Nashville skyline changing? (Jackson, Franklin, Brentwood: condo, hotel, house)

[DonCorleone]

Originally Posted by nashvols

A lot of people seem to think Tony G's plans won't ever go through, because of what happened with Signature (that 'failure' was completely out of his hands...and in the short term, it's probably a good thing that it never got off the ground).

And don't forget the ongoing May Center fiasco. I don't have a good grasp of what all is going on there, but I know it has been a divisive project.

I don't know if anyone will agree with me here...but I think 505 CST is a much, much better building than Signature. Sure, Signature had the height...it was sleek, it was dominating...but it kind of had a "been done" look to it IMO. 505 CST is MUCH more architecturally significant and unique than Signature ever dreamed to be. It really is a stunning design. I don't care if any other high rise proposal out there gets built....I want that one. Bad. It is simply an awesome tower. It may not be the tallest in the Southeast...but who needs that? Height doesn't mean everything, and that design would blend in well with the mix of old and new on Church Street. Plus it's an office building. I like the idea of downtown residential (and I think we should build more)...but I much rather like the idea of our biggest buildings being office towers, not condo or apartment towers.

Well, I see both sides. I liked the Signature design. Very sleek, while also a throwback to the skyscrapers of NYC in design. But it did seem a bit out of place in our skyline. I'll refrain from making any Freudian references, but it seemed like it was 70 stories just to prove that Nashville was a "big boy" city now and "big boy" cities need iconic large structures in their skyline. Of course, I'm sure people said the same thing when the L&C Tower was built waaay back in the day. Still, I agree, I think the new design is more innovative and striking in its beauty, whereas the Signature was striking in its size.

Also, you have the West End "skyline," which hasn't changed a whole lot lately...but very well could if Alex Palmer could ever land enough tenants to build West End Summit. That, along with some residential midrise developments, should help bridge the West End skyline towards Downtown and the Gulch.

But that means Lake Palmer will be drained! I will also be glad when the Summit is built. I guess it represents the height of hopes for the real estate boom. I know the nearby businesses will be glad to be rid of the beautiful chain link fence that surrounds it...and of course the extra foot traffic the building itself will bring. Are you hearing that it is still in progress? I figured it was basically dead in the water. Pun intended.

After the big economic slowdown...things are starting to get exciting again.

Not to mention too, the proposed ballpark in the East Bank...or Sulpher Dell...etcetera.

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by DonCorleone

And don't forget the ongoing May Center fiasco. I don't have a good grasp of what all is going on there, but I know it has been a divisive project.

Yeah...May Town Center...I don't know. I'm sort of in between on that one. On one hand, I like the concept (somewhat), and I understand the goal (get some of those suburban corporate relocations to happen inside Davidson County)...but on the other....the location? I'm not really on the side of "Bell's Bend is beautiful"....a lot of it seems like scrubby land to me. But I can see where developing that could open up that whole area to development, which is something the local residents opposed.

Personally, I would rather Nashville focus on infill rather than moving new dirt.

Originally Posted by DonCorleone

Well, I see both sides. I liked the Signature design. Very sleek, while also a throwback to the skyscrapers of NYC in design. But it did seem a bit out of place in our skyline. I'll refrain from making any Freudian references, but it seemed like it was 70 stories just to prove that Nashville was a "big boy" city now and "big boy" cities need iconic large structures in their skyline. Of course, I'm sure people said the same thing when the L&C Tower was built waaay back in the day. Still, I agree, I think the new design is more innovative and striking in its beauty, whereas the Signature was striking in its size.

Yeah, I'm not saying I didn't want Signature to get built...but yeah, it seemed like a LOOK AT ME! project more than anything.

Plus, I couldn't imagine being up on one of those balconies 60-70 stories in the air. And I'm not really the "afraid of heights" type.

Originally Posted by DonCorleone

But that means Lake Palmer will be drained! I will also be glad when the Summit is built. I guess it represents the height of hopes for the real estate boom. I know the nearby businesses will be glad to be rid of the beautiful chain link fence that surrounds it...and of course the extra foot traffic the building itself will bring. Are you hearing that it is still in progress? I figured it was basically dead in the water. Pun intended.

Besides not having a big corporate tenant, what stopped WES from being built was the condo bust. I believe that at this time, a strictly office and hotel development might work (if he can find an office tenant). I wouldn't say that it's still "in progress"...but it's dormant. Palmer hasn't officially abandoned the plans. The lengthy stall has hurt his reputation enough. If he goes ahead and cancels, he might just end his career as a big project man in Nashville.

