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

[rookzie]

6 hours ago, nashvillwill said:

Seattle does something that I think the MTA should adopt. All busses are free within their CBD. Incoming/outgoing cost a fare, but if you stay within the CBD, it's free. I think this is a better solution that the green buses we currently have. Think of how often you see busses in the CBD, it's constant. You could catch any bus, going any direction and as long as you know where to get off, it's no charge. 

Of course, in order to work, that would require riders use a tag in/out system with a personal transit card. Why this isn't being used already is beyond me. 

 

6 hours ago, Flatrock said:

I've been thinking along similar lines Nashvillewill, but with an electric (quiet, no fumes) 'trolley car' / bus hybrid. A vehicle that's easy to hop on/off....runs constantly thru the CBD...is free, safe...and runs on extended (late night) hours Thurs - Sat. 

I, too, had become inclined to want the MTA to adopt Free-Zone rides of normal routes into the CBD, but even cities like Seattle, which had it for some 40 years and ended its program in 2012, have come to different terms.  Bus drivers had consistently supported eliminating the free-ride area, because allowing riders to board without paying had led to frequent fare evasion.  The zone's intention was to allow anyone riding any city bus within designated CBD boundaries to board at both front and rear doors and without having to pay, but it had become an ever mounting issue of confusion among passengers unfamiliar with the practice, and placing the responsibility on the drivers to collect fare from those who boarded outbound buses within the Free-Zone but who would ride outside the zone.  The Free-Zone privilege required riders to know when to pay on entry, on exit, or not at all, varying with bus direction and time of day.  So they reverted to universal pay-on-entry" for all riders, to reduce fare disputes which often ensued toward the end of a trip, when passengers sometimes would run off the bus without of paying.  It had reported that between one-third and one-half of assaults on bus drivers had been fare-related. 

I'd be for a combination of the All-Free-Ride circulators and a transit tap-card, similar to what both Seattle and San Francisco (buses and streetcars) has adopted to allow card bearers to tap their cards on the outside, then quickly enter through any set of doors.  I've witnessed it in action, and even with the likeliness of yet still some fare evasion, it does seem to speed up the fare collection process without having to rely on a totally honor-system basis of fare purchase at kiosks.  The biggest and most expensive issue would be to make such cards more readily available to the extent of becoming prevalent.  It would require phased application throughout the system, and from what I have read, card readers require proximity to some stationary transponders connected to fiber-optic communication for reliable, dedicated high-availability ─ again the need of more infrastructure.

Perhaps an optional and durable version of this same card, similar to the "Charlie Card" for Boston's MBTA, could be integrated with on-site parking and online fare transaction, to increase the value of these cards from a smart-phone, as well as from a kiosk.

Edited June 4, 2016 by rookzie

[grilled_cheese]

5 hours ago, Hey_Hey said:

I believe the next major system upgrade is going to be modernization of the payment system.  I would hope that it will be app based with Apple Pay/Android Pay capability and geotagged using the new GPS system each bus has.  That would let individual fares be priced based on distance travelled (there is currently an incentive to take your car for short trips because it costs more to take the bus) and would allow free transit zones.  Of course the data produced on routes, rider frequency and bus stops would be enormous and could be utilized to taylor service, alter schedules/stops, and even subsidize tickets through advertising fees (imagine a discounted service that you could use if you were willing to watch marketing for a business near the bus stops you frequent). 

This!  I still can't believe you can't swipe a CC/DC to pay for a ride.  You have to use one of their pre-paid cards, cash, or use their receipt cards.  Mind boggling.

[dmillsphoto]

Curio getting his done on the Cornerstone building

[rookzie]

9 minutes ago, grilled_cheese said:

This!  I still can't believe you can't swipe a CC/DC to pay for a ride.  You have to use one of their pre-paid cards, cash, or use their receipt cards.  Mind boggling.

You used to be able to do just that in 2007-2008, when the then-new Odyssey fare boxes had become common in buses, but within a couple of years the MTA discontinued it because of a high rate of failure and reported fraud in the actual fare deduction.  As usual, the MTA quietly and without announcement just made it vanish, as if it never had happened.  The CTA (Chicago) has installed boxes to collect fare with credit/debit cards, which contain the chip, and so they do not require scanning the stripe.  Both paper and old-style card readers have proven unreliable because of excessive wear in moving components, to the point of regular failure and constant delays.

