River North, 105-acre Cowan Street corridor, Phase One: five 4-7 stories, 650 residences, 85 K sq. ft. retail, 50 K sq. ft. office, mile long riverfront park; Phase Two: two 12 story office buildings, pedestrian bridge across river

[Neigeville2]

My preference would be to have buildings of modest height along the river with heights climbing as you go towards the Dickerson Pk, mimicking the way the CBD rises behind the historic brick buildings along 1st and 2nd.  Tall buildings along the shore would just be a blank wall, less visually interesting.

Once the pedestrian bridge is built and a few hundred people are living, and park/water aspects are attracting people from all around, there it'll be easier for retail etc. to develop, and then a hotel and taller buildings.  Has to go in steps.

[Neigeville2]

On 7/3/2019 at 2:18 PM, PillowTalk4 said:

Maybe they should provide water taxis and gondola rides on the Cumberland and add an aerial tram with medium to large size  gondolas  that travels along the west bank to Germantown then crosses over the Cumberland to River North.  They can do a sky gondola like the one in Portland.  They claim they have 10K passengers per day on their aerial tram.  

 

There are many cities where gondolas and aerial trams are a part of the public transit system, I think it would work great if we had a loop running both sides of the riverfront which could be used by tourists but also by locals just getting around, like the free buses on 16th Ave. in Denver. 

[PillowTalk4]

I recently joined friends on one of the riverboat tours along the Potomac River in Washington, DC.  We boarded the boat on the waterfront in Georgetown.  The tour boat we were on was more of a social boat than the typical tour boat with multiple rows of seats.  The lower level was a bar with a dance area.  The upper deck, which was totally open air, had bench seating around the perimeter and larger sitting blocks running down the center that were designed to create conversation groups.  In other words, no theater style rows of seats.  In total there were approximately 30-40 people on the boat.  There was also a DJ playing music.  I took the pictures below and thought I'd share them because it made me think of the possibilities for Nashville.  I can see similar type of boats traveling up and down the Cumberland River when the River North project is further along in its development.  The two hour boat road didn't seem like two hours at all.  We initially traveled just north of Georgetown, then turned around and went south to just beyond the Memorial Bridge ending just beyond the Lincoln Memorial.  

Rosslyn, Arlington, VA (across the Potomac River from Georgetown)

 

Rosslyn / Francis Scott Key Bridge                                                                                                                                                                                                Kennedy Center

   

 

Washington Monument/Lincoln Memorial                                                                                                                                                          Lincoln Memorial

   

 

Georgetown Waterfront

   

Edited August 7, 2019 by PillowTalk4

[markhollin]

Matthew Robinson, the principal at MRP Realty, which 3 months ago bought a 16 acre slice of River North for $42.5 million, said he's aiming to make a statement at the outset, front-loading what could be a three-phase project instead of spacing out various buildings more evenly. Robinson also revealed new details about the project's first phase, which will include 650 apartments, 90,000 square feet of retail and 50,000 square feet of office. A 4-acre public park will run directly along the riverfront, with plans calling for a pedestrian bridge to Germantown.

Robinson disclosed the price tag for that first phase ($220 million), MRP's contractor (Archer Western), the expected start and end date (beginning of the second quarter in 2020; opening about two years later), and status of financing (equity secured, construction loan to follow as that work nears).

Here is some of the Q&A:

You're talking about going big right out of the gate. Why? Just doing one building would be disastrous. The first phase has to be pretty large, because we're setting the standard for a new submarket. … Most people wouldn't start with 650 [apartment] units. That's a lot to bring online at the same time. But you kind of have to start with scale when you develop a place. It’s an Opportunity Zone, so we have a 10-year horizon. We’re making decisions for the long-term.

How do you see this all unfolding?  River North overall, I think you'll see a lot more high-rises later. We're able to go up to 34 stories. But first you need to establish the place, create an environment where people want to be. You lead with residential and retail. And then the office will come, and the office brings along hotels. It daisy-chains along. … We're trying to build a brand, and putting a limited-service hotel there is not on-brand. Hotel operators need to see the office employment over there before they come in.

