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

[MidTenn1]

I am somewhat of a baseball stadium aficionado (if there can be such a thing) as I have visited most of the Major League stadiums and many minor league stadiums. I visited five stadiums last summer. Most of my favorites have almost a zero car requirement (Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Twins, Washington) where you can ride some form of rapid transit to the parks doorstep. And they generally include 'Yankee Town' development with ample gameday eateries, saloons, and souvenir shops which are a large part of the gameday experience.

 

Along with the owners of the Sounds, I was reluctant to embrace the 'choice' of Sulphur Dell as a prime location. The Sounds ballpark is in Sulphur Dell is already remote from the downtown tourist district where Titans fans and Predator fans can find plenty of parking and pre-game food and spirits. And now the entertainment sterility of the area is added to with the impending construction of a number of (almost) exclusively residential stick and stucco buildings. Indeed, you won't even know a ballpark is there unless you drive down one of the adjacent streets.

 

It just seems to be a wasted opportunity to create a more family oriented entertainment alternative to the honky-tonk district.

 

 

[Nashville Cliff]

Along with the owners of the Sounds, I was reluctant to embrace the 'choice' of Sulphur Dell as a prime location. The Sounds ballpark is in Sulphur Dell is already remote from the downtown tourist district where Titans fans and Predator fans can find plenty of parking and pre-game food and spirits. And now the entertainment sterility of the area is added to with the impending construction of a number of (almost) exclusively residential stick and stucco buildings. Indeed, you won't even know a ballpark is there unless you drive down one of the adjacent streets.

 

It just seems to be a wasted opportunity to create a more family oriented entertainment alternative to the honky-tonk district.

 

Parking on-site, free shuttle to the CBD, Germantown bars and restaurants literally across the street, the Farmer's Market and its excellent food court a short, pleasant stroll away.  Doesn't sound that isolated to me.

Edited October 23, 2014 by Nashville Cliff

[BnaBreaker]

Parking on-site, free shuttle to the CBD, Germantown bars and restaurants literally across the street, the Farmer's Market and its excellent food quart a short, pleasant stroll away.  Doesn't sound that isolated to me.

 

Agreed.  Though I do share in the opinion that the new residential surrounding the ballpark should have retail at the base, I'm not really sure where this idea of 'isolation' is coming from.  Even if the Germantown amenities don't fit the bill for someone, it's still literally only a half mile walk to, say, Printer's Alley.  I mean I know it's Nashville, and some people aren't accustomed to walking anywhere, but I don't see how anyone could argue that it was isolated. 

Edited October 23, 2014 by BnaBreaker

[BnaBreaker]

Another building that a developer originally said would be too expensive to try and save.  Thank goodness historic called bullcrap.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1741416,-86.750484,3a,75y,193.28h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sSagKrn1e07MS_WhKy4n63g!2e0?hl=en

Believe me, I did not type bullcrap.  Auto-censoring?

 

Ha...yes, I've encountered that before as well.  I think there is indeed auto-censoring on urbanplanet, I guess to protect the eyes of all the children who are no doubt scouring the web looking for information on which condo development received TIF money, and other trendy teen topics.

Edited October 23, 2014 by BnaBreaker

[Nashville Cliff]

and of course, I meant food court, not food quart.

[bwithers1]

Agreed.  Though I do share in the opinion that the new residential surrounding the ballpark should have retail at the base, I'm not really sure where this idea of 'isolation' is coming from.  Even if the Germantown amenities don't fit the bill for someone, it's still literally only a half mile walk to, say, Printer's Alley.  I mean I know it's Nashville, and some people aren't accustomed to walking anywhere, but I don't see how anyone could argue that it was isolated. 

I would not say that it is "isolated" so much as "isolating."  Having a large residential block with no public provisions will tend to de-emphasize the proximity to Jefferson Street/Germantown and closet the ballpark away from outsiders rather than showcasing a publicly financed project.  At least ground-floor amenities like a couple of restaurants/bars could make 4th Ave N a "village gateway to the ballpark" experience from Jefferson.  But the absence of any of those could give someone coming from Jefferson the experience of walking through what may seem like a private entrance to the ballpark, as if the ballpark were a private amenity of the HOA.

