More Accolades for Nashville

[Flatrock]

I expect there will be a significant migration-event from Texas, post Harvey - similar to Katrina. Many sunbelt cities will receive Houston and southeast Texas peeps. With Nashville's wide-ranging job growth (and non-dependence on oil), I suppose a substantial number might move here, and be most welcome, too. Hard, hard days down there....

[jmtunafish]

8 hours ago, PruneTracy said:

I don't think the Interstate system left Knoxville any worse off than any of the other major cities in Tennessee in terms of isolating CBDs from adjacent neighborhoods. Knoxville has also been the beneficiary of a major project to mitigate some of those effects (in SmartFix 40) whereas the others have not.

You also have to keep in mind the terrain constraints. Knoxville and to a lesser extent Chattanooga have fewer opportunities for locating freeways, especially given that, except for Interstate 75 between the two, the direction of travel doesn't run parallel to the many ridges around the cities.

Knoxville also has had opportunities to improve the system. The Orange Route got canned due to public opposition. James White Parkway, canned. John Sevier Highway is not much of a bypass. Maryville has a spur route of Interstate 40 heading right to it, their residents are fighting tooth and nail against having it extended to Lamar Alexander Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains. Oak Ridge has the north section of Pellissippi Parkway and SR 58 as links to Interstate 40, Clinton has SR 61 to Interstate 75, I think at least some improvements to those roadways have been shot down.

Yup.  Knoxvillians seem content with the status quo.  

At any rate, Knoxville was the beneficiary of SmartFix 40 because the state really mucked up I-40 through downtown 40-50 years ago.  At the time of SmartFix 40, then-mayor Haslam said something like Knoxville was the only major city in the country whose downtown interstate was still just 4 lanes (2 lanes in each direction.)  Likewise, the bypass, 640, was also just 2 lanes in each direction.  I-275 north of downtown was also just 2 lanes in each direction.  SmartFix 40 was really just the state's way of fixing the mess it created.

The state took its time to connect Oak Ridge and Maryville to the rest of the metro area.  Until, what, 20 years ago or so, there was no way to drive to Oak Ridge without getting on a 2-land road at some point; Pellissippi Pkwy went to Y12, not Oak Ridge.  To get to the city of Oak Ridge, you had to get off Pellissippi and take a 2-lane road up a steep hill and down into Oak Ridge (Illinois Ave).  I-140 to Alcoa/Maryville wasn't even thought of until 1986 (thanks to Lamar Alexander) and wasn't built until 1997, 30 years after I-40/75 was built in Knoxville.  So yeah while there's better interstate coverage in Knoxville today, the state certainly didn't originally plan it that way.

I wasn't around 50 years ago when the interstates were designed, but did anyone in Knoxville complain when I-40 through downtown did this?  I don't think any of Tennessee's other big cities have anything this ridiculous.

Edited August 31, 2017 by jmtunafish

[markhollin]

In a new jobs report from Glassdoor, Nashville makes the list for best cities for jobs in 2017.

The job site looked a variety of factors, including how easy it is to get a job, the affordability of living there and job satisfaction. Nashville landed in the No. 20 spot, with an overall score of 4.1 (out of 5).

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/09/13/nashville-among-top-cities-for-jobs-but-memphis.html

Here's how the numbers broke down in Nashville, according to the report:

• Job Openings: 80,192
• Median Base Salary:$42,000
• Job Satisfaction Rating: 3.4
• Median Home Value:$220,100
• Hot Jobs: Professor, Licensed Practical Nurse, Restaurant Server

Topping the list was Pittsburgh, Penn., with an overall score of 4.4 and 95,399 jobs.

[MLBrumby]

At least they used an uncommon photo of Nashville... oh wait! Nevermind. 

[MLBrumby]

Time/Money mags list the 100 Best Places to live in the USA.  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/

Franklin #4  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4924110/franklin-tennessee/

Brentwood #21  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4924336/brentwood-tennessee/

Smyrna #31 http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4932820/smyrna-tennessee/ 

Lebanon #34  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4929070/lebanon-tennessee/

[jmtunafish]

3 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

Time/Money mags list the 100 Best Places to live in the USA.  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/

Franklin #4  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4924110/franklin-tennessee/

Brentwood #21  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4924336/brentwood-tennessee/

Smyrna #31 http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4932820/smyrna-tennessee/ 

Lebanon #34  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4929070/lebanon-tennessee/

Lebanon is one of the top 100 places to live in the entire country?  Uhm, no thank you.  Been there, done that.  Worst schools in the area, by far (outside of Metro).  Crime-infested housing projects.  Lousy hospital.  I can think of about 10 other suburbs of Nashville I'd put over Lebanon and about 1,000 other cities in America over Lebanon.  Someone from Time/Money must have real estate connections in Lebanon.

