Nashville Bits and Pieces

[Neigeville]

For someone living in Berry Hill that grew up in Green Hills or Donelson or Chicago or New York it makes more sense to be part of Metro Government.

This makes perfect sense to me. Berry Hill's independence seems a strange vestige that would be of little interest to people not from there.

[Hey_Hey]

Most of the suburbs? The only municipality that didn't surrender its charter back when Nashville and Davidson County merged but would later has been Lakewood. Berry Hill's surrendering of government has never come up and I wouldn't expect it to anytime soon. The only city that has had an issue has been recently with Forest Hills and wanting a court or establishing one that is illegal per Metro government creation and establishment since then.

Ok, that last sentence, what in the world, seriously? You talk about two neighborhoods of Nashville and then the 3rd and largest cities in the US. I'm sure their relocation into Berry Hill and it's municipal charter that is still quasi-independent of Metro Nashville is one of the last things they think of, but most likely not at all.

The last sentence is to point out that the vast, vast majority of new residents in these apartments won't have ever lived a day of their life in Berry Hill. They have absolutely no connection to the city itself, regardless if they grew up locally (ie Green Hills or Donelson) or from another part of the country (Chicago or NYC or Atlanta or Louisville, etc, etc, etc). For someone from Green Hills or Donelsone, they've lived in Metro government and likely benefited from the efficiencies of a merged government. For someone from Chicago, NYC, or any other city, the logic of having a city within a city likely makes little sense.....at least it doesn't make sense to me. For these new residents, when they are approached by a petitioner or enter a voting booth, they are more likely to support merger (in my opinion) than to keep the status quo. All it takes is one budget shortfall or disagreement in Berry Hill for someone of influence to begin discussing merger and a petition could be pushed. In the absence of new residents that petition might not get very far, but with 1000 new inhabitants it will be much easier to get the needed signatures and, ultimately, votes.

While it is true that businesses do provide a good tax base for Berry Hill, businesses don't vote.

[NashRugger]

^ Of course that's being very hypothetical Berry Hill is still quasi-independent and has their own police department but all medical and fire service, and everything else from NES to Public Works and etc., Berry Hill pays into it. Berry Hill also is not having any budget issues and apparently is running a surplus or fairly balanced. I honestly don't even know where this crap arose from but suffice it to say, Berry Hill is sitting pretty and in perfect position to continue repeaing the rewards.

[barakat]

Any news on this one?

http://nashvillepost.com/blogs/postbusiness/2012/3/23/4th_and_commerce_looks_to_land_tenants

[e-dub]

hah, did they finally land their steak house? the last i read of this one, they were in las vegas looking for a restaurant to take the street level space.

eric b

[e-dub]

i'll put this here rather than in the food and beverage thread, but there is a jimmy johns in the 5th avenue side of the 5/3rd building set to open tuesday. i had no idea!

eric b

[smeagolsfree]

I think we are going to be seeing a number of projects start in the next couple of months based on a few observations I have made.

Look for WES to start very soon. Water being pumped out of Lake Palmer and it’s about 60 % lower than it was last week.

Ray Henslers project for all practical purposes has started. After all of the core drilling is done on site you will see a lot more activity according to the drillers I spoke to.

Spring Hill Residence Inn on West End has a little bit of support accoutrements there i.e.; barricades.

Fairfield Inn/ Vision site has done their 811 and utilities have been marked.

The Melrose Project has started on 8^th

The Stonehenge Project should start soon

I am sire WW will talk to Tony G at some point so we can get an update on SoBro.

Should have a start on the hotel @ 3^rd and Peabody soon.

I would bet we are still going to be in for surprises in the next few months.

There is another project in the works very small but very cool I found and i do want to give WW time to run a story on it.

The story on the Evergreen project @ Hume and Rosa Parks should be out form behind the paid wall at the Post.

I keep finding a few little tidbits here and there that make me believe there are some major stand alone projects about to start and several joint venture projects. I do pass along to WW first and if I tell you I have to kill you. It’s not just keeping secrets to me but I do want to pass information to WW first. I will tell all at the forum meets, so you all have to come and I will share what I have.

[dmillsphoto]

I have to say, this feels like a much more exciting time than years past. I had forgotten about the Vision property in the Gulch. And that was one I had tagged as starting "before year end" in one of our first meetings this year. Good. Now I can say "told ya so!"

