CenterHill

I don't think the former convention center site is in the Broadway historic overlay (and btw Ann Roberts retired 6 yrs ago as director of the MHC). To my knowledge, there is no historic or conservation overlay that applies to the old CC property. That said, there is a Downtown Community Plan that includes a number of specific guidelines/recommendations (not actual zoning ordinances) for the "Upper Broadway District" that inclues the former convention center. The community plan recommends that infill construction "complement and not threaten the integrity" of the historic structures in the area along with other guidelines. The Community Plan seems to have been largely ignored by the selection committee in choosing the Emery proposal. But as we saw from the selection criteria, design elements were weighted very lightly overall, which is becoming painfully obvious. I'm, frankly, stunned by those renderings of the multi-level open air shopping mall. I can't believe we're even considering going there. Salt in the wound of the exterior block-long blank walls. THIS CITY DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER!

Amazing. You guys can find anything! I had never seen that proposed swath of green space on Division at 9th. There are like 5 buildings there now, aren't there? I think mostly warehouse type spaces. Could be cool to have a small park corridor in that location. Land costs may be putting that notion out of reach, though.

There is some green space behind 11 North with a paved path and a small fenced dog play area. The Tennessean parking lot that is adjacent to 11 North is for sale and I think one of the conditions is that there be an extension of that greenway (and another condition being structured parking for Tennessean - good luck with that). I don't see many prospects for green space elsewhere in the Gulch, but hope to see it included in the master plan for the NW Mutual site.

I really don't think Marketstreet Development would let a schlock hotel go there. It may be a chain but the design will have to meet the Gulch master plan standards. This is a prime piece of real estate in the Gulch project. A big suburban stucco design in that key spot would kill the Gulch vibe. Please no.

Post article confirms you are correct about having a retail component.

Goo Goo Cluster Field?

Thanks for posting. Good to see McRedmond finally under way. Do we know if it will have any retail, or just residential? The bottom rendering looked more likely to include retail, but I can't remember what was planned. If this is residential only, it will probably provide just enough parking to accommodate residents. If it includes retail, parking in 12S is about to get much worse.

Is the Crescent project on Demonbreun or Division?

The digging here is looking pretty substantial, looks like something more than a parking lot may be going up.

The article says tenants by Christmas. This Christmas? For a project that doesn't break ground until 2017 and complete until 2019? I must be missing something. Were the media reports about the timetable incorrect?

And as a Cards fan, I may go see him anyway even though he left us for the big(ger) bucks. Yep, he's a lock for the Hall of Fame (even if the WPLN radio guy mispronounced his name this morning - LOL).

This is just a note to say kudos to Belmont U. The new administration building on Wedgewood is shaping up to be a magnificent building. The architecture is conservative - in the classic early 20th century college building style. But the scale, the dome and the abundant use of natural materials - stone, brick and copper - combine for a stunning result, in my opinion. When it's finished, it may be up there with my favorite Nashville buildings! Maybe one of our forum members with a good camera can snap a few pics next time you're on a drive around.

Well, I thought it was still open, but when I put the address into google maps it put the flag on that building. Anyway, I'm glad to see new development on a vacant lot rather than replacing existing buildings with good tenants.

cool, thanks

What is at 952 Main? Is that the former Gym 5 building?

The solicitation of public input is coming way late in this process. I can't see any way the meetings are going to result in anything resembling overall support for the current AMP proposal. The administration needs to be in serious listen mode. Agree with you Rookzie, if the agencies are combative and patronizing, it will only solidify public distrust.

Thanks for the pics. Wish they'd go ahead and finish the corner unit at 5th and Garfield, put landscaping in, etc. Luxus is looking great. Gives some serious gravitas to that corner.

Don't know. Morgan Park used to have an actual baseball diamond on it until a few years ago when that was ripped out and it became just a grassy lot. But softball games still happen there, as well as picnics and pick up games. Agree with you though, and would love to see the mayor's office spiff up the park with some basic improvements. What a great asset it could be for the neighborhood.

good point. i can't think of a good reason that stretch of 3rd needs to be one way as it is now, or why it became that way.

True, although pretty large (320 units). I expect it to be indistinguishable from most of the other cookie-cutter apartments going up right now. The photos on Lennar's apartment division webpage bear this out.

More on Lennar's plans for Berry Hill apts. Construction start expected Q3 of this year. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20140110/BUSINESS02/301100060/2095/BUSINESS02 Anyone want to hazard a guess which West End/Vandy/Music Row site they may be looking at?

Exactly. What about a "vertical" garden? Ive seen a number of these in London and on trips in the EU. Great solution for big blank walls in the urban environment with native plants sodded into the wall from top to bottom. You're inexplicably drawn to a table and chairs beneath the greenery. That LCD ad board isn't going to draw anyone across the street from the MCC.

yep. "creating an open space at the corner of Fifth Avenue South and Demonbreun". LOL. guess i bought the snake oil...

UT, you're right the final product is more or less as was originally advertised in the renderings. My disappointment probably stems from the PR at the time of the announcement and my reading more into it than was intended. One article had this to say, "Specifically, the arena's south entrance will be significantly modified, creating open space at the corner of Fifth Avenue South and Demonbreun. Two video boards — the one facing Demonbreun will be a prominent 16-by-20-feet — will be installed on the "barrel," the rehearsal hall at the southeast corner of the building. That barrel will also include LED lighting and graphics boards running 130 feet along the building's wall facing Fifth." Nothing there about changing a big cold, concrete and sheet metal facade into something other than a big cold, concrete and sheet metal facade. I don't know if the video board is 16x20. 16x20, 20x30, whatever it is, the one installed on that enormous "barrel" looks tiny up on that big blank facade. Not sure it's video, either, in the sense of live action capability, appears to be a single image ad screen. I also misread the graphics board running 130 ft along 5th to be video. What's installed so far is just a paper billboard. All that just to say, I expected more and am underwhelmed. Looking back, maybe I read too much into the promotion.

I'd love to see the Westin do something that includes brick at the street level to tie in with Cummins station. The 3 brick buildings on 9th that are in the Westin footprint are not architecturally significant or particularly interesting. The one that is and I'd love to see preserved somehow is the ginormous UMPH warehouse building that fronts Demonbreun (not the Keeble building, the one next to it with parking(!) on the roof), but I'm not sure it's part of the Westin equation at this time. The brick Brandau building at Clark and 10th is definitely a keeper also.