Repurposed/revitalized historical buildings in Nashville

[markhollin]

U.S. Naval Reserve Training Building (RTB) was built in around 1944, during WWII. It is a “modified type B” Butler Hut used by the Navy as an armory and training center. It is a rare surviving example of “programmatic” or “mimetic” architecture in Davidson County. Mimetic architecture replicates something not usually considered a building and often has an association with the business conducted therein. The style became predominant in the mid-twentieth century in order to catch the attention of automobile drivers. Edwin A. Keeble – a well-known Nashville architect – made this a unique resource when he designed part of the building as a prow, making it a “ship-shaped” building. RTB is located in Shelby Park overlooking the Cumberland River, just a few hundred feet to the south. In accordance with a trend of the time; across the nation, urban training centers were located in either a municipal parks or on the outskirts of town near existing military facilities.

Today the building is no longer used by the Navy. I think the "boat portion" could make a great restaurant, or perhaps even a grouping of eateries, overlooking the river.  The back portion, which is extensive, could be a community center or event space.  I think it is utilized as such at times now, but for the most part, I think the whole thing sits empty for long stretches.
 

Looking NE along Davidson Street, which hugs the Cumberland River.

 

Looking north from Davidson Street at the "prow of the ship."  Both decks could be great for outdoor dining.

 

Looking south from the high hill in Shelby Park down toward the RTB.  You can see how close it is to the Cumberland River at that point.  One of the main frustrations of the view is the ugly cement processing plant directly across on the other shore.

[fieldmarshaldj]

^My father attended Naval Reserve meetings in that building in the '70s and early '80s. I hope someone finds a good reuse for it.

[MLBrumby]

In Chattanooga there's a popular restaurant called The Boathouse.  That would be a great location for one. 

[markhollin]

Cummins Station is one of my favorite repurposing projects in Nashville over the past 25 years or so.  Built in 1907, this 109-year-old structure remains one of the largest buildings in Nashville as far as actual square footage (480,000). It has had a major renaissance from primarily warehousing space for products to be shipped for the bordering Gulch railroad yards, into a multi-faceted mixed-use hub, featuring 5 eateries, 2 clubs, and dozens of other businesses.  It's rebirth helped spark all of the development of the Gulch over the past 15 years.  The current ownership has discussed plans of adding 2 more floors to the top of the structure over the past several years, but no firm plans have ever been released.

A brief history can be found at this first link, and more detailed at second:

http://www.cumminsstation.com/continuing-history/index.html

http://www.cumminsstation.com/pdf/History.pdf

Looking NW along 10th Avenue South near Lea Avenue intersection:

 

Looking east across the Gulch rail road tracks from the Gulch Crossings office building:

 

Looking south along the west side of the building where a narrow park area has been added next to the Land Port that straddles the Gulch railroad tracks.

[fieldmarshaldj]

^Not crazy about that weird looking modernist wall in the bottom pic. It should compliment the building, not detract from it. 

[markhollin]

The law offices of Parker & Crofford are in this glorious mansion built in 1866 (immediately after the Civil War) at 1230 2nd Avenue South in the Chestnut Hill area.  It is 9,500 sq. ft. and had 9 bedrooms which are now offices.
 

[fieldmarshaldj]

^Curiously about this mansion, it was just the two floors for a time (I believe it still was when I attended Johnson in the mid '80s, passing it every weekday). Described as an Italianate Mansion in the 1974 Nashville: A Short History and Selected Buildings, the recent 3rd floor "attic" addition transformed it into a Second Empire gem. You couldn't tell that what's above the cornice isn't original unless you looked close-up. Alas, we had so many mansions in the city in this style until 50-60 years ago, virtually all gone now.

