Nashville is blowing up!

[vinemp]

We don't feature nearly enough of the residential neighborhood construction that's springing up all over the city. I enjoyed a most thrilling visit to town this past weekend. (Cue Disney's ¨A Whole New World¨.) I was astounded by the residential construction in East Nasty and in and around Berry Hill and 12 South.

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But, on a less excited note, I can't imagine that ¨the places to be¨ in Nashville are accessible to a large swath of the population. I mean, I live well in Memphis on my graduate student stipend, within a four-mile radius of every ¨urban¨ amenity I could possible need. I walk to most things and bike or take the bus or ride shares (for under 10 bucks) to everything else. In truth, I only rarely leave my neighborhood.

 

I couldn't imagine having to live out in the comparably affordable Li'l Mexistan or Brentioch and having to drive into the Center everyday just to enjoy the same things I enjoy within mere blocks of my building in Memphis.

 

Nashville is shining brighter, indeed, but there are some troubles still festering in the shadows...

[ariesjow]

^ Sorry I missed you this time. Definitely give me the heads up when come back up to Nashville. Would love for you to attend one of the forum meets!

 

Regarding the subject of your post, I think the lack of sidewalks throughout large portions of Davidson County severely hinders walkability. I frequently see people walking in my neighborhood, but the sidewalks end abruptly and it can be dangerous if you're not paying attention. Pedestrians are forced to avoid cars flying by them on narrow streets and motorists have to be careful to avoid ditches as they pass by people walking. 

[vinemp]

That's what's really frustrating about much of Nashville-Davidson: even with sidewalks everywhere, people wouldn't be walking to anywhere in particular save through their meandering, dead-ending residential neighborhoods. 

 

Still, yes, we need those darn sidewalks. Nothing pissed me off more about living in Nashville than seeing kids having to walk on those narrow pavements, risking life and limb just to visit a friend's house, the shopping plaza near them, or to get to the bus stop on one of the pikes.

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It is high time I attend a meetup, huh? I mean, I was in town for what I believe was the first meetup (in 2005/6?). But I never made it to that one, and it's just been downhill from there.

[MLBrumby]

I recall the last time I got off the beaten path in Nashville was last spring and a group of associates and a client went to Urban Grub for lunch... as we took backstreets to get to I-24. I was passenger in the front seat, so I got to see the houses in the neighborhood... and was amazed by the amount of new houses... additions... landscaping and everything else going on in 12South.