MTA is in process of working to get use of such cards restored, but who knows when?  My guess is that, with these annual budget allocations, such as the recent one announced by the mayor, fare-collection upgrades are on the horizon in foremost in restructure, along with replacement of these now rickety coaches which seemed to have been new only a few years ago.

[Neigeville2]

28 minutes ago, grilled_cheese said:

This!  I still can't believe you can't swipe a CC/DC to pay for a ride.  You have to use one of their pre-paid cards, cash, or use their receipt cards.  Mind boggling.

It is striking that some countries, like Sweden, have moved to practically cashless economies while others, like us, haven't been able to implement modern technologies in many areas.  I suspect the bizarre fee schedules of American banks have something to do with it.  Use another bank's atm and your bank may charge you two bucks and the other bank, three.  To move a few electrons around.  Also the system for putting holds when you buy gas or something makes no sense and even the bank can't explain it to you.  Call the bank and they will tell you to call the company where you made the purchase; call them and they will tell you to call the bank.  We just haven't implemented this very well.

[titanhog]

4 minutes ago, Neigeville2 said:

It is striking that some countries, like Sweden, have moved to practically cashless economies while others, like us, haven't been able to implement modern technologies in many areas.  I suspect the bizarre fee schedules of American banks have something to do with it.  Use another bank's atm and your bank may charge you two bucks and the other bank, three.  To move a few electrons around.  Also the system for putting holds when you buy gas or something makes no sense and even the bank can't explain it to you.  Call the bank and they will tell you to call the company where you made the purchase; call them and they will tell you to call the bank.  We just haven't implemented this very well.

It's mostly because all of those useless fees are HUGE money for banks over time.

I paid off the balance on a card I had with a company so that I could turn around and make a purchase on that same card that would take up the entire limit (0% interest with 2 years to pay it off)...and I used my debit card to pay it off.  Well...a full week goes by and the balance still hadn't cleared.  Called the bank and they said it could take up to 14 days to clear...but finally spoke with a "higher up" at the bank that took the hold off immediately.  Asked him why they would make a customer wait 14 days and he said the bank (Synchrony) likes to hold onto the money as long as possible to earn more interest...even if it's a few days.  Said if you multiply all of the people with loans or cards...and hold onto their money for 2 more weeks...it adds up to millions, if not billions.

In other words...your money is not really yours to use as you please when it's in the bank.

[Bezoar]

Rezoning Req. from IR to SP-MU submitted for 1324 2nd Ave N, located in between Monroe and Taylor.  Site plan is interesting, and includes space for a grocery store, hotel, office, and other retail space:  http://maps.nashville.gov/MPC/2016/071416/2016SP-055-001_plan.pdf

[Nashvilletitans]

I  agree that we should not limit development to only a couple of streets but that is not the case today.  when we reach that point and may in a few years then we should carefully expand the high rise allowed area.  There still are announcements weekly of proposed large projects within  the core and this can continue for some time.  The odds are soon the fast construction boom will slow down.  Allowing nashville to adjust to this big change downtown and we can reevaluate the effects and continue on in this new direction.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Nashvilletitans

[BnaBreaker]

9 minutes ago, Bezoar said:

Rezoning Req. from IR to SP-MU submitted for 1324 2nd Ave N, located in between Monroe and Taylor.  Site plan is interesting, and includes space for a grocery store, hotel, office, and other retail space:  http://maps.nashville.gov/MPC/2016/071416/2016SP-055-001_plan.pdf

Sounds like a project that will bring some much needed amenities to the neighborhood!  Man, ten years ago who would've guessed that this piece of property would be such a hot commodity?  Look at what surrounds it on all sides.  You'd be laughed out of the room if you predicted that this would be a very popular neighborhood not too far into the future.  

[fxvol]

9 hours ago, Flatrock said:

I've been thinking along similar lines Nashvillewill, but with an electric (quiet, no fumes) 'trolley car' / bus hybrid. A vehicle that's easy to hop on/off....runs constantly thru the CBD...is free, safe...and runs on extended (late night) hours Thurs - Sat. 

Me too, Flatrock. I think that's a good idea.