[markhollin]

I know there was some discussion about this last month on the CBD/SoBro thread, but just wanted to post some more pics along First Avenue to continue to spur ideas about how this valuable, historic, and picturesque strip could be better utilized, especially creating more foot traffic and community along the river front. Many suggested the idea of opening the back side of many of the Second Avenue eateries and clubs to have First Avenue entrances as well, and then extending their First Avenue presence further into the sidewalk/street itself---creating more of a continual string of cafes. I would also think those that don't already have rooftop dining could be encouraged to do that and extend it all the way "back" for a perch overlooking the river to the east, as well as overlooking Second Avenue to the west.

In creating a "Riverfront Cafe District" how far should the dining area extend out from the edge of the buildings? Should First Avenue be cut down to just 12 feet wide and covered in brick (So actual traffic to be just one direction/one lane, utilized primarily for horse-drawn carriages in the evening and garbage removal early each morning)?  Should there be canopies or balconies extending out from each restaurant, and, if so, what height restrictions? Should there be more foliage, or would that restrict views of the river?  Other thoughts?

Looking NW from the transit circle at then end of Broadway along the Cumberland Riverfront Park:

 

Looking north along First Avenue near the Hard Rock Cafe parking lot:

 

Looking south along First Avenue North from Church Street intersection:

[bhibbs]

most of those buildings have docks for trucks to come in and out for deliveries and waste removal.
extending over the road or past the road would be interesting for this one reason alone...
my drivers trucks arent exactly short trucks.

[Neigeville2]

13 hours ago, markhollin said:

...
In creating a "Riverfront Cafe District" how far should the dining area extend out from the edge of the buildings? Should First Avenue be cut down to just 12 feet wide and covered in brick (So actual traffic to be just one direction/one lane, utilized primarily for horse-drawn carriages in the evening and garbage removal early each morning)?  Should there be canopies or balconies extending out from each restaurant, and, if so, what height restrictions? Should there be more foliage, or would that restrict views of the river?  Other thoughts?

Looking NW from the transit circle at then end of Broadway along the Cumberland Riverfront Park:

 

Looking south along First Avenue North from Church Street intersection:

 

Canopies and more foliage, please.  I think those buildings would look great with some flowers trailing out of window boxes here and there, adding to the European vibe.  Nashville needs some less raucous entertainment areas.

It is very dark at night right now, some gaslights or other decorative/mood lighting would help.

And it seems to me there's plenty of room to move the street or at least part of its length a bit closer to the river and keep it two lanes.  The existing terrace on the river side is wide, and 1st doesn't have to remain perfectly straight.  I don't see why trucks couldn't be accommodated in the design of the driveway cuts, even if it were reduced to one lane.  Deliveries are obviously going to have be at designated times.

[markhollin]

"Built in 1929, the James Robertson Hotel is the second oldest hotel building in Nashville. Built on the eve of the Great Depression the hotel had a difficult early history. The hotel was designed by Marr & Holman, better known for their designs for the Tennessee Supreme Court Building and former Downtown Post Office (now Frist Center for the Visual Arts). The eleven story hotel building is in an Art Deco style and was named after the founder of Nashville."  (from Waymarking.com site)

It is currently being converted back into a boutique hotel after being an apartment building from 1979 to 2105.

[Vrtigo]

On 7/30/2016 at 10:33 AM, markhollin said:

Cummins Station is one of my favorite repurposing projects in Nashville over the past 25 years or so.  Built in 1907, this 109-year-old structure remains one of the largest buildings in Nashville as far as actual square footage (480,000). It has had a major renaissance from primarily warehousing space for products to be shipped for the bordering Gulch railroad yards, into a multi-faceted mixed-use hub, featuring 5 eateries, 2 clubs, and dozens of other businesses.  It's rebirth helped spark all of the development of the Gulch over the past 15 years.  The current ownership has discussed plans of adding 2 more floors to the top of the structure over the past several years, but no firm plans have ever been released.

The interior structure of the building is being reinforced to provide for increased stability in preparation for this vertical expansion. I haven't heard a timeline yet either, but work is definitely ongoing.

