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Embracing inconvenience is not "progress." Progress is making things more convenient.

 

What definition does sprawl fall under? 

 

I love to drive as much as anyone. But with the rate that Nashville is growing, that is going to become increasingly difficult in certain areas. With the land values skyrocketing in the core areas, Nashville is going to urbanize. With that urbanization comes density. And at a certain point, the density becomes prohibitive to the notion that everybody drives everywhere, and can park right in front of where they are going.

 

The Nashville metro will approach 2 million by the end of the decade. "Embracing inconvenience" would mean continuing to develop in the haphazard, unplanned manner that we have done for decades now.

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^Well, I don't care for sprawl, but for a city such as ours, that's going to happen (short of forcing new residents into exclusively-designated areas). For those desirous for more density and the situations that arise from it, they'll happily accept it. For those that don't desire it, they will deal with it in their own way. But for the latter, forcing them into embracing a more "inconvenient" lifestyle isn't going to fly. Most around here aren't going to surrender their cars for mass transit.

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Nobody said anything about "forcing" anyone to do anything, and the idea of "forcing" people to give up their cars for mass transit most certainly never came up.  That's just the conclusion, it seems, you take the huge leap to every time anyone so much as makes the suggestion that perhaps we shouldn't be planning our city based around convenience for people in automobiles alone.  If that is what trumps everything for you, then why not have every business in the central city build a drive-thru?  Why not bring back the ordinance that says parking lots have to be in the front?  Hell, why not just turn Nashville into La Vergne?  You see where I'm going with this? 

 

This isn't about pushing anything on anyone, it's about logistics.  As more people move into the city, something is going to have to give a little to simply fit everything into the existing fabric of the city while still maintaining a comfortable environment, and I would think that we could agree that cutting back slightly on parking and the space it takes up is preferable to cutting back on development, or spreading (sprawling?) that development out more.  You do understand, don't you my friend, that the historic neighborhoods that you and I both like to romanticize and discuss, could never have existed as they did in a place that placed convenience to automobile drivers above all other factors?  You do understand, don't you my friend, that that frame of mind is what helped to kill said historic neighborhoods?  And that those old Victorian homes that you understandably mourn the loss of, were destroyed to make way for wide speedy boulevards and seas of asphalt to accommodate those cars above everything else? 

 

People should be able to drive if they prefer it.  That goes without saying.  All I'm saying is that car owners shouldn't expect a metropolis to focus it's entire development strategy around making sure they have to walk as little as humanly possible.  There is plenty of middle ground to be achieved here.  There is nothing sinister about simply saying that if you want the city to become the vibrant city we all want it to be, then in the future you might have to walk a block or two from your car to your destination once in awhile, and it's probably worth that sacrifice, if you can even call it a sacrifice.  In other words, you can't really have your cake and eat it too, in this case.  To be quite honest though, If walking a few hundred more feet every other day constitutes a significant lifestyle change for some people, then they probably need to reevaluate their lifestyle anyway. 

Edited by BnaBreaker
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^^^

I agree. I wouldn't give up my car for anything. I love driving. And driving and parking close is convenient in a lot of ways when driving in the burbs.

 

BUT -- when it comes to the city -- if I had an alternative method to get downtown, you better believe I would take advantage of it. While parking downtown certainly isn't as scarce as it is in some places, it can still be a hassle -- and it will continue to become more of a hassle as the city grows. If I could pay to take a train downtown, and then a bus (or other transit -- or just walk) rather than have to deal with downtown and midtown traffic and parking, I would. Maybe not 100% of the time, but I would love to have that option. And I know many others (conservatives, liberals, and moderates) that would as well.

 

Also, when I do go downtown -- I like to park and be done with it. I don't mind walking after I get there, because it is far easier to walk than it is to get in my car and search (and probably pay) to park elsewhere.

 

The change in mentality is not that it should be universally applied to all of the Nashville metro, or even all parts of the city. It's the fact that not all areas in Nashville are the same. When you go downtown, you shouldn't expect it to be like the suburbs -- meaning that the convenience of parking is negated by the number of other people trying to get to the same place as you. As the city grows, the constant use of a car becomes more of an inconvenience in certain areas or for certain activities. 

 

I would never advocate mass transit is a replacement for the automobile. In a city like Nashville, that's simply not possible. And as I said before -- I like to drive. I won't give up my car. Mass transit, however, would be good for the city to help manage its growth, as new roads and road widening are quite costly and usually involve encroaching or displacing people from their property.

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A good point to consider is that urban living, as practiced in Nashville, is not just for Millennials, Generation Y, and Generation Z.... Generation X is still in the house (not to mention those pesky Baby Boomers).

As an illustration of my viewpoint let me personalize what I mean. Our family lives downtown and we work downtown and we recreate downtown (unless my children's (14 and 11) school or sports activities take us further afield). Parking is not a hassle as we only on 1 car and we have a parking spot in our building. We love to walk all through downtown and midtown to go to meals, church, people-watch, and do errands. This is great and a big reason why our family moved downtown 10-years ago. 

