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

[fieldmarshaldj]

Used to go in the 1117 Church Street building a lot back in the '80s and '90s when it was the local AAA office to stock up on tourbooks and Triptiks. I'll be sad if they demolish it.

[smeagolsfree]

No they were not. It was to be done by the same group that did the development in Sylvan Park that made all the neighbors mad. The Carter Group is just a contractor, not a developer. This particular property was sold 8 or so months ago to another group.

[CenterHill]

I noticed some core drilling on the TriBrand hotel site on KVB earlier today.    At least I think it was that site - SE corner of KVB and 5th.     

Drilling has continued all week at the old convention center along 5th and today along Commerce.  

[Guest]

I am curious and not well-versed on core drilling... should they not already know the substrate conditions at the old Convention Center site? I mean, prior to actually building the current NCC, core drilling would have been completed and would these records not still be available? What are they hoping to find? Are they core drilling for deeper foundations? Thanks

Edited March 23, 2016 by Guest

[CenterHill]

1 hour ago, nashville_bound said:

I am curious and not well-versed on cored drilling... should they not already know the substrate conditions at the old Convention Center site? I mean, prior to actually building the current NCC, core drilling have been completed and would not this records still be available? What are they hoping to find? Are the core drilling for deeper foundations? Thanks

You ask good questions and I'm sure someone on this board can answer knowledgeably.   I wondered the same thing about the CC drilling.   The excavation in which the existing structure sits is already several stories deep (photo below of 1985 excavation).    The current drilling is taking place along the sidewalk edges, so maybe the Emery group is contemplating going even deeper in places.    

Another explanation is that the new development contemplates a tower at the corner of 5th and Commerce, which is where the drilling is taking place.    The tower will require an entirely different foundational structure than the current subterranean exhibit hall.     

Edited March 23, 2016 by CenterHill

[wmaddbb2018]

Hilton Canopy on Deck?

[MLBrumby]

I read WW's report, but don't recall where that is supposed to go... North Gulch?  

[titanhog]

In the NBJ, they have a locked article talking about a 3.9 acre site in SoBro that Aubrey Preston's son has a contract on.  Listed for $25 mil.  NBJ says a high rise could go there.

Anyone know exactly where this land is and how high they can build?

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2016/03/site-for-potential-high-rise-in-sobro-set-to-sell.html

[markhollin]

^ ^ ^ Here is the location of 825 Sixth Avenue South from the article on our Urban Planet Nashville Development Map by Smeagolsfree. It is primarily a massive warehouse and adjoining parking lot at this point:

 

[nashwatcher]

34 minutes ago, titanhog said:

In the NBJ, they have a locked article talking about a 3.9 acre site in SoBro that Aubrey Preston's son has a contract on.  Listed for $25 mil.  NBJ says a high rise could go there.

Anyone know exactly where this land is and how high they can build?

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2016/03/site-for-potential-high-rise-in-sobro-set-to-sell.html

825 6th Ave S. Right now there are height limits of I believe 8 stories for this area. With the Division St Extension investment it really should be increased. Hopefully someone in our government moves on making this happen. We could have towers all along the outer loop if we change the height limits.

[smeagolsfree]

3 hours ago, wreynol4 said:

Hilton Canopy on Deck?

It was on Construction Wire bid site. Now that info is not always reliable, but a lot of time it is. A location for it has yet TBD as far as we know. Get Ann reported on a Canopy about 18 months ago.

 

2 hours ago, titanhog said:

In the NBJ, they have a locked article talking about a 3.9 acre site in SoBro that Aubrey Preston's son has a contract on.  Listed for $25 mil.  NBJ says a high rise could go there.

Anyone know exactly where this land is and how high they can build?

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2016/03/site-for-potential-high-rise-in-sobro-set-to-sell.html

The address is 625 6th Ave South. This is the large warehouse there. Now Preston Aubreyes has 00% experience in development. He will have to rely on his Dad for a lot for this one and if something happens there, they will have to have experienced development partners.

[FrankNash]

^^^Anything that the Preston family develops will be top notch. This is a very sophisticated family. I would say it will have a music element.

[titanhog]

3 minutes ago, FrankNash said:

^^^Anything that the Preston family develops will be top notch. This is a very sophisticated family. I would say it will have a music element.

So...you're saying we'll finally get that guitar-shaped tower, huh?  Nice...

[nvestnbna]

6 hours ago, nashwatcher said:

825 6th Ave S. Right now there are height limits of I believe 8 stories for this area. With the Division St Extension investment it really should be increased. Hopefully someone in our government moves on making this happen. We could have towers all along the outer loop if we change the height limits.