[markhollin]

"An effort is underway to preserve the Jefferson Street building that once housed Club Baron, one of Nashville's most culturally significant music venues where future legends Jimi Hendrix, Ray Charles, Otis Redding  and Little Richard performed on their way to the apex of the music industry." The article has a nice slide show of many of the performers involved with the club over the decades.  This would be wonderful to revitalize and become a working club with a museum element to it.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2016/08/08/efforts-begin-preserve-historic-jefferson-street-music-venue/87969542/

The Club Baron is now an Elks Lodge at 2614 Jefferson Street.

 

A couple of promo shots of Jimi Hendrix on the stage of Club Baron in the early 60s.

[rookzie]

3 hours ago, markhollin said:

"An effort is underway to preserve the Jefferson Street building that once housed Club Baron, one of Nashville's most culturally significant music venues where future legends Jimi Hendrix, Ray Charles, Otis Redding  and Little Richard performed on their way to the apex of the music industry." The article has a nice slide show of many of the performers involved with the club over the decades.  This would be wonderful to revitalize and become a working club with a museum element to it.

 

A lot more went on around those parts of upper Jefferson, than the eyes could behold.  There truly were many lively and concurrent happenings in the venues, along the Jefferson strip at that time, when John Merritt Blvd was still Centennial Blvd, and even small, family-owned department- and variety stores, dotted the stretch.  Of course, it had flourished during the period when such entertainment had been pretty much "constrained" and "accepted" by socio-ethnic customs at the time, and to an extent it "spilled collaterally" to lower Charlotte and Jo Johnston Avenues, from the gulch westward.  The structure attached to the club building at the right initially had been built as Logan's Market, a full-service grocery, which even had a then-novel amenity for the 1950s ─ an electric-eye- (photo-sensor-) triggered pneumatic actuated doors (yes, I used to get away with playing with the lenses on those eyes just to hear the filling and exhaust of the compressed air).

[markhollin]

Stocking 51 is another stellar example of rehabbing a one abandoned, blighted former warehouse/factory structure into a source of active use and community pride. Built in 1925 out in the area now known as The Nations, it was originally the home of Belle Meade Hosiery Mill, and later utilized as a discount cabinet shop. The buildings are now being re-imagined by Vintage South Development for retail, office, and restaurant space.

http://www.stocking51.com

 

[markhollin]

The Masonic Grand Lodge at the corner of Broadway and 7th Avenue North sits quietly in its monolithic splendor, with most people in Nashville never paying it much heed, let alone stepping inside its hallowed halls.  It was built in 1925 in a Classical Revivalist style, with Asmus and Clark as the architects.  Due to the secretive nature of the local Masons, the structure is generally off-limits to the general public.  It's primary core is the fantastic U-shaped theater that seats in the neighborhood of 1,600 people.  I was able to get a tour about 17 years ago, and can attest to the splendor of the hall.  In many other markets, Masonic Temples have been opened for use of public performances of everything from live theater to dog shows to rock shows.  Not sure why the group here is so closed-off, but it has hardly every been utilized for anything other than a couple of Masons meetings each year over the past 9+ decades.  Perhaps someday they will want to share their gem with a public that would be VERY appreciative. I can think of countless ways it could be utilized as another jewel in our crown of great performance halls in the downtown area.

Here is an article from about 4 years ago in The Scene about the building's background:

http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/13042481/people-pass-nashvilles-downtown-masonic-lodge-every-day-without-knowing-the-surprises-inside
 

[donNdonelson2]

When I took one of their rare public tours about six years ago, the guide indicated that there was some interest in opening up the building for other uses. They would like the revenue that rentals would bring, but the building would require considerable renovation to bring it up to codes for open public usage. I've played several old Masonic and Shrine Temples that book Broadway tours. (Detroit, Rochester, NY & Indianapolis come to mind) The one in Detroit, the largest Masonic Temple in the world, had been shuttered, last I heard. Rochester's is in pretty sad condition--I was there last December with a show.

[donNdonelson2]

Detroit Masonic Temple postcard. My grandfather sent this to family in TN when he went north for work in the 1940s.

