First Horizon Park - Home of the Nashville Sounds

[UTgrad09]

 There was lots and lots of commentary about how rushed this proposal is, and I found myself in agreement with several councilmembers with whom I usually differ on that particular aspect.  But I was satisfied that at least there was a healthy debate. 

 

I feel the same way. I do actually like the general proposal of having the ballpark on that site, but I can't help but think that the design and/or final product will come out half baked when it is all said and done, due to the haste. 

 

There is also that part of me that dislikes it when politicians do things fast, because there is something hidden in the details that slips through the debate.

 

If you're at the forum meet Saturday, maybe you can give me the Cliffs Notes version of what was said.

[smeagolsfree]

Ballpark approved on third reading by Metro Council tonight.

[Paramount747]

Great news for the area. What an economic engine this will be!

[bigeasy]

I personally have lost all excitement for this project. I feel like it has been rushed on all sides. I do not think they picked the best location, and there is nothing appealing about the design. I do think it could have an impact on the area, but I think it could have a bigger impact if it wasn't so rushed.

[samsonh]

I personally have lost all excitement for this project. I feel like it has been rushed on all sides. I do not think they picked the best location, and there is nothing appealing about the design. I do think it could have an impact on the area, but I think it could have a bigger impact if it wasn't so rushed.

 

Completely agreed. I am less than happy about this project. As for the economic impact, studies have shown very little impact from stadiums.

[CenterHill]

It feels rushed because we haven't seen any defintive site plans.   The CG renderings that appeared a few months ago are conceptual at best - the shape and size of the stadium vary in the renderings depending on which angle is being shown and as we've discussed the homeplate orientation is wrong.    The surrounding parking and other buildings are just geometric shapes.    

 

I didn't realize that the sounds ownership portion (the mixed use) doesn't have to even start construction until 2016.  This suggests to me that Metro is not contemplating that it will be intergrated with the stadium in any way.   What we don't want is a ballpark sitting all alone, but it looks like that's what we're about to do.   

[RandomHero]

From what I've read I figure that about 2.3 million of the 4.3 million metro will have to pay on this stadium per year (for 30 years) either comes directly from the taxpayer or is contingent upon tax revenue from developments that only have a handshake agreement in place to ensure they get built. Metro sure doesn't mind spending money in certain places as opposed to others. 

[arkitekte]

Completely agreed. I am less than happy about this project. As for the economic impact, studies have shown very little impact from stadiums.

 

That's why I'm somewhat concerned about how the neighborhood will be further redeveloped once the stadium is there. Adding a stadium or arena to a neighborhood or area that is already established can help the businesses that were already there, but as far as spurring new development it doesn't happen much. In fact, most neighborhoods that are already established don't see much new development once a stadium or arena is built. 

 

Maybe planners and developers in the 70's and 80's were smarter than we thought building stadiums in the burbs...gotta save that urban land. lol

[chelovek]

Does anybody know what this deal means for the old Ben West Library? Not too long ago the city and the state had proposed swapping Ben West for the Nashville School of the Arts property on Foster, with Ben West slated to become more state surface parking.

 

Now, my understanding is that the city will acquire the NSA property as part of the Ballpark land swap deal. I haven't heard anything about what that means for Ben West, though. Hopefully this means it will be taken off the chopping block and can be put to good use.

[Paramount747]

Developers have been looking at the surface lot behind it on the south side of the building. Rumor is a skyscraper could be going there. It would be nice to incorporate the Ben West, but we will just have to wait and see. These are the same developers who looked at the swath of land where the Federal Courthouse supposed to go. The area is ripe for development.

[MLBrumby]

That's why I'm somewhat concerned about how the neighborhood will be further redeveloped once the stadium is there. Adding a stadium or arena to a neighborhood or area that is already established can help the businesses that were already there, but as far as spurring new development it doesn't happen much. In fact, most neighborhoods that are already established don't see much new development once a stadium or arena is built. 

 

Maybe planners and developers in the 70's and 80's were smarter than we thought building stadiums in the burbs...gotta save that urban land. lol

I don't know whether to be encouraged that the city wants to sound financially sensible... or if this thing is being done 'on the cheap'.  I just hope it's a nice park and has a lot of visual appeal... so it becomes to future Nashville what the old Sulfur Dell was to old Nashville. 

Developers have been looking at the surface lot behind it on the south side of the building. Rumor is a skyscraper could be going there. It would be nice to incorporate the Ben West, but we will just have to wait and see. These are the same developers who looked at the swath of land where the Federal Courthouse supposed to go. The area is ripe for development.

I just hope the developer is not Alex Palmer... then the Ben West building will be demolished and we'd be stuck with a hole for a couple of decades. 

[arkitekte]

I don't know whether to be encouraged that the city wants to sound financially sensible... or if this thing is being done 'on the cheap'.  I just hope it's a nice park and has a lot of visual appeal... so it becomes to future Nashville what the old Sulfur Dell was to old Nashville. 

 

Well most of the times you get what you pay for. I'd rather see a high price tag and feel comfortable about what was being developed (and have space to trim the budget down) than an extremely low budget that will basically produce the average or the basic for what's expected.

