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

[titanhog]

What would have been really cool was if the MCC had a few "retail" fronted rooms facing the streets ringing the center.  I know that's probably not typical, but it sure would have been a cool way to further enhance street-level activation.

[Hey_Hey]

17 minutes ago, titanhog said:

What would have been really cool was if the MCC had a few "retail" fronted rooms facing the streets ringing the center.  I know that's probably not typical, but it sure would have been a cool way to further enhance street-level activation.

They did initially on the KVB side, but shortly before or after it opened the decision was made to turn those spaces into the offices for the center because of the retail market wasn't there.  In a couple years, I think we'll all agree that this was a missed opportunity to activate the KVB side. 

[PillowTalk4]

I actually wish Metro Center had lived up to its original intent.  Victor Johnson Jr. former owner and CEO of Aladdin industries had what many believed to have been a very eccentric vision to build a city within a city called Metro Center.  Either Aladdin or the Johnson's owned the land and their goal was to develop it.   In the very first building built in Metro Center which I believed was called and may still be called Nashville House (it's the 80's contemporary building that sits right below I-65), there were plans for what Metro Center was supposed to evolve into.  It was initially controlled by Aladdin Industries and/ or its owner Victor Johnson Jr.  His vision called for creating an environment in which people lived, worked, went to school, shopped, worshiped and played all in one area.  There was a rendering that depicted Metro Center with several high rise office and apartment buildings.  The rendering had a futuristic skyline that easily eclipsed the downtown skyline at that time.  There was a complex for shopping that was supposed to surround the lake.  And, there was a K-12 school that was supposed to be specifically for kids living in Metro Center.  The Ted Rhodes Golf Course would be incorporated into Metro Center along with other recreational activities like tennis courts, an aquatic center, and open park space.  Incorporating water into the landscaping of a lot of the buildings was also important.  This is why you see water around some of the buildings built during Metro Center's early days.

I'm not sure when Aladdin gave up on the full scope of Metro Center, but it was clear that it was not going to be what they envisioned, at least not to the scale they wanted.  The perimeter of Metro Center had already become more like a warehouse district.  So, they begin selling property and eventually having no interest in the development.  Probably because Aladdin Industries was going down the drain.  

Metro Center in my opinion became an urban suburban office park.  I worked in Metro Center from the early 80's through 1998.  So, I saw a lot of ups and downs with the area.  It seems to be on a tick upwards again.  But, it probably will never be the city within a city that Victor Johnson visioned.

[PillowTalk4]

41 minutes ago, titanhog said:

What would have been really cool was if the MCC had a few "retail" fronted rooms facing the streets ringing the center.  I know that's probably not typical, but it sure would have been a cool way to further enhance street-level activation.

The Washington, D.C. convention Center has retail and restaurants on one side.  Its been a hit and miss as to what works.  But as the area continues to evolve I'm sure that will change.  But, I agree having shops and restaurants would have been far more pleasing than seeing what essentially looks like the back of a building facing a major thoroughfare. 

[claya91]

4 hours ago, GreenHillsBoy said:

It would only be a full block from the new MDHA parking garage to this part of 5th Avenue.  When downtown I usually park for free near the Christ Episcopal Church on 9th and Broadway and walk a whole 6-7 blocks that will take maybe 6-7 minutes.  It is hard for me to understand how people won't walk a short distance, other than those handicapped or elderly.  Of course, I see young, clearly healthy people circle the Green Hills Y to find a parking spot near the entrance...and they are going to work out!

Those are the type of people that curl in the squat rack. Hate 'em! 

Edited December 21, 2016 by claya91

[rookzie]

Thanks, PillowTalk4, for the historic reference to the conception of Metro Center.  I used to work at Werthan Industies (Werthan Lofts), and occasionally would drive a truck (1970, during college summer break) to that bend, before it became Metro Center.  Back then part of that undeveloped wasteland, literally had been just that ─ a city land-fill ─ and we used to dump there next to the large loaders and dozers.  There also had been a public boat slip ramp at about what used to be Ninth Ave., but that had been closed I believe back in the mid-1960s.

I also had worked at the Aladdin plant off Murfreesboro Road briefly as a machinist, during its initiative for that development, although of course my petty presence had nothing to do with their "Synergistics" operation planned at that "Nashville House".  I did manage to mosey over and grab a few poor shots from that immediate area, prior to the construction of that building, when RR tracks led up to and under the then-recently opened northern portion of the inner loop former named I-265 connector (now simply I-65).  That private car had been a planning office for the development.

 

[fieldmarshaldj]

3 hours ago, rookzie said:

 

Is that Mama Rookzie ?

