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

[NashRugger]

Austin has another huge advantage, high tech companies and jobs, and LOTS of them.

[The ATX]

Austin has another huge advantage, high tech companies and jobs, and LOTS of them.

That is definitely true and a main reason for the steady job growth.  I think the success of the tech based economy can be traced back to the early '80s when the city saw the future and recruited virtually nothing but tech companies.  There's a well known example of this in the early '80s when Michelin wanted to build a huge tire plant in Austin.  The city saw that as an old economy endeavor (auto related jobs were tanking fast in the '80s) and gave Michelin the boot.

Edited August 31, 2015 by The ATX

[rookzie]

It does seem that the out of town developers have a much bigger vision, the local people seem sort of disoriented by what's happening.  I remember reading an article where a local developer expressed wonder at the success of eleven North apartments, saying they didn't think anybody would want to live at that location.  The public seems in denial too; part of the reason we can't get rapid transit going is that people don't want to believe Nashville is big enough to have that particularly amenity.  It's weird to me. Look around, people, this is not a small town.

AMEN!   ...and I second and third that "emotion".  They must think that Nashville is nothing more than a school of fish which only come around once in a while to bite.for catch.  -==-

[Nathan_in_DC]

I think it's fair to say that Nashville does have a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to Austin, especially in a "Why do people talk more about the music there than they do about the music here?!" That, in turn, leads to a lot of comparisons between the two rather similar towns.

[Lexy]

I think it's fair to say that Nashville does have a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to Austin, especially in a "Why do people talk more about the music there than they do about the music here?!" That, in turn, leads to a lot of comparisons between the two rather similar towns.

Indeed.  In Austin's defense, Texans tend to beat their own drums REALLY LOUD!  Working in the music industry, I hear it all the bloody time.  

[TNinVB]

Cool photo from Metro Nashville Archives Facebook page. I didn't realize 800 housing units were originally planned for the site of the former convention center. In in awe over how much downtown has changed. I wasn't living in Nashville at that time, so my earliest memories of downtown are 1988. 

[rookzie]

Cool photo from Metro Nashville Archives Facebook page. I didn't realize 800 housing units were originally planned for the site of the former convention center. In in awe over how much downtown has changed. I wasn't living in Nashville at that time, so my earliest memories of downtown are 1988. 

I can't answer for the others on that block at this time but that single-story structure at the corner of 6th and Commerce was just west of the location of the 2nd-late Greyhound station, where those cars are shown parked between the SE corner of 6th and Commerce and that mid-block alley (the bus entry point), before it moved to it's then new site at 8th and Demonbreun in the mid-late '70s.  This highlighted outline actually accounts for a little more than the Convention Center itself, while not accounting for the overlapping footprint of the Stouffer Hotel (later the Renaissance) nearer to 6th Ave. than shown, which relocated from the current Doubletree building).  The Cain-Sloan southside sign shows (in reverse, from the rear), in the lower right corner of this view.
-==-

[MLBrumby]

Wow!  Everything is so close together.  There appear to be a lot of buses across Broadway at Fifth... is that another bus station?  And it's clear that many vintage structures were gone even by this time.   Midway along the right border of the enclosed section is a very strange looking building, as if it has wings. Also notice that Commerce and Demonbreun have been widened since then. 

[rookzie]

Wow!  Everything is so close together.  There appear to be a lot of buses across Broadway at Fifth... is that another bus station?  And it's clear that many vintage structures were gone even by this time.   Midway along the right border of the enclosed section is a very strange looking building, as if it has wings. Also notice that Commerce and Demonbreun have been widened since then. 

Not a terminal per se, and Grayline tours had a location in that part of lower Broad, so those had to have been most likely charters and tours.  Trailways, in direct view from Greyhound (and prior to the merger with Greyhound), had a separate terminal located in that weird "winged building", as you say, and the Trailways terminal survived at least until summer 1981.  As far as knowledge of other then-standing structures are concerned, I have to do some random digging.  I wasn't living in town during the '80s and only ventured there rarely upon return for visiting, until the around '92-93, so there's a big mental gap in my recall for that period. -==-

Edited September 26, 2015 by rookzie
bad syntax; repeated intransitive verb and conjunctions

[MLBrumby]

Thanks. You are an archivist... and a gentleman. 

[fieldmarshaldj]

Wow!  Everything is so close together.  There appear to be a lot of buses across Broadway at Fifth... is that another bus station?  And it's clear that many vintage structures were gone even by this time.   Midway along the right border of the enclosed section is a very strange looking building, as if it has wings. Also notice that Commerce and Demonbreun have been widened since then. 

Commerce used to be a small and awkward street to navigate, if I remember correctly. Heading west from 2nd, you had to make an awkward left turn around 3rd or 4th (Rookzie can correct me if I'm mistaken) and sharp left again just to stay on it. It was a narrow street, not the wide boulevard it was made into later on (which necessitated the demolition of most of the buildings fronting it). We'd use it as a short-cut after leaving the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner to get over to 4th or so.

[rookzie]

..Yeah, it was a rotten path, not too many years ago, and I almost had forgotten about that.  Greyhound alone could remember when its buses had to deal with even just a half block of Commerce from 5th to the mid-block alley, into which its buses turned and then pulled into the bays on the back side of the terminal (they'd depart along 6th),  Even worse coming in from 8th.  The long, tandem-axle SceniCruisers, which lasted up into the mid-'70s had it even worse for turns.  I think it was the revival of the 2nd Ave district as a whole which led to finally putting a big "stent" into poor li'l ol' Commerce St., one of the shortest major roadways in the CBD,  Commerce was one of those streets which never had much in terms of frontage or engagement, as was Broad, Church, Deaderick, or even Union at one time before reDev began during the mid-'70s from Public Sq, to Capitol Blvd.

SceniCruiser®

-==-

 

[fieldmarshaldj]

..Yeah, it was a rotten path, not too many years ago, and I almost had forgotten about that.  Greyhound alone could remember when its buses had to deal with even just a half block of Commerce from 5th to the mid-block alley, into which its buses turned and then pulled into the bays on the back side of the terminal (they'd depart along 6th),  Even worse coming in from 8th.  The long, tandem-axle SceniCruisers, which lasted up into the mid-'70s had it even worse for turns.  I think it was the revival of the 2nd Ave district as a whole which led to finally putting a big "stent" into poor li'l ol' Commerce St., one of the shortest major roadways in the CBD,  Commerce was one of those streets which never had much in terms of frontage or engagement, as was Broad, Church, Deaderick, or even Union at one time before reDev began during the mid-'70s from Public Sq, to Capitol Blvd.

I'd hesitate to call the old Commerce an alley, but it was barely a full-fledged street. A "stralley."   

[nashvylle]

Does anyone have any inside info on this project... is it on life support? I really hope not and praying for a big, good announcement soon. 

[Ingram]

I think it's fair to say that Nashville does have a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to Austin, especially in a "Why do people talk more about the music there than they do about the music here?!" That, in turn, leads to a lot of comparisons between the two rather similar towns.

 

No one in Nashville cares about Austin, Tx yet alone has an inferiority complex to it. 

I want people who are not from Nashville to understand that and to not actually believe such a ridiculous statement.

Edited October 16, 2015 by Ingram

[shanky]

 

No one in Nashville cares about Austin, Tx yet alone has an inferiority complex to it. 

I want people who are not from Nashville to understand that and to not actually believe such a ridiculous statement.

Couldn't agree more.

[Nathan_in_DC]

 

No one in Nashville cares about Austin, Tx yet alone has an inferiority complex to it. 

I want people who are not from Nashville to understand that and to not actually believe such a ridiculous statement.

Uh, welcome to the board? 

My observation was, I think, accurate, to a certain extent, in that we find ourselves being compared to Austin a lot, which for a while had a bit of a higher profile (arguably). This led to a little bit of jealousy in certain areas from some groups. I suppose mild competition is a better term,and I used inferiority complex for lack of a better term.

Either way, I don't think my statement was wholly ridiculous and worthy of being written off by you so completely. I wish you would attempt to engage in discussion instead.

[Dale]

Does anyone have any inside info on this project... is it on life support? I really hope not and praying for a big, good announcement soon. 

^ bump

[PruneTracy]

Not trying to fully derail the discussion but I can't resist.

[titanhog]

^ bump

I'm pretty sure I've seen where Emery is going to ask for an extension, which will cost them a penalty payment.  I think they can do 2-3 extensions (paying a penalty each time) that can last up to a year or so...so this could possibly go on all the way until 2017 without us knowing if it's going to happen or not.

Gotta believe getting $400 Million in financing for this project is going to be a tall order.

[Guest]

Does anyone have any inside info on this project... is it on life support? I really hope not and praying for a big, good announcement soon. 

There will be new renderings and an update at the end of the month.

[Nathan_in_DC]

 

There will be new renderings and an update at the end of the month.

Yes! Glad to see this is still kicking. Can't wait to see some improvements to what should be a central block downtown. 

[Ingram]

Uh, welcome to the board? 

My observation was, I think, accurate, to a certain extent, in that we find ourselves being compared to Austin a lot, which for a while had a bit of a higher profile (arguably). This led to a little bit of jealousy in certain areas from some groups. I suppose mild competition is a better term,and I used inferiority complex for lack of a better term.

Either way, I don't think my statement was wholly ridiculous and worthy of being written off by you so completely. I wish you would attempt to engage in discussion instead.

You made the statement. I called it for what it is. 

What group of Nashvillians have an inferiority complex or are jealous of Austin, Tx? 

Edited October 20, 2015 by Ingram

[UTgrad09]

You made the statement. I called it for what it is. 

What group of Nashvillians have an inferiority complex or are jealous of Austin, Tx? 

More likely urban development enthusiasts than your Average Joe on the street.

[Nathan_in_DC]

You made the statement. I called it for what it is. 

What group of Nashvillians have an inferiority complex or are jealous of Austin, Tx? 

You certainly have a way with joining discussion and becoming part of an online community, don't you?

The tone within the urban development enthusiast community, and this forum, is one that has often shown a bit of jealousy towards Austin's high profile, to the point of almost constant comparisons, though it has died down a little lately. Heck, I am just as guilty of being somewhat jealous at times of the attention they got for so long before Nashville was given much recognition for being more than just a country music town.