More height = inclusionary housing, why not let the market determine height / density?

[smeagolsfree]

Sorry , posted the wrong address. Brain is melting. 

[smeagolsfree]

Core drilling at tri brand Marriott site today.

[Nashvilletitans]

On March 24, 2016 at 9:43 PM, nvestnbna said:

More height = inclusionary housing, why not let the market determine height / density?

I have a problem with not having some height limitations on some areas of downtown/new midtown area.  We cannot let market or the owner of the property be the one to determine height of buildings.  Just a few years ago we had height and floor area limitations(FAR 5 to 1) that kept all but a few downtown areas short in height. then with the downtown code those old ideas got tossed out.  Now many areas of downtown can be 8 floors minimum or 12 and many 25 to 30 floors.  There are now 100's to 1000's of parcels that can have very tall buildings.  If there is not a master plan of heights limits then towers will pop up everywhere.  No one is even talking about what this does to traffic, parking, and transportation and quality of life to our city.  More and taller is not always better if it is not planned.  As far as I see it no one has any idea of how traffic and parking and transportation visions will deal with this fast vertical growth.  Once we built we are stuck with the negatives they may creat.  We can build density but we need ideas to deal with the negative impact of fast unplanned growth.  Be aware that by by changing properties from FAR of 5 to 1 ratios to 25 floors makes the property valuable for sale purposes(zoning rights).  This benefits owners of properties and developers who want to make quick sales of condos etc.  But where is our traffic and parking and transportation plans for any of these projects.  Sometimes we need to say no to projects on some locations.

[titanhog]

2 minutes ago, Nashvilletitans said:

I have a problem with not having some height limitations on some areas of downtown/new midtown area.  We cannot let market or the owner of the property be the one to determine height of buildings.  Just a few years ago we had height and floor area limitations(FAR 5 to 1) that kept all but a few downtown areas short in height. then with the downtown code those old ideas got tossed out.  Now many areas of downtown can be 8 floors minimum or 12 and many 25 to 30 floors.  There are now 100's to 1000's of parcels that can have very tall buildings.  If there is not a master plan of heights limits then towers will pop up everywhere.  No one is even talking about what this does to traffic, parking, and transportation and quality of life to our city.  More and taller is not always better if it is not planned.  As far as I see it no one has any idea of how traffic and parking and transportation visions will deal with this fast vertical growth.  Once we built we are stuck with the negatives they may creat.  We can build density but we need ideas to deal with the negative impact of fast unplanned growth.  Be aware that by by changing properties from FAR of 5 to 1 ratios to 25 floors makes the property valuable for sale purposes(zoning rights).  This benefits owners of properties and developers who want to make quick sales of condos etc.  But where is our traffic and parking and transportation plans for any of these projects.  Sometimes we need to say no to projects on some locations.

I think most are just saying there are certain areas, especially within the DT loop, where the current zoning does not make sense and where limiting a building to 8 floors on one block...30 on the next...and unlimited on the next...really makes no sense.  I personally believe most of the loop should be unlimited height...but with strict "street level" guidance...other than a few areas (LoBro, Germantown, parts of Rutledge Hill).  Midtown should be allowed to have a few areas of unlimited height...but be a little more restrictive than DT (for now).  That's just my opinion, though.

And yes...there needs to be a much better traffic / parking plan...and part of that goes back to our lack of mass transit.

[nashwatcher]

6 minutes ago, titanhog said:

I think most are just saying there are certain areas, especially within the DT loop, where the current zoning does not make sense and where limiting a building to 8 floors on one block...30 on the next...and unlimited on the next...really makes no sense.  I personally believe most of the loop should be unlimited height...but with strict "street level" guidance...other than a few areas (LoBro, Germantown, parts of Rutledge Hill).  Midtown should be allowed to have a few areas of unlimited height...but be a little more restrictive than DT (for now).  That's just my opinion, though.

And yes...there needs to be a much better traffic / parking plan...and part of that goes back to our lack of mass transit.

Exactly. Within the DT loop the 8 and 12 floor limits need to be changed. At least to 15-20 floors. Especially when a block away the height limit might be 30 floors. Developers across the country are looking to invest in Nashville and this might be a multi-generational opportunity, as one poster mentioned, to get some real density in our downtown and have a truly vibrant urban fabric.

[Nashvilletitans]

9 minutes ago, titanhog said:

I think most are just saying there are certain areas, especially within the DT loop, where the current zoning does not make sense and where limiting a building to 8 floors on one block...30 on the next...and unlimited on the next...really makes no sense.  I personally believe most of the loop should be unlimited height...but with strict "street level" guidance...other than a few areas (LoBro, Germantown, parts of Rutledge Hill).  Midtown should be allowed to have a few areas of unlimited height...but be a little more restrictive than DT (for now).  That's just my opinion, though.

