Davidson West: Bellevue, Bordeaux, Green Hills, MetroCenter, Nations, N Nashville

[donNdonelson2]

At least it is better than a DEAD MALL sitting there for another decade or two!

[rookzie]

At least it is better than a DEAD MALL sitting there for another decade or two!

 

Yes, and wait too much longer, then it'll start looking like the once bustling behemoth Randall Park Mall, (in the North Randall village, near Warrensville Heights off I-480 Outer Belt in greater Cleveland).  That mall, once with huge anchors of Sears, J.C. Penny, May Company (Dillard's), and Higbees (both regional to Cleveland and/or Pittsburgh), had been one off those big-dog mega-malls, which sucked all the vitality from the CBD of Cleveland and which unsurprisingly succumbed perhaps more to rust-belt attrition, than to the ills which befell Bellevue Mall.  Still, I could see Bellevue be transformed into a Mad Max "Dodge City" setting, given its current weed-laden state, with the eminent fate of total demolition, as Randall Park finally did last December.

 

At least this does raise some eyebrows, for a change.

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[dxfret]

Any news about the Southern Land project in Green Hills?  I drove by the site earlier this week and didn't notice any construction activity.  I know the legal barrier have been cleared and that construction should have been resumed by now. 

[rookzie]

Had been out of state for 2 weeks on vacation, so I hadn't felt the blasting every morning since June26, until about last Monday.  That's what they had been doing.  Don't know what else is going on.

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[smeagolsfree]

Any news about the Southern Land project in Green Hills?  I drove by the site earlier this week and didn't notice any construction activity.  I know the legal barrier have been cleared and that construction should have been resumed by now. 

I think they are working away and that two tower cranes go in place the first part of August.

[Hey_Hey]

This is an interesting story.  The appearances suggest that the developers are either totally incompetent and don't understand their limits to building under an approved SP, or (more likely) they were trying to pull a fast one on neighbors and the city and build past what their SP limits are. Either way, it's going to be an expensive mistake, just like the Sobro diner.

http://m.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2015/07/metro-puts-halt-to-sylvan-park-development.html

 

[Nashvilletitans]

Is anyone familiar with the "detached Accessory DEWELLING Unit overlay district" DADU legislation that is before metro council and zoning that effects nashville suburbia R and RS areas and green hills.

Is zoning and council finding a way to double up on housing in a general sweep without looking at what this might be doing.

Looks kind of scary when broad sweeping concepts are introduced with no details clarified.

[MetroTN]

A new vegan restaurant called Avo has opened in this area. I went this past weekend. Its great and even if youre not a vegan its worth a try. 

http://www.eatavo.com/

Edited July 20, 2015 by MetroTN

[Hey_Hey]

I've read the legislation and it seems fairly thin on the details.  Last year there was an ADU ordinance that passed which allowed ADUs to be in R zoned lots that either abut an alley or in which the lot is over 15,000 sq feet. Houses in historic overlays or UDOs that allow ADUs are also included. Currently excluded are RS zoned lots.  

It seems like this would be an overlay that residents would have to petition to have added to their neighborhood. If enough residents are supportive then the city would allow ADUs in those areas.  The reality is that we have to densify our current neighborhoods, Green Hills included. Every house or unit we put in the core is one less that is in Spring Hill or some farm in Wilson or Robertson County.  The reality is that this likely won't yield widespread ADUs because it will still be neighborhood dependent, and even then most people won't opt to have the ADUs there. However, at least it would give the property owner the ability to offer alternative housing styles to family or to create a revenue stream from their property.

[Guest]

This is an interesting story.  The appearances suggest that the developers are either totally incompetent and don't understand their limits to building under an approved SP, or (more likely) they were trying to pull a fast one on neighbors and the city and build past what their SP limits are. Either way, it's going to be an expensive mistake, just like the Sobro diner.

http://m.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2015/07/metro-puts-halt-to-sylvan-park-development.html

 

Definitely the latter. The construction plans would have been reviewed for compliance when submitted. Which means they altered the plans knowingly during construction without resubmission. Not only will this be expensive but now they will have a reputation with the city. They will be carefully watched going forward.

[Neigeville2]

Seems like these ADUs could make for some more affordable housing, which I suppose most homeowners are against.  I know in Portland there are whole neighborhoods of houses with an apt over the garage or whatever.  Sounds like a great idea to me.

[smeagolsfree]

Another small project on Charlotte.