[nashvylle]

Sobro to me would make the biggest impact visually on our skyline. That's what I want to see happen the most. Please let us know when WW has talked to Tony and has any info.

[timmay143]

I think we are going to be seeing a number of projects start in the next couple of months based on a few observations I have made.

Look for WES to start very soon. Water being pumped out of Lake Palmer and it’s about 60 % lower than it was last week.

Ray Henslers project for all practical purposes has started. After all of the core drilling is done on site you will see a lot more activity according to the drillers I spoke to.

Spring Hill Residence Inn on West End has a little bit of support accoutrements there i.e.; barricades.

Fairfield Inn/ Vision site has done their 811 and utilities have been marked.

The Melrose Project has started on 8^th

The Stonehenge Project should start soon

I am sire WW will talk to Tony G at some point so we can get an update on SoBro.

Should have a start on the hotel @ 3^rd and Peabody soon.

I would bet we are still going to be in for surprises in the next few months.

There is another project in the works very small but very cool I found and i do want to give WW time to run a story on it.

The story on the Evergreen project @ Hume and Rosa Parks should be out form behind the paid wall at the Post.

I keep finding a few little tidbits here and there that make me believe there are some major stand alone projects about to start and several joint venture projects. I do pass along to WW first and if I tell you I have to kill you. It’s not just keeping secrets to me but I do want to pass information to WW first. I will tell all at the forum meets, so you all have to come and I will share what I have.

Ooooo, exciting, tantalizing! I'll be in town on the 3rd so I should be able to make my first meet. I have a wedding to attend/be in that day so I am not %100. Again, exciting!!

[smeagolsfree]

Here is the story from the Post by WW about project on Hume.

http://nashvillepost.com/news/2012/10/19/planned_apartment_building_to_connect_germantown_salemtown

[bwithers1]

E/Spaces Belle Meade: Not a new development, per se, but a write-up on E/Spaces in Belle Meade and their expansion at the Hill Center. The company indicates that they may consider future expansions in Nashville.

http://nashvillepost..._in_belle_meade

Edited October 23, 2012 by bwithers1

[bwithers1]

Company downtown office relocation/expansion at 8th/Church:

The Post reports that PatientFocus billing company is moving into "larger digs at 8th and Church." Does anyone know where their office is located, exactly?

http://nashvillepost.com/blogs/postbusiness/2012/10/22/name_change_new_hq_for_medical_billing_venture

[dmillsphoto]

JR Lind did a little write up here...Streets of Brentwood.

http://nashvillepost.com/news/2012/10/23/hill_gbt_unveil_streets_of_brentwood_plan

[smeagolsfree]

Another infill project in Germantown. I have known about this one for a while but not impressed with the rendering. It is ugly IMO. Roy Dale @ Dale and assct project. They really dont get it. This is the 6th and Garfield project.

[UTgrad09]

JR Lind did a little write up here...Streets of Brentwood.

http://nashvillepost..._brentwood_plan

I like the street plan. The connection to the existing East Park and Chadwick traffic lights is a very good idea, as well as the connection to the existing Hill shopping center. I think that will help minimize the traffic impact in an already very busy area.

I'm interested to see how they are going to deal with the sloping grade from Maryland Way to the current Hill Center, though. I wonder if speed bumps will be necessary for the East Park Drive extension.

Hopefully Brentwood will be open to this proposal. It could help usher in a new, more urban look for their town center (along with the Tapestry development). A similar development along Wilson Pk Cir @ Town Center Way would be nice, too.

[dmillsphoto]

10ECN article on the subject as well. Larger render.

http://www.tennessean.com/comments/article/20121023/WILLIAMSON01/121023009/Plan-Brentwood-corner-includes-hotel-restaurants-residences-offices-theater

[UTgrad09]

Another infill project in Germantown. I have known about this one for a while but not impressed with the rendering. It is ugly IMO. Roy Dale @ Dale and assct project. They really dont get it. This is the 6th and Garfield project.

AHHHHHHHHHH KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!

I'm not a big fan of fake stone. I'm really not a fan of it when it is used so liberally with brick.

But even as an all-brick structure, it looks worse than a lot of the 80s style crap on Rutledge Hill. Very, very suburban...and not modern at all.

Can Metro reject something based on the design? Germantown has a historic overlay...and even though it's a hodge podge of different styles, this would not fit in with the neighborhood AT ALL.

Absolutely one of the worst core proposals I've seen. Maybe THE worst.

[smeagolsfree]

AHHHHHHHHHH KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!

