AUNash

Gosh I haven't been over there in a while. This is looking bigger than I remember thinking it was going to be.

So ... what is driving that growth? Tourism? Business growth? Is there any study to show the growth is sustainable?

Interesting thing if you look at the map and consider connecting Wedgewood to Fesslers ... it would pass within just a couple of blocks from Treveca. So then you can imagine the unified Fesslers/Wedgewood/Blakemore/31st/28th/Ed Temple tracing its way through the city connecting Treveca, Belmont, Vanderbilt, and TSU. I think it might be cool to do the Wedgewood extension to Fesslers, tie the whole thing together with some signature, uniform signage, and rename the whole stretch University Avenue.

Any prospect that could be a VU/MLS stadium site?

So is that original terminal still on the airport property? Or was it town down?

Lots of cases settle on the eve of trial. Game of brinksmanship.

I know it's just temporary but I love how the removal of the old convention center shows off the Ryman. What a beauty!

Here's a shot of what it looks like they are preserving, at least so far - the segment along Commerce. I'm curious to see if all of this stays or not and, if it does, how it will tie in to the new structure. What they have taken down.

Work progressing on Lipscomb's space on the ground level of the parking deck at Commerce and 4th.

Just want to put in a plug for the Grand Ole Opry. I haven't been in about 5 years but went tonight with family from out of town. It was awesome. It really is a priceless asset for Nashville. If you haven't been in a long time - go to a show.

Thank god!

So ... does anyone else think that the view of the top of this building from north or south is somehow a miss? The fins look good from the east and west, but from the north and south the mechanical penthouse (I assume that's what it is) looks weirdly exposed.

Me too! That would be such a plus.

Ok so I haven't studied this and my opinions may not be fully informed, but I wonder why there is the notion that a transit system has to operate at a profit. Yes, a functioning transit system may always require government operating and capital subsidies. But isn't that the case with many elements of public infrastructure that we already take for granted and that nonetheless contribute to economic vitality and support the overall economic activity of a city? So, streets for example. Don't we have to pay taxes to have roads paved and for traffic lights to be installed? So why is a transit system considered as different somehow? If a transit system is going to support the ability of people to move around the city, getting back and forth to their jobs and so on, isn't that something that is worth public investment on an ongoing basis?

I went to dinner at Tartufo, which is on Hayes St behind the Spring Hill Suites hotel in midtown, and it struck me while driving through there that the whole area between Broadway/West End and Church from the interstate down to 22nd or so is crying out for a transformation. I think it will eventually happen, given the development and economic factors surrounding that area, but I wonder when we will see it. The potential for that area is off the charts, but for some reason nothing seems to be happening there yet.

VUMC continues to expand in their current footprint, adding new patient beds and displacing offices and outpatient clinics to other locations. Newest example, the 8th floor of Medical Center East North tower is being converted to inpatient beds, with a new sky ridge to connect across Med Center Drive. Current occupants of that space to move to other locations. Continuation of an ongoing trend.

Here's my pet peeve. I love how vibrant downtown Nashville is ... but I wish they would just clean the sidewalks every night ... other places have pressure cleaning machines that drive around at night and clean the sidewalks. Seems to me that should be basic blocking and tackling.

I know all that is true, and this isn't going to be a signature skyline element, but for what it is I think it's a pretty good addition to the skyline. I'm glad it is replacing that parking lot I used to walk across every day to get to the subway. I'll take it for now and bide my time till something else comes along.

The render seems to show the greenery running all the way up to the intersection of Broadway and Fifth, eliminating the left turn lane from Broadway onto Fifth. That's a pretty heavily used left turn, so I wonder if this really reflects an approved plan.