 

https://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2015/7/20/work_to_soon_start_on_16_modernist_homes_in_sylvan_summit

[rookzie]

Definitely the latter. The construction plans would have been reviewed for compliance when submitted. Which means they altered the plans knowingly during construction without resubmission. Not only will this be expensive but now they will have a reputation with the city. They will be carefully watched going forward.

A few public spankings on the town square can ramify to compound proportions, once the media teams start drawing relationship charts on transactions among office holders (or potentially prospective ones), decision-makers, investors, and developers.  Perhaps many of us are aware of past actions taken by developers and contractors on much smaller scales, which were overt infractions or breaches (or which almost had to be construed as such).  This type of foxtrot shenanigan is by no means rare and often has gone unchallenged, particularly the less flagrant instances.  Even cases of appeals with the Commission and the BZA, when those recourses have been made tenable, have somewhat been fettered with gradual changes in staffing (within these as well as with MDHA on occasion, although arguably insistently, it has been said), a commonweal of mad property owners (a,k,a, a hornets' nest) can meld to expose a quacking duck which otherwise would have reared its head elsewhere in the pond.

Because of the conscientiousness of the neighborhood (which some may perceive at times as hypersensitive), and of the fact that they have done their homework, the city inspectors and loophole-ists have had to redraw the threshold on where to turn a blind eye, in this day and age.  I feel just as Nathan_in_DC put it (WES thread on 06-17-2015), and I "...don't wish ... ill will. [on a person or a company]... a terrible thing morally for a person to wish this on another...", but this probably needs to be happening more often than what gets disclosed.

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[nashvillwill]

The DADU zoning is a pretty hot topic in District 5. The zoning was passed for Cleveland and McFerrin Park last year, but it will now include parts of Highland Heights and Eastwood. 

From my best understanding of things, it started with support from the Cleveland Park NA. Since it was past there, other neighborhoods have been showing interest. 

 

Personally, I support it. As a homeowner in this area, it will give me the option to add additional income if I so desire. And by the language in the bill, I can't seem to find a loophole that will open it up to orresponsible development. Now, I do think it should include a conservation overlay, but one of those will never pass in D5 since there are a handful of absentee landlords renting out 60% of the properties in this district. 

 

Its a a good idea, but I doubt much will come of it. I think a better use of the time and money would be rezoning all the parcels along Dickerson Rd as high density mixed use, but again, there are a small number of people controlling most of it, who have little interest in development. 

[CenterHill]

Is anyone familiar with the "detached Accessory DEWELLING Unit overlay district" DADU legislation that is before metro council and zoning that effects nashville suburbia R and RS areas and green hills.

Is zoning and council finding a way to double up on housing in a general sweep without looking at what this might be doing.

Looks kind of scary when broad sweeping concepts are introduced with no details clarified.

This went out yesterday and was forwarded to me by a neighbor:

 

From: Green Hills Neighborhood Association <[email protected]>

Subject: BL2015-1120, Creating Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit Overlay District

Date: July 20, 2015 at 9:47:47 AM CDT

To: undisclosed-recipients: ;

 

Good Morning Green Hills Neighbors:

There is a proposed Metro bill that, if passed, will allow Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit Overlays in every residentially zoned neighborhood throughout Nashville when requested and approved.  The bill number is Substitute BL2015-1120, Creating Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU) Overlay District; here is the link http://www.nashville.gov/mc/ordinances/term_2011_2015/bl2015_1120.htm. 
 


This bill has been fast-tracked and is up for 3rd and final reading before Metro Council this Tuesday, July 21. While the intention of the bill is to provide additional housing options throughout Davidson County, it would have the unintended consequence of undermining neighborhoods, which have chosen to downzone to RS (Residential-Single). It also does not clarify the uses allowed for these “accessory dwellings”; under the current definition, a detached unit can be used for long-term rental as well as short-term rentals such as Airbnb (one night rentals and/or vacation rentals).

 

As written, this bill includes RS zoned areas, which is most of our neighborhoods in Green Hills.  Under the bill if a Council member requests an overlay and it’s approved, a residential property owner will be allowed to build a “detached self-sufficient dwelling unit” behind a single house, in effect allowing two residential properties on one lot. For neighborhoods, which have downzoned from R to RS, this in effect nullifies that action.

