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

[markhollin]

Accent Metro Center (two 4 story buildings, 282 units) update.  Three elevator shafts/stairwells up, foundational outlines underway. 

Looking south along Great Circle Rd., 1/2 block north of Rosa L. Parks Blvd:

[Armacing]

4 hours ago, titanhog said:

 ...move the industrial elsewhere...

Why do people keep saying this?  Does every part of downtown need to look like a sanitized suburban office park like Maryland Farms?  It's legacy industrial installations like PSC Metals, fuel terminals, tobacco factories, and railroad yards that give downtown its gritty, urban, historical, cultural depth.

Edited June 20, 2019 by Armacing

[MontanaGuy]

15 minutes ago, Armacing said:

Why do people keep saying this?  Does every part of downtown need to look like a sanitized suburban office park like Maryland Farms?  It's legacy industrial installations like PSC Metals, fuel terminals, tobacco factories, and railroad yards that give downtown its gritty, urban, historical, cultural depth.

I do see your point but huge oil or gas storage tanks do not contribute to cultural depth, they're necessary without a doubt but they're inherently ugly and an eyesore and I don't think any downtown area should be decorated with them.  I think most if not all big cities have an industrial area where such things are housed.  I personally don't have any nostalgic feelings when viewing old factories, warehouses and the like and I personally feel that the downtown of a city is where you would want to showcase your most attractive architecture.  Many of the older office buildings in places like New York have important historical icons such as The Flatiron Building or the Chrysler Building and these are the sorts of places we need to preserve and display, not the factories or the sewer treatment plants!

[Mr_Bond]

Epiphany, an interior design shop on 8th Avenue S across from Carter Vintage Guitars, has a 'Moving Sale' sign in the window, another sign that the triangle of six properties there (not yet given a name on UP) is moving toward consolidation and eventual development.  The antique mall next door closed on May 31.

[smeagolsfree]

1 hour ago, Armacing said:

Why do people keep saying this?  Does every part of downtown need to look like a sanitized suburban office park like Maryland Farms?  It's legacy industrial installations like PSC Metals, fuel terminals, tobacco factories, and railroad yards that give downtown its gritty, urban, historical, cultural depth.

I agree with you. The industrial gives you a unique grittyness that is sort of cool.

[markhollin]

Massive international real estate company, Thor Equities, is under contract to buy the Cannery Row complex tat sits on 2.8 acres at the corner of Cannery Row and 8th Ave. South.  The complex features 3 popular music venues : Cannery Ballroom, The High Watt, and Mercy Lounge.  The structures date back to as old as 1880.  Hopefully all of this will be preserved and made even better.

"We have a long-term lease in place and nothing will change on our end," said Todd Ohlhuaser, owner of Mercy Lounge and its sister companies. "Mercy Lounge, The High Watt, Cannery Ballroom and One Event Space will remain open for many years to come."
 

More behind the NBJ paywall here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/06/20/exclusive-global-investor-strikes-deal-for.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

[markhollin]

Buffalo Trails Apts. to finally get underway at 3711 Dickerson Pike. The $45 million complex will entail 240 affordable housing units on 18.2 acres.  A tree removal permit was granted today. No renderings yet.

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/construction/article/21074267/new-images-released-for-sobro-tower

This screen shot from Smeagolsfree's excellent development map shows the site highlighted in teal at upper center of the frame:
 

[titanhog]

2 hours ago, Armacing said:

Why do people keep saying this?  Does every part of downtown need to look like a sanitized suburban office park like Maryland Farms?  It's legacy industrial installations like PSC Metals, fuel terminals, tobacco factories, and railroad yards that give downtown its gritty, urban, historical, cultural depth.

I don't think anyone, including myself,  is calling for sanitized suburbia.  However...junk lots like PSC and huge gas tanks aren't exactly what I would call industrial installations that add to a downtown (of course, that's subjective)...nor huge truck stops.  I love industrial re-use like the Neuhoff plant...Marathon Motorworks...any old smoke stacks...tobacco factories (to an extent)...and railroad yards are cool, as long as it doesn't take up too wide of a swath of land.  Again...it's all subjective...but I still would like to see something else take the place of PSC and the gas tanks (though as Ron said...the tanks probably aren't going anywhere).

Edited June 20, 2019 by titanhog

[BnaBreaker]

39 minutes ago, titanhog said:

I don't think anyone, including myself,  is calling for sanitized suburbia.  However...junk lots like PSC and huge gas tanks aren't exactly what I would call industrial installations that add to a downtown (of course, that's subjective)...nor huge truck stops.  I love industrial re-use like the Neuhoff plant...Marathon Motorworks...any old smoke stacks...tobacco factories (to an extent)...and railroad yards are cool, as long as it doesn't take up too wide of a swath of land.  Again...it's all subjective...but I still would like to see something else take the place of PSC and the gas tanks (though as Ron said...the tanks probably aren't going anywhere).

