Jump to content

Nashville needs an observation tower

NissanvilleTitans

By NissanvilleTitans
in Nashville

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 38
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Paramount747 Burg

Paramount747

Posted
Posted

43I1J6E.jpg

This one?

Nice and flat as a pancake!

I didn't see it posted here so i thought I would add my two cents. The Tennessee Tower (312 Rosa L. Parks Blvd.) has an observation deck on the top floor that has amazing 360 degree views. The only catch is that you have to either work for the state or know someone who can get you in in order to get to it. 

That used to be the large banquet and meeting room for the CEO of American General. He used to have a private chef on the 29th floor. At one time our friend Dave Luna who is long passed now tried to get us up there since he had a friend with the state, but it could never be worked out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rookzie Burg

rookzie

Posted
Posted

Nice and flat as a pancake!

That used to be the large banquet and meeting room for the CEO of American General. He used to have a private chef on the 29th floor. At one time our friend Dave Luna who is long passed now tried to get us up there since he had a friend with the state, but it could never be worked out.

 

I did get to go up there before the American General takeover, back when it still was National Life & Accident.  This was back in late '79 early '80, when I did COBOL for them, before I quit and went to the railroad in Ohio.  I can't recall the floor plan layout, but it was the posh d'elegance even for then.  Reckon that privilege of having been up there then, turned out to be one of the spoils of gettin' old.

-==-

Link to comment
Share on other sites
nashvillwill Burg

nashvillwill

Posted
Posted

When the term "observation tower" comes up, many examples come to mind like the Space Needle and the CN Tower.

Personally, one of my favorite observation towers I've ever been in is San Francisco's Coit tower. It's not super tall, or futuristic. Its height as an observation deck is more from the hill it rest upon, than as a matter of the towers sheer height. I would love something like that in Nashville and I think RMH would be the perfect place for one. No roller coasters, no fancy restaurants. Just a nice looking building and an incredible view.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rookzie Burg

rookzie

Posted
Posted

When the term "observation tower" comes up, many examples come to mind like the Space Needle and the CN Tower.

Personally, one of my favorite observation towers I've ever been in is San Francisco's Coit tower. It's not super tall, or futuristic. Its height as an observation deck is more from the hill it rest upon, than as a matter of the towers sheer height. I would love something like that in Nashville and I think RMH would be the perfect place for one. No roller coasters, no fancy restaurants. Just a nice looking building and an incredible view.

 

Coit's art-deco "corn-cob" indeed is nice, just wish it had been done in stone cladding instead of concrete ─ I think that's what it's made of.  But it is well maintained.

-==-

Link to comment
Share on other sites
nashvillwill Burg

nashvillwill

Posted
Posted

Coit's art-deco "corn-cob" indeed is nice, just which it had been done in stone cladding instead of concrete ─ I think that's what it made of. But is is well maintained.

-==-

Rookzie, I know you are a few years removed from the Bay Area, but before I left they were beginning a maintenance project on the murals in the base of the Coit Tower. If you ever saw them, you know that they were very fascinating murals.

Also, side notes of interest for you. They had also begun a massive restoration project for some of the older Alcatraz structures. Bart was being extended from Fremont down to San Jose. They are currently only building one additional station, but plan to bring it l they way down to SJ in the near future. There is also a Bart (Coliseum Station) to OAK airport tram being constructed. It should be near completion. It will be a part of the BART system, but not a third rail. It will require transfer and the equipment cannot run on the rest of the BART system. It's a strange type of vehicle also. I saw them refered to as "cable cars", but not in the SF sense of Cable Car. They are on a fixed elevated track and the trains resemble light rail, but instead of electrification, there will be a cable pulley system. Also, the MUNI central subway expansion is well underway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rookzie Burg

rookzie

Posted
Posted

Rookzie, I know you are a few years removed from the Bay Area, but before I left they were beginning a maintenance project on the murals in the base of the Coit Tower. If you ever saw them, you know that they were very fascinating murals.

Also, side notes of interest for you. They had also begun a massive restoration project for some of the older Alcatraz structures. Bart was being extended from Fremont down to San Jose. They are currently only building one additional station, but plan to bring it l they way down to SJ in the near future. There is also a Bart (Coliseum Station) to OAK airport tram being constructed. It should be near completion. It will be a part of the BART system, but not a third rail. It will require transfer and the equipment cannot run on the rest of the BART system. It's a strange type of vehicle also. I saw them refered to as "cable cars", but not in the SF sense of Cable Car. They are on a fixed elevated track and the trains resemble light rail, but instead of electrification, there will be a cable pulley system. Also, the MUNI central subway expansion is well underway.

 

Yes some time ago I read about the big stink brought up by BART's decision to use a costly people-mover from that airport to the main BART line, but it got approved anyway.  From what I heard (and it might be incorrect), riders have to pay separate to ride that thing, as there are no free transfers to the Fremont and Pleasanton lines, and if so, then that suX.  I can see not having free Xfers, but the thing itself should be free.

 

Also since summer 2013 I've kept up with the BART extension to San Jose (and hopefully) on to Downtown Santa Clara.  With the ACE (Altamont Corridor Express), CalTrain, and Captitol Corridor ─ all separate commuter lines ─ not to mention Santa Clara VTA and Amtrak on-hand, SanJose has to be about the "Railiest" city per capita for in the US, in terms of rides,

 

Hadn't heard about MUNI extensions, but I'm not surprised, since SF ranks up there with the big NE cities in getting big funding, plus they help to carry their own as well.  Haven't heard anything more about the Sonoma - Marin County project either.

 

Finally, I have heard references to the ROCK (Alcatraz) restoration, and since it's managed by the Nat'l Park Svc., I'm glad to hear that it's not going to crumble back into the bay ─ not soon anyway.

-==-

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 year later...
NissanvilleTitans Whistle-Stop

NissanvilleTitans

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Alright guys, a thought popped in my head about made up observation tower that should be reality. Lots of them have restaurants and this one should too, but this one should definitely have a stage for music. It's what visitors expect from Nashville. We are the Music City. It also should have enough land around it at the bottom for a large park that could hold enough people for the World Music Festival that Phoks suggested; that was an amazing idea that should already be in existence. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PruneTracy Burg

PruneTracy

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, NissanvilleTitans said:

Alright guys, a thought popped in my head about made up observation tower that should be reality. Lots of them have restaurants and this one should too, but this one should definitely have a stage for music. It's what visitors expect from Nashville. We are the Music City. It also should have enough land around it at the bottom for a large park that could hold enough people for the World Music Festival that Phoks suggested; that was an amazing idea that should already be in existence. 

The Austin360 Amphitheater incorporates an observation tower for the Circuit of the Americas. Or the observation tower incorporates an amphitheater, however you want to look at it.

dee94860c6286d9ba425e04708a940fc.jpg?ito

Not exactly the same idea, but you know if Austin does something we just have to do it also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.