Inside 440 - Berry Hill, Midtown, Vanderbilt, 12S, WeHo, Fairgrounds, etc.

[markhollin]

Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital expansion (3 stories) update: Portions of foundation walls rising, 2nd level of garage taking shape on south end. 

Looking east from 21st Ave. North, 1/4 block south of Patterson St:

Looking SE from 21st Ave. North, 1/4 block south of Patterson St:

[markhollin]

1010 18th Ave. South (3 stories, 13 units) update: brickwork complete along alley on east side.

Looking NE from 18th Ave. South, 1/2 block north of Edgehill Ave:

Looking east from 18th Ave. South, 1/2 block south of Grand Ave:




Looking NW from alley between 17th and 18th Aves, 1/2 block north of Edgehill Ave:

[markhollin]

Morningside of Belmont remodel update.

Looking NW from intersection of Acklen Ave. and 17th Ave. South:


 

[markhollin]

Vanderbilt Univ. plans on building a new chancellor's home and event space at 1406 18th Ave. South and 1415 17th Ave. South.  A historic home and a nondescript modernist building will need to be razed. The project will include updates to the historic Sony Building (circa 1916, pictured below) at 1400 18th Ave. South.

The Sony Building is used by the VU School of Nursing and sits within a segment of the overall site that also offers a smallish three-story building and an underground structure garage, both to remain. It also includes a four-level above-grade parking garage, which will be demolished.

The overall site will encompass 4.23 acres. There are no further details on size, start date, renderings, etc. as of yet.

More at Vandy's site here:

https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2020/02/07/vanderbilt-to-develop-plans-for-new-on-campus-university-residence-as-part-of-futurevu/

And behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21146100/vanderbilt-plans-major-update-to-site-east-of-peabody
 

This screen shot from Smeagolfree's excellent development map shows the site highlighted in teal at the center of the frame. 

[titanhog]

^^That Sony building used to be the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged long ago and Sony did a great rehab on it.  Was built in 1916 and on the National Register of Historic Places.  There’s a performance space just to the south of the main building this is outstanding.  It’s a really cool building.

Edited February 19, 2021 by titanhog

[markhollin]

It's official: Emma's Flowers and Rotier's  Grille at 2410 West End Ave. and 2413 Elliston Place, respectively, are under contract at undisclosed prices to be purchased by GBT Realty.  They will now own a 1+ acre triangular site at the intersection of West End Ave. and Elliston Place, and apparently have plans for a substantial project there.

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21146128/emmas-rotiers-buildings-under-contract-to-be-sold
 

This screen shot from Smeagolsfree's excellent development map shows the site highlighted in teal at the center of the frame:

[bnacincy]

Maybe Rotier's could move to the old Gold Rush location on Elliston Place if it's still available.

[nashvylle]

Ughhhhh so GBT is going to demolish both of those structures and build some cookie cuter crap? 

[DDIG]

42 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

Ughhhhh so GBT is going to demolish both of those structures and build some cookie cuter crap? 

They did a nice job with ONE22ONE. I would not expect something cookie cutter at this site.

[nashvylle]

5 minutes ago, DDIG said:

They did a nice job with ONE22ONE. I would not expect something cookie cutter at this site.

Taking away rotiers and Emma’s I don’t care what is planned. Emma’s as a building and rotiers as an establishment can be incorporated into the new development 

[MLBrumby]

The plans for Parke West also look nice... albeit modern. They were also responsive to the surrounding neighbors' concerns and even redseigned the whole thing. Based on that and One22One, I'd prefer GBT over some other (out of town) developer like the dudes who slapped the Skyhouse together, or those 'disposable' apartments going up between 8th and 12th south of downtown. Yike! Don't light a match... please! 

Edited February 19, 2021 by MLBrumby

[DDIG]

5 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

Taking away rotiers and Emma’s I don’t care what is planned. Emma’s as a building and rotiers as an establishment can be incorporated into the new development 

Fair but such is life sadly. Rotier's was done, they've been closed for almost a year due to the pandemic. Reading the Post article sounds like Emma's is ready to be done too.

[Andy20]

1 minute ago, DDIG said:

Fair but such is life sadly. Rotier's was done, they've been closed for almost a year due to the pandemic. Reading the Post article sounds like Emma's is ready to be done too.

Tearing down the Emma’s building is a huge mistake. Buildings like this make Nashville the city it is. It will be a sad day if this is torn down similar to when they tore down the house for the development at 19th and Broadway.

