Federal Courthouse, 6 & 8 stories, 276,000 sq. ft.,

[donNdonelson2]

3 minutes ago, Buildtall said:

It’ll become the new homeless park

I don’t think the Feds let the homeless (or anyone else) hang out very much on the grounds of a Federal Courthouse.

[smeagolsfree]

Agreed. The Feds will not allow folks to hang around the entrances or any of the greenspace. You will get charged with federal trespassing instead of Metro just slapping someone on the wrist.

[e-dub]

Gussied up fencing.

 

[Guest]

Spoke to onsite personnel yesterday who said Official ribbon cutting invitations are going out this week...he was not sure of the date but Sept. 18 came to mind.
 

[Tenn2Tex]

"A groundbreaking / dedication Ceremony is being planned and scheduled for September 28, 2018."

Also two camera's will be set up for this build.

https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/regions/welcome-to-the-southeast-sunbelt-region-4/buildings-and-facilities/tennessee/new-nashville-us-courthouse

https://app.oxblue.com/open/katmai/gsaparking

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2018 by Tenn2Tex

[nashvylle]

This project is going to have a huge impact on the density of CBD. 

[MidTenn1]

2 hours ago, nashvylle said:

This project is going to have a huge impact on the density of CBD. 

There will be significant 'Homeland Security' setbacks from the sidewalk. I wonder how that will look when finished.

[Guest]

My Chocolate Lab will appreciate the setback! ha

 

2 hours ago, PHofKS said:

There will be significant 'Homeland Security' setbacks from the sidewalk. I wonder how that will look when finished.

 

[Pdt2f]

9 hours ago, nashvylle said:

This project is going to have a huge impact on the density of CBD. 

Agreed, that parking lot (and the one behind Hume-Fogg) have been huge gaps in the CBd for years. A good looking government building will help with that nicely. 

6 hours ago, PHofKS said:

There will be significant 'Homeland Security' setbacks from the sidewalk. I wonder how that will look when finished.

Hopefully they add some trees and benches to make it pleasant to walk past. Of course with a building like this they aren’t going to activate with retail and restaurants but some nice “strip-parks” running along the sides would be more appreciated in 15 years or so when this area is more dense. 

[markhollin]

Starting to get some depth with excavation on certain areas of the lot.

Looking south from intersection of Rosa Parks Ave. and Church St:

 

Looking SE from intersection of Rosa Parks Ave. and Church St:




Looking east from intersection of Rosa Parks Ave. and Church St:




Looking east from Rosa Parks Ave, 1/2 block south of Church St:

[Bos2Nash]

16 hours ago, PHofKS said:

There will be significant 'Homeland Security' setbacks from the sidewalk. I wonder how that will look when finished.

Do we know this for a fact? I just ask because security has come a long way and the GSA typically doesnt spare too much expense on things. These sidewalks could be 8'-10' wide with a minor buffer for comfort, but I wouldnt expect anything crazy.

I use the Boston Federal Courthouse as an example which boasts "Where more space is dedicated to public use than any other Federal Courthouse in the nation". THis is both for interior and exterior space, but the setbacks along the streets are not very extravagant at all. Mind you this courthouse was built well before anything else in the area and was surrounded by parking lots for prolly 5 years

[MidTenn1]

Quote

14 minutes ago, Bos2Nash said:

Do we know this for a fact? I just ask because security has come a long way and the GSA typically doesnt spare too much expense on things. These sidewalks could be 8'-10' wide with a minor buffer for comfort, but I wouldnt expect anything crazy.

 

 

It does appear there will be some sort of buffer between the street and the building which will be landscaped. After Oklahoma City, I thought there would be more space required, but with stronger cladding, and  smaller, stronger windows and interior layouts that require hallways to run on the outside next to streets to minimize blast injuries, I suppose the combination of all that is considered adequate for safety.

Or are there other factors at work here?

[Bos2Nash]

That all makes sense. You are right on the requirements post-OKC, but there have been so many improvements like you listed that allow for certain measures to be done. I would hope this project includes the most state of the art security as well as providing for a comfortable buffer.  One World Trade Center incorporated some innovative thinking with the first 20'-0" or so of the building because they had to move it "x" amount of feet closer to the street and the concern of blasts provoked this thinking. With this building being in the downtown core, bring it close to the sidewalks and provoke a little innovative thinking that could help close gaps and create a wonderful piece of architecture and urban design.

