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

[barakat]

Advance Financial is moving their headquarters at 1901 Church St. to Wedgewood-Houston.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/01/advance-financial-optics-company-moving-into.html

 

Wonder if something is looming for the old commercial buildings they are vacating.

[Vrtigo]

Advance Financial is moving their headquarters at 1901 Church St. to Wedgewood-Houston.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/01/advance-financial-optics-company-moving-into.html

 

Wonder if something is looming for the old commercial buildings they are vacating.

 

Maybe they just wanted to be in closer proximity to their client base...?

 

Really though, the article states things that the expanded space will have, like a fitness center, etc. There's definitely not enough room in their current facility for a gym or a health clinic.

[nashmoney]

Their current headquarters is across from Tony's apartment proposal on Church. Maybe they are just preparing for growth and the current building did not have room for them to grow. I can definitely see their building on Church getting bought quick and developed in the near future.

[HGMIII]

If I recall, Adv. Financial really has 2 buildings across the street from each other on Church. One seems like a regular store and the other is their HQs.  As noted, the gas station has already been demo'd.  

 

[PruneTracy]

If I recall, Adv. Financial really has 2 buildings across the street from each other on Church.

 

They also have offices at 1816 Hayes (the brick building with red awnings in the background of your Street View capture) as well as Signature Center at 1900 Church (behind and to the right of the capture). It's a veritable campus.

 

On a semi-related note, Middle Tennessee Erosion placed a construction entrance and sediment tubes on the 1818 Church site this morning. They didn't leave much room for the palm trees, but the night is young.

[dmillsphoto]

Overhaul looms for the Demonbreun strip.

 

Not going to lie, I know the grocer is needed... but redeveloping the whole strip (which I can't tell from the article if they want to) seems like a bit of a waste given it's current popularity.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/01/exclusiveoverhaul-at-music-row-roundabout-targets.html?ana=twt

[volsfanwill]

too be honest, I never go there, last time I did I got in an argument with the door guy at Tin Roof about my ID being fake, I'm 32.  but I hate to see all of that go. it has a place here.

I actually think that is a perfect little strip of bars.  I just aged out of the crowd.

[titanhog]

Overhaul looms for the Demonbreun strip.

 

Not going to lie, I know the grocer is needed... but redeveloping the whole strip (which I can't tell from the article if they want to) seems like a bit of a waste given it's current popularity.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/01/exclusiveoverhaul-at-music-row-roundabout-targets.html?ana=twt

If they would pretty much keep the buildings facing Demonbreun the same...but then build a tower with a parking deck behind those buildings, that would be pretty sweet.

[CenterHill]

I have to say this proposal makes a lot of sense given the way the area is developing. We've all commented how Demonbreun from 21st to downtown is becoming a continuous strip of high/mid-rise residential, office and retail. This little strip of of retail has seen its evolution from country themed souvenir shops, to kitschy shops to trendy bars/restaurants. With the exception of Tin Roof, Dan McGuiness and Off Broadway, the retail spaces have been a revolving door of tenants in recent years and there are several vacancies today. Scarcity of parking is probably one reason tenants have had a tough go, and there is even less now.

I don't blame the property owners for rethinking this strip as a candidate for a hotel serving downtown and the MCC. It's closer than both Virgin and WES.

2525 West End is an ok model to emulate - except please don't copy 2525's setback and street front parking.

[Hey_Hey]

I wonder if they're going to be a little late to the game in regards to a grocery store. With the North Gulch/NW Mutual site getting a full grocery and Aertson trying to land one there may be two under construction before this is even announced.

[smeagolsfree]

I have known about this for sometime but asked to keep it quiet. There may be more to this project.

May not be the only Publix either, one more for sure and maybe a third.

[titanhog]

I have known about this for sometime but asked to keep it quiet. There may be more to this project.

May not be the only Publix either, one more for sure and maybe a third.

Since I know for a fact they are refurbishing the office space above Off Broadway Shoes right now, I'm assuming they're not going to tear down the strip of shops along Demonbruen.  So...does that mean they will build tall in the parking behind that strip of shops?  Or maybe they'll tear down a portion of the strip, closest to the Rhythm?

[Nathan_in_DC]

I hope they don't plan on tearing down most of that row. I love pedestrianized store fronts like that, and I think tearing it down would be a regression. Parking has never been an issue for me (I don't recall ever trying to park around there anyway, just walking or taking a cab to the strip of businesses).  And if it was an issue, it would be solved with a garage in that big lot in back.  As far as the Publix goes, there's plenty of space to build there with a parking garage that wouldn't mean ripping out one of the few organic pedestrian shopping/entertainment blocks outside of the CBD.

[smeagolsfree]

The parking lot would be the most likely location.

[ariesjow]

^ I hope you're right. It would be rather short-sighted to tear down that walkable retail strip right before the area becomes flooded with new residents and visitors from all the nearby development. All that area needs is a couple of public parking garages to take the place of the large lot people were utilizing before Element started across the street. 