 

I will be interested in seeing what goes on the remaining surrounding parcels.

Edited October 23, 2014 by bwithers1

[BnaBreaker]

I would not say that it is "isolated" so much as "isolating."  Having a large residential block with no public provisions will tend to de-emphasize the proximity to Jefferson Street/Germantown and closet the ballpark away from outsiders rather than showcasing a publicly financed project.  At least ground-floor amenities like a couple of restaurants/bars could make 4th Ave N a "village gateway to the ballpark" experience from Jefferson.  But the absence of any of those could give someone coming from Jefferson the experience of walking through what may seem like a private entrance to the ballpark, as if the ballpark were a private amenity of the HOA.

 

I will be interested in seeing what goes on the remaining surrounding parcels.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean.  It is rather odd that they're building this whole 'ball park complex' that features nothing but residential, for the most part.  How does that enhance the game day experience? 

[Nathan_in_DC]

...and because of more relaxed criteria about what actually constitutes a "parking woe," but that's another topic for another time. 

 

This is something that I've noticed even from family living in Nashville. Circling a block downtown for more than 3 minutes to find a spot is just unthinkable for most. For me, paying $15 to park in a lot when I can circle the block once or twice and find one for free is unthinkable.

[Jamie Hall]

Yeah, I know what you mean.  It is rather odd that they're building this whole 'ball park complex' that features nothing but residential, for the most part.  How does that enhance the game day experience? 

Compared with the current "game-day experience" at Greer Stadium, this new ballpark will be a massive step in the right direction. Rather than being isolated, I see it as being the bridge that will connect SoBro and Germantown to create one big entertainment district. But there still would appear to be several parcels of land available between Germantown and downtown -- surely somebody has eyes on those lots for sports bars, restaurants and coffee shops. I'm guessing Buffalo Wild Wings or Bennigans would love to build a big, garish, standalone building around there someplace (I'm kidding. Sort of.).

Edited October 23, 2014 by Jamie Hall

[FromParkAveToTN]

I work in the AT&T building and looking out at the Gulch, I see two cranes. One is taller than the other. Are there two buildings under construction or just the one right now?

[BnaBreaker]

Compared with the current "game-day experience" at Greer Stadium, this new ballpark will be a massive step in the right direction. Rather than being isolated, I see it as being the bridge that will connect SoBro and Germantown to create one big entertainment district. But there still would appear to be several parcels of land available between Germantown and downtown -- surely somebody has eyes on those lots for sports bars, restaurants and coffee shops. I'm guessing Buffalo Wild Wings or Bennigans would love to build a big, garish, standalone building around there someplace (I'm kidding. Sort of.).

Don't get me wrong, I support the move whole heartedly. It just seems peculiar to me that their master plan was surround the ballpark with nothing but residential. Like you said though, I'm sure that with all the empty lots that remain someone will jump in to fill the void.

[Vrtigo]

I work in the AT&T building and looking out at the Gulch, I see two cranes. One is taller than the other. Are there two buildings under construction or just the one right now?

 

That's Gulch Crossings. Two cranes for this project.

[mirydi]

I work in the AT&T building and looking out at the Gulch, I see two cranes. One is taller than the other. Are there two buildings under construction or just the one right now?

 

Both cranes are for the Gulch Crossings building. 

Edited October 23, 2014 by mirydi

[Leif]

Rumours closed which is super annoying. Also both lanes of Division by Terrazzo open again.

[smeagolsfree]

I saw in the Tennessean that Rumors had closed. Frankly, that was a tough location to have. There is very foot traffic right there and again parking issues. They would have been better off to have found something close to the 12 South location they had. But, hind sight is always 20/20. I feel really sad for them.

[CenterHill]

Don't get me wrong, I support the move whole heartedly. It just seems peculiar to me that their master plan was surround the ballpark with nothing but residential. Like you said though, I'm sure that with all the empty lots that remain someone will jump in to fill the void.

Well, we hope so. It's certainly not lost on us that in Greer's 25-30 (whatever it was) year existence there was virtually no residential, restaurant or retail development that chose to locate around Greer; contrast to all the current talk and speculation about new bars, restaurants, retail and residential suddenly flocking to Sulphur Dell. Ironically, it was only after the Sounds chose to relocate that suddenly Wedgewood Houston has become a hot market. With what's going on today and projected in Wedgewood/Houston, one might even say that neighborhood would be a cool, even ideal, location for a baseball stadium. Ouch, the irony.

I think all, or most, here would agree that a minor league stadium will be successful in a part of town that has a vibrant and active commercial and street level scene. Surrounding the new stadium with pure residential may create more bodies in the area, but will only dampen or kill the vibe of an active stadium neighborhood. Probably not "kill" since there's never been a significant stadium cultural neighborhood at Greer, but more accurately, an active ballpark neighborhood will never be allowed to develop if the new stadium is ringed in by quiet residences and parking.

[Leif]

I don't really buy the parking thing, you have that big Premiere lot and the Icon garage right there. If parking is an issue Peg Leg should be dying anytime now.

[Vrtigo]

I don't really buy the parking thing, you have that big Premiere lot and the Icon garage right there. If parking is an issue Peg Leg should be dying anytime now.

 

I was at least in agreement with the foot-traffic portion, but Peg Leg sort of destroys that one too... Maybe "wine bars" are just a difficult concept for people to grasp here in Nashville? That's really quite odd considering the demographic in The Gulch; one would think that's a prime market in this city if there is one anywhere.

 

The East Nashville Rumours location seems to be doing quite well... I wonder what the difference is?

[UTgrad09]

Peg Leg was also smart enough to put up a sign on a billboard that is visible from 8th. Plus he got a lot of press from the get go.

[Bezoar]

The East Nashville Rumours location seems to be doing quite well... I wonder what the difference is?

 

Honestly, I just think people didn't know it was there.  I keep up with the dining scene, and didn't have a clue that they'd relocated. Zero buzz, zero press.  

[Leif]

I'd speculate that a neighborhood place in a neighborhood without much of a neighborhood vibe is ultimately at the core. The younger rental crowd goes to Bar Louie and most of the owners aren't around.

[Bezoar]

I'd speculate that a neighborhood place in a neighborhood without much of a neighborhood vibe is ultimately at the core. The younger rental crowd goes to Bar Louie and most of the owners aren't around.

Bar Louie is a chain, BTW.  Was in Chicago last weekend, and noticed another location there.  I guess this back up your assessment of the Gulch not having a neighborhood vibe.

[Leif]

Yeah there is also one in Murfreesboro and Chattanooga, and for what it is it isn't bad but around the time Pine St Flats opened it (gulch one) got super busy and loud(er) and it isn't worth waiting to get into.

[Quixotic 1]

As a resident of Germantown, I'm happy to see the stadium built in the area, but I'm not at all disappointed that there is another purely residential buffer between my neighborhood and the baseball stadium. I'm also not at all worried that there will be adequate stadium related amenities to enhance the game day experience. There are currently 5-6 existing restaurants and at least a half a dozen more bar/restaurants announced or under construction in Germantown alone. The "ballpark neighborhood" needs a community to support it 365 days a year, not just on the 80 or so game days. It needs to be attractive to both visiting ticket holders and neighborhood residents. I suspect a sports bar or two will pop up in the Sulphur Dell neighborhood closer to the stadium over the next year or so but I'm not exactly sure what else is required. Incidentally, according to the First Tennessee Park promotional video, there appears to be a large tailgating area planned along 5th avenue with outdoor tents and lawn space that looks very inviting to the public not at all private. There is plenty of additional "game day experience" inside the stadium.

[nashmoney]

Honestly, I just think people didn't know it was there.  I keep up with the dining scene, and didn't have a clue that they'd relocated. Zero buzz, zero press.  

 

I agree. Being in that back corner, they should have done a better job at letting folks know they are back there. I only found out about by driving down Division St. one day.