Given its size and location, River North is a logical contender for big office relocations. If one of those lands in your new backyard, how would that change your thinking? We need to go on something now. If a company like Oracle were to land behind us, we'd probably go higher-density. Our base-level assumption is that we can do more [apartments] in the next phase. But all of a sudden, if Oracle was behind us, we'd probably go with more office.

More behind the NBJ paywall here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/10/04/developer-of-220m-river-north-site-its-basically-a.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

 

[OnePointEast]

Why are they assuming a company like Oracle. Matthew obviously has something hidden from the public and it smells tasty from the looks of it.

[Ingram]

2 hours ago, markhollin said:

Matthew Robinson, the principal at MRP Realty, which 3 months ago bought a 16 acre slice of River North for $42.5 million, said he's aiming to make a statement at the outset, front-loading what could be a three-phase project instead of spacing out various buildings more evenly. Robinson also revealed new details about the project's first phase, which will include 650 apartments, 90,000 square feet of retail and 50,000 square feet of office. A 4-acre public park will run directly along the riverfront, with plans calling for a pedestrian bridge to Germantown.

Robinson disclosed the price tag for that first phase ($220 million), MRP's contractor (Archer Western), the expected start and end date (beginning of the second quarter in 2020; opening about two years later), and status of financing (equity secured, construction loan to follow as that work nears).

Here is some of the Q&A:

You're talking about going big right out of the gate. Why? Just doing one building would be disastrous. The first phase has to be pretty large, because we're setting the standard for a new submarket. … Most people wouldn't start with 650 [apartment] units. That's a lot to bring online at the same time. But you kind of have to start with scale when you develop a place. It’s an Opportunity Zone, so we have a 10-year horizon. We’re making decisions for the long-term.

How do you see this all unfolding?  River North overall, I think you'll see a lot more high-rises later. We're able to go up to 34 stories. But first you need to establish the place, create an environment where people want to be. You lead with residential and retail. And then the office will come, and the office brings along hotels. It daisy-chains along. … We're trying to build a brand, and putting a limited-service hotel there is not on-brand. Hotel operators need to see the office employment over there before they come in.

Given its size and location, River North is a logical contender for big office relocations. If one of those lands in your new backyard, how would that change your thinking? We need to go on something now. If a company like Oracle were to land behind us, we'd probably go higher-density. Our base-level assumption is that we can do more [apartments] in the next phase. But all of a sudden, if Oracle was behind us, we'd probably go with more office.

More behind the NBJ paywall here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/10/04/developer-of-220m-river-north-site-its-basically-a.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

 

 

Ah! Howe Daaaarrreee They!

Now where are the pearls?

Edited October 4, 2019 by Ingram
misspelling

[LA_TN]

14 hours ago, markhollin said:

But all of a sudden, if Oracle was behind us, we'd probably go with more office.

Hmmmmmm, well that goes along with what I heard

[OnePointEast]

5 minutes ago, LA_TN said:

Hmmmmmm, well that goes along with what I heard

Can you tell us? Or is that not to disclose to the public?

[LA_TN]

18 minutes ago, OnePointEast said:

Can you tell us? Or is that not to disclose to the public?

Monthly meeting is 10am, first Saturday of every month! 

[OnePointEast]

35 minutes ago, LA_TN said:

Monthly meeting is 10am, first Saturday of every month! 

Thanks, @LA_TN. I would love to join, only problem is I work in the restaurant industry and put it in 65 hours weekly or more. It's quite brutal at times.

[LA_TN]

10 hours ago, OnePointEast said:

Thanks, @LA_TN. I would love to join, only problem is I work in the restaurant industry and put it in 65 hours weekly or more. It's quite brutal at times.

I feel your pain!

[OnePointEast]

10 minutes ago, LA_TN said:

I feel your pain!

No worries, maybe someday. Hahaha

[markhollin]

Cherokee Marine Terminal will close its large facility at the end of February 2020 that sits within the The Landings at River North footprint. The plans are for the company to relocate to a new site near Ashland City.  MRP Realty, the group behind The Landings,  purchased the 13 acre 502 Cowan site for $42.5 million in July.

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21104152/company-within-rivernorth-site-sets-closing-date

 

 

[downtownresident]

I found the Water/Sewer availability study pdf for the Landings at River North's first three buildings  

https://epermits.nashville.gov/download.aspx?id=292727

Total Units: 651.

32 studio, 379 one bedroom, 232 two bedroom, 8 three bedroom.

82,935 sq foot of office.

32,804 sq foot of retail.

38,000 sq foot of restaurant space.

13,000 sq foot commercial gym.

Appears to be for the circled area:

[MLBrumby]

FYI... just a little bit on the John Shelby, whose estate is still referred to in the plats on the map. 

https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/john-shelby/

[markhollin]

Diagram submitted for The Landings at River North. As dowtownresident stated, there will be 3 new buildings, along with the 119,645 sq. ft. Mainland Marine warehouse which will be converted.

The 651 total residential units is substantial along with all the other items. 

The 38000 sq. ft. of restaurant space states total capacity of 1,900 patrons, so these are some major eateries (my guess is the majority will all have river views).

Can't wait to see renderings.

[KariKnux]

This is one of the developments I'm most looking forward to. Having just moved here, it seems like Nashville doesn't have a ton of master-planned mixed use ("live, work, play") developments, but it seems like this development would definitely classify.

I wonder what Oracle's impact would be on it, though. I feel like their campuses tend to be more low/mid-rise sprawling campuses whose amenities are more aimed at those who actually work there (see their new Austin campus, for example). Though I'm sure the development activity that it would spur would be very welcome. Maybe I'm just hopeful that their (likely overly optimistic) renderings of high rises and open space would come to fruition.

Edited February 1, 2020 by KariKnux

[markhollin]

7 minutes ago, KariKnux said:

This is one of the developments I'm most looking forward to. Having just moved here, it seems like Nashville doesn't have a ton of master-planned mixed use ("live, work, play") developments, but it seems like this development would definitely classify.

 

Welcome to Nashville, and welcome to the forum, KariKnux!   : )

[KariKnux]

Thanks! Coming from the Nova/DC area and I'm pretty sure I was the only one who followed development news around there.... It's awesome having so many people keeping us updated (especially you and smeagolsfree!) with news and pictures. Looking forward for what's to come!

[smeagolsfree]

Welcome to the Forum! We just had our monthly forum meet today which occurs the first Saturday of the month. The details are in the Dave Luna Forum meet thread. 

Please drop by as we would enjoy meeting you.

We have a very active lively bunch here.

[markhollin]

Looking south along Cumberland River from shoreline of site:

Looking north along Cumberland River from shoreline of site:

Inside one quadrant of the huge 60,000+ sq. ft. Midland Marine Warehouse that is going to be converted into restaurant/retail space.

[nashvylle]

I thought oracle for sure was coming here, as it was told to me, but now who knows. 

[BnaBreaker]

5 hours ago, nashvylle said:

I thought oracle for sure was coming here, as it was told to me, but now who knows. 

Were you told this before or after Mayor Cooper allegedly got involved?

[nashvylle]

2 hours ago, BnaBreaker said:

Were you told this before or after Mayor Cooper allegedly got involved?

Both, but got less and less certain as cooper took the reins 

[Nathan_in_DC]

On ‎2‎/‎1‎/‎2020 at 11:21 PM, KariKnux said:

Thanks! Coming from the Nova/DC area and I'm pretty sure I was the only one who followed development news around there.... It's awesome having so many people keeping us updated (especially you and smeagolsfree!) with news and pictures. Looking forward for what's to come!

I spent 5 years in NOVA (Arlington and Alexandria) before moving to the UK. If I recall correctly there was one other poster on the Nashville forum that lived in the area! Welcome to Nashville, though!