Project Thread/New Construction/Photo du jour/Const. CAMs

[markhollin]

TBT:  Looking SW from AT&T Tower, 1994.  Parking lot where Sun Trust Building would eventually go at center right. Old Nashville Convention Center at upper right.   Surface lot where Downtown Hilton and Walk of Fame Park would go at upper left.  Foundation of Bridgestone Arena at upper center.  Broadway looking fairly abandoned. 

[PillowTalk4]

20 hours ago, nashvylle said:

I was hoping the MLS stadium was going to be put there, but oh well. Just so thankful we got a team. 

I'm just hoping that I'll see this area developed into something much greater than what it is now.  At 57 years of age I'm wondering if that will happen in my life time....  I need for development to start now...   Please Lord, just let me see the truck stop and the metal scrap yard gone before I'm gone... LOL!!!

[Andrew_3289]

[nashvylle]

14 hours ago, markhollin said:

TBT:  Looking SW from AT&T Tower, 1994.  Parking lot where Sun Trust Building would eventually go at center right. Old Nashville Convention Center at upper right.   Surface lot where Downtown Hilton and Walk of Fame Park would go at upper left.  Foundation of Bridgestone Arena at upper center.  Broadway looking fairly abandoned. 

I’m sure there were people who wanted to demolish lower Broadway for a parking lot. Thank God that didn’t happen!

[nashvylle]

22 hours ago, Sean blackdog said:

Today evening,  I left my work. 

More tower. 

Wow! 

[downtownresident]

23 hours ago, Sean blackdog said:

Today evening,  I left my work. 

More tower. 

The Centric and Four Seasons will be really prominent from this vantage point. 

[markhollin]

[Craiger]

5th and broad apartment tower just peaking through in the Gulch now.

[downtownresident]

Sobro, 2016. 

[glamdring269]

On 5/2/2019 at 5:41 AM, markhollin said:

 Broadway looking fairly abandoned. 

 

I seem to remember that we never did much on Broadway back then. We gravitated more towards 2nd (if we even bothered making the trip downtown at all... fear of shanking and all). Then all of a sudden we started heading to Broadway in the mid-00s and I guess the rest is history.

[timmay143]

1 hour ago, glamdring269 said:

I seem to remember that we never did much on Broadway back then. We gravitated more towards 2nd (if we even bothered making the trip downtown at all... fear of shanking and all). Then all of a sudden we started heading to Broadway in the mid-00s and I guess the rest is history.

Yup, 2nd Ave was the place to "cruise" in the late 90's early 2000's!  Even then, I think I remember activity beginning to spread to Broad between 2nd Ave/Riverfront and the Arena.  Ah, fond memories!  Really was a beginning catalyst for what we see today.

[PillowTalk4]

Bridgestone Arena certainly changed Broadway in terms of activity.  With people leaving events held there it became an opportunity for businesses.  Prior to Bridgestone  there were a couple of periods in which people would head to the area but clearly nothing like today.  Some of you may remember when Planet Hollywood opened there was a huge red carpet event to launch the opening.  That brought thousands of people onto Broadway.  The opening of Nascar Cafe was also a big event.  The irony is both of those businesses are gone.  But they both ushered in a new era of awareness that Broadway could be a lot more than what it was.  But even before those businesses opened there were pockets in the area that had life.  Second Ave clearly became an active spot.  in addition to restaurants like the Old Spaghetti Factory, Prime Cut, Hooters and The Melting Pot you had small shops and I remember a club called the Underground that I really liked because it was considered an alternative club for those who like an eclectic crowd.  The crowd there was a mix of Blacks, Whites, straights, gays, etc.  It was a leave your hang-ups at the door type of place that was way ahead of its time for Nashville.  There was a venue that opened on 3rd Ave that became a hot spot for African Americans because it offered R&B and Jazz acts.  It became a go to place for Happy Hour for Black professionals in Nashville.  Before the arena was built there were a number of clubs and bars in that area as well.  There was a club for those into the goth scene, one gay club called Connections, one gay bar called the Jungle, and several other places in addition to the strip joints.  The area actually had a good mix of venues.  The problem was Broadway and the surrounding area had such a negative image that most people couldn't let go of.  It didn't matter how much progress was made in the area, the image was haunted by that which was referred to as "lower Broadway."  That designation always created a negative image.  I believe in the 90's the city tried to change the image of the area by designating it the "District."  This was to discourage the use of the term lower Broadway and to give downtown as a whole a better image.  That ushered in the Dancing in the District event that started on what I believe was called Capitol Blvd but is now Anne Dallas Dudley Blvd. which runs between the Sheraton and Hermitage hotels.   Dancing in the District eventually moved to Riverfront Park and fizzled.  

Anyway, I could go on and on with the ups and downs of Broadway and the surrounding area, but it seems that Nashville has finally learned how to keep the area alive year round.  I hope that as Nashville grows we will see a higher level of diversity in the entertainment offerings.  Honky Tonks are only going to draw a certain demographic.  Nashville has to expand on the Music City theme and offer a greater variety of music venues in order to truly live up to that name from an actual entertainment perspective.   I know Nashville is not Las Vegas and probably shouldn't aspire to be in my opinion.  But, even without gambling, Nashville has an opportunity to become a major entertainment mecca.  Like Las Vegas, Nashville should strongly consider establishing residency performances during certain times of the year to draw in more tourists.  Why not have a venue where one performer is on the marque for a couple of weeks even one or two months doing nightly or at least Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows?  

[titanhog]

^^What I don't think most people know...and it probably needs to be more publicized, is that many of those "honky tonks" have several floors of different music playing.  So...it's most definitely not all country.  I don't think LoBro (from 5th to the river) is going to change because it is so successful (currently).  The "diversification" is going to have to come on the cross streets and beyond.

[MLBrumby]

Right! They are feeding a demand that continues to grow. By the by, I think Broadway has among the most diverse crowds of nearly all cities I've visited. Go on a Saturday night and you'll see everything from big chain wearing rapper types walking beside babushkas. I have.

[Mr_Bond]

6 hours ago, glamdring269 said:

We gravitated more towards 2nd

"The District"

[markhollin]

Courtesy of Clear Sky Images:

 

[markhollin]

Rooftop of Bobby Hotel looking west:

 

[Sean blackdog]

Today evening. I drove to Downtown Nashville  on I-40 East.  See lot of tower cranes. 

[nashvylle]

Thanks @Sean blackdog

be careful taking these pics! 

[Sean blackdog]

9 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

Thanks @Sean blackdog

be careful taking these pics! 

[MidTenn1]

Beautiful evening with crisp clear skies and a setting sun....

Looks like a good place for a trolley line.

[markhollin]

Courtesy of Clark Upton:

 

[PillowTalk4]

On 5/3/2019 at 11:56 AM, titanhog said:

^^What I don't think most people know...and it probably needs to be more publicized, is that many of those "honky tonks" have several floors of different music playing.  So...it's most definitely not all country.  I don't think LoBro (from 5th to the river) is going to change because it is so successful (currently).  The "diversification" is going to have to come on the cross streets and beyond.

I agree.  I have no problem with the honky tonks.  And, it's a good thing that they are playing varying types of music on different floors.  But what draws the most attention on Broadway is country music.  So, I agree that the diversification needs to come on other streets.  I think that has already started, but Nashville has to do a better job promoting it.  If you ask most people outside of Nashville what do they think of when they think of Nashville, they immediately say country music.  Again, nothing wrong with that.  But, if you're calling yourself Music City you need to be perceived beyond country music.   You need to show and promote the diversity in music in the city.  Not only from varying venues, but also in the creation of music.  Those of us from Nashville know that all types of music genre's are written and recorded in Nashville.  But most people outside of Nashville don't know that.  

[donNdonelson2]

My opinion is that most of the music played in the Broadway district honky tonks  is not really very Country! (Like most of what is played on FM “country” radio) Lots of blaring rock with a slight country twang, but little honest, tradition country. I am sharing a screenshot of a post from a coworker who was just in town for a week. (But whatever sells beer to the bachelorettes, eh?) 

[titanhog]

1 hour ago, PillowTalk4 said:

I agree.  I have no problem with the honky tonks.  And, it's a good thing that they are playing varying types of music on different floors.  But what draws the most attention on Broadway is country music.  So, I agree that the diversification needs to come on other streets.  I think that has already started, but Nashville has to do a better job promoting it.  If you ask most people outside of Nashville what do they think of when they think of Nashville, they immediately say country music.  Again, nothing wrong with that.  But, if you're calling yourself Music City you need to be perceived beyond country music.   You need to show and promote the diversity in music in the city.  Not only from varying venues, but also in the creation of music.  Those of us from Nashville know that all types of music genre's are written and recorded in Nashville.  But most people outside of Nashville don't know that.  

But do we really need to attempt to make it known we are “more than country?”  Whether you or I like it or not, that is the one music genre we can actually say we “own” without anyone else saying they also have a claim to the title.  And...country music’s history as a genre is as diverse in changing styles as any other genre.  I know we don’t want to be perceived as “hayseed”...but only people who are ignorant of what country music is believe that anyway.

Personally...I say let Nashville be whatever it will be...let people come here and discover the truth on their own...and don’t try and hide the “country music” roots of the city.  People in the know realize there’s more than country music...but country music really is our bread and butter.