 

Nor does the bill offer specific rules for how the overlay district is determined, or what steps are needed to qualify for an overlay district.  In fact, to our knowledge there are no binding rules for how a Council member creates any bill/application.  Does it take one property owner to request a DADU Overlay, or does it take a percentage of owners within a specified area? If a percentage, should it be 51% or 75% or 100%?  Unfortunately, it is left to each individual District Council member to decide.  Therefore, it appears that each District could be operating with a different set of rules.

 

The bill’s sponsors (CMs Burkley Allen, Peter Westerholm and Erica Gilmore) did not conduct community meetings before bringing this bill to the Planning Commission and Metro Council. Yet if approved, this bill has the potential to affect every RS residential neighborhood throughout Green Hills and Nashville.  After many e-mails and negative comments, CM Allen finally agreed to hold one community meeting tonight (July 20 – the night before the final vote) at the Martin Professional Development Center, 2400 Fairfax, at 6 pm.

 

We urge you to voice your opinion to Metro Council about this bill immediately. The entire Council can be reached using [email protected].  Please send your e-mails to Metro Council no later than NOON on Tuesday, July 21, 2015. 

 

The GHNA Board

[Hey_Hey]

I would disagree with the author of that email in terms of it negating downzoning from R to RS because the detached accessory structure will still have to comply with certain design sta cards to qualify.  

Off ft The top of my head here are the restrictions:

1. The owner of the property must live in one of the two structure. You cannot rent out both structures. 

2. The living area can be no larger than 700 sq feet and the footprint can be no larger than 750 sq feet. 

3. The accessory structure must be subordinate to the primary structure.

4. On lots with alleys the accessory structure must be behind he principal structure. 

[smeagolsfree]

I have been saying it was a matter of time before this happens, but the development is now spilling over into Charlotte Park.

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2015/07/29/charlotte-park-nashvilles-last-frontier/30620331/

[mundiejc]

Does anyone find it strange that a stable neighborhood full of middle class families is being called a frontier?

[smeagolsfree]

I thought that was a stretch to say the least, but there is a lot of potential there. It was sort of like calling Charlotte Ave the last frontier last year when Jimmy Granberry made the same comment about that area.

[dmillsphoto]

Demolition party for the Bellevue Mall...

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1513280538961902/

[dmillsphoto]

I kid you not, this is one of the comments (about tearing down a mall and another "useless mall") - the people confuse me:

 

 

[Nathan_in_DC]

The irony of that post is astonishing...

[rookzie]

Really, it' just serves as a gauge of localized sentiment among those who choose to air openly in easy dialog.  I seriously doubt is reflects even close to a polling of the overwhelming majority.  Don't know about the last dude cited, but it appears that these are yunguns who grew up in a time, when the mall was either still half-way jumping or at least still remained a typical "recreation center" hangout for hoppers.  They'd be just as "tearful" in Concord, Ca., in Ellicott City, Md., or in Oaklawn, IL, under similar a similar sketch, and I find it hard to give weight to the blog as a cross-section at large of personal disposition about that mall property, even within a select 'burban district as Bellevue itself.  I know that I'm (at least) half-way old, and it's not hard for me to recall when Bellevue Mall was not even a concept, especially with it being the newest decent-sized enclosed mall in the county, so it's not that old as far as regional malls are concerned.
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[MLBrumby]

This is the latest project from The Beach Co., out of Charleston SC. It is the same company that bought the 1.25 acre site on 6th at Lea. Details have not yet been released for the 250 apartments they plan at the latter. 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/03/charleston-developer-buys-sobro-land-for-apartment.html

Here are pieces from NBJ and Tennessean on the Bellevue site (Charlotte, Cabot Drive and the Cumberland River), which will contain 400 apartments.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2015/08/06/400-unit-rental-community-planned-near-bells-bend-bellevue/31226901/

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/03/charleston-developer-buys-sobro-land-for-apartment.html

 

[MidTenn1]

This is the latest project from The Beach Co., out of Charleston SC. It is the same company that bought the 1.25 acre site on 6th at Lea. Details have not yet been released for the 250 apartments they plan at the latter. 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/03/charleston-developer-buys-sobro-land-for-apartment.html

Here are pieces from NBJ and Tennessean on the Bellevue site (Charlotte, Cabot Drive and the Cumberland River), which will contain 400 apartments.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2015/08/06/400-unit-rental-community-planned-near-bells-bend-bellevue/31226901/

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/03/charleston-developer-buys-sobro-land-for-apartment.html

 

I remember a proposal about a decade ago for that property that involved a replication of Venice Italy involving Gondolas floating in the lake.