Davidson Southeast: Antioch, Century Farms, East of Brentwood

[smeagolsfree]

I have been sitting on this one too. A 64 unit project @ 3rd & Mildred Shute. Manuel Zeitlan is the architect. three stories.

 

https://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2014/12/2/chestnut_hill_could_land_mixed_use_building

 

Behind paywall, but I have renderings.

 

http://i.imgur.com/7r2dfeI.png[/img

[BnaBreaker]

Yes!  More of that^, and less of Note 16 please!

 

I love that part of town.  I feel like eventually it could become Germantown south with industrial side, it's tight street grid and existing historic architecture.

Edited December 3, 2014 by BnaBreaker

[NashvilleTaylor]

Looks like I'm 9 minutes late with the same link...

This is exciting news!.  That restaurant was such an eye sore.  Why is it called Sylvan Park Restaurant anyways?  It doesn't make any sense.

[drewbert]

This is exciting news!.  That restaurant was such an eye sore.  Why is it called Sylvan Park Restaurant anyways?  It doesn't make any sense.

 

There are a few locations, the one actually in Sylvan Park closed a couple years ago.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2012/10/02/sylvan-park-restaurant-to-close.html

 

Years ago the one in Berry Hill used to be called the Melrose something or other, but I suppose they must've changed management.

[12Mouth]

Thanks for providing a local perspective as a neighborhood resident.  We need to remember that zoning is a political decision that is ultimately decided by the Metro Council, not by the Planning Department or the Planning Commission, and certainly not by posters to Urban Planet.  As such, property owners will tend to develop within their rights according to the zoning that is in place, which is what happened with the Hillsboro/Richard Jones tower, but they will need the support of the Council Member for zone changes, and will want the support of the Planning Commission and the Metro Council for zoning changes that require an amendment to the Community Plan.  Community support plays a crucial role in passing those kinds of planning changes. 

 

It appears that this particular parcel is outside of the existing Neighborhood Center zoning along 12th, and is currently zoned R8.  Therefore, it appears that a rezoning to allow a commercial use would require not just a zone change but also a land use policy amendment to permit the zone change.  The developers in question may or may not be interested in pursuing that involved of a zone change.  There may or may not be sufficient community support for a land use policy change to permit commercial uses, which, if the Planning Commission were to disapprove, the Council Member would need 27 votes to pass. CM Sondra Moore is the person with whom District 17 Constituents who want to push for ground-floor retail uses on this site should speak.

 

Looking at the proposed new land use policies for this area on the NashvilleNext site, it appears that the area of 12th from Kirkwood to Linden will remain Neighborhood Center; the area from Linden to Caldwell, where this parcel is located, is proposed to be T4RC Residential Corridor, which suggests that anything other than residential would be contrary to the land use policy; and the area from Caldwell to Argyle will be T4CM - Mixed Use Corridor.  My eyes could be tricking me because the maps are pretty small and I need new glasses

 

Again, I could be reading and interpreting the maps incorrectly.  But if my interpretation of the NashvilleNext maps is correct that commercial uses would not be permitted on this site according to the proposed NashvilleNext land use policies, then neighbors who want to change that outcome still have time to participate in the NashvilleNext sessions to amend those proposed land use policies to permit mixed-use development on that particular site.  The decision about whether to pursue and wait for that kind of a change or to proceed as-is with the residential-only zoning currently in place is ultimately up to the development team.

 

Thanks for the thoughtful response. I think that your reading of the map is correct - this development would bump right against the start of the mixed use section, making the whole thing residential-only. While I would personally prefer to have retail in the development, I don't think it is necessarily important enough to lobby Ms. Moore over. I bother her enough already.

 

I will say that the one odd thing about not extending mixed use up 12th is that Belmont owns every parcel on the west side of 12th from halfway between S. Douglas and Lawrence to the gas station on the corner of Wedgewood. I have to believe that their game plan is to ultimately extend the campus right up to 12th. With this in mind, you would think that it would make sense to have some retail across the street from campus.

[samsonh]

Thanks for the thoughtful response. I think that your reading of the map is correct - this development would bump right against the start of the mixed use section, making the whole thing residential-only. While I would personally prefer to have retail in the development, I don't think it is necessarily important enough to lobby Ms. Moore over. I bother her enough already.

 

I will say that the one odd thing about not extending mixed use up 12th is that Belmont owns every parcel on the west side of 12th from halfway between S. Douglas and Lawrence to the gas station on the corner of Wedgewood. I have to believe that their game plan is to ultimately extend the campus right up to 12th. With this in mind, you would think that it would make sense to have some retail across the street from campus.

 

Yes I think this map was oddly drawn. This development would be very different if it were even 200 yards further north on 12th in the 4 lane section, but it is not. It is in the heart of the retail/restaurant part of 12south. Why were the boundaries put that far south? It makes no sense to me. If built as is,this building is almost an extension of HG Hill's building sans retail, which makes it not as useful to the neighborhood in my opinion.

