaining about traffic, complaining about design and the like. So Public gave East Nashville the middle finger and has not offered to come back.

Excellent post Ron. One of your best.

I bet you are right!

We heard the same thing over here on the East Side in regards to East Side Heights. (across from the Nazarene Church.) A lot of these wealthy faux hipster kids over here on the East Side are against everything. Look at the hell they started over a 2 1/2 story building next to Bongo Java. It is the same in Sylvan Park. A lot of these people are trust fund children who are used to extreme wealth and privilege and when you tell them a dense apartment building of renters will be moving in, they freak out. Back in the 1970's Bellevue was a sleepy bedroom community. When dozens of apartment buildings went up in the 1970's and 1980's home owners went ballistic claiming they would lose home value if an apartment building went up down the street. Then, a lot of unregulated retail development happened which brought in strip malls and horrible cinderblock buildings and poor architecture. Now, many of these urban communities, or now what they call "Urban Suburbs" fear the same type of thing happening. Many will say they "don't want Green Hills..." to happen along Charlotte, Sylvan Heights and elsewhere. Density scares the hell out of people, but they don't want the long commute to the suburbs, so now we have the Urban Suburbs. These people want Starbucks and Panera Bread, but they do not want the density that goes with it. Many of these neighborhood associations get real political and they get drunk with power knowing they can push developers and the Mayors office around. They have politicians begging for their votes, so they do what is in the best interest of their electability rather than what is good for a neighborhood and the city as a whole.

Agreed, but it is what it is unfortunately. It's also better than a surface parking lot and a dilapidated old garage and crumbling abandoned building.

Nashville news in next American City: https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/nashville-london-syracuse-transit-expansion-underground

Nashville makes the news from Next American City: https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/nashville-london-syracuse-transit-expansion-underground

I loved the tower 38 stories and 605 feet but financially not feasible at this time. This would have been a statement tower, but in the end developers build what money allows. It's like when one buys a car. You either buy the base model or add on upgrades if you have the funds. Tony has been great for this city with 6 downtown towers (6 if you include his work on Bridgestone) and numerous projects in midtown and Belle Meade. Without Tony, we would have a lot less. It's only recently that outside developers have had an interest in Nashville.

Original home to Fidelity Federal when Judd Collins used to do their commercials. Opened in 1968 I believe when this was still considered a tall building. Yep, one 50 story tower after another in Manhattan. So many huge skyscrapers over 600 feet I cannot even count them overtime I go up there.

Thanks ML! Glad to have access to these cams!