PillowTalk4

Hope springs eternal in the human breast.

Some may not see the atrocious act of withholding funds that were due to Tennessee State University as an issue relative to college/university expansion. The reality is underfunding has hampered the expansion and upkeep of the campus. Chances are TSU will not see an amount anywhere near the amount estimated by the USDA and USDE of $2,147,784,704.00 that should have been allocated to TSU by the State of Tennessee.

For those without access to the Nashville Post you can access info about the USDA and USDE letters to states with HBCU's classified as Land Grant Institutions that were not allocated all the funding they were due. Secretaries of Education, Agriculture Call on Governors to Equitably Fund Land-Grant HBCUs Letters to State Governors - Page 34 for the letter to Gov. Lee

Updates from TSU. Nothing to announce in terms of actual construction starting, but TSU is in the process of finalizing a masterplan that is planned for final approval in January of 2024. Below is the actual content regarding the masterplan from their Board of Trustees Meeting on September 14, 2023: The masterplan draft includes a review of future development opportunities and partnerships near the main campus such as: Major Hotel and Conference Center • Live-Work Development around Athletics Complex • MLB Baseball Stadium on Riverfront Athletics Opportunities • Relocate Athletics • Improved Football Facilities • New Football Stadium • Replace Gentry Center • New Ice Hockey Arena • New Baseball Stadium • New Rowing Facility with Boat Slips • New Soccer Complex • New Sand Volleyball • New Indoor Golf Practice Facility • New Band Facility The masterplan draft includes a review of future development opportunities and partnerships at the Avon Williams campus such as: Mixed-use Development Partnership • Public Private Partnership (P3) • College of Business Executive Leadership Program • Improved Incubation Center • Graduate / Professional Housing • Expanded Education & Public Services • Classified / Secured Data Business Center ************************************************************************************ Below are Construction and Facilities Updates also from the TSU Board of Trustees Meeting on9/14/23: TSU HOUSING BUSINESS PLAN TSU Campus Planning Department partnered with Moody Nolan and Mackey Mitchell architects to study the current housing needs at TSU. TSU conducted a cost-over-time analysis to determine priorities for future housing projects. This analysis guides the sequencing of future demolition, renovation, and new construction. The housing business plan will be dynamic by design. TSU will have the flexibility to modify the housing style, site, and schedule as necessary to reflect demand in the local market. NEW FOOD & ANIMAL SCIENCE BUILDING Kline Sweeney and Associates was selected as the architect. Tennessee Board of Regents and TSU Campus Planning Department are working to get the architect’s contract executed. The design of this facility will require approximately 9-12 months. Construction is projected to begin in 2025. NEW ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE BUILDING On May 11, 2023, SBC approved the construction project for the Environmental Science Building. The architect selection is currently in process. Construction is projected to begin in 2025. NEW GATEWAY ARCH Office of the State Architect approval is required to construct the gateway arch. The required project documents were issued for review and approval. Simultaneously with this approval/review, the interested contractor(s) are conducting a constructability review in response to the latest design proposal (investigates a two-part solution that limits risk and reduces construction & lead times). CAPITAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS TSU updated the capital disclosure project information for the New Engineering Project. The project disclosure previously submitted was for 70,000 SF - $60M. The recently updated project is for 191,000 SF-$184M. TSU continues to work with TBR and the architect (Bauer Askew) to determine the best way forward. At present, TSU seeks your approval to continue designing the $184M New Engineering Building, understanding the design will include segments that can be removed to accommodate reductions in the project budget.

Hmmmmm... no postings on this since May 30th. Anyone in the know about what is happening? I'm going to be really disappointed if this ends up being a bust.

I was wondering the same thing.

Any idea what is happening in the area highlighted? Would be a great site for a 20-30 story building.

Roughly that same view in recent months (Google Earth)

I like the design. The curves will provide a nice design element. The façade will give a break to the all glass towers. Although I think other proposed developments have façades that are more than glass and balconies. I love the details provided on the Gateways, Gathering Places and Gardens. Not sure if we've ever seen that level of detail for a proposed development. What they are proposing helps build a neighborhood environment. Can the City Lights people make such a claim? LOL!!!

I agree. Quite honestly, I'm wondering why did they not choose to do a longer exit lane to go southbound on Donelson Pike.

Yeah, if all eight towers are built it will create quite the impact to that area and will be visually impressive to the overall skyline.

