5th & Broadway | 501 Commerce | NMAAM | 34 story apt, 26 story office, + 183,000 sq. ft. of Retail

[AronG]

14 hours ago, ruraljuror said:

It's also possible that they're afraid of some sort of pushback against whatever they've got planned.  Whether that be grassroots pushback from the community or just some astroturf operations by a competitor who may already be in (or planning to enter) our market.

That said, my guess is still Apple.  It probably takes a while to design a building with all the lines and angles complementing seams in the the sidewalks outside, etc.  

Has anybody come up with a plausible candidate other than Apple? They've got deep pockets, central urban showpiece locations in other cities, a propensity for glass construction that would explain the teardown, a history of keeping announcements close to the vest, a thematic motivation to maintain a visible presence in "Music City"... What's the second most likely candidate?

[Jamie Hall]

3 hours ago, AronG said:

Has anybody come up with a plausible candidate other than Apple? They've got deep pockets, central urban showpiece locations in other cities, a propensity for glass construction that would explain the teardown, a history of keeping announcements close to the vest, a thematic motivation to maintain a visible presence in "Music City"... What's the second most likely candidate?

I'm still optimistic that it's one of the new Target urban-designed stores -- the size would be comparable, they have the deep pockets to pay for a high-profile location, and they've been building more and more of those small urban stores nationwide.

I still wouldn't be totally shocked if it's something a bit more boring like Starbucks or even a McDonald's -- disappointed, yes, but not entirely surprised.

Apple just doesn't seem like a natural fit in that location, in my opinion. Target would certainly tend to appeal to a wider audience than Apple, and that type of retailer is sorely needed downtown for residents and visitors.

Edited June 6, 2019 by Jamie Hall

[donNdonelson2]

I’m shocked that CVS has not opened a store downtown, but I wouldn’t expect them to claim such a high profile corner. 

My gut says it’s Apple.

 

[Titans10]

Amazon Go?

[dxfret]

I’m guessing:  Apple, Amazon or Target

[titanhog]

Wasn’t there “someone in the know” who told us it was going to be a tech company when they first tore down the original build?

[donNdonelson2]

I think it was mentioned that it would be tech

[PaulChinetti]

Apple just renovated the store in Green Hills and made it twice as large as the old one, so I'm not sure they would add another. There is a store in Cool Springs too. If they built one downtown that would be 3 in the Nashville area. A lot of their newest stores have been renovating old historic buildings on their dime and having the store there, so I'm not sure it makes sense. And they are also building a new Apple Music office in Wedgewood that is supposed to have a live performance space. 

Latest renovation they did, freaking gorgeous. https://www.apple.com/retail/carnegielibrary/

 

Could be something music related like Spotify, Amazon (Music), or Google (Youtube Music). 

Could be an Amazon Go store. A Microsoft Store, though I highly doubt that. A Samsung store, they do flagships and have deep pockets. 

Could be Facebook, trying to start some country music angle on any of their offerings. 

Could be Best Buy, I'm sure they could get a lot of business with all the new downtown residents, not sure if they have a smaller type store.

All I can really think of that would be "tech" related. 

 

Side note, we could only hope for some of these. But I could totally see them being a bit playful and having their logo in Neon or the ability to make it "look" like neon to fit in with the "broadway aesthetic". 

https://www.apple.com/retail/upperwestside/  Corner wouldn't really fit in with the development

https://www.apple.com/retail/williamsburg/     Would fit more in with the surroundings

https://www.apple.com/retail/downtownbrooklyn/    Definitely would fit it but would stand out

https://www.apple.com/retail/michiganavenue/   Or go full Chicago

[PillowTalk4]

There's been mixed reaction to Apple converting the Carnegie Library in DC to an Apple store.  The building was in need of renovations to say the least, but there are those that don't believe it should have been converted into commercial space.  I've always felt it should have been converted to an art gallery and event facility.  From what I was told there is supposed to be meeting/event spaces available.  But I've not seen where Apple is promoting that.  The Carnegie Library Building is indeed an iconic structure for DC.  Not iconic from a tourist stand point.  But from a resident stand point.  Most tourist will never see it unless they happen to be at the DC convention center or staying in one of the nearby hotels.  

 

Too bad Apple wasn't doing this back in the 90's.  Maybe they could have saved the apartment building that was razed to build a Walgreen's at West End and 31st.  I can't remember the name of the building.  But it never should have been torn down to build a Walgreen's.  Although I benefited from walking to it when I lived nearby.  However, Walgreen's should have converted apartment building into a store on the main level and leased the remaining floors as apartments or office suites.  There was also an old church on Broadway near the split that could have been saved for the same purpose.  I can't remember if it was where Broad West is being built or where the Wells Fargo Bank is now located.

Edited June 7, 2019 by PillowTalk4

[CenterHill]

1 hour ago, PillowTalk4 said:

Too bad Apple wasn't doing this back in the 90's.  Maybe they could have saved the apartment building that was razed to build a Walgreen's at West End and 31st.  I can't remember the name of the building.  But it never should have been torn down to build a Walgreen's.  Although I benefited from walking to it when I lived nearby.  However, Walgreen's should have converted apartment building into a store on the main level and leased the remaining floors as apartments or office suites.  

It was the Jacksonian apartments.    Developer John Rochford tore them down to replace them with the suburban Walgreens and parking lot.     He later built a sort of replica of the Jacksonian further down West End.    

[Jamie Hall]

Can't image this thing going in that prime Fifth + Broadway corner ... but then again, I wouldn't have predicted it for Times Square, either. From Thrillist today, behold ...