While I like the idea of a fishing hole in the heart of Nashville, I think it would be better if they just stocked Lake Watauga in Centennial Park.

Originally Posted by DonCorleone

Not to mention too, the proposed ballpark in the East Bank...or Sulpher Dell...etcetera.

Absolutely. I think the East Bank proposal is intriguing in particular, because it might bring a bit of office/hotel or mixed use development along with it.

Eventually I think the Sulpher Dell area will be developed as residential/mixed use. It's already well on its way.

[groovamos]

So will Tony finally be the first since 1957 to pierce the 31 floor Nashville flat top? I never quite got what it is that much smaller cities (Des Moines, Omaha, Tulsa, OK City) had that Nashville and Memphis didn't, in order to get their 40+ story towers. Maybe just hubris

[kcmo]

Update? Thinking of routing through Nashville in the next couple of days. Hope it's worth the detour.

[ariesjow]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Update? Thinking of routing through Nashville in the next couple of days. Hope it's worth the detour.

The Music City Center is topped out now with the green roof added. Nashvols posted some great photos recently in the "Nashville Pictures" thread that's pinned at the top of the forum. Only towers currently going up downtown that you could see on your visit are the Omni Hotel and the Hyatt Place in the SoBro area. There are tons of significant infill projects going on all over especially around West End Avenue and in the Gulch, but none that will make a big impact on the skyline.

The buzz right now seems to be about Tony Giarratana's SOBRO, a 33-story residential tower, which could possibly start later this year or early next year. This is the same developer who proposed Signature Tower, but this time he's partnered up with Magellan Development out of Chicago for a luxury apartment tower. This is the same development company responsible for Aqua in Chicago. Here's the redesign that was just released:

[kcmo]

Thanks for the info! Spent a couple of days in Nashville. It's been several years. Nice city. Didn't do much as we are not into most of Nashville's attractions (country themed), but did get some nice photos. Love all the riverfront development there.

[groovamos]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Thanks for the info! Spent a couple of days in Nashville. It's been several years. Nice city. Didn't do much as we are not into most of Nashville's attractions (country themed), but did get some nice photos. Love all the riverfront development there.

Now that would be really something, to go to a city where everything attractive is themed COUNTRY!

BTW my growing up years in Nashville were pretty, well, ho hum. (just kidding). Let me tell you, the attractive terrain, history, culture, academic environment, and the Warner Parks, were kinda alright for growing up experiences. And attending Montgomery Bell Academy, and Vanderbilt University, two very attractive options not country themed, opened a few doors for this overgrown former Nashville kid.

[kcmo]

I was just talking about the country "music" stuff in Nashville, which is a big part of the tourism there. Nothing wrong with that and it's a great part of the city's culture, but I'm just not all that into it.

Not to mention, I have already "toured" Nashville a couple of times, seen the AAA Sounds etc. I just wanted to take pics of the city this time.

[ariesjow]

Many of us are not into country music either. Fortunately, there's plenty to do here that has nothing to do with country. It's just a matter of determining what you'd like to do in your short visit. I would try to get away from the tourist traps downtown if you've already seen those and they don't interest you. There are some really neat areas outside of downtown that are more popular with locals. Check out the Nashville Scene or Visit Music City to see what non-country concerts are happening in various areas like East Nashville, Elliston Place or 12South. There's a live music app that you can download for your smartphone as well.

If you're interested in photography, then you may like checking out places like Cheekwood Botanical Gardens, some the picturesque parks like Centennial and Bicentennial or some of the nicer residential neighborhoods. The newest park is the Cumberland Park on the east bank across from downtown that opened earlier this year. In addition to the ongoing projects downtown, there's also a lot of construction in Midtown along West End and in the Gulch that you could snap. Just let us know what kind of attractions interest you so we can point you in the right direction.

[groovamos]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I was just talking about the country "music" stuff in Nashville, which is a big part of the tourism there. Nothing wrong with that and it's a great part of the city's culture, but I'm just not all that into it.

Not to mention, I have already "toured" Nashville a couple of times, seen the AAA Sounds etc. I just wanted to take pics of the city this time.

I've visited most of the first two tiers of U.S cities and don't think I've ever considered my visits to them based on what tourists do. Yeah I was in Seattle and visited the Experience Music museum, but I would hardly bring it up on these threads as having anything to do with anything important regarding the character of the city. The tourist business in Nashville is quite extraordinary for a city of that size, but to say the city's character is somehow dependent on the tourist business and whether that sector should even figure into every person's visit there is quite, well, amusing a concept.