^What she said.

[Jamie Hall]

40 minutes ago, titanhog said:

I don't think anyone, including myself,  is calling for sanitized suburbia.  However...junk lots like PSC and huge gas tanks aren't exactly what I would call industrial installations that add to a downtown (of course, that's subjective)...nor huge truck stops.  I love industrial re-use like the Neuhoff plant...Marathon Motorworks...any old smoke stacks...tobacco factories (to an extent)...and railroad yards are cool, as long as it doesn't take up too wide of a swath of land.  Again...it's all subjective...but I still would like to see something else take the place of PSC and the gas tanks (though as Ron said...the tanks probably aren't going anywhere).

The big gas tanks aren't so bad if we can get rid of the TA truck stop. Seems like a reasonable compromise. 

[AronG]

I don't think this is totally subjective. Occupants that stink up the vicinity, dump pollution into the air, and generate loud and annoying noise are not good neighbors in a densely populated area, independent of aesthetic tastes. I suppose one can appreciate them as a cool visual backdrop from across the river, but I bike past PSC (and the mulch company on South 5th) every week and I can vouch for the fact that they make the whole area around them an unpleasant wasteland.

[markhollin]

Dvvid Crabtree, who has done a fair amount of investment/development on the Buchanan Street corridor, has purchased 4 more lots at 901 Buchanan and 1707, 1709, and 1711 9th Ave. North, all just 1/2 block east of Slim & Husky's Pizza.  No word on his intentions yet. 3 of the lots are empty. 

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21074303/investor-seemingly-buys-again-on-buchanan-street

This screen shot from Smeagolsfree's excellent development map show the 901 Buchanan property in teal triangular plot at the center of the frame notated as Polygon 341.  The 9th Ave. sites are directly to the south on the other side of Delta Ave:

[smeagolsfree]

You have to remember those guys were there first and until the land prices rise in order to make in worth their while to move they probably will not be going any where. Thats why PSC is still there and the clean up will be exspensive as well, because all of that industrial land is considered to be brownfields.

Jay, I think was one of the new folks at the meet Saturday, had a diagram of all the gasoline piplines that are alreadly in place and those will not go anywhere either. Sorry if I got your name wrong.

They just finished a gasoline pipeline into the center that is closest to Briley parkway. That pipeline runs under Ashland City Hwy and Clarksville Pike.

[smeagolsfree]

Actually that is 900 Buchanan.  901 and the other properties are to the south and at the intersection of Delta, 19th, and Buchanan.  This guy has more properties going west on Buchanan.

[markhollin]

Holiday Inn Express Metro Center (6 stories, 110 rooms) update.  Brickwork and cladding underway.

Looking SE from Clay St., 1/2 block west of 3rd Ave. North:

Looking south from intersection of 3rd Ave. North and Clay St:

Looking NW from 3rd Ave. North where it crosses over I-65/40 inner belt:

[markhollin]

The Register, an exclusive "extremely high end" membership-based social club, will be opening in the Liggett Building at 200 2nd Ave. South in October.  It will take up 6,000 sq. ft. and will cost $2.4 million to build out. Membership will be capped at 200 individuals, along with 50 corporate memberships.  There will also be a rooftop area that will be partially open to the public.  

This location is at the incredibly high profile intersection of Demonbreun and 2nd that features the 222 2nd Ave. office tower , The Pinnacle Tower, SoBro Tower, and the just-underway Four Seasons Tower. 

More behind the NBJ paywall here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/06/21/membership-based-social-club-coming-to-downtown.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

Rendering of the interior:

 

[titanhog]

^^So...what happens in one of these "extremely high end" social clubs?  

[Mr_Bond]

Just now, titanhog said:

^^So...what happens in one of these "extremely high end" social clubs?  

Other than being a showroom for Restoration Hardware?

[Craiger]

I think it's pretty much every variation of this conversation:

Robert: "Hey Gary, my son is graduating this year. Can you get him a job well above what he is qualified for at your company?"

Gary: "Sure Robert."

[Nash_12South]

It might do well. There is a lack of non-touristy places to take a client or business associate to have a quite talk. 

[markhollin]

I agree with this editorial by Jim Schmitz (Nashville resident and local market leader for Elliot Davis) form today's NBJ (behind the paywall so I am reposting it in full):
 

In light of a recent Vanderbilt study that shows an increase in the dissatisfaction of Nashvillians with the direction and rapid growth of the city, let me offer some inexpensive and easy-to-execute ideas that could help us maintain our momentum and address some of the irritants impacting our local citizens. Gaining control of the chaos will more easily allow local citizens and visiting tourists to enjoy all that downtown has to offer.

Our downtown is out of balance. I was recently approached by a leading business executive who told me she wants to move her customer-facing team out of downtown. Her local customers no longer want to deal with the chaos and daily gridlock of downtown. For her team to be more competitive, they need to move away from downtown.

And it’s not just customers. She also told me it was getting more difficult to attract and keep good talent when there are options for people to work somewhere away from downtown.

We often talk of having the goal to have downtown Nashville be the premiere urban area in the Southeast in which to live, work, play and invest.

As the NFL Draft proved for the umpteenth time, we can throw a party. Every day we read stories of downtown real estate sales setting new records and new major construction projects announced. We have the "play" and "invest" part down pat. But to have a vibrant downtown, we need residents and daily workers. Downtown has to be a great place for local citizens and tourists.

So, how are we doing with "live" and "work"?

Streets are regularly closed for events. Delivery trucks and garbage trucks block lanes of traffic all hours of the day, including and amazingly during morning and evening rush hours. Scooters are being ridden dangerously and illegally, and then being parked where they block sidewalks. Ride-sharing services drop and pick-up wherever they desire. Lanes of traffic are shut down for months and sometimes years for construction projects.

We are shooting ourselves in the foot from a traffic perspective. I know of no other major city that allows all of the above to take place. In fact, while on a recent visit to Austin — one of our chief economic development competitors — we noticed that their large downtown construction projects do not take lanes of traffic out of use (and I’ll add that their downtown streets are wider and accommodate traffic better than ours to begin with).

With some cooperation and good thought, we can take action to improve the situation quickly and without a huge public investment.

I suggest we put together a blue ribbon panel of representatives from Metro and state planning, the Metro Nashville Police Department, property owners, major office tenants, downtown residents, developers and contractors. Let’s develop better parameters around downtown deliveries, garbage service and long-term hijacking of lanes of traffic and sidewalks. Let’s set up specific pick-up and drop-off zones for ride shares. Let’s designate parking areas for scooters and fine violators and providers using GPS technology (if not outlawed altogether by Metro first). Let’s resolve to enforce existing parking rules and ordinances — even overhaul them if deemed necessary.

In short, let’s organize the chaos we witness every day.

This kind of thoughtful and collaborative effort, that seems to come naturally to Nashvillians, will go a long way toward bringing order where there is chaos. It will improve the quality of life for downtown workers, employers and residents — not to mention visitors. Let’s make downtown Nashville attractive again to local citizens, and not just tourists.

[Nash_12South]

Fantastic editorial!!! Any mayoral candidate adopting this approach could do well. 

I'm also hearing that many tenants in 222 are decidedly unhappy with the constant city caused/allowed inconveniences.  It was a lot easier being on the edge of the CBD rather than in the heart of it.

Edited June 21, 2019 by Nash_12South

[titanhog]

^^Yeah...he have a bit of the "wild west" going on downtown.   The last thing we want is for that area to turn into Panama City Beach on Spring Break, where traffic is at a standstill 24/7and locals want to be anywhere but their hometown.  

Edited June 21, 2019 by titanhog

[Melrose]

Delete developers, contractors and exclude honky tonk owners from the blue ribbon panel and you actually might make some progress....

[smeagolsfree]

32 minutes ago, Melrose said:

Delete developers, contractors and exclude honky tonk owners from the blue ribbon panel and you actually might make some progress....

Absolutely to the above. As a matter of fact you just let members of the Council, MNP, MFD, Planning and the Mayors office be on the committee. For sure keep the Honkey Tonks form being represented as the will do anything and I mean anything for a payday...or 2 extra cents in their pocket.

I think sidewalks should be considered as well. All developers should have to build what they call in NYC.. SIDEWALK SHEDS! Covered walkways except for the demo in extreme cases where there is a chance of a building collapse.

The Gulch is turning into a prime case  as you have to cross two or soo times and it may get worse if and when the Flank hotel starts and the NES substation starts. I suppose we will have to cross 11th Ave three or four times because these folks dont want you to be close to their fence.

If you look at the Asurion site all they are using the sidewalk for is storage of their equipment. There is no reason why it should be closed.

A thousand dollars a day should do it if they want to close the sidewalks and lanes as a fine.