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

[Jamie Hall]

16 hours ago, donNdonelson2 said:

I think that was built as a McDonalds. Wendy’s was down the street, in the storefront that after Wendy departed became Piranha’s.

It's hard to imagine that McDonald's and Wendy's couldn't survive downtown. Surely they'd love to have those storefronts back in 2019.

[donNdonelson2]

31 minutes ago, Jamie Hall said:

It's hard to imagine that McDonald's and Wendy's couldn't survive downtown. Surely they'd love to have those storefronts back in 2019.

The number of unsavory characters hanging around in those two establishments caused me to select other outlets for speedy downtown dining.  Certainly I was not alone in making that choice.  CBD has lost two McDonalds, Wendy’s, and Burger King in the last coupe of decades. The operation of cheap fast food outlets in this area might be more problematic than profitable.

[markhollin]

Bert Mathews and Kelly Bonadies are partnering on buying .7 acre at 1206-1400 Buchanan St. for $1.8 million. They are planning a "mixed-use concept with adaptive reuse of all existing buildings. Details about specific tenants will follow in the coming month," according to a spokesperson. 

More behind the NBJ paywall:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/11/13/bert-mathews-buys-land-on-buchanan-street-for.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

This building at 1206 Buchanan St. (red pin), as well as the land behind it (playground) and the skinny lot across the street where the cars are parked are all part of the property:
 

[dReAmWiELdEr]

Too bad they can only go 18.

Couldn't they seek a variance?

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

[titanhog]

2 hours ago, dReAmWiELdEr said:

Couldn't they seek a variance?

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk
 

I'm not sure if they can, being that close to Broadway.  Then again...it didn't stop Batman from going super tall.

[Nashville Cliff]

On 11/12/2019 at 3:43 PM, Jamie Hall said:

Should've kept the Mexican restaurant and sacrificed the Sbarro across the street, if I had my druthers. But Guy's place should be a popular addition to that section of Second Avenue.

Or gone into the long-empty McFadden's spot.

[PillowTalk4]

19 hours ago, donNdonelson2 said:

The number of unsavory characters hanging around in those two establishments caused me to select other outlets for speedy downtown dining.  Certainly I was not alone in making that choice.  CBD has lost two McDonalds, Wendy’s, and Burger King in the last coupe of decades. The operation of cheap fast food outlets in this area might be more problematic than profitable.

Why would it be more problematic than profitable?  Fast chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and even KFC and Popeye's have thrived in CBD's across this country for decades.  I've been in plenty of those chain's locations in places like New York, Philly, DC, Chicago, LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Dallas, Houston, Denver, St. Louis, Jersey City, Newark, Toronto, Vancouver, Atlanta, and I could continue naming many more.  Why would being in Nashville's CBD be any different?  Did those locations in the CBD in Nashville close due to issues associated with "unsavory characters" (whatever that is), or due to other forces such as development, expiring leases leading to competition for their locations, selling of the properties they were in, etc?

[Nash_12South]

31 minutes ago, PillowTalk4 said:

Why would it be more problematic than profitable?  Fast chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and even KFC and Popeye's have thrived in CBD's across this country for decades.  I've been in plenty of those chain's locations in places like New York, Philly, DC, Chicago, LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Dallas, Houston, Denver, St. Louis, Jersey City, Newark, Toronto, Vancouver, Atlanta, and I could continue naming many more.  Why would being in Nashville's CBD be any different?  Did those locations in the CBD in Nashville close due to issues associated with "unsavory characters" (whatever that is), or due to other forces such as development, expiring leases leading to competition for their locations, selling of the properties they were in, etc?

Unsavory characters may be the homeless who tended to camp out in those locations. Today it's often Starbucks. I'm sorry, but they often stink up the places to the point of it not being worth going in. It's hard to kick them out as long as they nurse a drink a kindly soul has bought them. 

[Jamie Hall]

29 minutes ago, PillowTalk4 said:

Why would it be more problematic than profitable?  Fast chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and even KFC and Popeye's have thrived in CBD's across this country for decades. 

I wondered that myself. I've been in fast-food joints in several metro CBDs, and of course they all attract a wide-ranging cast of characters from businessmen to the homeless, but that's to be expected. It would seem that a McDonald's or other fast-food spot would thrive 24/7 in downtown Nashville -- surely it would generate cash flow and afford those pricey leases easier than some of our existing boot shops and candy stores.

[Nash_12South]

10 minutes ago, Jamie Hall said:

I wondered that myself. I've been in fast-food joints in several metro CBDs, and of course they all attract a wide-ranging cast of characters from businessmen to the homeless, but that's to be expected. It would seem that a McDonald's or other fast-food spot would thrive 24/7 in downtown Nashville -- surely it would generate cash flow and afford those pricey leases easier than some of our existing boot shops and candy stores.

I agree that fast food could do well in the CBD, but where is the question. I don't think the city wants chains on Broadway and most hotels don't want them, the few new office buildings want higher end offerings. I think that 5th & Broad will dump so many new food offerings onto the market that spots might open up in older buildings.

[donNdonelson2]

If McDonalds COULD be profitable in a downtown Nashville location, it WOULD be here...and it may be that a location will return some day. But somebody put a lot of money into building that location at 2nd & Commerce special for a McD’s and it apparently wasn’t successful!

[markhollin]

Metropolitan Wines & Premium Spirits is building-out the interior of 529 4th Ave. South with a $53,000 permit for a new location in SoBro.  It was formerly Volvapor Vapor Shop.

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/food-business/article/21097585/work-to-begin-on-sobro-wine-shop

[PillowTalk4]

23 hours ago, Nash_12South said:

I agree that fast food could do well in the CBD, but where is the question. I don't think the city wants chains on Broadway and most hotels don't want them, the few new office buildings want higher end offerings. I think that 5th & Broad will dump so many new food offerings onto the market that spots might open up in older buildings.

If the city and developers want the CBD to be a live, work and play area, they need to get on board with offering a variety of options (including McDonald's, BK's, Wendy's) for people living and working  in the CBD and those visiting it.  With all the hotels and shops in the CBD, you need a mix of places for both employees and visitors to choose from.  You can't expect low end wage earners to lunch at higher end offerings.  You really shouldn't anticipate that everyone living in the CBD wants to spend more on high end fast food than they would at one of the more common fast food chains.  Even Time Square in NYC has McDonald's.  Not to mention every other food chain you can imagine in the area and beyond (including local chains like Nathan's Hotdogs).   I'm by no means suggesting that Nashville's CBD become inundated with national fast food chains.  But having them should be an option for all who live, work and play in the CBD.

 

I do agree that older buildings may become the ideal locations for some of the national food chains.  You see that happening in a lot of cities.  In fact the last time I was in NYC, I noticed a new McDonald's and a Chick-fil-a in spots that I don't recall seeing before in buildings that previously had retail or offices.  The McDonald's is basically a take out, because other than a few stools for a window ledge, there didn't seem to be anywhere else to sit.  I didn't go in, so I don't know if they occupied space on the floor above.

[rolly]

Well they better not be tearing down that historic structure!  #preserveOldNashville

[markhollin]

The Blue Parrot (3 story bar) update.  Footings poured.

Looking east from intersection of 4th Ave. South and Molloy St:

[archilove]

On 11/1/2019 at 11:04 AM, PaulChinetti said:

I know people's attitude towards CSX in South Nashville, it's a resounding and deep seated hatred of their trains and crossings.

 

Are the air rights for buildings they could possibly build in the future on the land? It's not like trains can be super high with all the bridges and tunnels they use.

Love trains. Like to look at them. Like to hear them.

[Nathan_in_DC]

On 11/15/2019 at 3:51 PM, PillowTalk4 said:

If the city and developers want the CBD to be a live, work and play area, they need to get on board with offering a variety of options (including McDonald's, BK's, Wendy's) for people living and working  in the CBD and those visiting it.  With all the hotels and shops in the CBD, you need a mix of places for both employees and visitors to choose from.  You can't expect low end wage earners to lunch at higher end offerings.  You really shouldn't anticipate that everyone living in the CBD wants to spend more on high end fast food than they would at one of the more common fast food chains.  Even Time Square in NYC has McDonald's.  Not to mention every other food chain you can imagine in the area and beyond (including local chains like Nathan's Hotdogs).   I'm by no means suggesting that Nashville's CBD become inundated with national fast food chains.  But having them should be an option for all who live, work and play in the CBD.

 

I do agree that older buildings may become the ideal locations for some of the national food chains.  You see that happening in a lot of cities.  In fact the last time I was in NYC, I noticed a new McDonald's and a Chick-fil-a in spots that I don't recall seeing before in buildings that previously had retail or offices.  The McDonald's is basically a take out, because other than a few stools for a window ledge, there didn't seem to be anywhere else to sit.  I didn't go in, so I don't know if they occupied space on the floor above.

Agreed. Not everyone is inclined (or can afford) to eat every meal at a boutique burger or BBQ restaurant. Those visiting on a budget would likely appreciate more inexpensive lunch options, from more food carts (a la the falafel or hot dog carts of my old town of Philadelphia), to national fast-food chains, to more local-ish fast-food chains (thinking stuff like Cook Out, or even a Krystal). As well as those who are at work who weren't able to pack a lunch that day but don't want to spend big. There are a few places to go, like Arnold's or Varallo's, but there could certainly be more. And catering more to the take-out crowd, with a few tables with stools to cater to short-term eaters (but discouraging loitering), can help prevent them from becoming hobo hotels.

[markhollin]

Ranking of Downtown Nashville's 25 biggest office buildings from NBJ:
 

[MLBrumby]

Pretty surprised that only 9 buildings with 400k s.f. .... anyone here know if that will change with broad west or one22one?

[MLBrumby]

William at NP has info about the new parking garage at Rolling Mill Hill. No groundbreaking announced but it will be 5-stories, will have 400 spaces, and will have an address of 15 Lea Ave. More on how it impacts Hensler's 32-story tower behind paywall. 

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21097841/mdha-taps-builder-of-126m-rmh-garage

[markhollin]

Residence Inn will be the brand of hotel at the 3 acre site at 261 French Landing Drive in MetroCenter.  It will be 6 stories with 124 rooms, a large meeting space, and 5,000 sq. ft. restaurant.  Imagine Hospitality is the developer, Dynamic Design is the architect.  No renderings at this time.

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21098152/grand-hyatt-topped-at-25-floors

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

[AronG]

Of all the development choices Nashville is making right now, good and bad, the huge amount of public money MDHA keeps pouring into parking garages is the stupidest self-inflicted wound. They've already subsidized a giant 1,000-car lot under the peabody building (presumably a big part of why they accepted such an un-ambitious project). Now they're going to foot the bill for 400 more a block away? Why in the world is this something public money should be involved in?  It's not just wasteful, it's worse than lighting the money on fire. Dumping tens of millions of public dollars into parking completely distorts the market value of downtown space dedicated to parking, destroying the natural incentives that would otherwise motivate people to walk/bike, or take transit into and around downtown. We will never develop an urban ecosystem of employers and retailers that target non-drivers if we keep throwing tens of millions of dollars into parking garages every year. If businesses want to cater to drivers, that's totally fine, but why in the world does it make sense for metro to provide parking for them as a public service when we can barely pay for schools and sidewalks?

[BnaBreaker]

3 hours ago, AronG said:

Of all the development choices Nashville is making right now, good and bad, the huge amount of public money MDHA keeps pouring into parking garages is the stupidest self-inflicted wound. They've already subsidized a giant 1,000-car lot under the peabody building (presumably a big part of why they accepted such an un-ambitious project). Now they're going to foot the bill for 400 more a block away? Why in the world is this something public money should be involved in?  It's not just wasteful, it's worse than lighting the money on fire. Dumping tens of millions of public dollars into parking completely distorts the market value of downtown space dedicated to parking, destroying the natural incentives that would otherwise motivate people to walk/bike, or take transit into and around downtown. We will never develop an urban ecosystem of employers and retailers that target non-drivers if we keep throwing tens of millions of dollars into parking garages every year. If businesses want to cater to drivers, that's totally fine, but why in the world does it make sense for metro to provide parking for them as a public service when we can barely pay for schools and sidewalks?

This times a thousand. 

[DeemonBruhn]

Ranking of Downtown Nashville's 25 biggest office buildings from NBJ:
 

The number of buildings listed as “A” is laughable. For example... Cummins Station is anything but Class A.

[titanhog]

Bridgestone Arena to host US Hockey Hall of Fame game next year.

https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/bridgestone-arena-to-host-the-2020-us-hockey-hall-of-fame-game/c-311476198?fbclid=IwAR2uckXCMnewAFQH6lqml10ZhQXerAq3urySapv0uwR_zhLYvJTDHaRC4cY