Edited September 19, 2017 by jmtunafish

[fieldmarshaldj]

3 hours ago, jmtunafish said:

Lebanon is one of the top 100 places to live in the entire country?  Uhm, no thank you.  Been there, done that.  Worst schools in the area, by far (outside of Metro).  Crime-infested housing projects.  Lousy hospital.  I can think of about 10 other suburbs of Nashville I'd put over Lebanon and about 1,000 other cities in America over Lebanon.  Someone from Time/Money must have real estate connections in Lebanon.

How many places in America DON'T have crime-infested housing projects ?

[jmtunafish]

10 hours ago, fieldmarshaldj said:

How many places in America DON'T have crime-infested housing projects ?

Big cities, yes.  Small towns?  I can think of a few dozen that don't,  including similarly-sized Tennessee towns like Cookeville, Maryville, and Morristown.  I'm pretty sure Gallatin doesn't have the same issues as Lebanon, either.  The discipline rates at Lebanon schools vs. other Wilson County schools illustrate just how bad it is there.  I left Knoxville for Lebanon nearly five years ago and regretted it not too long after the ink was dry on my mortgage contract.  Lebanon is, by far, the worst town I've ever lived in.

Edited September 19, 2017 by jmtunafish

[kc8501]

17 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

Time/Money mags list the 100 Best Places to live in the USA.  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/

Franklin #4  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4924110/franklin-tennessee/

Brentwood #21  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4924336/brentwood-tennessee/

Smyrna #31 http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4932820/smyrna-tennessee/ 

Lebanon #34  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4929070/lebanon-tennessee/

First thought: Oh yay more people moving to Franklin.

Second, silver lining thought: WOO hoo! House value just jumped again.  

Third: Smyrna? Lebanon?? really???

[Flatrock]

23 minutes ago, kc8501 said:

Third: Smyrna? Lebanon?? really???

Nothing against Smyrna or Lebanon (Lebnon) at all...but maybe not top 100.  Others on the list: Schaumburg and Des Plaines (Death Plains) ,  IL were towns I lived close to in my Arlington Heights days. Neither would likely be in my top 100(0). Schaumburg's cultural center was the Woodfield Mall. I'm sure both are better places now.... 

Edited September 19, 2017 by Flatrock

[kc8501]

I agree completely. They're not bad places, but I don't see them as top 100.  Guess it all depends on the criteria used.  Although a perpetually clogged I24 is a major drawback, in my book.

[MLBrumby]

I was a bit ambivalent posting those links, as I tend to give little credence to those magazine lists. I seriously doubt anyone on any of those editorial staffs has been to the vast majority of the places they put on their lists. I really don't know much about Lebanon, nor Smyrna for that matter, even though I drive through on I-24 about 2-4 times per year.  

However, I think that really points to the radar that Nashville now finds itself on at most of those publications. This list is obviously comprised mostly of suburban cities. Time/Fortune is telling their readers that 4 "best cities" are suburbs of Nashville.  Contrast that with how many other large Southern cities had as many (or ranked) as highly. 

So I didn't look at the list so much as an accurate depiction of whether Franklin is better than Concord NC, or even Lebanon for that matter. The fact that so many Nashville area towns were included on a national list is just one more confirmation that the whole metro area is recognized by such pop culture mags as an attractive area. 

[BnaBreaker]

19 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

Time/Money mags list the 100 Best Places to live in the USA.  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/

Franklin #4  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4924110/franklin-tennessee/

Brentwood #21  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4924336/brentwood-tennessee/

Smyrna #31 http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4932820/smyrna-tennessee/ 

Lebanon #34  http://time.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2017/4929070/lebanon-tennessee/

Hilarious list... it should be renamed "The 100 best places to live in the USA... for mind-numbingly dull people"... I like how they made sure to include at least one town from nearly every state in the union to encourage more clicks too!

[tragenvol]

Well.....Lebanon has hot chicken now...and with waffles.  Even though you wouldn't know it by the hours kept.