[chelovek]

This is an opportunity to reconfigure the street so that the bike lane doesn't turn into a taxi-stand/delivery vehicle parking zone all hours of the day. For many cyclists, its harrowing to have to merge into the traffic lane while going uphill at a slower than normal pace. Ideally this project will keep the active, ped-friendly streetscape and also add some amenities that turn the area into more of a 24 hour neighborhood. A grocery store and a pharmacy would be great as long as the building forms are appropriately urban and the parking is structured and lined with active uses.

 

I'm glad that urban development is pushing towards West End, and I feel like the more these secondary blocks build out, the more out of place the WES hole and car lots will feel. Although I personally don't love any of the bars here now, they are an amenity to many residents and worthy of inclusion in future plans. I'd love to see somebody open a throwback to the old cheesy gift shops full of hank williams and loretta lynn merchandise as a nod to the area's past. I would also love to see TDOT make some capital improvements to the overpass over I-40. It needs a higher guard rail, pedestrian scale lighting, wider sidewalks, and perhaps the developers trying to push the demonbreun hill moniker could contribute some funds for distinctive gateway signage.

 

I have a theory that one of the reasons Demonbreun is a hot corridor for developers now is partly because of the investments that the city has made to make it more of a complete street with landscaped medians, pedestrian refuges, and bike lanes. The scale of the street is more appropriate for mixed-use and walkable developments than other corridors where this amount of pedestrian activity would feel out of place if not straight up dangerous. I like to imagine the kind of density and activity that the church street corridor could achieve if it received a similar makeover. The one major component missing from both corridors is transit. Although it is not our most pressing transit need by any means, a streetcar loop formed by demonbreun and church would be such an awesome downtown amenity and a real catalyst for increased density and low-car lifestyles. Theoretically they could just move the green bus routes to this kind of loop, but knowing MTA the buses would probably be sent on random detours every other day. I imagine a transit system that makes use of the center flex lane space on the demonbreun and church street viaducts and uses mid-block boarding stations that also double as pedestrian refuges to make crossing easier. The surface street sections of Church and Demonbreun could easily be reconfigured from their current alignment to accept this kind of treatment. The reconfig might actually increase automobile throughput by eliminating awkward lane shifts at 21st+ church and 14th ave + church, for example. The limitation is that you would only be able to run in one direction, but the loop is small enough that it wouldn't be that much of a pain in the butt if the service was fairly frequent. Politically, it would probably be impossible to implement something like this now unless it was as a phase of a regional transit solution, but whatever, still nice to dream!

 

[NashvilleTaylor]

I think it is a mistake to try and redevelop that strip. It is extremely popular and successfull. I think eventually this could be a good thing, but not now.

Edit: talking about "demunbreun hill" just to clarify

Edited February 3, 2015 by NashvilleTaylor

[samsonh]

I disagree. That strip is struggling at the moment because of lack of parking. It needs to become more of a neighborhood destination with the influx of new residents. Just to clarify:it doesn't sound like the strip is being torn down, but that the parking areas will be built up.

[MidTenn1]

Music City Flats now called The Grand Avenue Apartments. Per filing with Metro.

 

 

Most recent rendering (from a few months ago)...

 

[MidTenn1]

The crane base is in place for the Cadence at 16th and McGavock near the West End/Broadway split.. Sorry, no pics.

 

[smeagolsfree]

Crap, I saw that and forgot about it. Too much to see on a drive anymore. need to start recording my comments as I drive.

 

Thanks for posting Pete

[fieldmarshaldj]

Music City Flats now called The Grand Avenue Apartments. Per filing with Metro.

 

 

Most recent rendering (from a few months ago)...

 

 

Great. More old houses being torn down for architectural mediocrity.

Edited February 3, 2015 by fieldmarshaldj

[Leif]

I wonder if they're going to be a little late to the game in regards to a grocery store. With the North Gulch/NW Mutual site getting a full grocery and Aertson trying to land one there may be two under construction before this is even announced.

Nw Mutual one is years away and if it in fact ends up being Whole Foods wouldn't overlap with Publix anyway. And from earlier reports of square footage in Aertson that one isn't likely to be a full on grocery.

[ariesjow]

The parking lot would be the most likely location.

 

I disagree. That strip is struggling at the moment because of lack of parking. It needs to become more of a neighborhood destination with the influx of new residents. Just to clarify:it doesn't sound like the strip is being torn down, but that the parking areas will be built up.

 

The NBJ journalist who wrote the story said it's his understanding it will just be the parking lots.

Edited February 3, 2015 by ariesjow

[smeagolsfree]

Well that is what I heard sometime ago. Over a year ago actually. I have also heard the number of stories the residential/Retail building will be. I think the hotel will go on the other end on Demonbreun. I have a bad feeling the stone house will come down.