[Guest]

Of course we all know that nothing, be it product or service, is free.

maybe some businesses or bars can sponsor such an idea.

[MidTenn1]

A rough idea on how a 20+ story Drury Hotel might fill that area of SoBro...

 

 

Edited June 4, 2016 by PHofKS

[grilled_cheese]

6 hours ago, nashville_bound said:

Of course we all know that nothing, be it product or service, is free.

maybe some businesses or bars can sponsor such an idea.

You mean this lunch isn't free?

[samsonh]

6 hours ago, nashville_bound said:

Of course we all know that nothing, be it product or service, is free.

maybe some businesses or bars can sponsor such an idea.

many already do sponsor the annoying go carts. Ideally we can get those off the street for something safer and with broader use. Sponsorship from downtown/midtown establishments could go much of the way.

[Neigeville2]

11 hours ago, grilled_cheese said:

You mean this lunch isn't free?

Nothing is free except airport security.

[donNdonelson2]

TSA 2016 41.2 billion...NOT free!

[markhollin]

Nice piece on living on Rolling Mill Hill:

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/homes/2016/06/05/rutledge-hill-area-offers-peaceful-downtown-living/84988250/

[Neigeville2]

Was out driving around today and I really like the golf carts.  Along with the rickshaws, they give the downtown area such a carefree, jaunty feel.

[markhollin]

14-story, 175-foot-tall, 238 room Margaritaville Hotel planned for SoBro at NW corner of Fifth South and Peabody (1/2 block south of Music City Center). Ground level will also include a restaurant, bar, and coffee shop. Garage will have capacity for 160 cars.  This will be on the block just west of the block that will house the Marriott TriBrand, The Joseph, and a Holiday Inn, all of which appear to be moving forward shortly. 

http://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/20781922/magaritaville-hotel-eyed-for-sobro

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2016/06/06/jimmy-buffett-margaritaville-hotel-yes-hotel.html?s=print

[dmillsphoto]

I'll boycott if it doesn't have the parrot at the entrance. I've already settled on Tony's 1818 Church St not having palm trees outside.

[titanhog]

3 minutes ago, dmillsphoto said:

I'll boycott if it doesn't have the peacock at the entrance. I've already settled on Tony's 1818 Church St not having palm trees outside.

Pretty sure that's meant to be a parrot...since Jimmy Buffett's followers are called "Parrot Heads"

[markhollin]

A developer is targeting a Germantown site for a project that would include a grocery store, a hotel, a food hall, and office space. To span about 400,000 square feet and rise six stories, the building also would include retail and structured parking spaces. The grocery space would be 48,740 square feet, a hotel of 89,450 square feet, a food hall/market spaces of 19,580 sq. ft., retail area of 17,180 sq. ft., and two office spaces of a collective approximately 195,000 square feet. The parking garage would be five levels and include 1,135 spaces.

Hastings and Associates will be the architect.  No rendering available yet. Price of land is said to be in the $13 million range.

http://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/20781900/germantown-site-could-land-grocery-hotel

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2016/06/06/grocery-store-hotel-and-retail-planned-germantown-site/85535892/

 

Here is Googlemap view of the massive block.  This project will serve as a great connector between what is currently happening in Germantown and the promised new development of the Neuhoff Packing Plant and environs along the Cumberland River to the east:

 

Goodwill Industries is the current primary tenant of the large warehouse which would be pulled down to make way for the development.

[dmillsphoto]

1 hour ago, titanhog said:

Pretty sure that's meant to be a parrot...since Jimmy Buffett's followers are called "Parrot Heads"

Yeah I edited after I figured that out...

[CenterHill]

With this one, you get parrots and palm trees!

Is there anything on the drawing board for the adjacent lot on the west?   Something to eventually cover up the big blank wall?     I also hope planning makes them lose or lower the 7 ft tall landscaping berm wall along KVB. 

 

Edited June 6, 2016 by CenterHill

[japan]

26 minutes ago, CenterHill said:

With this one, you get parrots and palm trees!

Is there anything on the drawing board for the adjacent lot on the west?   Something to eventually cover up the big blank wall?     I also hope planning makes them lose or lower the 7 ft tall landscaping berm wall along KVB. 

 

Maybe we can get a Hooters hotel in that spot.