I can't remember if it was called the Music City Mix Factory at the time, but in the mid 90's Prince did an "after concert" appearance there after his concert at Bridgestone. Fortunately, I had a friend who knew an employee that worked there and we got wind that Prince may do an after concert performance there. So as soon as the concert was over we headed to that building. It was already packed because the Prince concert ended really late due to a two hour delay caused by a ticket fiasco he created that required all tickets to be picked up at Bridgestone no more than 2-3 hours before the concert to eliminate ticket scalping. Anyway, Prince did show up and performed a brief set and left. This was normal for Prince. So people were always trying to find out where he would possibly show up after one of his concerts. For all we knew he might have shown up at the Have A Nice Day Cafe ...

Is this building still called International Plaza? Prior to Nortel Networks (now defunct) moving to Metro Center, their US Headquarters was in the building. The first summer I interned with them was in that building in 1980. Back during that time people generally just referred to the building as the "gold building." The old airport terminal was in walking distance of that building. There used to be a Hilton Hotel in that green space next to it. Other than its proximity to the airport, I never understood why whomever built that building chose to build it in that location.

I sure hope these areas highlighted will eventually be developed with multiple high rises as well. Give at least a few 20 stories in the yellow area and 35+ stories in the blue.

I can't help but wonder what would be there now if Beaman had sold the property 10 years ago.

I was always disappointed that the second tower was never built.

I don't think you intend to imply this, but to be clear, MLB in Nashville or any market will need more than tourist to survive. I went to a Nats game in DC this past Saturday and I would say a great majority of the fans were from the DMV, not tourist. I'm not much of a baseball fan, so I probably looked like a tourist attending because I wasn't adorned with a single piece of Nats paraphernalia. The couple that invited me were. They are not season ticket holders, but they do attend multiple games in a season with their son. Most of the people sitting around us also had on Nats gear. I don't think you'd see that too much with tourist. To your earlier point, I do believe that people who really support MLB will go to the games if the venue is located in a reasonably good location, the venue is nice and if the team is decent. As I said in a previous post, I'm still not onboard with TSU's ag land being used until I see more details about the project that show the immediate and long term benefits to TSU. I do see the potential for a MLB stadium and the other things they are hoping to do around it being a major economic engine to that area of the city. It is an area that has been overlooked and neglected. It makes sense to do something significant in that area. It will take more than the team of people looking to bring MLB to Nashville to make that work. The city will inevitably have to work on the infrastructure of the area and create incentives for businesses to establish a presence in the area. The city can't just speak to developing the underserved communities, it needs to be proactive in addressing those communities.

Their concept includes "student/university housing." Creating additional student housing and other facilities for the university has always been part of the discussion. I think that is part of the reason TSU is even entertaining the idea in addition to their being shared revenue from other elements of the project. I'm not on board with this idea yet because there just hasn't been any specifics given with regards to the long term benefit to TSU. I also don't think TSU have the right people in place to negotiate and manage such a major undertaking. Plus MLB hasn't committed anything to the group looking to establish a team in Nashville.

The MLB group looking to establish a team in Nashville recently released this rendering of the area on TSU campus where they would like to build a stadium, entertainment complex and residential and office buildings. I'm assuming that the water area referred to as Cumberland Cove is an area that will be created to aid in mitigating flooding in that area. That obviously would have to be in conjunction with other flood mitigation plans. I wonder how TSU's College of Agriculture feels about this plan? Granted it is just a rendering with a lot of elements that may never ever come to fruition. But, lets say that it does. This plan eliminates all of the land used by TSU for agricultural research on the main campus. The College of Agriculture is a major research component at TSU, it was recently awarded an $18M grant and has been the recipient of several other grants. While TSU owns other properties in various parts of Tennessee that are used for agricultural research, all of those properties are more than an hour away. I would think that would interfere with undergrad students being able to participate in some research opportunities. I hope TSU is looking to acquire land in the metro area to maintain research opportunities close to the campus. Years ago (2008ish) the May family was supposed to have donated 250 acres of land to TSU in the Bells Bend area. I'm not sure if that ever happened. It was near the proposed site for May Town which died. May Town was supposed to be an office and residential community in the Bells Bend area. The donation of land to TSU wasn't supposed to be tied to the development, but in the end it seemed that it was.