This project also has an opportunity to provide a very nice pedestrian/pocket park feel depending on its footprint. I would hope that this parcel could provide some public space similar to the way Boston has done it. Granted you wouldn't have the views, but it could still provide a wonderful space within the city. And as mentioned up thread a bit, being that it is a federal building they would monitor it a whole hell of a lot better than the church street park so the homeless discussion would be tapered from the outset.

[Mr_Bond]

On 7/23/2018 at 1:21 PM, CenterHill said:

The saber tooth tiger bones were found in a cave discovered during the excavation of the First American Center (now UBS tower) in the 70's.     Yes, archaeologists were brought in.  

The Predators got their name and their logo from that saber tooth tiger skull.

[Tenn2Tex]

8 hours ago, PHofKS said:

 

It does appear there will be some sort of buffer between the street and the building which will be landscaped. After Oklahoma City, I thought there would be more space required, but with stronger cladding, and  smaller, stronger windows and interior layouts that require hallways to run on the outside next to streets to minimize blast injuries, I suppose the combination of all that is considered adequate for safety.

Or are there other factors at work here?

The construction of federal buildings are covered in whats called Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) manuals.  The DoD is the proponent for these manual and they are constantly updated. What goes into the standoff area were discussing are things like current threats, building materials, who and what are occupying the structure, etc.  There are a lot of things that can be done to mitigate the assessed threats and reduce that "island effect".  Hopefully they come up with creative way to do so other than some planters and raised curbs.

[FromParkAveToTN]

On 8/23/2018 at 6:59 PM, Tenn2Tex said:

The construction of federal buildings are covered in whats called Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) manuals.  The DoD is the proponent for these manual and they are constantly updated. What goes into the standoff area were discussing are things like current threats, building materials, who and what are occupying the structure, etc.  There are a lot of things that can be done to mitigate the assessed threats and reduce that "island effect".  Hopefully they come up with creative way to do so other than some planters and raised curbs.

Why so much extra work. Just build a wall around it and be done with it. All the extra security measures just sounds like more tax payer's dollars.

[titanhog]

On 8/23/2018 at 10:45 AM, PHofKS said:

 

Is this the final design of Nashville's building?  If so...I like it.

[NashvilleObserver]

19 hours ago, titanhog said:

Is this the final design of Nashville's building?  If so...I like it.

It's the last official rendering that was released. I like it too! Much better than the yellowish structure in the original renderings. It's a federal building so of course its going to look like a bomb shelter to some extent, but the changing layers and empty spaces make it interesting, as well as the dome in front. 

Can you imagine if they just built a replica of the Kefauver building here? Yuck....

[Neigeville2]

I hope those setbacks get some more imaginative landscaping than in the render.

[Mr_Bond]

On 8/27/2018 at 10:29 PM, Neigeville2 said:

I hope those setbacks get some more imaginative landscaping than in the render.

Grass in Nashville is never that green, especially on government-owned property.  Perhaps they'll use artificial turf like many people do in LA.

[Nashville Cliff]

On 8/26/2018 at 7:16 AM, FromParkAveToTN said:

Why so much extra work. Just build a wall around it and be done with it. All the extra security measures just sounds like more tax payer's dollars.

Really?  All major federal buildings have required this type of security since the Murrah bombing. I imagine they added even more after 9-11.

[markhollin]

Excavation about 10' deep in areas now.

Looking north from 34th floor on JW Marriott:

Looking north from 7th Ave. North, 1/2 block south of Church St:

Looking west from 7th Ave. North, 1/2 block south of Church St:




Looking SW from 7th Ave. North, 1/2 block south of Church St:

Looking south from 7th Ave. North, 1/2 block south of Church St:

Looking east from Rosa Parks Blvd, 1/2 block south of Church St:

Looking SE from Rosa Parks Blvd, 1/2 block south of Church St:

[Guest]

The workers have literally been moving dirt/rocks from one side of the site to another AND back again. I gave never seen such a waste of time. Thus is literally becoming a make-work project. Ha

[markhollin]

Slightly updated rendering of the Federal Courthouse.  8 stories in sections.  Because most of the floors will include courtrooms which tend to be as much as 20' tall we are looking at 150-160' in height in portions.  I think this view in particular (looking SW from intersection of 7th Ave. North and Church St.) is going to be profound. The white stone finish (granite? Limestone?) should blend well with the Downtown Library just to the east, and the Bernie Dillon/Doctors Building (Homewood Suites) to the north, and Frost Building to the west.

Also, a story on the official groundbreaking today:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/09/28/nashville-federal-courthouse-under-construction-named-fred-thompson/1460179002/
 

[titanhog]

^^I actually love this design.  Compared to what I thought we'd get, this is amazing.