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

[bwithers1]

Overlays are worthless, the planning commission rolls over anytime a developer wants something different. The only hope is that your council member will oppose the project in the council.

I wouldn't say that Overlays are "worthless."   They do tend to ensure that projects mostly conform to design standards that can be documented in an ordinance that passes legal muster.  But I would tend to agree that they are only as good as their enforcement.  In this particular case, this branch bank must be being built within the property owners' land use entitlements without requiring a rezoning, so this rendering must be viewed by the zoning administrator as conforming to whatever standards are in place for that parcel. 

 

But when applicants do come forward with zone change requests, you are correct that the Planning Commission has sometimes ruled to change the height planes and other details that were only just recently approved.  In those instances, the Council Member has ultimate zoning authority, and so it is up to him or her to decide whether or not to support the zone change request at the Council level.  Zone change requests are difficult to pass without Planning Commission recommendation of approval.  They are almost impossible to pass without the support of the district Council Member. 

Edited February 18, 2015 by bwithers1

[rookzie]

...

But when applicants do come forward with zone change requests, you are correct that the Planning Commission has sometimes ruled to change the height planes and other details that were only just recently approved.  In those instances, the Council Member has ultimate zoning authority, and so it is up to him or her to decide whether or not to support the zone change request at the Council level.  Zone change requests are difficult to pass without Planning Commission recommendation of approval.  They are almost impossible to pass without the support of the district Council Member. 

 

This how we fended off Lipscomb U from developing on the west side of Belmont Blvd, 2 years ago, in their attempt to rezone to allow expansion (replacement) of a small apartment building and a multi-family house they had acquired a while back, with the intent on erecting an office building or hall in its place.  This was after a previously approved overlay which had provisioned otherwise.  They also want(ed) the old Stokes School building and campus (on that same side of Belmont) as well, the one that former Metro Superintendent Pedro Garcia had proposed replacing after it served as temporary site for other schools being being replaced during that time, but Metro does not wish to sell.

 

We also sleep with one eye open, in wait for their next stunt-stint, which is certain to surface.

-==-

[samsonh]

This how we fended off Lipscomb U from developing on the west side of Belmont Blvd, 2 years ago, in their attempt to rezone to allow expansion (replacement) of a small apartment building and a multi-family house they had acquired a while back, with the intent on erecting an office building or hall in its place.  This was after a previously approved overlay which had provisioned otherwise.  They also want(ed) the old Stokes School building and campus (on that same side of Belmont) as well, the one that former Metro Superintendent Pedro Garcia had proposed replacing after it served as temporary site for other schools being being replaced during that time, but Metro does not wish to sell.

 

We also sleep with one eye open, in wait for their next stunt-stint, which is certain to surface.

-==-

 

Doesn't it seem like like Lipscomb acquiring the old Stokes school(whether for offices or classroom space) would be a vast improvement over what is currently there (A crumbling building that is detached from the neighborhood as a whole). I am not sure which small apartment and multifamily house you are discussing so I will not address those. But I must say Lipscomb as a whole seems to have done a pretty good job of building nice looking buildings while expanding their campus.

[rookzie]

Doesn't it seem like like Lipscomb acquiring the old Stokes school(whether for offices or classroom space) would be a vast improvement over what is currently there (A crumbling building that is detached from the neighborhood as a whole). I am not sure which small apartment and multifamily house you are discussing so I will not address those. But I must say Lipscomb as a whole seems to have done a pretty good job of building nice looking buildings while expanding their campus.

 

That may sound good in theory and even in practice.  Actually Lipscomb owns at least 2 homes as rental property starting at about the 3900 block.  The smallish apartment house is located directly across the Draper Diamond field house entrance, where MTA's three bus routes meet (2, 8, and 21). The underlying issue at state is that, once the institution gets a zoning change variant to the original overlay to which it had signed off on, that then sets a precedent to influencing rezoning of other properties which it might be willing to purchase in time (and which it certainly has done in the past).

 

I'm not saying that such a time will not come that Lipscomb will eventually be allowed to develop on the west side of Belmont, but until that time, then given any one opportunity to develop and to expand across to that side, it can politically and "socially" gain momentum in razing and developing as it chooses.  Not to say that we need the buses and pick-up/drop-off congestion along that segment (already choked from Graybar to Glen Echo on either side of that building) which as worsened measurably since the closing of the last temporary campus in that building.

 

But I am sort of "mad" at MNPS for letting that damn thing exist as it is, basically a renege on what it had planned in the past by replacing that school with a new one with the same name.  You give Lipscomb that thing and then punching a "crack in the dam" for additional "imperialism", as it were.  I believe that Metro still eventually could find the Stokes site of value for additional elementary-grade space, within 10 years (or fewer) of reopening Waverly-Belmont on 10th Ave.  Just look at Julia Green School on Hobbs Road.  Its bursting at the seems capacity-wise.

