BROADWEST (former West End Summit), 36 story Conrad Hilton Hotel/condo tower, 22 story/510,000 sq. ft. office tower, 4 story/125,000 sq. ft. retail/office, 1 acre plaza, 2,500 car garage, $490 million

[farm_boy]

Adventure Science Center Cam:

 

http://www.adventuresci.com/default.aspx?section=aboutus&title=sci-cam&page=141

[captainwjm]

I'm always impressed by the view coming down I-24-65 from the north. It encompasses all of downtown and midtown, with the backdrop of the Overton hills. Especially nice during the late afternoon's "golden hour".

[nashmoney]

I'm always impressed by the view coming down I-24-65 from the north. It encompasses all of downtown and midtown, with the backdrop of the Overton hills. Especially nice during the late afternoon's "golden hour".

 That's one of my faves as well.

 

I also like the 65S split coming into town from 100 Oaks area

[Vrtigo]

I find it ironic that the best views of Nashville come from the interstates. Further proof of this city's skewed priorities...

[MLBrumby]

I'm not sure I understand your logic there... but I remind you that the Interstates are a federal program. Of course, by their very design, they allow wider vistas.  In a hilly area like Nashville, that counts for a lot (and of course they give views from a much farther distance).  What you said is true of my hometown of Atlanta too, but its downtown is best viewed from a distance.  Atlanta's core is really ugly, especially for a big city. In contrast, I don't think Nashville's downtown is ugly at all (in most parts).

[e-dub]

i've always preferred the views coming in on church and charlotte to any interstate view. the one from hermitage isn't bad, either.

[nashvillwill]

My absolute favorite "driving view" is coming into town on Clarksville Hwy just past Bordeaux, right where it meets Ashland City Hwy. One moment, you're cruising through a very low density, kinda run down area. Then you crest that hill and BOOM the skyline hits your full field of vision! You've got the Cumberland right below you and you can see all the way from 5th & Main to Love Circle. To your left you see the Cumberland sweeping around towards downtown and to your right is that crazy old pivoting railroad bridge with the hills in the background.

It's something else.

[titanhog]

My absolute favorite "driving view" is coming into town on Clarksville Hwy just past Bordeaux, right where it meets Ashland City Hwy. One moment, you're cruising through a very low density, kinda run down area. Then you crest that hill and BOOM the skyline hits your full field of vision! You've got the Cumberland right below you and you can see all the way from 5th & Main to Love Circle. To your left you see the Cumberland sweeping around towards downtown and to your right is that crazy old pivoting railroad bridge with the hills in the background.

It's something else.

Are there any photos anywhere from that view?  Would love to see that!

[fieldmarshaldj]

Are there any photos anywhere from that view?  Would love to see that!

I'm making the presumption this is the view from Clarksville Hwy he's speaking of (via GoogleMaps):

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=36.194884,-86.825531&spn=0.000035,0.021136&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=36.194747,-86.832979&panoid=5m32vmuKVc0G9-WfIeVO5A&cbp=12,126.71,,2,-2.66

[NikOnder]

My absolute favorite "driving view" is coming into town on Clarksville Hwy just past Bordeaux, right where it meets Ashland City Hwy. One moment, you're cruising through a very low density, kinda run down area. Then you crest that hill and BOOM the skyline hits your full field of vision! You've got the Cumberland right below you and you can see all the way from 5th & Main to Love Circle. To your left you see the Cumberland sweeping around towards downtown and to your right is that crazy old pivoting railroad bridge with the hills in the background.

It's something else.

 

Yeah, I used to come in to work that way every morning before I started working from home. That is a pretty nice view too, especially early in the morning when the sunrise is illuminating everything.

[satalac]

Last stand for Alex Palmer?

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2014/05/28/alex-palmer-seek-buyer-namesake-midtown-tower/9684077/

[dmillsphoto]

No, not a last stand.

 

More like collecting finances for debts accrued.

[smeagolsfree]

Looks to me that ASP may be in deep dodo financially speaking. He must have borrowed against the property at some point to still owe that much on it.

[Bezoar]

Looks to me that ASP may be in deep dodo financially speaking. He must have borrowed against the property at some point to still owe that much on it.