[nashvylle]

9 minutes ago, DDIG said:

Fair but such is life sadly. Rotier's was done, they've been closed for almost a year due to the pandemic. Reading the Post article sounds like Emma's is ready to be done too.

I pray GBT will do a deal like Tony G did for the Soda Shop fir rotiers. To me it adds value to an overall development when you have a historic use incorporated and re-used in the development. 
 

The Virgin Hotel could have incorporated the Victorian House into their lobby IMO and it would have been a cool aspect to the development. 
 

Emma’s and Rotiers can be saved with some creativity. 

[Luvemtall]

1 hour ago, nashvylle said:

I pray GBT will do a deal like Tony G did for the Soda Shop fir rotiers. To me it adds value to an overall development when you have a historic use incorporated and re-used in the development. 
 

The Virgin Hotel could have incorporated the Victorian House into their lobby IMO and it would have been a cool aspect to the development. 
 

Emma’s and Rotiers can be saved with some creativity. 

I wouldn’t hold your breath or make bets on that. 
I think the days are numbered for these two  places 

[markhollin]

McMillin St. Townhomes (3 stories, 2 units) update:  Topped out.

Looking north from intersection of State St. and McMillin St:

 

[smeagolsfree]

16 hours ago, nashvylle said:

Ughhhhh so GBT is going to demolish both of those structures and build some cookie cuter crap? 

Just a guess, speculation, little birds, etc. but GBT will have to do something very special here otherwise it will not get approved.  Not a glass tower, IMO, but more masonry/brick and other traditional  materials to fit in maybe with what is being built across the street at Vanderbilt. I am unsure about what height they can go. I get confused when looking at codes and what they mean but do know there would have to be a rezoning. One of the parcels is zoned CS, white the rest are zoned MUG-A in the  OV-UZO. 

They will more than likely ask for an SP to do what they want to do when they want to do it, but my guess this process is just in the early stages.

[Baronakim]

3 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

Just a guess, speculation, little birds, etc. but GBT will have to do something very special here otherwise it will not get approved.  Not a glass tower, IMO, but more masonry/brick and other traditional  materials to fit in maybe with what is being built across the street at Vanderbilt. I am unsure about what height they can go. I get confused when looking at codes and what they mean but do know there would have to be a rezoning. One of the parcels is zoned CS, white the rest are zoned MUG-A in the  OV-UZO. 

They will more than likely ask for an SP to do what they want to do when they want to do it, but my guess this process is just in the early stages.

Andy20 & I had a messenger discusion about Rotier's and Emma's  being lost,  I didn't think my opinion should clutter up this thread.  Andy thought differently, so here is the crux of my opinion on this.  Thanks Andy

Me:    Why do you think Emma's  and Rotiers are so great?  The best of Rotier's was the wonderful food.  The building is a POS.  Now if they could say George Washington ate here...maybe preserving it might be worthwhile.  Emma's is a pink scar on the face of West End.  The beatutiful mansion they destroyed by tearing off the front facade would have been a lovely thing to keep, but why on earth should Emma's be honored for defacing such a home?    Neither of them have parking worth a damn and eventually parking on the street MUST go away if traffic on those streets are going to be fixed.  I'm a native.  If anything should have been saved it was the Rich Schwartz building next door which was a Packard dealership back in the 1920 s and Tower records after. 

I just don't understand why you consider either so significant that they can't reopen elsewhere.

Andy:    I think Emma’s is the perfect example of buildings that make our city unique. It is sad to see these old mansions all over midtown disappear. With a bunch of new developments all over our city combined together, it could be any city. We need to keep a combination of old and new to keep Nashville unique. I moved here when I was 7 years old and have grown up here through the changes.

Me:    If Emma's was a corporation  i think I could see your point of view.  Rotiers closed because of the pandemic, but in truth, the operators have either recently died or are very elderly.  I don't see the restaurant staying on in business even if it had not been shut down by the pandemic.  Restaurants die every day because the restaurant is not the building but the people and the food.  Likewise Emma's.  the operators would eventually shut it down when they are too old or die and the younger family members don't wish to run a flower shop.   The pink building will eventually be a memory no matyer what.  The buildings at the triangle have lost their relevance and context to the site much as the old house at 19th and Broad .  The land is worth millions and the owners should not be stopped by some  act of government.  It is my view that so many want buildings preserved, they should club up and pay the owner its true value of the land.  I have a great deal of skepticism about denying one owner of an old building while the junk property next door sells for millions.  While sad, I think it is criminal to steal from the owners in that fashion.  You want to keep it, then pay up  IMO.  The bus to preserve the beauty of west End Avenue left a long time ago.   