-==-

[Will]

Construction fencing is up around 2401 21st ave., which is an old office building belonging to the Carell family. Demo permit was pulled yesterday.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Will

[MLBrumby]

What's going up there?   I remember thinking back 24 years ago that that corridor of blocky suburban-style buildings was such an unfortunate misuse of what might have been an attractive commercial corridor.  I realize that they harken back to the 1960s and 70s, to a time when Nashville was likely glad that any new building was going up for "professional" offices.  So as beggars, they couldn't be too picky.  Of course, that was also a dismal time for architecture just about anywhere. Or shall I say "brutal"? 

[Will]

Anybody got any info on this? This could be the first step in revitalizing that dead stretch of 21st.

 

The zoning on that parcel is OR20, which allows office/residential, so I don't think we would see any new retail unless a developer requested an SP. It would be nice to know if whatever replaces it will be built to the street rather than to the current suburban-style setback.

[rookzie]

Anybody got any info on this? This could be the first step in revitalizing that dead stretch of 21st.

 

The zoning on that parcel is OR20, which allows office/residential, so I don't think we would see any new retail unless a developer requested an SP. It would be nice to know if whatever replaces it will be built to the street rather than to the current suburban-style setback.

 

I know that this might be better suited for the Trans Issues thread, but it's all germane to this subject.  They'd best address the narrowness of that pike first, before it becomes "good" and too late.  No center-turn lane; utility poles less than a foot from the curb edge ─ that should have been planned long-term as part of the I-440 traffic interchange, just as it should have been for that stretch from Lombardy/Sharondale south to Woodmont, and Graybar.  At least the present admin pushed to squeeze some blood out of that south section roadway and create a center lane, with what highway RoW (US-431) it had on hand, although still no sidewalks.  The north stretch between and I-440 and Blair and which includes that block is even worse now, as narrow as it is, so if they develop up to the street, as it is now on such a vital artery (the "aorta" of the SSW), then they'll need a "stent" to unclog it.

-==-

Edited February 25, 2015 by rookzie

[gannman]

I remember reading that it would be renovated. Not sure if that is their current plan.

[titanhog]

I know that this might be better suited for the Trans Issues thread, but it's all germane to this subject.  They'd best address the narrowness of that pike first, before it becomes "good" and too late.  No center-turn lane; utility poles less than a foot from the curb edge ─ that should have been planned long-term as part of the I-440 traffic interchange, just as it should have been for that stretch from Lombardy/Sharondale south to Woodmont, and Graybar.  At least the present admin pushed to squeeze some blood out of that south section roadway and create a center lane, with what highway RoW (US-431) it had on hand, although still no sidewalls.  The north stretch between and I-440 and Blair and which includes that block is even worse now, as narrow as it is, so if they develop up to the street, as it is now on such a vital artery (the "aorta" of the SSW), then they'll need a "stent" to unclog it.

-==-

I sometimes wonder if they'd be better off making that a two-lane road with a turn lane in the middle...and then make some short right turn lanes for major intersections...instead of the 4 lanes where you're driving along at full speed and suddenly someone dead stops to turn...backing up traffic.  Seems the traffic may flow better with the two-lane with the middle turn lane.

[PruneTracy]

I sometimes wonder if they'd be better off making that a two-lane road with a turn lane in the middle...and then make some short right turn lanes for major intersections...instead of the 4 lanes where you're driving along at full speed and suddenly someone dead stops to turn...backing up traffic.  Seems the traffic may flow better with the two-lane with the middle turn lane.

 

TDOT's 2013 AADT measurements for the southern end of this segment (near Interstate 440) topped 37,000 vehicles per day, which exceeds the capacity limits of a two-lane road even without intersection controls.

 

So unfortunately, it looks like a road diet is a no-go, excepting the possibility of a bypass route, or of course, if the Hillsians to the southwest develop an affinity for transit.

 

A little access control would be nice, though. I don't see a single driveway or parking area that couldn't be accessed from a side street.

[Hey_Hey]

Utilities appear to have been marked off for the lots encompassing the Forestar Group's Music City Flats at 17th Ave S and Grand Ave. Hopefully we'll see some action start on it soon.
 

Edited February 26, 2015 by Hey_Hey

[MLBrumby]

This should actually be an improvement over the sad stretch of 17th that has seen such terrible architectural "vandalism" for decades.  That building on the corner just defines ugly 1970s cr@p.  The houses are in bad shape, and hopefully an attractive block here would detract from the hideous United Artist tower next door.  

