The Westin Music City - 27 Floors/320', 452 Rooms

[TheRaglander]

Well everybody on here wants a building that can provide some character on our skyline. If 1212 is your idea of that, the bar is low. It looks "nice up close" but as of today I think it looks bland from a distance.

[ariesjow]

I don't think anyone is suggesting 1212 is the Chrysler Building, but I'd say it's exponentially better than the majority of Nashville residential towers particularly the The Rhythm right across the highway. That one looks like someone took it from Panama City and dropped it in the middle of Nashville. Now, that's our low bar. 1212 is fine. Every residential tower doesn't need an adorned crown of some sort. 

 

Again, I think 1212 will look more attractive once they've put on the finishing touches on the top (which appeared in progress when I ventured downtown an hour ago) and get the lighting up. The blue lighting scheme will probably make quite a pop at night coming up from 65 at night. 1212 will also be mostly obscured by 12th & Demonbreun when one comes around the downtown loop from I-40.  

[CenterHill]

Agree. I have no issues at all with 1212 so far. We will see how its interaction with the street turns out but from a distance I like how the sleek glass looks. Heck I like it up close, too. Just remember, we're getting this building in a TRAIN YARD.

[UTgrad09]

I can understand the argument about how it looks from a distance -- it's not ugly, but from a distance, it's just a big box (see my photo in the DuJour thread)...but up close, when the details emerge, I find it to be an attractive building. I think it will look better in the skyline when it has more neighbors (Gulch Crossing, Eakin, and maybe a big hotel courtesy of Mark Bloom).

[Paramount747]

It all comes down to how much money and time a developer wants to pay for the architect and construction materials. The architect is working within the parameters that have been given to them by the developer and that includes the number that are working on the project. So it's just as much the developer as the architect.

 There is no excuse for junk or bland architecture that  looks like a rehash of the 1980's.  Better nothing at all than junk architecture. If this is the best they can do, then there is no excitement from me. Better it stay an abandoned Cokesbury bookstore and a surface lot than 80's rehash. Why don't we all go back to rotary dial phones if we are going to settle for this!

[smeagolsfree]

John, John, John, what will we ever do with you.

[Paramount747]

John, John, John, what will we ever do with you.

You know what I mean Ron, it's bad design and we could have so much better.

[smeagolsfree]

I guess you are going to have to pay all the architects for the work. Remember John, architecture is just like art, some like it and others do not. It's still better than nothing at all and that's what a lot of cities are getting right now.

[timmay143]

I'm not a fan of the rendering.  The design looks ok, but it is hard to tell with that render IMO.  I do like the concept though.

 

How many floors of residential does the VB Westin have?  I am guessing a lot by the balconies and the 38 floors but only 236 rooms.

 

Wait,might have found it.  36 floors of residential according to: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/features/attraction_detail.html?propertyID=1568&attractionId=1006066850

 

?

 

It can be done John!  The VB Westin started in 2006 and was finished by 2008.  So maybe a late 2014 early 2015 construction date to be done by 2017!

 

Maybe we'll get more height from Turnberry if the hotel and 250 residences are in one vertical tower.

Edited May 10, 2014 by timmay143

[TNinVB]

I'm not a fan of the rendering.  The design looks ok, but it is hard to tell with that render IMO.  I do like the concept though.

 

How many floors of residential does the VB Westin have?  I am guessing a lot by the balconies and the 38 floors but only 236 rooms.

 

Wait,might have found it.  36 floors of residential according to: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/features/attraction_detail.html?propertyID=1568&attractionId=1006066850

 

The VB Westin went up pretty quick. All parking is above ground as well.

?

 

It can be done John!  The VB Westin started in 2006 and was finished by 2008.  So maybe a late 2014 early 2015 construction date to be done by 2017!

 

Maybe we'll get more height from Turnberry if the hotel and 250 residences are in one vertical tower.

[jdan]

 There is no excuse for junk or bland architecture that  looks like a rehash of the 1980's.  Better nothing at all than junk architecture. If this is the best they can do, then there is no excitement from me. Better it stay an abandoned Cokesbury bookstore and a surface lot than 80's rehash. Why don't we all go back to rotary dial phones if we are going to settle for this!

 

 

Here is a novel idea, you can save your quarters and build your own building.

[Nashvillain]

Here is a novel idea, you can save your quarters and build your own building.

Great first post! Not really. I'm sure Urban Architecture is entitled to his opinion and is expressing it in a proper forum. If you disagree, that's cool, but no need to be a jerk about it. 

[dmillsphoto]

Here is a novel idea, you can save your quarters and build your own building.

 

I'm really on the verge of having to delete someone's first post? There is an "edit" button just below your post. I hope you have more to contribute than a snide remark.

[Paramount747]

Here is a novel idea, you can save your quarters and build your own building.

I was a bit harsh in my criticism of the architecture, but it is time for Nashville to get out of the 25-30 story box we have been in for 45 years! The L&C Tower built in 1957 is not a box!

 

We need some daring and striking architecture, not pieces that are 1980's rehash.

[chris holman]

I was a bit harsh in my criticism of the architecture, but it is time for Nashville to get out of the 25-30 story box we have been in for 45 years! The L&C Tower built in 1957 is not a box!

 

We need some daring and striking architecture, not pieces that are 1980's rehash.

We do need some Very striking buildings, I believe its time for the city to step it up!! The designs could be better , if not now when?

[smeagolsfree]

Again guys, the market drives what is designed and who we get in the city to design them. There is no design committee that approves a plan unless there is a specific overlay and even then it is limited. With more out of town firms working on designs, then we may get a very striking design at some point, but we will have to settle for what we get. It is not up to Metro.

I don't have a lot of problems with the design of the building. It may look better once we get a better rendering. Remember everyone is a critic, good or bad.

It's not like the art that the Metro arts commission, commissions to be done. They do have a say in what is done. Now that is a whole other story not for this thread, but the work there is very lacking, IMHO.

[titanhog]

As long as it's not a tall stucco box with no windows, it's usually better than what's there at the present.

[CenterHill]

It may have been mentioned somewhere on here already, but I noticed one of the existing brick buildings on 9th Ave is getting a small addition on the south side.   This is the building, if the link works:  

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=36.154477,-86.780581&spn=0.000002,0.000671&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=36.154477,-86.780581&panoid=d2g95i-HnI5ta2qlN9KpvA&cbp=12,21.98,,0,-2.93       The addition is already framed out.     I had thought this building was in the Westin footprint, but it must abut the Westin site.    Not sure what business is here or what is coming in.     There are no signs.    

Edited May 13, 2014 by CenterHill

[nashmoney]

Room agreement deal made with the soon to be built Westin

 

Convention Center Authority OKs room deal with Westin

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2014/05/convention-center-authority-oks-room-deal-with.html

[smeagolsfree]

It may have been mentioned somewhere on here already, but I noticed one of the existing brick buildings on 9th Ave is getting a small addition on the south side.   This is the building, if the link works:  

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=36.154477,-86.780581&spn=0.000002,0.000671&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=36.154477,-86.780581&panoid=d2g95i-HnI5ta2qlN9KpvA&cbp=12,21.98,,0,-2.93       The addition is already framed out.     I had thought this building was in the Westin footprint, but it must abut the Westin site.    Not sure what business is here or what is coming in.     There are no signs.    

I think it is some kind of nonprofit organization, but not really sure. I just know that building is not part of the Westin footprint, but the other three buildings on the block are.

[volsfanwill]

So I slept through the meet on Saturday, but I actually had some news. A friend of mine works for a company that does drilling for new construction projects.  apparently his company got the contract for the westin.

[smeagolsfree]

Glad to see we may be. Getting close to a start. Thanks.

Next time you are going to have to give everyone your number and get about 15 wake up calls.

[BnaBreaker]

Good to hear!  Maybe it's just me, but it is looking more and more likely that we could see this Westin, 1515 Demonbreun, the Virgin Hotel, Buckingham, Eakin, SoBro Tower, Gulch Crossing, and Hilton Garden Inn all rise at the same time.  Exciting times for Nashville!

[mirydi]

^We could also possibly start seeing something happen with the SCRI and Parallon headquarters in the North Gulch as well as the Turnberry project next to the MCC. Hell maybe even the old CC site as well.

[Paramount747]

Anything new on this yet?