And yes...there needs to be a much better traffic / parking plan...and part of that goes back to our lack of mass transit.

 

[Nashvilletitans]

You say there there needs to be a better traffic plan.   I am not aware of any traffic plan that truly addresses the density we are quickly creating.  I would not be surprised that areas will become grid locked once all the building are occupied.  And finding a parking space may become very difficult.  and if you want to get around in the midtown without a car -good luck on that plan.  Where are the transportation lanes to get people in and out of town.  It already takes perhaps 15 to 30 minutes longer to commute many places in nashville.  what happens when traffic hardly moves at rush hour.  Some of this is avoidable if we we build according to a plan.  But building base on demand is a bad plan unless you are selling your property.

I am excited as much as anyone about the growth of nashville and downtown nashville but I will be sad if this growths turns us into Nashlanta.  

[nashwatcher]

9 minutes ago, Nashvilletitans said:

You say there there needs to be a better traffic plan.   I am not aware of any traffic plan that truly addresses the density we are quickly creating.  I would not be surprised that areas will become grid locked once all the building are occupied.  And finding a parking space may become very difficult.  and if you want to get around in the midtown without a car -good luck on that plan.  Where are the transportation lanes to get people in and out of town.  It already takes perhaps 15 to 30 minutes longer to commute many places in nashville.  what happens when traffic hardly moves at rush hour.  Some of this is avoidable if we we build according to a plan.  But building base on demand is a bad plan unless you are selling your property.

I am excited as much as anyone about the growth of nashville and downtown nashville but I will be sad if this growths turns us into Nashlanta.  

Increasing the floor height within the downtown loop isn't going to turn us into Nashlanta. It will only allow us to capitalize on the opportunity to create a dense fabric on the investment dollars of those around the country. If we can manage 150,000 people on New Years downtown, we can manage an extra couple thousand residents. Our city is thriving. Transportation technology is coming. There was an article in the Tennessean last week about how Uber/Lyft are making getting in and out of downtown better. Investment dollars are going to be spent on improving the transportation system in the years to come. I understand the concern about traffic, but we don't want to miss out on the opportunity we currently have being in the national spotlight due to fear. The upside of creating a dynamic, walkable, thriving downtown is too high to turn away from.

[Nashvilletitans]

I believe we need high density in down town loop.  but not all property should be high density.  I just believe developers should buy property with an understanding what the current zoning allows.  Build what the zoning allows.  If the developer wants a taller building than property is zoned for then don't buy it.  There is a lot of property that is available for tall buildings.  Buy within what the city plan allows  and not change it because a developer bought a cheaper property not zoned and then gets an upgrade in zoning rights.  Stick within the master plan.  Every street in the downtown loop should not be the same.  The downtown loop is large and can have different character in some areas.  Start putting 25 story buildings in 8 story areas and that changes things and not necessarily for the better.   I love tall buildings but a hierarchy of building heights based on a plan and a location is better.  I do not want nashville to change into a downtown of just scattered high rises.   Somewhat random growth is not desirable.  We are not New York City where every property needs to be tall.  

Also if some properties have lower zoning rights they should be cheaper to purchase and develop which also creates an  opportunity for a variety of development, which also is good for a vibrant downtown.

[nvestnbna]

On March 23, 2016 at 3:42 PM, nashwatcher said:

825 6th Ave S. Right now there are height limits of I believe 8 stories for this area. With the Division St Extension investment it really should be increased. Hopefully someone in our government moves on making this happen. We could have towers all along the outer loop if we change the height limits.

825 6th Ave S. has applied to "Amend Special Policy 09-T6-DN-GS-01 and 09-T6-DN-LF-01 to allow high rise development" Case # 2016CP-009-001

Edited March 28, 2016 by nvestnbna
additional info

[TNinVB]

There was an interesting article in the Tennessean yesterday (sorry I don't have the link) with Earl Swensson talking about Nashvilles current building boom and why the Batman building is built the way it is. I've always heard the story of the top section resembling a phone sitting in its cradle but never heard that the spires or "horns" as he called them were actually intended to be utilized by WSM and WLAC as communication towers.  Also the main design revolved around wind resistance. The lawyers (I'm guessing for Southcentral Bell) said that people were not allowed into the building other than employees and that WSM and WLAC using the spires was a no go. And I'd always thought they were only decorative elements. 

Edited March 28, 2016 by TNinVB