[Paramount Tower, 65-68 stories, approx. 750', 200 units, $240 million, Church Street Park]

I will never forget the time I went to a 505 pre-opening gathering for real estate/interior designers in Nashville and was on the elevator with Tony G on the way up to the amenities deck. Later, when I told the friend I came with who the man in the elevator was he said "He BUILT this building? Wow! He seems like such a nice, normal guy." 

I have no doubts that Tony's development efforts come from a genuine love for Nashville, especially Church Street. He is willing to take risks to build towers that not only increase the city's profile, but help the city's citizens at the same time.

I just wish ole' "Siggy" would resurface sometime soon on a new lot...... 

[BROADWEST (former West End Summit), 36 story Conrad Hilton Hotel/condo tower, 22 story/510,000 sq. ft. office tower, 4 story/125,000 sq. ft. retail/office, 1 acre plaza, 2,500 car garage, $490 million]

I was driving on the interstate from Rosa Parks towards 440 today and notice how MASSIVE these towers seem, along with the West End apartment tower next to the Graduate. I love the height, but my dream is that West End/Broadway will gain so many towers that these just blend in to the mix.

[Ritz Carlton Hotel /Residential (46 stories & 32 stories, 240 rooms, 150 condos, 185 apts,), 560 capacity garage]

4 hours ago, japan said:

They were supposed to have led lighting on the stix.

 

20 hours ago, Armacing said:

Local vegetation, huh?  Similar to how the Church Street Park is populated by "local wildlife"?

These posts highlight the main issue with "STICKS," as I call it. There is no ambience to the area. It simply looks as if some local artist was hired to 'fill the roundabout' as cheaply as possible. The landscaping is atrocious. If only there were some ornamental shrubbery, or even a flat gravel area from which the poles could protrude, it would look infinitely better; as well as some substantial nighttime illumination, not just on the ground but maybe on the tops of the poles themselves. 

 

Hopefully this new development tempts the city to undergo an upgrade to the 'art.'

[Park Place Nashville (2nd & Peabody), 36 story/433' and 32 story/375' residential towers; 18 story/234' hotel]

But honestly, is it 612' or 618' ? Either way, it will appear to be the tallest because of the elevation on that lot. But will it actually be the tallest?

Hopefully this comes to fruition and spurs more development across KVB, so the SoBro and "Pie Town"  areas will start to fill in.

[Federal Reserve Hotel (16 stories, 143' hotel addition atop 226 3rd Ave. North)]

Ooooooh.... I bet some folks in the Stahlman won't be happy about losing their view of downtown. 

But I love this proposal! Keeping a classic building as a base but expanding on top is a great idea. From the alley, you can see inside this building and it seems to have been deteriorating over the past few years. I'm glad it's being repurposed.

[BROADWEST (former West End Summit), 36 story Conrad Hilton Hotel/condo tower, 22 story/510,000 sq. ft. office tower, 4 story/125,000 sq. ft. retail/office, 1 acre plaza, 2,500 car garage, $490 million]

On 1/13/2020 at 8:19 AM, NashRugger said:

But for real, where is the elevator shaft for the office tower? At this point, I'm almost suspecting an egregious engineering error. 

Really?

 

Unless the elevator shaft is a source of interior support for a building, they don't need to be solid concrete bunker-type structures. With all the concrete columns on each floor, the elevator shaft in this tower will likely just be surrounded by thick fireproof drywall or simple masonry.

[Four Seasons Hotel and Residences, 40 stories, 542', $400 million]

On 12/11/2019 at 8:10 AM, L'burgnative said:

From how this guy comes across from this whole project probably a "STAY OFF MY LAWN" agreement.

I'm pretty sure some "incentive" ($$$) from the law offices in the Pinnacle convinced him not to sell......

[Davidson East: East Nashville, Inglewood, Madison, Donelson, Hermitage, Old Hickory]

Mayor John Cooper has nixed a potential deal to relocate PSC Metals' sprawling scrapyard off the East Bank.

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/11/19/exclusive-mayor-cooper-nixed-proposal-to-relocate.html

[Nashville Bits and Pieces]

On 10/11/2019 at 10:59 AM, grilled_cheese said:

That interchange is exactly the same yet we widened I65 in WillCo to eleventy billion lanes.  Makes sense.

OH! But DON'T YA KNOW.... "Widening the interstate does NOTHING to alleviate the.... blah blahhh BLAH!"