Andy:  No I think you’re right for the most part. I personally like the diversity of buildings. I like that we have a random old pink house on west end. I like the Jimmy Kelly’s house on Louise. Should we deny the owners the right to sell the property to a developer? No. Unless it is historic, there is no reason to stop development of the property. I am more upset as we lose the “soul” of the city by removing unofficial landmarks for new buildings. Part of me is frustrated because there are so many parking lots in the area that I wish would be built on beforehand. This lot is unique as it is at the split, so it is understandable and I do like it is a Nashville company. My main point is that new  high rise after new high rise by different development companies removes the reason of why people want to move and live in Nashville. We need to keep unique structures as well as develop new buildings. 

This is where our private discusion is now.  Andy thought I should share them with y'all.  I, for one, am very optomist about a new tower complex at this location.  For my part in presevatiom, I think it would be fabulous if the new proposal could rebuild the  brick covered  area of the old drugstore relocating it 30 feet ot so to the west as a new entrance or better yet, a covered outdoor seating area for a restaurant or lounge.  As an architect, I think this would be quite achievable to clad the  copied brick and stone as part of a new building even with different materials above it.  I think it would be a wonderful gesture to reconstruct such a familiar and iconic theme in the new work.

Edited February 20, 2021 by Baronakim
added photos and comments

[nashvylle]

Thanks @Baronakim

 

There is a fine line between government restricting the free market and the free market destroying a city’s history. To me, that fine line is enforcing a contextual district. If GBT wants anything from the city, IE a rezoning, then the city needs to say incorporate the Emma’s building into your development (not necessarily the business). Keep rotier’s and the city will give establish some sort of tax break for the lost revenue. 
 

a city can still grow and maintain its uniqueness. 

[smeagolsfree]

Well here is the deal. Nothing is protected by historic. Yes it may be painful to some to see the the buildings come down, but if the developer wants to take them down there is not much You, I, or Metro can do about it except complain.  There are only a few remaining structures of old Nashville left in that area and one is at 1906 West End Ave aka  The Gilbert Mansion. When Chad Cooke bought it 1988, it seems to have lost its historical status. It was sold by the Historical Partnerships and the status was Historic but now it is "Current" whatever that means. It is listed on the National register of Historic Places. The buildings home to St Mary's books & Crab Fever are also old Nashville, but I do not know the history behind them. Remember just because something is on the National Register of Historic Places does not give it protection.

I do however think that whatever replaces it should be something very special and architecturally significant that is worth keeping for 200 years if we are around that long.

[PruneTracy]

All I know is that if GBT buys up Emma's and doesn't call the resulting apartment building the Supoilative they should be forced to go out of business.

[titanhog]

I think the Emma’s building (pink and all) would be really cool if there was a street in Nashville lined with homes like these, all painted up like Miami with businesses in them.  Then I think it would be worth preserving that street because it would be something special and “cool” to see on a visit.  But…the just one house that’s obviously been altered probably doesn’t stand a chance.

One other thing to keep in mind is that there’s always a good chance that neither Rotier’s or Emma’s will go on as businesses elsewhere (Emma’s more likely than Rotiers).

[Luvemtall]

29 minutes ago, titanhog said:

I think the Emma’s building (pink and all) would be really cool if there was a street in Nashville lined with homes like these, all painted up like Miami with businesses in them.  Then I think it would be worth preserving that street because it would be something special and “cool” to see on a visit.  But…the just one house that’s obviously been altered probably doesn’t stand a chance.

One other thing to keep in mind is that there’s always a good chance that neither Rotier’s or Emma’s will go on as businesses elsewhere (Emma’s more likely than Rotiers).

Maybe they can build a street like that in the new Titans / Nissan stadium neighborhood. Sort of like The Island in Pigeon Forge, Ferris wheel and all . It’s a great idea, restaurants , shops , etc. sidewalk dining and those dancing fountains. They could have condos / apartments above the stores . 

[markhollin]

Another rendering for 17th & Grand:
 

[markhollin]

17th & Grand (7 stories, 120,000 sq. ft. office space, ground level retail, internal garage) update:  Crane base in place.

Looking west from 17th Ave. South,  1/4 block south of Grand Ave: