Tennessee State Museum, SE corner of Rosa Parks Blvd. and Jefferson St.

[Nathan_in_DC]

Hah, MEM...what a dump of an airport. I may complain about BNA's baggage claim and passenger pickup all the time, but I'll take that any day over the week over MEM. I feel like I'm in a 1970s middle school walking through those unpainted brick, low ceiling passageways.

[MLBrumby]

20 hours ago, Nathan_in_DC said:

Hah, MEM...what a dump of an airport. I may complain about BNA's baggage claim and passenger pickup all the time, but I'll take that any day over the week over MEM. I feel like I'm in a 1970s middle school walking through those unpainted brick, low ceiling passageways.

OMG!!  I was in MEM 12 years ago and it looked like that. I kept thinking they're going to renovate "any time now"... but if it's still like that, no wonder they lost their hub status.  Airlines like their hub hosts to spend a little Jack now and then (mostly now). 

[smeagolsfree]

Try Sacramento.  It was a he'll hole the last time I was there in 2010. I don't know if it has been rehabbed or not.

[MLBrumby]

I used to fly in/out of SAC back in the late 1990s... and that was right when they had completed their "International terminal" which was a separate building with (as I recall) curved type of roof.  But the inside was very very bland. I have not flown through in over fifteen years.  Sounds like they've not done a "dang thang".  And yes, it was a 'h... hole' then too. 

[MidTenn1]

I flew in a couple of years ago to visit one of my daughters and was very underwhelmed by the size and look of the airport. But, it can't compete with San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose only an hour away. BTW, the approach to Sac over the Sierras was the bumpiest ever. Even the flight attendants looked nervous. I don't know if that much turbulence is typical.

Also, the rental car shuttle driver had worked on building the Thermal Transfer (trash burning) plant in Nashville years ago. I got to tell him about how it was becoming a nice park.

Ok. No more war stories from Gramps!

[timmay143]

1 hour ago, PHofKS said:

I flew in a couple of years ago to visit one of my daughters and was very underwhelmed by the size and look of the airport. But, it can't compete with San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose only an hour away. BTW, the approach to Sac over the Sierras was the bumpiest ever. Even the flight attendants looked nervous. I don't know if that much turbulence is typical.

Occasionally flying over large geological structures can create lots of air differentiation which in turn gives you a fun ride!  I had a similar experience flying on a puddle jumper (20 passenger prop plane, a curtain separated the cockpit from the cabin) from NYC LaGuardia  to Lebanon, NH.  Similar deal.  It was mountainous around the airport (at the time I was still pretty terrified of flying).  I asked a nearby passenger (assumed it was a Dartmouth student returning from spring break) if it was normally this bad and she simply shook her head No.  They probably had to replace the armrest after that flight.  Pretty cool coming back to look out down the aisle through the cockpit and front of plane to see Shea stadium and the big apple come into view!

Edited March 30, 2016 by timmay143

[TNinVB]

19 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

OMG!!  I was in MEM 12 years ago and it looked like that. I kept thinking they're going to renovate "any time now"... but if it's still like that, no wonder they lost their hub status.  Airlines like their hub hosts to spend a little Jack now and then (mostly now). 

I was stationed in Memphis from 1997-2000 and flew out of the airport thinking the exact same thing that you said. It's sad that 16 years later it's still the same. I used to work part time for FedEx and always thought that FedEx looked nicer than the airport. I won't get started on Memphis because I don't want to piss anyone off, but I hope Memphis can experience a renaissance like Nashville has. I remember when I lived there that it was very run down and crime ridden. I was also a reserve officer for SCSO and got to see all the "fine" areas the city had to offer. I haven't been back since leaving and I can only hope it's better now.

Edited March 30, 2016 by TNinVB

[MLBrumby]

I too would like to see Memphis go through a renaissance, but it won't happen as long as they have their current band of leaders. My business takes me to all major cities in the state/South, and without a doubt Memphis' elected leaders are the most corrupt and (quite frankly) stupid bunch in the whole state, and perhaps whole country.  I still cannot tell if the corporate leaders are just apathetic, or maybe they had tried to do for the city certain beneficial things and just gave up after dealing with the city's government. So the corporate entities just pick up their bags and move out to the suburbs to their own enclaves.  You could drive through Memphis and never know it is the home of Fedex... although I realize they've put their name on their arena. Likewise for IP and T&B, you'd never know are based there. Autozone has been pretty supportive, but Fedex is out in the boonies. The whole pyramid-got-built-then-abandoned-then-turned-into-a-fishing-store debacle which took place over 20+ years, and admittedly the circumstances of NBA in Memphis changed durng that time, was a good case in point. 

Memphis has all the right ingredients for a downtown renaissance like Nashville, but it's going to be a slog, if it ever happens. 

[donNdonelson2]

Does anybody post about the museum in this thread any more?

[Vrtigo]

1 hour ago, donNdonelson2 said:

Does anybody post about the museum in this thread any more?

What museum? 

[BnaBreaker]

2 hours ago, donNdonelson2 said:

Does anybody post about the museum in this thread any more?

Oh you mean the stagecoach and stuffed grizzly bear storage warehouse?

[titanhog]

18 minutes ago, BnaBreaker said:

Oh you mean the stagecoach and stuffed grizzly bear storage warehouse?