[Travel observations and new developments of other cities and countries]

On 9/24/2019 at 5:51 AM, Binbin98 said:

Some photos I took while walking around London last night. Every city in the world can learn something from London about city infrastructure, public transportation and successfully mixing cultures together, especially Nashville. The skyline of London also is amazing, with old buildings standing in front of newer shiny skyscrapers up to 1000 feet tall, and while these skyscrapers might not be the world’s tallest, their designs are incredible. One of the best decisions in my life was to leave Nashville for London for university, and I’m happy to say that I will be living here indefinitely after school. This is my favorite city in the world for sure.

Like Nashville, London is booming! The skyline has changed a lot since i was studying there just 5 years ago. 

It's a perfect city for everyone, especially young people. I enjoyed every part of it. Especially the efficient mass transit.

[Embassy Suites (30 stories, 500 rooms), 1 Hotel (18 stories, 221 rooms)]

From the JW Marriott

[Inside 440 - Berry Hill, Midtown, Vanderbilt, 12S, WeHo, Fairgrounds, etc.]

2 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

I expect that little enclave of houses facing Wedgewood (set back) between 19th and 21st Avenues will go down soon. Loss of architecturally unique houses is one thing, but those mature trees are irreplaceable. Nashville's quickly losing its charm. What's happened to West End Park (Long Blvd.) breaks my heart. The new stuff is not even high quality, let alone the bland architecture.

I disagree. Hackberry trees are VERY replaceable..... Yuck.

[Federal Courthouse, 6 & 8 stories, 276,000 sq. ft.,]

On 8/31/2019 at 10:43 AM, markhollin said:

Lo

I think the white exterior is beautiful! It's going to be big, bright, and imposing, as all impressive federal buildings should be! I'm excited to see the finished product.

On 9/3/2019 at 2:06 PM, Jamie Hall said:

This being a federal courthouse project, is it unusual that there's no security presence around the perimeter of the property during construction? I've never spotted anybody who looks like security personnel in all the photos shared so far.

I have been thinking the same thing! One would think that, being a federal building, they wouldn't want the general public knowing all of the details of the internal structure/construction/weak points, etc.. Granted, anyone can take pictures from afar, but I thought there would be some type of security preventing someone from gathering close photos, or lingering too long nearby. 

[Peabody Union (27 story residential, 354 units, 251,000 sq. ft. office, 50,000 sq. ft. retail), Peabody Plaza (9-story, 280,000 sq. ft. office), & 4 smaller buildings, MDHA Trolley Barn sites]

5 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

I think the ears of the members of the MDHA committee have been burning so long from the criticisms from this board they gave up the ghost and allowed the height. You guys know I am kidding, but if it were only true.

Maybe the nasty email I sent to MDHA when Hensler "won" the design "competition" did the trick! (I'll just keep telling myself that)

[Moore Building/15 Stories/222 ', 236,000 sq. ft. office space, 8,500 sq. ft. retail, internal garage, 19th & Chet Atkins]

4 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

Over the weekend, I checked out a link from The Tennessean (probably still there) that showed the Nashville skyline through the years. As recently as 2010 (when the Pinnacle building was built) the skyline was really small. But as things started moving south of Broad, and then west of Rosa Parks, including some big (but not necessarily tall) buildings in Midtown, the difference in the past 9 years has been nothing short of stunning. As we've discussed (lamented) here, Nashville doesn't have a tall skyline, but it now has a lot of breadth. In the next 5 years, the projects on line are going to make it look like a "bona fide" big city.  At some point, someone is going to build a 50+ tall tower that's going to separate Nashville from all its other midsize peers, but the biggest reason for that will be (not the new supertall but) the 31-block long skyline. 

Another "big fix" that would make our downtown area really POP is developing all the PARKING LOTS!!! I can't stand that so many locations in our city, perfect for a 30-story apartment or office, are just slabs of asphalt.

This tower is one that will help create a homogenous skyline. Even if it's only 15 stories, the massing from the Kimpton/Aertson, Adelicia, Kennect, Morris, and on to the Virgin will be a big visual impact. 

[Inner Loop - CBD, Downtown, East Bank, Germantown, Gulch, Rutledge]

4 hours ago, memphian said:

The DGX reminds me of a Tesco express or Sainsburys local in the UK but with probably less focus on meal prep or pre-made meals. So cool to see these stores opening.

I love Tesco, and Boots, which is owned by Walgreens, but in the UK, nothing beats Pret a Manger! I wish Nashville had one downtown or in 12th South. It would stay very busy.