That being said on weeknights at 8:30, after school activities and soccer practices but before completing homework, I do not have the luxury of meandering through the streets to peruse dinner choices (same can be said if I need to fit-in a haircut or go grocery shopping). It is call ahead ordering and a drive-by pick-up or park in front, eat and retreat. And this is now, when the boys were younger it was imperative to find a parking lot close in or you would have to bring half a room of toddler accessories... ha. Finally, when Nicole is returning home after a night out with girlfriends, I do not want her traipsing all through downtown; a valet or cab is really a security necessity. And I do not think this makes her's a suburban 'mindset'. I see many a hipster utilizing the Gulch or M-Street valets... I do not bemoan their indulgences... I welcome the East-side foreigners with their waxed mustaches (shout-out to Brent) and ear gauges and top hats (wait maybe they are Steam-Punks)...

 

Now excuse me while I go find a McD's with semi-parking next to a Wal*Mart (yes, plastic bags are fine) .... ; )

'MERICA
 

Edited by Guest
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Where are these dangerous areas ?? Often, I find myself commenting on how safe Nashville's downtown feels.. especially when speaking with new transplants or out town visiting friends.  I'm just curious why and where others might perceive an area a danger zone ? Hipsters on Mstreet ?? They had to be hipster Lite.  :shades:  

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I have had friends and neighbors robbed in the downtown area over the years. Regardless, all it takes is one run-in with desperate or deranged people to ruin your outlook.

http://nashvillepost.com/news/2001/2/19/robbery_attempt_leaves_real_estate_veteran_patricia_barker_dead_husband_attorney_joe_

 

In the last week there have been 88 crimes in the downtown/midtown/east Nashville Area...
 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lmb6hrwlikmkcqz/Screenshot%202014-04-13%2016.48.26.png

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When I was talking about "dangerous"...I was talking about lack of pedestrian friendly walkways and crosswalks in many areas.  I didn't mean the boogeyman waiting in the dark.

 

titanhog, I knew what you were saying. 

I have had friends and neighbors robbed in the downtown area over the years. Regardless, all it takes is one run-in with desperate or deranged people to ruin your outlook.

http://nashvillepost.com/news/2001/2/19/robbery_attempt_leaves_real_estate_veteran_patricia_barker_dead_husband_attorney_joe_

 

In the last week there have been 88 crimes in the downtown/midtown/east Nashville Area...

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lmb6hrwlikmkcqz/Screenshot%202014-04-13%2016.48.26.png

 

Very understandable nashville_bound.  Thanks for the crime map!! That is a great tool.  It seems the most common crimes around Downtown/West End are Theft/Larceny, Vandalism, Drugs/Alcohol, Assault and DUI. Not so much with Weapons, Homicide, or Sex crimes. I wonder if that number is high or low for a city our size ?   In any case, we can all agree it would be nice to see less crime of any sort on the map. 

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titanhog, I knew what you were saying. 

 

Very understandable nashville_bound.  Thanks for the crime map!! That is a great tool.  It seems the most common crimes around Downtown/West End are Theft/Larceny, Vandalism, Drugs/Alcohol, Assault and DUI. Not so much with Weapons, Homicide, or Sex crimes. I wonder if that number is high or low for a city our size ?   In any case, we can all agree it would be nice to see less crime of any sort on the map. 

Each police precinct has a community affairs officer who comes out to community meetings to go over the crimes that happened in that specific area.  Anyone with questions about the downtown area's crime rate should contact the Central Precinct and speak to the community affairs officer.  It's his or her job to take questions like that.

 

Sometimes the crime numbers are one thing but the stories are another.  What I mean is, sometimes aggaravated assaults are two drunk guys getting into a fight outside a bar.  That's not someone randomly coming up to people and hitting them with a baseball bat.  Not that the latter never, ever happens.  But that's pretty rare, statistically speaking. 

 

Often times the threat to the general community is less than what the numbers might seem to indicate.  Thefts such as grabbing an iPhone that someone carelessly left on a counter or something are also common.  Being smart about one's surroundings will dramatically reduce one's chances of being a crime victim relative to another person in the same location.

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I totally agree with the sentiment of the board...that downtown Nashville is relatively safe. However, I have 2 young children, and a wife, and myself {GULP} to protect so I tend to error on the side of caution. I will go on the record stating that in the 10-years I have lived downtown we have had only 2-falied attempts of drunk hockey fans attempting to break into our building, a few opportunity muggings around the Bennie-Dillion and a couple of car break-ins for guests parked on the street.

We do feel secure..but aware.

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I totally agree with the sentiment of the board...that downtown Nashville is relatively safe. However, I have 2 young children, and a wife, and myself {GULP} to protect so I tend to error on the side of caution. I will go on the record stating that in the 10-years I have lived downtown we have had only 2-falied attempts of drunk hockey fans attempting to break into our building, a few opportunity muggings around the Bennie-Dillion and a couple of car break-ins for guests parked on the street.

We do feel secure..but aware.

Bellevue had more crime when we lived there than we have experienced in East Nashville. In our neighborhood off of McCroy Lane had break ins, push in robberies, and car thefts. Bellevue crime problem was getting as bad as Antioch. Glad we left the 'Vue  for East Nashville. Even walking late at night, I have never had a problem on the East Side except for panhandling.

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I drove by 1505 and 1515 last night and was just utterly amazed at how much visual impact is happening from, say, looking across from Demonbreun & 12th. It's incredible. I greatly look forward to, at this rate, 10 stories by this time next year on the roundabout!

1515 will be topped out before this time next year. Most likely at Christmas time. All 18 will be up and glass installed by this time next year. They will fly form this building and most likely do a floor per week. It's April, so 20-30 weeks from now, this building will be topped. Even if they did 1 floor every 2 weeks, in 36 weeks the building will be topped.

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