Tennessee State is expected to make some new construction announcements in the coming weeks/months as details of a few projects are being finalize. It is my understanding that those announcements may include the following: 2 new residential facilities with approximately 1,000 to 1,500 beds each. Plans for a new College of Engineering Building appear to be advancing. (The State only appropriated $60M for this building, I suspect either this will be an expansion and renovation to the existing structure, or more money will be appropriated once designs of an entirely new building are complete). Renovation and Expansion of the College of Education building. No details at this time. Future plans for a new library building are also being discussed. The rumor mill hasn't provided in prospective details just yet. But it has been discussed by the TSU Board of Trustees. Football Operations Building to be just beyond the north end zone area. This building is said to house multiple meeting rooms, dedicated locker rooms, new weight room, small auditorium/media room, offices for football staff and an academic resource center for studying and academic advisement. The State has appropriated $40M for this facility. Renovations to Hale Stadium (rumors are the existing home side will be torn down then rebuilt with additional seating capacity, new press box to include suites; and add a new section of seating to the north end zone area. Speculation is the goal is to bring seating capacity up to 20K-25K). Also, field turf will replace the current grass field. Renovations to the Ed Temple Track Complex to include replacing and upgrading the existing track surface; demolishing the existing restroom building and replace it a new public restroom facility; adding an additional building to the complex that will provide locker rooms dedicated to TSU track teams and other locker rooms to be used by visitor schools; and possibly adding additional spectator seating. A couple of other things being rumored to note: 1. TSU Athletics is exploring additional sports to include hockey as we already know (I'm still not sure it's feasible, but it's not dead). It appears that TSU is also looking at reestablishing baseball and soccer. Baseball would require a new facility. Rumors are the group looking to bring MLB to Nashville is still very much interested in building a stadium on the TSU campus and helping TSU reestablish its baseball program. The rumored renovations of Hale Stadium is suppose to support reestablishing soccer at TSU. 2. I intentionally saved this for last... TSU seems to be ready to explore options/opportunities with the downtown campus. Plans may be in the works to conduct a feasibility study to either develop the downtown campus property or sell it. If this is true, I suspect it is coming on the foothills of developers reaching out to TSU to buy the property which not only includes the actual building, but also the surface parking lots and the property across the street on 10th Ave N. that houses the TSU Business Incubation Center.

I hope not. I'll be in my LXXies...

From a design perspective I like the overall aesthetic . I favor the tallest of the three buildings because of the color contrast between the stone surface and the glass. While ultimately these are rectangular boxes, I like that they aren't just flat walls of glass with balcony insets. The varying frame style façade adds dimension and interest. I also like that they chose to do the other two buildings in different colors but kept design elements between them to create cohesion of the overall complex. Note: I like the bear sculpture along the Greenway. For those living in Nashville, hold them to the bear sculpture. When I visit Nashville, I expect to see the bear sculpture.

This project will definitely connect the void between Capitol View to the north and development along Church Street to the south. I've been hoping for years to see something like this come along for that area behind the current Eleven North Apartments that occupy the area. Capitol View restaurants should also benefit from this development as well. Hopefully, Capitol View will look to develop the large surface parking lot between Nelson Merry St. and Lifeway Plaza. Thankfully Eleven North Apartments don't offer views of the skyline because they'd probably file law suits like City Lights...

While I understand the skepticism, I think we all need to consider this is not a Disney, or Universal Studios, or a Six Flags size company that is trying to open a new theme park. It's a very small entity that at the very least seems to be committed to to their vision. They clearly will rely on several investors to make their vision into a reality so, it's not surprising that things are moving slow. I'm actually surprised that they are making any announcements right now considering the economy. But, Americans seem to be spending a lot on entertainment and travel. And, restaurants are packed because no one cooks anymore... LOL!!! So maybe investors see this as a bona fide opportunity. Especially with Nashville's tourism still being as hot as it is. Adding a theme park into the mix will help attract more families and increase tourism even more. While Storyville won't be a huge theme park, one could argue that it doesn't have to be in order for it to be successful. There are small amusement parks all over this country that most people never hear about until they visit an area. I don't think that's the intent for the creators of Storyville, but I say that to simply point out that not every amusement park has to be a Disney World to be successful. So, I'm still supportive of Storyville. I hope it does come to fruition with room to grow their concept. It would be nice if it was actually in Davidson County, but given the amount land needed and the cost of land being more expensive, that's probably not going to happen.