Edited August 15, 2016 by donNdonelson2
Add info & photo

[BnaBreaker]

There is a concert venue in the Detroit Temple now where i saw Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds there a couple years ago.  It is an incredible venue.

[donNdonelson2]

The Detroit building has an unfinished indoor swimming pool on one of the upper floors-seventh, I believe. It was not finished because engineers warned that due to poor design, if filled, the weight of the water would collapse the structure! The adjoining locker rooms are near complete, with marble walls & floors. It's an amazing old building. Lots of very unusual features!

[donNdonelson2]

Here is some information on the financial problems that plagued the Detroit Masonic Temple and the "Nashville connection" that helped keep the venue open. Jack White seems to be one of the good guys!

"In April 2013, the building was reported to be in foreclosure over $152,000 in back taxes owed to Wayne County.^[7]The debt was paid off in May 2013, and in June 2013, it was revealed that $142,000 of the bill was footed by singer-songwriter Jack White, a Detroit native known for his work with The White Stripes. He wanted to help the temple in its time of need as they had helped his mother in a time of need: the temple gave her a job as an usher in the theater when she was struggling to find work. In response, the Detroit Masonic Temple Association renamed its Scottish Rite cathedral the Jack White Theater.^[8][9][10]"

[MLBrumby]

Warner Bros. Records' former home eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2016/08/16/hold-placed-demolition-music-row-area-building/88839328/

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• At one point, condos were planned for the property at 1815 Division St.
• The hold allows time to discuss alternatives and to document the Midtown area property.
• Three years ago, real estate investor Salah Ayesh paid $2.6 million for the 0.68-acre property.
• In addition to housing music company offices, the location once housed a Florence Crittenton Home for Unwed Mothers.

[MLBrumby]

Sneak peek at $30M James Robertson hotel makeover

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The 2,500-square-foot restaurant will be right off the main entrance on 7th Avenue North.
• The rooftop bar will offer small bites and small plate dishes with a full-operating bar.
• The Unbound Collection by Hyatt hotel is expected to open early in next year's fourth quarter.
• The hotel will have 60 on-site parking spaces with overflow at a nearby garage.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2016/08/19/sneak-peek-30m-james-robertson-hotel-makeover/88976452/

[markhollin]

A structure with some neat possibilities for restaurant/retail is the block-long former warehouse at 603 Third Avenue North/601 Second Avenue North.  It stretches that entire block, facing Jo Johnston Blvd. on the south, and the CSX tracks on the north (where there used to be loading/unloading). Built in 1926 when this neighborhood was the burgeoning stockyard district, it originally housed a packing plant and later some food processing.  The western end is currently home to A-Around the Clock Bail Bonds, and as far as I can tell, the rest sits dormant. 

With all of the development booming around this locale (Town Place Suites Hotel, The Charlesville apartments, Water Tower Condos, Stockyard Apartments, Provident Germantown Apts, Sounds Apartments, First Tennessee Ballpark, and the new Criminal Justice Center all within 2 blocks), this would seem prime for repurposing in the next two years. Additionally, the nearly two full blocks just to the south and west are just parking lots at this time, and have great potential.  One drawback is organizing the eleven different owners of the various parcels that make up those blocks to either sell or work together towards redevelopment.

Looking NE along Jo Johnston Ave. from intersection with Third Ave. North:

 

Looking west along Jo Johnston Ave. from intersection with Second Ave. North:

 

Looking at screen shot from Smeagolsfree's Nashville Development Map.  The elongated structure in the center--just south of the RR tracks--is the subject of this post.  You can see the blocks just the the west and south have tremendous potential as well, most likely for mixed use. I predict that pretty much every empty lot in that area will be something vastly different within the next 5-10 years.

[smeagolsfree]

I was looking at that building a while ago and thought the same as you.

 

Great older building with a huge potential. There are buildings all over the place like this North of downtown Pittsburgh that have been repurposed.