[titanhog]

7 hours ago, BnaBreaker said:

Hilarious list... it should be renamed "The 100 best places to live in the USA... for mind-numbingly dull people"... I like how they made sure to include at least one town from nearly every state in the union to encourage more clicks too!

I live in Smyrna...so thanks for calling me "mind-numbingly dull." 

[BnaBreaker]

19 minutes ago, titanhog said:

I live in Smyrna...so thanks for calling me "mind-numbingly dull." 

lol not exactly what I meant

[NashvilleObserver]

I grew up in Lebanon and as much (as I couldn't wait to leave) it definitely has it's charms. Far better than Smyrna, yet nowhere near the level of Franklin. One thing that set Lebanon back was Mt. Juliet getting Providence Marketplace.  Lebanon built a new interstate exit in anticipation of "getting" Providence, but at the last minute they decided on Mt. Juliet. One good thing is now THEY have to deal with the congestions issues instead. Lebanon is in the process of expanding the interstate and redeveloping the exits. The airport will be expanding the runway and will be competitive with Smyrna and John C Tune. Also, Lebanon now has "Amazon money" coming in and the execs are pumping money into infrastructure to suit their needs. 

[titanhog]

1 hour ago, NashvilleObserver said:

I grew up in Lebanon and as much (as I couldn't wait to leave) it definitely has it's charms. Far better than Smyrna, yet nowhere near the level of Franklin. One thing that set Lebanon back was Mt. Juliet getting Providence Marketplace.  Lebanon built a new interstate exit in anticipation of "getting" Providence, but at the last minute they decided on Mt. Juliet. One good thing is now THEY have to deal with the congestions issues instead. Lebanon is in the process of expanding the interstate and redeveloping the exits. The airport will be expanding the runway and will be competitive with Smyrna and John C Tune. Also, Lebanon now has "Amazon money" coming in and the execs are pumping money into infrastructure to suit their needs. 

The thing that Smyrna has going for it is they have the Nissan plant...a large regional airport that helps provide more jobs and the Smyrna Air Show...2 golf courses...a community college...Tennessee College of Applied Technology Campus - Nissan...decent retail for a city its size...several large parks and greenways...interstate access...15-20 minutes from downtown Nashville (on a good day)...and fairly low crime.  I've lived here 24 years and it's a way different city and way more diverse than it was when I first got here.  I've seen it go from less than 10k people to about 50k...and the community I live in truly is multi-cultural with an elementary school across the street and kids play football in the little field next to my house on weekends. 

Overall...I have nothing to complain about.  I'd much rather live here than downtown, since I'm now older and less mobile than I was in my 20s.

[jmtunafish]

Nashville does have some nice suburbs.  Only one Memphis suburb made the list, and it's in Mississippi.  Honestly, I don't see how Olive Branch MS is "better" than Collierville TN.  And no Knoxville suburbs made the list.  I mean, is Lebanon really that much nicer than, say, Farragut, Maryville, or Oak Ridge?  Hardly.  The methodology used in this "study" is rather dubious.

But yes, Nashville has some very nice and very desirable suburbs.  As much as we want Nashville's urban core to thrive and expand, we need to remember that there are a whole bunch of people out there who still prefer living in family-friendly suburbs which Nashville has in droves.

[satalac]

4 hours ago, titanhog said:

The thing that Smyrna has going for it is they have the Nissan plant...a large regional airport that helps provide more jobs and the Smyrna Air Show...2 golf courses...a community college...Tennessee College of Applied Technology Campus - Nissan...decent retail for a city its size...several large parks and greenways...interstate access...15-20 minutes from downtown Nashville (on a good day)...and fairly low crime.  I've lived here 24 years and it's a way different city and way more diverse than it was when I first got here.  I've seen it go from less than 10k people to about 50k...and the community I live in truly is multi-cultural with an elementary school across the street and kids play football in the little field next to my house on weekends. 

Overall...I have nothing to complain about.  I'd much rather live here than downtown, since I'm now older and less mobile than I was in my 20s.

I was born and raised in Nashville and swore I'd never live in Smyrna, and where was the first house my wife and I bought when we got married? Smyrna. It really isn't as bad as people say. It's pretty quiet, though Sam Ridley traffic is bad. I still remember it when it was just the Catfish House out there (COME BACK CATFISH HOUSE!). 