Edited December 3, 2014 by samsonh

[bwithers1]

Yes I think this map was oddly drawn. This development would be very different if it were even 200 yards further north on 12th in the 4 lane section, but it is not. It is in the heart of the retail/restaurant part of 12south. Why were the boundaries put that far south? It makes no sense to me. If built as is,this building is almost an extension of HG Hill's building sans retail, which makes it not as useful to the neighborhood in my opinion.

I am inclined to agree with you here.  I was originally picturing this property as being located in the transition area from the 2-lane to the 4-lane portion of 12th, and that's why I spoke of it as potentially serving as an effective buffer between the residential and the commercial/mixed-use portions of 12th.  But as you point out, the way the land use policy map is drawn makes the 2222 building the stop gap for commercial with residential only permitted north of that building. 

 

It would seem more logical to have the Neighborhood Center zoning boundary one block up at Ashwood rather than Linden.  Unless, again, the previous Community Plan amendments originally intended to have the commercial activity stop at the 2222 building and to have the church property (churches are approved uses in residential zoning areas) be a buffer between the commercial activity and the houses to the north.  Not everyone wants to have a business operating immediately outside of their bedroom window   The CCM policy translation largely used the nearest analogue to the existing Community Plan land use policies, and the Significant Amendments captions for NashvilleNext the Green Hills/Midtown plan do not include any 12South references.  So folks in the past must have wanted the commercial to end opposite Linden, not Ashwood, and Planning staff most likely went with that boundary for the CCM policy translation.

 

I can understand the residential-only land use policy in the area north of Linden.  The wider portion of 12th is not nearly as attractive to pedestrian foot traffic to support commercial uses as the narrower portion.  The pedestrian crosswalks in the 2-lane portion of the street are barely effective given increasing vehicular traffic.  They would be impractical for the four-lane "freeway" portion of 12th. 

 

The question about Belmont's long-term plans is an interesting one.  They may simply have more dormitories planned for that middle section of 12th.  But from Calwell up past Wedgewood is the T4 Urban Mixed Use Corridor policy, so Belmont could potentially put commercial/mixed-use stuff there on the west side of 12th on their properties.  Maybe some business specifically to serve their dorm residents upstairs?  Again, the wider portion of 12th will never have as pedestrian-friendly a feel as the narrower part.  People crossing there would be like the poor souls crossing Gallatin on foot and playing "frogger" with the drivers.

 

But the residential area between the Belmont campus and 12th is Neighborhood Evolving, which is more conducive to townhomes/stacked flats and other more "urban" housing structures in that remaining residential pocket west of 12th that is not incorporated into the Belmont campus proper.

Edited December 3, 2014 by bwithers1

[abick16]

I went to a neighborhood meeting last night put on by Metro Council meeting Sandra Moore regarding the Colonial Bakery property.  They had some renderings (mostly already posted by the TN / NBJ) and a presentation on what their plans were regarding the residential portions on the back side on Elliott Ave and fronting Franklin Rd.  The retail portion fronting Franklin rd will consist of 4 smaller portions (sandwhich shops/coffee) in the front and a major retail option on the 2nd floor and back.  Alliance is the apartment developer.  The Alliance representative said that the apt contruction will be similar to 2300 Berry Hill up the road and the Melrose where Sinama and the Sutler is - but he stressed they are never the first to enter an area but always want to be the nicest looking. Their rental rates he said will be most likely more than those 2 aforementioned or the Lennar apts (site work just started) directly across the street.  When referencing the parking garage and entrances etc, the gentleman that was puting on the meeting from the development co referenced Publix in West End as an example of how the garage will work.  I doubt that was a freudian slip but fel that was interesting.  When pressed on what retail component could possibly go there he was pretty adamant that there has been no discussion on a tenant or options.  They have their first zoning meeting with Metro on Jan 8th and then a second in March.  If everything goes as planned he felt that work could start shortly there after.  Although there were some concerned neighbors there that were very opposed to the apt component of it - feeling it will just create more traffic and young partiers, etc.  I live a few streets down so I wasnt as worried about that.  Although I will say that once the Lennar project is completed and this, traffic will be quite miserable at that point.  They are gonna create turn lanes and widen the adjacenct streets.  He also said there is no discussion with Batson's Motors (which sits at the SW corner of that lot) to go anywhere soon.  They have had no discussion with the owner.  As I was leaving the Magnolia Tree lady started to talk - so that cued my exit. 

[dmillsphoto]

Gah, if only we had some sort of... I dunno... BRT or light rail... maybe for... mass transit or something. I dunno, just thinking aloud here.

[UTgrad09]

Gah, if only we had some sort of... I dunno... BRT or light rail... maybe for... mass transit or something. I dunno, just thinking aloud here.

 

Might as well hold on and save some money for when those Star Trek transporters get invented.

[bwithers1]

Might as well hold on and save some money for when those Star Trek transporters get invented.