[rookzie]

2 minutes ago, fieldmarshaldj said:

Is that Mama Rookzie ?

I dunno who that "chyle" was.  She likely was an attendant hired to work in that RR office car. -==-

[17thandFisk]

I remember going to Metro Center as a kid with my dad to a seafood restaurant there (fisherman something or hungry fisherman perhaps).  I thought it was magical.  Then came fountain square and soon the whole area went down the tubes. lol

[fieldmarshaldj]

1 hour ago, 17thandFisk said:

I remember going to Metro Center as a kid with my dad to a seafood restaurant there (fisherman something or hungry fisherman perhaps).  I thought it was magical.  Then came fountain square and soon the whole area went down the tubes. lol

The Hungry Fisherman sounds familiar. You didn't think Fountain Square (AKA The Mistake By The Lake) was magical ?

[markhollin]

This site on the southern edge of MetroCenter was just cleared and is where I believe a new Comfort Inn is going to be built.

Looking SE along Third Avenue North just before it crosses over the I-65 innerloop:

[smeagolsfree]

If you look across the street, that is the location of a proposed Holiday Express Hotel.

[markhollin]

^ ^ ^  Yep.  Here's a pic of that lot looking SW.  That is Dominican Drive on the upper right, and Vantage Way on the lower right coming together to form 3td Ave. North on the left. Will be 5 stories and 100 rooms.

 

[PillowTalk4]

11 hours ago, 17thandFisk said:

I remember going to Metro Center as a kid with my dad to a seafood restaurant there (fisherman something or hungry fisherman perhaps).  I thought it was magical.  Then came fountain square and soon the whole area went down the tubes. lol

It was called the Hungry Fisherman.  It sat on Bush Lake in the southeastern corner of Metro Center.  I worked at Nortel Networks (Northern Telecom) when it was in the "L" shaped building near the Hungry Fisherman, then eventually in the Nortel Complex that was built across from Fountain Square on Athens Way.  I believe the building is now a State office building.  I think the TN Lottery operated out of it for a while.  Nice building, hope they kept it nice on the inside.  It had very expensive commissioned art that I wonder if it is still there or did Nortel move it elsewhere.

Fountain Square was a hit for about 10 minutes... LOL  I lived in the northwestern part of Bordeaux so, I really liked having Fountain Square nearby.  It was a temporary answer to my issue of Bordeaux being underdeveloped and having few sources for shopping outside a grocery store, hardware store and a dollar general store.  Fountain Square had several of the nationally branded stores that were new to the Nashville market.  So, it was unique.  But, then Nashville built a mall in downtown and the same stores that were in Fountain Square opened up shop there as well.  Then those same stores opened in Green Hills and Rivergate and Hickory Hollow and so on....   So, Fountain Square was no longer a destination and it collapsed.

Something else many of you may not remember or know about Metro Center... it was the dumping ground for the Ford Glass Plant.  That is why you see so much glass in the ground during excavation for new projects.  It's unclear if it was legal for Ford to dump in the area.  When Metro Center Blvd first opened and you drove through, you would see glass everywhere.  It literally sparkled like diamonds every where.  Also, over the years Metro Center became a hot spot for clubbing.  The first club opened in the late 70's/early 80's.  It was located in one of the warehouse style office suite buildings on Cumberland Bend in the southeastern section of Metro Center.  It was a true disco club with a full lighted floor.  I hated that it was literally across the parking lot from where I was interning with Northern Telecom, I always felt like I was heading into the office... LOL.  When the Hungry Fisherman closed its doors it became a club for a while.  I think it may have lasted until it burned down.  Given the size of the building, it made for a pretty large club.  And finally, a portion of Fountain Square also became a club in the 80's and 90's that was pretty popular called the Heartthrob Cafe.  It was common for there to be a line waiting to get in.

[PillowTalk4]

For an interesting read/perspective of the history of Jefferson Street, read the article in the link below from the Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership (J.U.M.P.) website.  it is a short history of Jefferson Street from its start as a footpath to today.  I remember my grandparents and parents talking about a lot of the items mentioned.  My grandparents home was lost in the I-40 expansion.  Their home was in what is now the vast I-40 interchange just beyond the bridge that goes over I-40 near Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Mary's BBQ Pit.  They attended Mt. Zion and could would walk the few blocks to get there every Sunday until they had to relocate to East Nashville.

Jefferson Street History - Footpath to Today

[MidTenn1]

1 hour ago, PillowTalk4 said:

It was called the Hungry Fisherman.  I................Nice building, hope they kept it nice on the inside.  It had very expensive commissioned art that I wonder if it is still there or did Nortel move it elsewhere.