I'm not a big fan of fake stone. I'm really not a fan of it when it is used so liberally with brick.

But even as an all-brick structure, it looks worse than a lot of the 80s style crap on Rutledge Hill. Very, very suburban...and not modern at all.

Can Metro reject something based on the design? Germantown has a historic overlay...and even though it's a hodge podge of different styles, this would not fit in with the neighborhood AT ALL.

Absolutely one of the worst core proposals I've seen. Maybe THE worst.

From what I have heard Metro approved it. eegads. Thank you Erica Gilmore.

May be a little more news on this one, but cant get all the info yet. I think the neighborhood committee was opposed to the design as well.

[MLBrumby]

AHHHHHHHHHH KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!

I'm not a big fan of fake stone. I'm really not a fan of it when it is used so liberally with brick.

But even as an all-brick structure, it looks worse than a lot of the 80s style crap on Rutledge Hill. Very, very suburban...and not modern at all.

Can Metro reject something based on the design? Germantown has a historic overlay...and even though it's a hodge podge of different styles, this would not fit in with the neighborhood AT ALL.

Absolutely one of the worst core proposals I've seen. Maybe THE worst.

I totally agree!

That looks hideous! Even worse than the Henry Hale homes.

Edited October 23, 2012 by MLBrumby

[UTgrad09]

From what I have heard Metro approved it. eegads. Thank you Erica Gilmore.

May be a little more news on this one, but cant get all the info yet. I think the neighborhood committee was opposed to the design as well.

The nearly straight edges on this design bother me as well. With some modification to the design, they could easily go with a brownstone/townhouse style here.

This looks like public housing with fake stone and shutters.

Edited October 23, 2012 by UTgrad09

[BnaBreaker]

Seriously, not to be mean, but how on earth does a "professional" architect remain employed when that is the kind of stuff they are designing? That looks like something my grandmother would come up with if she were developing and apartment complex. It's like your typical suburban style cookie-cutter apartment complex, crossed with a nursing home from the early 80's, forced awkwardly into an urban setting.

Honestly, I don't ask for much, Nashville. I really don't. I don't complain that the design of the vast majority of projects there are painfully average and in no way adventurous or interesting. But this is way over the line. If you're going to approve projects with a boring design, please, the least you can do is make sure they don't make me want to stab my eyes out and crash into a deep depression everytime I see it. I don't think I'm being dramatic to call that design truly, truly hideous.

[bwithers1]

From what I have heard Metro approved it. eegads. Thank you Erica Gilmore.

May be a little more news on this one, but cant get all the info yet. I think the neighborhood committee was opposed to the design as well.

Ron, you may be thinking of the Werthan Packing plant rehab/construction, which is being designed by Smith Gee Studios and was approved by the neighborhood group as well as Metro Historic Zoning Commission.

Unfortunately, this project lies one block to the north outside the Germantown Historic Preservation Area boundaries (those end one block south at Hume) and so is not reviewed by Historic. And if there is not a rezoning needed (if the number of units, etc., had already been approved), it also would not be reviewed by the Planning Commission, either. To my knowledge, unless that area is somehow included in the Downtown Code area or something like that, there aren't necessarily any Metro bodies that would have jurisdiction to approve the design details (which is the case in most of Nashville).

Edited October 23, 2012 by bwithers1

[Neigeville]

It's gross, but I think we're also being influenced by the extremely poor quality of the render itself, stiff, flat, grainy, sickly colors etc. But yeah, it's disappointing, outdated and suburban. If they got rid of the stone and the extra pediments (leaving just the end gables) and maybe added some small dormers, it would have a funky 19th century look that I think would suit the area.

[smeagolsfree]

Ron, you may be thinking of the Werthan Packing plant rehab/construction, which is being designed by Smith Gee Studios and was approved by the neighborhood group as well as Metro Historic Zoning Commission.

Unfortunately, this project lies one block to the north outside the Germantown Historic Preservation Area boundaries (those end one block south at Hume) and so is not reviewed by Historic. And if there is not a rezoning needed (if the number of units, etc., had already been approved), it also would not be reviewed by the Planning Commission, either. To my knowledge, unless that area is somehow included in the Downtown Code area or something like that, there aren't necessarily any Metro bodies that would have jurisdiction to approve the design details (which is the case in most of Nashville).

I do think this was approved back in May from what I had seen on a blog site. Would this not be in the Salem town district overlay?