 

So I have an assumption and a question for those of you in the know... 

 

Assumption: The moratorium on development on (what is considered) Music Row does not affect those sites already approved and pending construction, such as this one, M Residences, Virgin, and another one on 18th Avenue across from Peabody. Is this right? 

 

Question:  Will the moratorium actually improve the odds that these projects already approved will get built? 

[Hey_Hey]

Any project that has already received zoning change approval will proceed as planned.  Legally, those projects are consistent with their zoning since the zoning has already been changed to accommodate the plans. 

 

The moratorium is not absolute.  First, they never defined what "Music Row" is. Are they going to take a more inclusive view of what Music Row is and include 18th and 19th Aves?  Are they going to include Division between the Gulch and the Music Row Roundabout?  Or will they use a very narrow definition of what Music Row is and include only 16th and 17th Aves between the roundabout and Wedgewood?  I would guess the latter, as they specifically mentioned at the Planning Commission meeting Music Square East and West IIRC. Secondly, developers can bypass the Planning Commission at any time. If Council decides to take up any zoning change they can do so without Planning Commission approval, but Council then needs a 2/3 majority to pass the plan. Thirdly, any developer can proceed with development according to current zoning by right. The SESAC headquarters is an example as it did not require any zoning changes to be built.  Lastly, are they going to make exceptions?  Already, McLain Towery has been affected by having his zoning change request put in limbo. He was planning to build a 10,000 sq foot office on 16th Ave south of Horton on an EMPTY LOT. There are clearly no preservation issues here. Would the Planning Commission be willing to let that one pass through since nothing will be razed?

[samsonh]

This should actually be an improvement over the sad stretch of 17th that has seen such terrible architectural "vandalism" for decades.  That building on the corner just defines ugly 1970s cr@p.  The houses are in bad shape, and hopefully an attractive block here would detract from the hideous United Artist tower next door.  

 

 

Agreed, Most of Music Row is this way and no one seems to realize this. It is a hodgepodge of mostly terrible buildings like 'Jody Jones Dental' and the Artists Tower and and 'Big Loud Shirt' and 'Jim Owens Entertainment'. But we need to save all our stucco buildings that add zero architectural character and are isolated from the street by hideous fencing lest we lose our musical history and all that is Nashville!!

[samsonh]

Excellent article on what this zoning moratorium means to one person

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/02/heartbroken-landowner-blasts-music-row-moratorium.html?page=all

[titanhog]

Excellent article on what this zoning moratorium means to one person

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/real-estate/2015/02/heartbroken-landowner-blasts-music-row-moratorium.html?page=all

She's just a person who is angry because she was about to make money off the sale of her land...which is understandable.  However...this is about rezoning.  That's what the moratorium is about.  Just because you own land and someone wants to build something there that the land is not zoned for doesn't mean you should automatically be able to get your way.

 

I'm glad the city has decided to figure out what to do with Music Row.  Just allowing anyone to do whatever they want is not the answer.  Let's come up with a plan that works.  One that allows for some music history and keeps development going as well.

[MLBrumby]

Grace Development's Elliston Place project has been approved by planning commission...  

 

https://www.nashvillepost.com/blogs/postbusiness/2015/2/27/commission_approves_rezoning_for_elliston_place_project

 

[MidTenn1]

Ran across this on the Nashville development tracker; its an application and plan to build a 'temporary' bank branch while adjacent properties are developed. This corner was always ripe for better density in my opinion. Anyone know anything about this?

 

 

A request for final site plan approval to amend the Hillsboro Village Urban Design Overlay (UDO) to permit a proposed temporary bank structure that will be constructed and occupied during redevelopment of the adjacent parcels, requested by Littlejohn Engineering Associates, applicant; First American Bank of Nashville and Catherine Sanders Braden Morse, ET AL, owners.

 

[smeagolsfree]

This is the phase one of the project before they can continue with the rest of the project. This will be done in much the same way that the Renasant Bank was done on West End.

 

We can only hope that this is what happens to the bank on the corner of 31st and West End as well.

[MLBrumby]

Wonder how secure the "temporary" vault will be. LOL

[gannman]

They've been in a temp building before during a restoration to their building after the flood.

[smeagolsfree]

New fire station 19 under construction and due for fall completion.

https://www.nashvillepost.com/blogs/postbusiness/2015/3/4/fall_finish_slated_for_connector_area_fire_station

[nashmoney]

Music Row site slated for redevelopment sees activity

 

This is a go

 

[BnaBreaker]

Now that's a properly executed urban residential development.  The folks behind Note 16 and others should be taking notes.