I don't know.  I work nearby and my experience is that the main thing that causes traffic back-ups on Franklin Road right now is all of the lunch-rush people cramming up the turn lane to get into the endless stretch of fast food joints around the Walgreens, not to mention the rather awkward entrance/exit to the Melrose Kroger shopping center.  But outside of that lunch rush traffic, my experience is that that particular stretch of Franklin Road moves pretty smoothly and so could potentially handle some additional traffic capacity.  Now, Douglas to Wedgewood is bad.  But from Bradford to Kirkland isn't.  And I haven't noticed that the addition of all of the Gale Lofts, 2300 Berry Hill and The Melrose projects have made things unbearable despite a significant increase in nearby residents.

 

In my experience working in Berry Hill/Melrose, the biggest thing causing traffic delays in the area between Wedgewood and Thompson Lane is the numerous railroad crossings at Craighead, Bransford and Berry Road and the stream of folks trying to get to the I-440 interchange on Nolensville.

 

I certain would like to see better transit in the Franklin Road area, which is presently not even served by a regular bus route, but the Franklin/Craighead intersection in particular seems to have plenty of vehicular traffic capacity from my perspective as a commuter.  This seems like one of the best spots in the city to add some residential density.  And some sidewalks/crosswalks.

Edited December 5, 2014 by bwithers1

[abick16]

Without a doubt the glaring issue is the intersection on Franklin pk & Wedgewood northbound.  They HAVE to do something about this with all this additional traffic that will with increase with the 2 aforementioned projects in play soon with folks trying to get to I-65.  Also they are adding sidewalks currently on the east side of Franklin pike across from Walgreens and hopefully on down to the carwash.  This I believe might be spurred on by the recent announcement of the Fabric Gallery& Décor Store adjacent to the Melrose Apts and Regons Bank and across from Walgreens that they will be moving. I have not heard what the future lies with that lot and/or building.

[smeagolsfree]

Good to hear about the sidewalks. Berry Hill hill has a lot of work to do for sure. They need to get in gear. Thanks for posting Adam.

[drewbert]

I certain would like to see better transit in the Franklin Road area, which is presently not even served by a regular bus route, but the Franklin/Craighead intersection in particular seems to have plenty of vehicular traffic capacity from my perspective as a commuter.  This seems like one of the best spots in the city to add some residential density.  And some sidewalks/crosswalks.

Well, the #8 bus serves that area, down to Kirkwood where it heads off to Lipscomb, though it's not the most frequent route ever. I am though pleased to see that they've finally installed a pedestrian crossing signal across Franklin at Kirkwood (don't know if it's active yet). I sometimes get off the bus on the west side of the street around 5:30 and end up cooling my heels in Krystal waiting for the traffic to die down so I can cross safely.

 

But sidewalks on the east side? Yeah!

[smeagolsfree]

Core preparing to start first phase of Wedgewood project.

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2014/12/developer-tees-up-first-part-of-wedgewood-houston.html

[smeagolsfree]

I told William about this a week or so ago. The Woodstock Chestnut Hill started two week ago. 42 units total.

 

https://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2014/12/12/completion_dates_targeted_for_chestnut_hill_residential_project

 

Article behind pay wall but will come down soon.

[UTgrad09]

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2014/12/21/nashville-investor-buys-special-olympics-tennessee-hq-near-south/20726831/

 

Developer of 1000 Division buys Special Olympics HQ on 12th Ave S.

 

This is outside of what is traditionally considered to be the "12th South" district, close to Wedgewood.

 

The Special Olympics has up to a year to remain at the location.

 

I'm very interested to see how much the intersection of 12th and Wedgewood will change over the coming years.

[Vrtigo]

I'm very interested to see how much the intersection of 12th and Wedgewood will change over the coming years.

 

Starting with dramatic improvements to how it handles traffic, I hope...

[smeagolsfree]

The Special Olympics site is a good size lot and there is room for a sizable development there. Traffic in that area is not as bad because it is four lanes instead of two.

[Vrtigo]

Traffic in that area is not as bad because it is four lanes instead of two.

See: Turning traffic onto or from Wedgewood east of 12th.

er...wait.

Doh! I'm thinking of the 8th and WW intersection--my bad.

[smeagolsfree]

2300 Berry Hill sold. 61 million

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2014/12/22/ny-investor-buying-hundred-berry-hill-apartments/20786751/

[dmillsphoto]

That was fast.

[nashmoney]

Water gushes into Nashville apartment units after pipes burst

 

http://wkrn.com/2015/01/10/water-gushes-into-nashville-apartments-after-pipes-burst/

 

Brand Spanking new apartments and pipes burst......same exact thing happened to the Velocity in the Gulch.

 

What is the problem with these developers not insulating the pipes enough?? Do they not know that Nashville gets cold in the winter?

 

Their are apartment complexes that were built in the 80's that have never had frozen pipe issues.

[samsonh]

These apartments are built cheaply and it shows in situations like this.

[MetroTN]

Well said, Hamlet. Developers are so cheap anymore. It looks nice, granite counter tops, cabana at the pool, etc, but the bones are fragile and cheap.