 

One piece of art that Nortel had was a sculpture my Dad did that won an award and was purchased by Nortel. I hope it is in a good place.

[Nathan_in_DC]

19 hours ago, fieldmarshaldj said:

Is that Mama Rookzie ?

I figured it was just Rookzie back in a confused time in the 80s...

Also, I totally remember the Hungry Fisherman now that it's been mentioned. My young self thought it was so cool.

Edited December 22, 2016 by Nathan_in_DC

[rookzie]

1 minute ago, Nathan_in_DC said:

I figured it was just Rookzie back in a confused time in the 80s...

Then by that statement, I just might have been in a "suspended" state of mind, for all I can remember.  It wasn't just bus fumes in the air back then, for sure.

[markhollin]

The backstage area, fireworks launching zone, and 150' tower for the music note drop are in place for the New Year's Eve Celebration at Bicentennial Mall.  The base for the stage is in place, and all of that scaffolding should rise starting tomorrow.  The two main music headliners will be Styx around 9:30 PM and Keith Urban around 11:00 PM. 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/12/21/nashville-new-years-eve-what-you-need-know/95421622/?hootPostID=6511e611db13fd50680a58143e07733a

[titanhog]

^^Will be interesting to see if this was a good idea...or a failure.

[rookzie]

With all that been "going down" (occurring) internationally, I'm becoming more at one in concurring with the decision w/r/2 security concerns, compared to the more popular sprawl along LoBro and its "tributaries".  I totally agree that the confinement and removal from "ancillary" entertainment dives and the much-proven festive-conducive venue of Broadway seems likely to be counter-productive to inducing attendance.  Lower Broadway may not have become a Time Square or a North Michigan Ave (Chicago), but celebration along it has become an icon and a pinnacle (for lack of better term choice) of symbolism representing quintessential Nashville, particularly in proximity with the Cumberland River.

I as well have reservations on the "efficacy" of the decision to relocate the bash, and the effectiveness of security benefits likely will be academic at best, since we hope that nothing becomes "eventful" to the extent of testing that challenge.

Edited December 27, 2016 by rookzie

[fieldmarshaldj]

4 hours ago, rookzie said:

With all that been "going down" (occurring) internationally, I'm becoming more at one in concurring with the decision w/r/2 security concerns, compared to the more popular sprawl along LoBro and its "tributaries".  I totally agree that the confinement and removal from "ancillary" entertainment dives and the much-proven festive-conducive venue of Broadway seems likely to be counter-productive inducing attendance.  Lower Broadway may not have become a Time Square or a North Michigan Ave (Chicago), but celebration along it has become an icon and a pinnacle (for lack of better term choice) of symbolism representing quintessential Nashville, particularly in proximity with the Cumberland River.

I as well have reservations on the "efficacy" of the decision to relocate the bash, and the effectiveness of security benefits likely will be academic at best, since we hope that nothing becomes "eventful" to the extent of testing that challenge.

How will this removal deal with such issues as providing enough restroom facilities, let alone convenience for folks to purchase adult beverages and food/snacks ?

[markhollin]

The Lifestyle Communities Germantown complex (six 4-6 story buildings, 450 units, retail, restaurants) is going to be one of the best developments in north of downtown in all of it's brick glory. 

Here is a rendering on one of the construction fences I don't believe we've seen before:

 

Looking NE from corner of 2nd Ave. North and Madison St:

 

Looking north along 2nd Ave. North from corner of Madison St:

 

Looking north into central plaza area from Madison Street:

 

Looking NW from corner of Madison and Cumberland River Greenway:

 

Looking east into central plaza area from 2nd Avenue North:

 

Looking SE along 2nd Ave. North from near Monroe St. interchange:

 

Looking SW from corner of Monroe Street and Cumberland River Greenway:

 

Looking south from corner of Monroe Street and Cumberland River Greenway:

 

Looking SW from near the Neuhoff Packing Plant:

 

Looking SE from near the corner of Monroe and 3rd Ave. North:

[titanhog]

So...what will the NYE celebrations be like at Bicentennial Mall if it rains, like it's supposed to?  Will it become a muddy mosh-pit of humanity?  At least LoBro is all paved.

[UTgrad09]

4 hours ago, titanhog said:

So...what will the NYE celebrations be like at Bicentennial Mall if it rains, like it's supposed to?  Will it become a muddy mosh-pit of humanity?  At least LoBro is all paved.

It might be muddy, but I doubt there will be enough humanity to make a mosh pit.