 

[Craiger]

Times Square is such a terribly unpleasant place. 

[smeagolsfree]

Sorry guys, this is not the tenant for the high end AllianceBernstein and high end apartments, not to mention the museum to have a trashy second rate donut joint in the mix. It might work in Times Square but there is all kind of cheese surrounding it there as well. Its neon city at its best or worst.

At least give us a Dunkin Donuts!

[e-dub]

WHY did that dude put an 'e' in the word flaky? He probably also spells it "gravey". Man, does that unnecessary e ever burn my back hair...

[thenorthchannel]

Apple seems to make the most sense but perhaps some live broadcast TV show a la Times Square?    With Ryman Hospitality wanting to push more into content and the beautiful sight lines evidenced by the NFL Draft it could be a great fit. 

[DDIG]

17 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

Sorry guys, this is not the tenant for the high end AllianceBernstein and high end apartments, not to mention the museum to have a trashy second rate donut joint in the mix. It might work in Times Square but there is all kind of cheese surrounding it there as well. Its neon city at its best or worst.

At least give us a Dunkin Donuts!

Calling Krispy Kreme trashy second rate in the south is fighting words!

[titanhog]

8 minutes ago, DDIG said:

Calling Krispy Kreme trashy second rate in the south is fighting words!

Yeah...I was going to say that believing Dunkin is better than Krispy Kreme just doesn't compute.  Of course, both of them will rot your teeth out. 

[smeagolsfree]

Sorry, but their donuts truly are not very good. You can do a blind taste test and find that out. Many of the mom and pop places have them both beat, but after eating at both I prefer DD over KK and I grew up on KK.

New Yorkers will see that KK cannot stack up against DD in Manhattan and it will be a failure. The coffee alone will be a test.

[BnaBreaker]

Just now, smeagolsfree said:

Sorry, but their donuts truly are not very good. You can do a blind taste test and find that out. Many of the mom and pop places have them both beat, but after eating at both I prefer DD over KK and I grew up on KK.

New Yorkers will see that KK cannot stack up against DD in Manhattan and it will be a failure. The coffee alone will be a test.

Agreed completely.  Krispy Kreme donuts to me are just way too sugary to the point that you can't even taste whatever flavor it's supposed to be.  Dunkin Donuts, while certainly not the pinnacle of the donut eating world, at least has a wide variety of flavors, and those flavors stand out when you eat them.  I can honestly say that I don't understand the Krispy Kreme glazed craze... then again, I also don't understand why people love sweet tea so much.  It's just sugar water.  What person older than ten years of age would actually crave that?  It isn't thirst quenching and there's nothing to the flavor.  If you're adding a lot of lemon to it then okay, but I know most people don't.

All that being said, however, to be fair to southerners and their food and beverage preferences, I haven't lived in the south for over a decade now, so what the hell do I know? lol 

[ruraljuror]

10 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

Sorry, but their donuts truly are not very good. You can do a blind taste test and find that out. Many of the mom and pop places have them both beat, but after eating at both I prefer DD over KK and I grew up on KK.

New Yorkers will see that KK cannot stack up against DD in Manhattan and it will be a failure. The coffee alone will be a test.

New Yorkers won't be getting their coffee and donuts from Times Square flagship stores.  My guess is that KrispyKreme's strategy is more about positioning themselves as an/the iconic American donut in the minds of foreign (and also US) tourists.  

Edited June 11, 2019 by ruraljuror

[PruneTracy]

Dunkin' Donuts is for damn Yankees.

[Bos2Nash]

You want what you cant get. KK opened up a in the New England market several years back and were all the craze for a bit, then they closed not long after. Dunkin has such a hold on the market up there that it is near impossible to pry into it. I have not had a worse coffee down here then I have from Dunkin. It was such a staple up north for me (would get one just about every morning) and now I get it only on the very rare occasion. Can't speak to KK coffee, but if it is even in the same realm of Dunkin it can't be good. I can honestly say, I like the glazed KK donuts much better than most Dunkin donuts. KK donuts are more airy and not as heavy. I always am left feeling gross and tired after Dunkin.

You can't really bring the mom and pop shops into the conversation, because for the most part they will always be better. They don't have to worry about replicating their product across the country with the uncertainty of local suppliers and such. Dunkin coffee here tastes totally different her (nasty) than Dunkin coffee up north (little better). The downside to the mom and pop stores is they typically have to charge more. Trade offs.

[jmtunafish]

DD doesn't even make its doughnuts on site.  They're made in some factory somewhere and shipped frozen to their retail outlets.  At least KK makes its doughnuts right there for the whole world to see.  I do agree that KK's doughnuts don't compare to mom-and-pop doughnuts, but the same can be said about most food outlets.  I also agree that KK doughnuts are waaayyy too sweet, but then again a hot original glazed can make my eyes roll back more than just about anything else that doesn't involve being naked.

Some of the old timers will remember when DD tried opening outlets in the South a couple of decades ago only to retreat.  I know many of the mom-and-pop doughnuts stores in the area are in former DD stores from way back in the day. I think one of the reasons DD is successful this time is they offer so much more than just doughnuts and coffee.  I, too, can't stand DD doughnuts, but I do like their bagels and breakfast sandwiches which are much better than any other fast-food breakfast drive-thru.

[markhollin]

Good Lord, people.  11 posts about donuts.  Let's get back on topic.  

[BnaBreaker]

To be fair, there isn't really anything to discuss about this project at the moment. lol