It's actually the "Stagecoach-Stuffed Grizzly-Carousel Storage X-Travaganza Warehouse" (that's the official name) 

[BnaBreaker]

16 minutes ago, titanhog said:

It's actually the "Stagecoach-Stuffed Grizzly-Carousel Storage X-Travaganza Warehouse" (that's the official name) 

LOL!  Ooooh, sounds exotic!  In that case, I'll be first in line!!  

[markhollin]

Ground was broken today on the Tennessee State Museum with a ceremony featuring Governor Haslam, historian Jon Meachem, and many dignitaries. Here's a report (both text and audio) from Nashville Public Radio:

http://nashvillepublicradio.org/post/historian-remembers-feats-and-flaws-tennessee-s-past-state-museum-groundbreaking#stream/0
 

And another report from a political writer from Knoxville:

http://knoxblogs.com/humphreyhill/2016/04/06/26797/

Edited April 7, 2016 by markhollin

[markhollin]

Work moving forward on State Museum site.  This from today's Nashville Post: 

Efforts are progressing regarding the full-scale start of work on the long-planned Tennessee State Museum in North Capitol. According to a Metro document, the Metro Planning Commission on Thursday, June 9, will here a request to grant the city's director of public property the authority to enter into a parking lot lease agreement with Capitol View Joint Venture, the latter being the master developer of the mixed-use North Gulch site soon to be home to HCA’s Parallon division.

The parking is needed because the Nashville Farmers Market will soon lose some of its parking to accommodate the construction of the museum building (pictured). To compensate, Metro wants to lease a Capitol View Joint Venture property located at 612 Tenth Ave. N. 

 

 

[UTgrad09]

I wonder if that is part of the reason behind the Capitol View delay.....

[CenterHill]

Who does Metro contemplate will use the 10th Ave. lot?   Farmers Mkt employees and vendors perhaps?    That's a pretty inconvenient parking option for the public carrying their shopping bags, plants and produce.  

I was talking with a Metro official the other day about the state of the Farmers Market.    It continues to hemorrhage money and the changes implemented by the new management have not improved things - actually made things worse.     

[markhollin]

"A permit has been issued to allow for the demolition of the Nashville Farmers Market north pavilion to make way for the planned Tennessee State Museum. D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. will handle the razing of the shed, with the permit valued at $94,000. The museum will have an address of 1000 Rosa Parks Blvd."  -Nashville Post today

[Vrtigo]

41 minutes ago, markhollin said:

"A permit has been issued to allow for the demolition of the Nashville Farmers Market north pavilion to make way for the planned Tennessee State Museum. D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. will handle the razing of the shed, with the permit valued at $94,000. The museum will have an address of 1000 Rosa Parks Blvd."  -Nashville Post today

The wrecking ball is primed and ready. The entire northern half of the site is completely fenced off and they are already tearing up the parking lot.

[nashvillwill]

Theoretical question;

Is this the beginning of the end for the downtown farmers market? I would hate to see it go, but can't deny that it is underperforming as of late. I don't know the in's-and-out's of this, but all these signals don't bode well for it's future. 

Also, if this does happen, what would the future hold? An entirely new future for a downtown farmers market, or simply a future with no "Nashville" market and we are only left with the alternative markets?

[markhollin]

40 minutes ago, nashvillwill said:

Theoretical question;

Is this the beginning of the end for the downtown farmers market? I would hate to see it go, but can't deny that it is underperforming as of late. I don't know the in's-and-out's of this, but all these signals don't bode well for it's future. 

Also, if this does happen, what would the future hold? An entirely new future for a downtown farmers market, or simply a future with no "Nashville" market and we are only left with the alternative markets?

I believe that with more and more people moving to CBD, Gulch, Capitol View, North Capitol, Germantown, and Buena Vista, that it will bode well for the enterprise. Additionally, with a minimum of 72 Sounds games, the possibility of the SEC Baseball Tournament, the Tennessee State Museum traffic, more concerts/events at Bicentennial Mall, the eventual Tennessee State Library, etc. there will be even more folks discovering and utilizing the fruit/vegetable/flower vendors, food court, and stores within the Farmers Market.

[Pyramid Scheme]

I lived for a couple of years in Monterrey CA and the farmers market was right out on the street. Could something like this happen in North Gulch or Germantown?

[Nashville Cliff]

On 6/12/2016 at 10:06 AM, nashvillwill said:

Is this the beginning of the end for the downtown farmers market? I would hate to see it go, but can't deny that it is underperforming as of late. I don't know the in's-and-out's of this, but all these signals don't bode well for it's future.

Everyone keeps saying this, but every time I go down there, it is packed.  At least the inside vendor area is.  Are you talking specifically about the produce shed?

[nashvillwill]

1 hour ago, Nashville Cliff said:

Everyone keeps saying this, but every time I go down there, it is packed.  At least the inside vendor area is.  Are you talking specifically about the produce shed?

Yes, specifically the produce shed. I will agree, the indoor area is typically packed, and that's a good sign. But seeing as how the inside (taken on its own), isn't exactly a "farmers market", I could see it moving elsewhere as just a "market" sans the farmers. The produce area always seems to be very lackluster in selection and poorly attended. 

 

I would hate to see the farmers separated from the market, but I think the market portion of it could survive on its own. Even if it had to relocate. I would love to see something in town reminiscent of Seattle's Public Market, or S.F.'s Pier 1. If there are any cool, old, riverfront buildings left, I would love to see a move. 

[Vrtigo]

A few quick snaps of the Farmer's Market TN State Museum progress as I was driving by. I'm sure @markhollin or another of our intrepid photographers will be along soon to provide some greater detail: