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

[arkitekte]

^Notice the hotel in the bottom right (the structural columns that are exposed). As long as there's an adequate transfer of loading to the foundation it could work..expensively though.  Back to what I said about the columns, the new design for a tower could begin above the old convention center with just the loading interrupting the old space.

 

 

Anyways, this is pretty freakin sweet. 

[franktown]

Maybe I'm being too literal, but the road doesn't look like Broadway at all. I mean, it's  two lane with trees on the other side.  Plus, didn't we see in the paper this week that Dean said that they're starting a CC Master Plan project and it won't be a HOB? I feel like a larger lot off of Broad in Midtown makes more sense

[nashwatcher]

Put this further south on 5th where you can do a true mixed use development with museum, HOB, retail, hotel, and don't have to retrofit everything(surface lots)...convention center and hotels next door will provide a solid customer base... Would be a cool development if done well.

[Guest 5th & Main Urbanite]

According to Turner Construction this could be done as they said the columns would support the 12 story addition they were going to add for the Medical Mart. They may have to add some additional columns to maybe decrease spacing underneath and possibly reinforce the central core, but that can be done. This does however, seem overly ambitious.

 

What this looks like to me is an RFP was issued by the city to different architectural firms to see what their "vision" may be for the site. The drawing is something that can be done quickly with today's software programs, and it appears this was thrown together quickly. I highly doubt this will be built.

 

The mayor wants to see that this property be retrofitted correctly so we don't have a brutalist eyesore 25 years later like we currently have. I personally would like to see this building stay a low rise and be filled with national and international retailers much like the Michigan Mile, and other famous retail areas of prominent downtowns. You need this to attract more conventions and more residential.

 

This is also perfect for a downtown movie theater.

 

The proposal is nice, but it is just that; a proposal and one I am afraid will not happen. 

 

Just my .02

[Guest 5th & Main Urbanite]

The more I look at the rendering, the more I tend to agree with you that this would be for the old CC site. Looks to be the Bridgestone across the street as well. I am sure there are those in the know about this project. William is out of town this week for a few days, so we may not be able to get an answer. The size of the project does seem to be rather large for the site IMO as well. Guess we will find out soon enough.

Soon enough? We cannot even get an answer who got TIF !!!! 

[ruraljuror]

Long time listener, first time caller.

 

I think the rendering posted in the thread shows the back of the Icon and the Terrazzo in the background.

[nashvillwill]

I think the newbie may be on to something!

Welcome!

[ruraljuror]

Thanks!

 

The way I see it, this whole complex is nestled between the Terrazzo and the forthcoming Fairfield Inn.  The 'Midtown' sign is designed to attract the attention from 40w/65N traffic as they're heading toward the Demonbreun which will be especially effective with 12th and Laurel there, as well. 

 

The House of Blues is counting on those passers-by, too.  And the fact that it's shaped like the body of an acoustic guitar makes me think that this concept either predates the convention center, or they're trying to create a consistent structural motif along that stretch of the highway and apparently aren't worrying about overdoing the concept (though they maybe should be). 

 

That said, I'm not sure what's going on with the pedestrians and cars in the lower left hand corner of the rendering.  If I"m right about the location, they're all walking straight toward the interstate.  It could be just stock borders that the rendering artist just threw in to paint a more complete picture.  It could also be a pedestrian bridge or something to connect with 12th, but that seems unlikely.  If it's anything, I'd guess its either a little park or some art or a sound barrier, but the more obstruction that's there, the less effective the Midtown sign and House of Blues location will be, so who knows. 

[nashvillwill]

If you're right about the location, which I'm beginning to think you are, that would put this on the west side of division just across from Yazoo. That is either Overton or 10th in the foreground, and a non-existent street on the left.

I've been gone for a while, but isn't there supposed to be a hotel already proposed or u.c. on that site? I remember being underwhelmed by a proposal around that area.

Edit; I guess the hotel I am talking about is the Fairfield inn that you mentioned.

Edited June 24, 2013 by nashvillwill

[Guest 5th & Main Urbanite]

Long time listener, first time caller.

 

I think the rendering posted in the thread shows the back of the Icon and the Terrazzo in the background.

I don't know. I cannot see the African Music Museum and the House Of Blues going in The Gulch. I think the Mayor wants those developments downtown. Plus, the House Of Blues needs easy access for television and television crews because many concerts are filmed there. They would want the Lower Broadway flavor, not the pretentious Gulch. The bottom of the tower in front of the Bridgestone is clearly visible, and the slope of Broadway and 5th Avenue are also clearly visible.

 

Juts my .02

Edited June 24, 2013 by 5th & Main Urbanite

[MidTenn1]

The large dark plane in the lower right seems to imply a gabled roof on a nearby building (as in The Ryman Auditorium).

