Inner Loop - CBD, Downtown, East Bank, Germantown, Gulch, Rutledge

[MLBrumby]

That's mostly true.  I have never completely liked the banal, unoriginal twin spires (there's a similar building in Melbourne, AUS, which actually looks more like "Batman") and the omnipresent ESa pre-cast concrete pilasters and aluminum spandrels.  And the whole cheating thing on the height of the building is something I've never liked from the first time I saw the rendering in the newspaper (which was actually when I was at Vandy btw). 

 

Regarding the aforementioned atrium, considering that it is such a prominent feature of the wider elevations, they (on both sides) are a huge part of the appearance of the building. I will admit that I do (generally) like the buildings striking "reach" when looking directly at the "thin" sides.  That's a long way of saying, I really don't like most of the building.

 

Finally, I think the way the building sits at street level is criminal... looking far more like a suburban office park than an important tower in a central business district. As we like to say on this board, it hardly addresses the streets where it sits without a commanding presence (compared to Pinnacle, AT&T is a failure). However, I give it a D+, because from certain angles on the skyline, it's fine.

Edited April 18, 2013 by MLBrumby

[BnaBreaker]

Thanks for sharing those!  It looks great.  I love the little post lamps along the street.  Unique little highlights like that are the types of things that make a neighborhood memorable.

[bigeasy]

The Omni hotel is hideous from this angle.

[volsfanwill]

^I thought the exact same thing

[nashvillwill]

The Omni hotel is hideous from this angle.

So is the CC.

[Guest 5th & Main Urbanite]

That's mostly true.  I have never completely liked the banal, unoriginal twin spires (there's a similar building in Melbourne, AUS, which actually looks more like "Batman") and the omnipresent ESa pre-cast concrete pilasters and aluminum spandrels.  And the whole cheating thing on the height of the building is something I've never liked from the first time I saw the rendering in the newspaper (which was actually when I was at Vandy btw). 

 

Regarding the aforementioned atrium, considering that it is such a prominent feature of the wider elevations, they (on both sides) are a huge part of the appearance of the building. I will admit that I do (generally) like the buildings striking "reach" when looking directly at the "thin" sides.  That's a long way of saying, I really don't like most of the building.

 

Finally, I think the way the building sits at street level is criminal... looking far more like a suburban office park than an important tower in a central business district. As we like to say on this board, it hardly addresses the streets where it sits without a commanding presence (compared to Pinnacle, AT&T is a failure). However, I give it a D+, because from certain angles on the skyline, it's fine.

 

 

Okay, this is a bit weird but I actually find myself agreeing with ML for the second or third time this week!

 

By far, the most relevant skyscraper in Nashville besides the L&C Tower, is the Pinnacle. The ATT Building, although parts of it are attractive,  does not address the street, and the attempt at a park is a bit ridiculous. The fake height has always irritated me a bit as well. The actual highest occupied floor is at the 527 foot mark. There is 90 feet of dead space and decoration. 617 feet is really a stretch and according to the CTBUH (Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat) spires do not count. The actual height is sidewalk to roof. Sidewalk to tip of spire is another measurement, and is, for a lack of a better term,  fake. The RSA Battle Tower in Mobile, AL is a perfect example. It boasts 750 feet, but over 100 feet is spire and decoration.

 

Granted, there is some dead space up at the top of The Pinnacle as well, but it does not involve the twin spire cliche'

[UTgrad09]

It's far from beautiful, but I can think of many, many more buildings in Nashville (from any given angle) that I would label "hideous" before that. If that is hideous, what adjective do you use to describe the base of the James K Polk building? Or the Parkway Towers?

[bwithers1]

I wouldn't say that the Omni is hideous, just generic, which cannot be said for the Convention Center.

 

On the topic of the Ben West library, has anyone seen that campus on Foster Ave that is considered for the land swap?  That site is close to where I work, so I took a spin over there recently.  It is stunning.  I am not sure how many of those buildings Metro is getting, but if it is the whole site, then that is a steal for the tiny lot that houses the Ben West library.  Does someone know specifically which buildings are discussed in the land swap?  The building that actually houses Nashville School of the Arts is OK, but a lot of the other buildings are terrific brick buildings, many with historic details, on a pretty nice grassy campus that seems to cover several acres. 

Edited April 18, 2013 by bwithers1

[bwithers1]

No, but it does involve the Wedding Cake cliche.  The Pinnacle should have been about 5 or 10 stories taller instead of having a fancy billboard hat.

[barakat]

Ben West Library - I'm surprised there's been so little discussion/interest in adaptive re-use of the building.  It seems few people see any value in it.  It actually has some impressive qualities, including the huge windows, and the upstairs exterior balcony around the perimeter.  I could see a restaurant going in part of the space, easily.  Or a gallery, or a performance space.  I'd be curious to see what would happen if the building were placed on the market with the condition it be reutilized.  

[Hwil3]

It looks more like a Maryland Farms or Cool Springs office building than it does a hotel. Sad that it's the "anchor" hotel for MCC.

[UTgrad09]

I wouldn't say that the Omni is hideous, just generic, which cannot be said for the Convention Center.

 

On the topic of the Ben West library, has anyone seen that campus on Foster Ave that is considered for the land swap?  That site is close to where I work, so I took a spin over there recently.  It is stunning.  I am not sure how many of those buildings Metro is getting, but if it is the whole site, then that is a steal for the tiny lot that houses the Ben West library.  Does someone know specifically which buildings are discussed in the land swap?  The building that actually houses Nashville School of the Arts is OK, but a lot of the other buildings are terrific brick buildings, many with historic details, on a pretty nice grassy campus that seems to cover several acres.

I agree...which is why I can understand the deal from Metro's perspective. I'm not sure exactly what is involved, but it's both the land for NSA and the old Tennessee Preparatory School...so it is a good bit of land.

I do think it's a shame that the state only wants the library so they can have it as a surface parking lot...but for practical purposes, Metro comes out way, way ahead in this deal.

The library will certainly be an urban casualty...but let's face it, it's not like it will be an obstacle for development in that corner of downtown. There's nothing really going on up that way anyways.

It looks more like a Maryland Farms or Cool Springs office building than it does a hotel. Sad that it's the "anchor" hotel for MCC.

Aside from being probably 5x as tall as anything in Maryland Farms and twice as tall as anything in Cool Springs and being built right up to the street, sure.

[Hwil3]

Still an architectural snoozer IMHO.

[arkitekte]

Still an architectural snoozer IMHO.

 

It's a hotel built on a budget without any real competition...why would it be anything but a snoozer? It is better than a parking lot though.  I won't complain over the overuse of precast concrete. 

[UTgrad09]

Still an architectural snoozer IMHO.

I'm fine with that opinion. I'm not fine with Cool Springs, or most especially Maryland Farms comparisons.

[G...yNot?]

I'm fine with that opinion. I'm not fine with Cool Springs, or most especially Maryland Farms comparisons.

What a fine conversationalist you are!

Edited April 19, 2013 by G...yNot?

[smeagolsfree]

Welcome to the board G...yNot?.  Interesting name, LOL . Looking forward to more from you.

[TNinVB]

Hello everyone back home in Nashville!  I was wondering if someone could get some good night shots of the MCC?  I can only see it from the OxBlue cam here in Virginia Beach.  I hope to be able to make it home for a visit in May to check out all of the exciting things going on in Nashville and possibly attend a forum meeting.  Thanks in advance for anyone able to snap some pics for me 

[TNinVB]

Oh and I forgot to ask, looking at the park across from the CMHOF, it looks like part of it has been ripped up closest to the sidewalk.  Anyone know what is going on?  I can only see if from the OxBlue cam and at first I thought the grass was dead lol.

[smeagolsfree]

I think they may be getting ready to plant flowers. Not real sure, but it is that time of year. I noticed it last week myself.

[NashRugger]

They ripped up a large section of Japanese Yew bushes because a number of them were diseased and dying.

[smeagolsfree]

The one thing that really ticks me off about Metro is the fact they do all this nice landscaping in places and then don't maintain it. If they would spend the money on maintaining half of the stuff they plant, then it would not die. Centennial Park is a prime example. Metro also allows a  lot of poor choices as far as plant selection in various projects, however the plants around the MCC seem to fit the bill the way its designed.

Another thing is they have a huge work force available for chain gangs or whatever and there are more weeds and trash around the jail than anywhere in DT.

[NashRugger]

Well it was a two-part thing really. People loved to throw trash and "injure" the plants. The 2nd, and biggest, is the climate here is particularly tough in the summer, last year and year before with exceptional heat and drought, took their toll on the Japanese Yews. They're not good urban jungle plants, obviously, and I expect the other clump of them to go soon as well.

 

My personal view is good riddance because I think they were a bad choice for the location, plus they do better in shade/part sun around these parts.

[TNinVB]

Thanks for the info guys!

[smeagolsfree]

Not sure but I think I saw 2 crane bases for this project.