 

It's not  news that his properties have been underwater for some time now *buh-dum-dum*

Edited May 29, 2014 by Bezoar

[dxfret]

Alex Palmer & Co. has been hemorrhaging cash for some time and has an urgent need to sell assets.   Given Palmer's 10 years of failure with the West End Summit project, he is under big time pressure to complete a deal.

 

The Palmer Plaza building is definitely not 94% leased as there are numerous vacant spaces including a large sales center/showroom for the failed WES that dates way back to 2006.  There are also a number of key leases that are up for renewal in the next year, so his situation could become even worse.

 

The building is in desperate need of updating -- it looks very 1970s and simply cannot compete with the new office towers going up.  Palmer will no longer be able to command premium rents for such an outdated structure.  

[satalac]

No, not a last stand.

More like collecting finances for debts accrued.

That's why I'm saying last stand. If this doesn't get WES out of the ground, he's done.

[dmillsphoto]

That's why I'm saying last stand. If this doesn't get WES out of the ground, he's done.

 

But that's just it. It's not even about WES anymore, in my opinion. Remember, he's got a ~$2M lien on the property for excavation work.

 

He still owes $30m on Palmer Plaza.

 

He is probably in rough shape with the companies he has contracted with for designing and contract hunting and prep work.

 

Then there's his own company which, to my knowledge, hasn't had another Denver/Gateway/Burton Hills like project since 2006.

[smeagolsfree]

That's why I'm saying last stand. If this doesn't get WES out of the ground, he's done.

If he is not done yet, he is getting really toasty around the edges and getting ready to burn and go down in flames.

[MidTenn1]

I am filing the West End Summit under dead as a door-nail. I will never mention it as even a remotely possible project on any listing I prepare. It is a 'never built' project. Emporis needs to change it's color code to neverbuilt (would that be orange?).

[bigeasy]

At this point the original Signature Tower design probably has a better chance of being built than this.

[satalac]

But that's just it. It's not even about WES anymore, in my opinion. Remember, he's got a ~$2M lien on the property for excavation work.

 

He still owes $30m on Palmer Plaza.

 

He is probably in rough shape with the companies he has contracted with for designing and contract hunting and prep work.

 

Then there's his own company which, to my knowledge, hasn't had another Denver/Gateway/Burton Hills like project since 2006.

Oh I agree with you, he's hurting pretty bad right now. If he's selling his namesake building, you know it's gotten bad. 

If he is not done yet, he is getting really toasty around the edges and getting ready to burn and go down in flames.

Good news, I hear there is a big body of water nearby to jump in to put out the flames!

[farm_boy]

I wish Mr. Palmer nothing less than success and happiness in life. And if that happens, Nashville will be the benefactor.

Good luck Mr. Palmer!

[Hey_Hey]

Lake Palmer has been here so long that it has now been labelled with that name on some mapping software. I was cruising around Waze today and noticed that it has a lake at the WES site with the name "Lake Palmer". It's becoming official!

[smeagolsfree]

From the NBJ:

 

Here's what Nashville's commercial real estate leaders would do if they had a magic wand

 

Alex Palmers response

 

Alex Palmer
President and managing partner, Alex S. Palmer & Co.
If you had a magic wand and unlimited resources, what brand or product would you bring to Nashville? The Intercontinental Hotel, which I am in the process of developing at the West End Summit. This brand is IHG’s most premier hotel chain and the world’s largest leading hotel company.

 

 

A little self serving I would say.  

 

The entire story is here.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2014/06/heres-what-nashvilles-commercial-real-estate.html

[satalac]

From the NBJ:

Here's what Nashville's commercial real estate leaders would do if they had a magic wand

Alex Palmers response

Alex Palmer

President and managing partner, Alex S. Palmer & Co.

If you had a magic wand and unlimited resources, what brand or product would you bring to Nashville? The Intercontinental Hotel, which I am in the process of developing at the West End Summit. This brand is IHG’s most premier hotel chain and the world’s largest leading hotel company.

A little self serving I would say.

The entire story is here.

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2014/06/heres-what-nashvilles-commercial-real-estate.html

Way to reach for the stars there Alex....

I think he's finally lost it. I can picture him now locked in his office wearing Kleenex boxes on his feet with long nails and a scraggly beard, mumbling how "I'm going to make the greatest building in the world! I'll show them all, mother. I'll show them all....".