[Centric Hotel, 20 stories, 252 rooms, 8,000 s. ft. retail, March, 2019 start, C.B. Ragland, 200 Molloy St. (2nd Ave South & Molloy)]

On 7/18/2019 at 10:51 AM, Armacing said:

Looking at this picture, when the Centric Hotel is complete, is it possible the swimming pool at The SoBro will only get direct sunlight for a few weeks each year, or maybe never get direct sunlight?

Well... that's what happens when you build a pool in a big city that isn't a rooftop pool. Viridian and Skyhouse did it right!

[Inner Loop - CBD, Downtown, East Bank, Germantown, Gulch, Rutledge]

On 6/21/2019 at 9:28 AM, Nash_12South said:

It might do well. There is a lack of non-touristy places to take a client or business associate to have a quite talk. 

It WILL do well. People are hungry for a new private place since "The Spot" above Paradise Park closed. 

[The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread]

1 hour ago, PruneTracy said:

That's the key, same goes for Uber, Lyft, et al. People who live, work, and play in Nashville have increased mobility options thanks to these companies and the city/state has not had to invest anything to get it.

I couldn't agree more. If the city can't figure out a solution to develop better, more user-friendly mass transit, then you can believe private companies are going to swoop in and solve the problem for us. 

[5th & Broadway | 501 Commerce | NMAAM | 34 story apt, 26 story office, + 183,000 sq. ft. of Retail]

I'm glad the news is finally out! Skanska was in talks with Apple for a while, and Apple finally sealed the deal months ago when they told Skanska basically "No, tear all that down, we're gonna' do our own thing." I couldn't spill the beans, so just left it at "large tech company."

 

On 6/16/2019 at 12:55 PM, UTgrad09 said:

I'm hoping that this apple store is designed to look like a giant apple wearing a cowboy hat.

I have been thinking of the idea of the giant apple logo, cornerpiece of a shiny new downtown development, staring down the Honky Tonks of Broadway. I love the juxtaposition. A flagship Apple store across the street from a one-story honky tonk with a mural of all the country greats on the side. This will be the line of demarkation between the touristy "cowboy boots" part of Nashville, and the metropolitan city that is growing up around us. 

[Nashville International Airport Development thread]

On 6/3/2019 at 11:52 AM, Rockatansky said:

Rocket #9?

Now are you referring to Sun Ra, or Lady Gaga? Both start a song with the same lyric. 

[Nashville Public Art]

On 5/22/2019 at 3:22 PM, markhollin said:

Huge mural planned for side of 1200 Broadway garage/Whole Foods store facing 13th AVe. North (frontage road along I-40/65 inner-loop).  Developer  Endeavor has HKS architect Jason Crist overseeing the effort, with Nashville-based consultant Brian Greif assisting. Nashville artist Eric “Mobe” Bass would create the mural.

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21069905/mural-planned-for-broadway-building
 

The walls in the rendering didn't appear to be as massive. Why couldn't they just leave it blank, or add spaces for frequently-changing temporary signage... to promote the Titans, Predators, CMA Fest, etc. I think it just looks cheap to put a flowery mural on it.

[Inside 440 - Berry Hill, Midtown, Vanderbilt, 12S, WeHo, Fairgrounds, etc.]

On 5/21/2019 at 1:48 PM, PruneTracy said:

It's gone, son.

http://www.utdailybeacon.com/city_news/goodbye-walmart-university-commons-store-to-close-in-march/article_5dce422c-3abd-11e9-92b8-3365666b205a.html

I'd like to take a moment to point out how many UT students and alumni are distraught over "their" Walmart closing when it was only there for four years to begin with. One guy wrote a song about it.

Millennials.

Oh jeez.... I read a lot of backlash online about this Walmart closing. These millennials (I am one myself) were going crazy over this, suggesting that it was racist for Walmart to close this location, saying the city should FORCE Walmart to keep the store open, and suggesting elderly people would die because the Walmart pharmacy was closing.

[BROADWEST (former West End Summit), 36 story Conrad Hilton Hotel/condo tower, 22 story/510,000 sq. ft. office tower, 4 story/125,000 sq. ft. retail/office, 1 acre plaza, 2,500 car garage, $490 million]

I hope that the giant screens at the Broadway/West End split stays, but is incorporated onto a new tower. I've always imagined that area could become Nashville's own "Times Square" of sorts. This Broadwest development would certainly help spur that!

[Project Thread/New Construction/Photo du jour/Const. CAMs]

13 hours ago, FromParkAveToTN said:

I've been wanting to hike a trail around Radnor Lake, but afraid I'll be attacked and mauled by a grizzly bear. 

I nearly stepped on a rattlesnake last summer. After that I had to take a break from hiking at Radnor for a while....