 

[ruraljuror]

I agree that they most likely looked into doing this on the old convention center site as well as other locations downtown and in lower broadway, but given that they chose to write 'Midtown' across the front of the building, I think they may have chosen to go in another direction.  Of course, that could just be a result of the whims of the rendering designer or even a deliberate red herring, but I think it's more likely that they did it on purpose.  In either case, I doubt either the mayor or the House of Blues would view the gulch as being as uniformly pretentious as other people might. 

 

The black spot on the right of the rendering could definitely be the Ryman's gabled roof and whatever's in the lower left of the rendering could easily be the edge of the bridgestone peeking out.  I assumed that the gabled roof shadow was a place holder for the Farifield, and I have no good explanation for what could be the Bridgstone other that what I listed in my previous post.  That said, as far as evidence goes, I think the Midtown sign and the background towers' resemblance to the Terrazzo and Icon are more telling of the rendering's intent than shadows and road grading. 

[NashRugger]

However, it would appear those towers in the background are part of the project. Usually most renderings darken or just use black boxes for properties and structures nearby that aren't associated with the development so them being so front and center, so to speak, would be out the ordinary for the most part.

[UTgrad09]

I don't know. I cannot see the African Music Museum and the House Of Blues going in The Gulch. I think the Mayor wants those developments downtown. Plus, the House Of Blues needs easy access for television and television crews because many concerts are filmed there. They would want the Lower Broadway flavor, not the pretentious Gulch. The bottom of the tower in front of the Bridgestone is clearly visible, and the slope of Broadway and 5th Avenue are also clearly visible.

 

Juts my .02

 

 

I don't really agree that the Gulch is pretentious (at least not all of it), but I do agree that it would not be an ideal location for the museum or the HoB. I suppose the HoB could work there...but I think it would be better served closer to Lower Broad as you said. As for the museum...I'm not sure Lower Broad is the best fit for it. I don't think it comes down to black music clashing with white music or anything like that (Country does have some common roots with black music, anyways)...but I did like the Jefferson St. location better simply due to the historical significance not only with Nashville's black community, but with music itself. 

 

That said, as far as finding a good way to redevelop the convention center property, the museum certainly isn't a poor choice. I would rather something big go there, and not have the space sit empty for years to come.

 

The museum and the House of Blues are fine with me. The hotel is fine (though I'm sure Renaissance wouldn't be too happy about it). I think they should just skip on the office and residential component. I'd rather see those things go elsewhere downtown as single projects. This is doing too much IMO. Put a plaza there...and if the museum needs to expand in the future, it will have space to do so.

[UTgrad09]

Btw -- the highrise "block" in the upper left part of the rendering is probably the masonic lodge, which is about 100' tall on that end.

[BnaBreaker]

Have we even confirmed yet that this isn't just some speculative drawing that has been sitting on their company website for five years? 

[UTgrad09]

Have we even confirmed yet that this isn't just some speculative drawing that has been sitting on their company website for five years? 

 

Well, 5 years ago I don't think there were any plans for the reuse of the old convention center, considering that Metro hadn't even OK'd the new convention center at that point.

 

And with the Med Mart dominating the early talks, I doubt this would've been a serious proposal then. 

 

I imagine this came in the time since the Med Mart was cancelled. I have no idea how serious it is. I doubt they would've put any effort into this had they not been approached, though.

[nashvillwill]

Have we even confirmed yet that this isn't just some speculative drawing that has been sitting on their company website for five years?

It appears we have not. We obviously also haven't nailed down the location either. I think this is just an artist idea for a development. Nothing to get too excited about, but just something fun for us to dream of and discuss.

[smeagolsfree]

With the United Methodist property under contract then could the project in question be @ 8th and Demonbreun???????????

[dmillsphoto]

With the United Methodist property under contract then could the project in question be @ 8th and Demonbreun???????????

 

And this suddenly makes some sense. But if this were the case, my comment over on CBD thread seems to be a moot point.

[Guest 5th & Main Urbanite]

With the United Methodist property under contract then could the project in question be @ 8th and Demonbreun???????????

Ron, you may be correct, but again, the House Of Blues wants to be on Broadway, and the museum needs to be near the CMHOF.

[smeagolsfree]

Mystery project disappears from website. Guess someone got nervous.

[MLBrumby]

Nevin Battiwalla reports that the Faison project at 1505 Demobreun will be starting in the next few weeks.  Permit has been pulled...  http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2013/06/construction-to-start-on-new-music-row.html

[smeagolsfree]

They just issued the structure permit. Been under construction for a while with a tower crane.

[smeagolsfree]

Here is a post from WW at the Post on the mystery project. Maybe it will turn the heat up a bit.

 

http://nashvillepost.com/blogs/postbusiness