[bigeasy]

What has been the argument of it being the best location? cost? It is probably about the same distance from Broadway area as the current site. I guess the one pro being that it does not have an interstate blocking the way.  I just can't see it bringing any activity to the core for game days. I do not know of many people that walk from the germantown area to broadway. Why was it initially moved from the Sulphur Dell site? I guess I will just never get over it not being at the Thermal Site. I am not a baseball fan, but I will say if it was at the Thermal Site I would go to games. I can't begin to imagine how great the atmosphere could have been seeing a game right by the river. I think it would be a great connector to the Rolling Mills area also.

[MidTenn1]

A newer rendering from today's Tennessean. I slightly enhanced it from the original to reduce the dismal 'apocalyptic' feel to it.

 

However, the sun is still setting in the north at the ballpark. I wonder what that's going to cost?

 

 

 

[smeagolsfree]

I think it will be a work in progress as the area goes. I think there will be more of an incentive for the State to move forward with the Archives & State Museum. I think the State will move on at least one of those projects soon.

As far as people going to the games, I think you will have some interest from folks visiting downtown as just another option for entertainment. It is a lot closer to walk from Brodway to the proposed site. Only a ten minute walk at most and the blue line goes close to this as well. There are already a number of folks that walk from downtown to Marathon Village. That surprised me, but I have seen it numerous times. People will walk a mile to a mile and a half with no problems. I do think you will see more folks walking through the area as it is developed.

I was in favor of the thermal plant site at first., but the Sulphur Dell site has grown on me and this area needs more activation.

Give it time.

[UTgrad09]

A newer rendering from today's Tennessean. I slightly enhanced it from the original to reduce the dismal 'apocalyptic' feel to it.

 

However, the sun is still setting in the north at the ballpark. I wonder what that's going to cost?

 

 

Whoever keeps orienting this ballpark towards the skyline needs to be beaten with a rubber hose.

 

For as nice as an urban ballpark could be, this one is rather blah. And I think it will almost instantly have a dated look. In fact, it already looks dated. This looks like something proposed in the 60s or 70s.

 

For the love of Jesus, square the damn thing to the street, and add some red brick. 

 

I would rather the Sounds remain at Greer than move into this urban renewal-inspired piece of garbage.

[Paramount747]

The ball park would help to re-develop the area on James Robertson Parkway where Newschannel 5 is. That stretch around the curve is a bit blighted and under utilized. I think we will have some high rise residential in the immediate area to the ball park. This could be the end of all the bail bondsmen, empty surface lots, and other blight as well. I think this was a great move for the city.

[Neigeville2]

I like the way it incorporates the greenway, I like the total lack of surface parking, it forms a bridge between already developed areas and will encourage mixed use (presumably especially residential) development to fill in the parking lots and underdeveloped junk.

 

The two main complaints seem to be it looks cheap and it costs too much.  To me, that means it's a compromise, which is necessary.  If the affluent Nashville of the Future decides it can afford a brick façade, they will add it later.  In the mean time this is a vast improvement and at least a small spur to an area that has been developing slower than it ought to.  I like it a lot.

[CenterHill]

Major League Baseball Rule 1.04: "THE PLAYING FIELD: It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitchers plate to second base shall run East Northeast."

 

From Baseball Almanac:  "The sun itself actually plays a role in rule 1.04 as modern ballparks are "supposed" to be designed & built so that the sun sets behind third base and shines on right field — where fly balls are less frequent due to the larger number of right handed hitters."

 

The orientation should, ideally, have home plate in the corner where the greenway meets 5th.   

[bigeasy]

Is it an issue right now? I think Greer currently faces the same direction the rendering has. (South-Southeast)

[BnaBreaker]

Whoever keeps orienting this ballpark towards the skyline needs to be beaten with a rubber hose.

 

For as nice as an urban ballpark could be, this one is rather blah. And I think it will almost instantly have a dated look. In fact, it already looks dated. This looks like something proposed in the 60s or 70s.

 

For the love of Jesus, square the damn thing to the street, and add some red brick. 

 

I would rather the Sounds remain at Greer than move into this urban renewal-inspired piece of garbage.

 

Some brick would be nice, but surely this is nothing more than a rough rendering of it, right?  It seems far too simple to be the final design. 

 

Also, personally, I like that it doesn't sit on the corner and front both streets, because then we'd just end up with a blank street wall for an entire block.

[UTgrad09]

Rough indeed. I realize it might not be the final design, but I don't even like the general shape and the semicircular awning (not sure what the technical name is for that) over the grandstands. 

 

If I were designing the ballpark, I would take my cues from other urban ballparks...Camden, Jacobs, Petco, Target, etc...as well as some minor league parks...like Memphis, Birmingham, and now Charlotte.

 

This does not look like the design for an urban ballpark. It looks like an urban renewal ballpark.

[bhibbs]

ive said it before and ill say it again, no guitar scoreboard....NO CARE.

[Paramount747]

Please no guitar shaped scoreboard! It's too tacky and tawdry. The minor league team in New Orleans does not have a saxophone shaped scoreboard!

Edited December 13, 2013 by Urban Architecture

[fieldmarshaldj]

We need that big giant guitar skyscraper, instead.