[LA_TN]

16 hours ago, satalac said:

I was born and raised in Nashville and swore I'd never live in Smyrna, and where was the first house my wife and I bought when we got married? Smyrna. It really isn't as bad as people say. It's pretty quiet, though Sam Ridley traffic is bad. I still remember it when it was just the Catfish House out there (COME BACK CATFISH HOUSE!). 

If you remember, the Catfish House never reopened after the kitchen fire. The owner sold it and retired. And now we have Starbucks

[markhollin]

From today's Nashville Post:

Lumina Foundation has announced Nashville as one of 17 communities across the country designated as a Talent Hub. 

Nashville, among the other cities, earned the new designation by meeting rigorous standards for creating environments that attract, retain, and cultivate talent, particularly among students, many of whom are people of color, the first in their families to go to college, and from low-income households.
 
Each Talent Hub focuses intensively on one of three populations that is critical to raising the nation’s overall post-high school attainment level to 60 percent of working-age adults by 2025: 18-to-22-year-old students; older adults with college experience who stopped out before finishing their studies; or adults with no formal education beyond high school. 
 
The other 16 communities designated as Talent Hubs are  Albuquerque, N.M.; Austin, Texas; Boston; Cincinnati; Columbus, Indiana; Dayton, Ohio; Denver; Fresno, Calif.; Los Angeles; Louisville; New York; Philadelphia; Racine, Wis.; Richmond, Va.; Shasta County, Calif.; and Tulsa, Okla.
 
Each community designated as a Talent Hub will 
receive $350,000 in grant funding over 42 months. 

"Nashville's designation as a Talent Hub is exciting and timely.  We have two perfect facilities in Nashville State and TCAT Nashville to educate and train Nashville's adult learners,” said Joey Hatch, chairman of the Nashville State Community College Foundation. “As an alum of Nashville State, I have a keen appreciation for the opportunity and value this grant offers to so many in need."

[markhollin]

An editorial from Lori Becker of the Nashville Business Journal today:

 

Another Sign of Nashville's Booming Growth.

We’re all gawking at the insane growth in this city in the past few years. Well, here’s another measure of the roaring “It City” economy: $3 billion.

That’s how much the combined revenue of the region’s 100 largest private companies climbed in the past year.

Today we publish our annual NBJ 100, a ranking of the largest privately held companies in Greater Nashville, as measured by annual revenue. In total, these companies posted $36 billion in revenue in 2016, a nearly 9 percent increase from the previous year’s NBJ 100 class.

When you look at the past three years, it gets even more impressive: The NBJ 100 collectively increased revenue by 34 percent from 2013 to 2016.

Individually, these companies have posted even bigger gains. From our NBJ 100, we calculate the 50 fastest-growing companies. The No. 1 company among our Fast 50 this year boosted its revenue by 265 percent in the past three years.

When Nashville started emerging from the Great Recession, the revenue gains for many of our NBJ 100 companies were substantially bigger because many companies were ratcheting up quickly after a few slow years. But to continue posting triple-digit gains after several years of a white-hot economy is quite a feat.

These companies represent some of the biggest pieces of the region’s economy, including employing more than 24,000 people locally.

And while they are certainly capitalizing on Nashville’s surge, they also are grappling with the city’s rapid growth.

We asked our Fast 50 companies what opportunities and challenges they face because of our growth. On the opportunity side, most pointed to the larger pool of potential business, evidenced by their increasing revenue.

Their challenges were varied, but a key theme emerged: recruiting and retaining employees. The city’s talent wars hit every industry, and companies are struggling to find great people and then hold on to them as the competition for top talent intensifies. Their ability to solve this riddle will be critical in maintaining their status among the fastest-growing.

One perk they’re offering employees: flexible schedules.

We also asked the Fast 50 companies how they were coping with the city’s traffic woes. The most common response is adjusting employees’ schedules to avoid peak commute times. Several of our largest companies are allowing employees to start and end their day at varying times to avoid rush hour.

 

[markhollin]

Nashville ranked 3rd fastest growing city economy in the nation by Forbes:

http://www3.forbes.com/leadership/10-big-u-s-cities-with-the-fastest-growing-economies/9/

[jmtunafish]

14 hours ago, markhollin said:

Nashville ranked 3rd fastest growing city economy in the nation by Forbes:

http://www3.forbes.com/leadership/10-big-u-s-cities-with-the-fastest-growing-economies/9/

I see Forbes is finally using a different angle of the Nashville skyline.  Sort of.

Edited October 3, 2017 by jmtunafish