Inner Loop - CBD, Downtown, East Bank, Germantown, Gulch, Rutledge

[Mr_Bond]

44 minutes ago, markhollin said:

Some brainstorming ideas for a land bridge over the I-40/65 inner belt by Nashville Civic Design Committee and Vanderbilt University Engineering School were shared at a meeting today at BWSC.  The supposed price tag would be $in the 150 million range covering the interstate area (about 250 feet wide on average) from 12th Ave. South north to Church Street (about 3,500 ft. in length). 

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21065610/design-center-unveils-land-bridge-study

While this project may be years away, the NCDC and VU have given us a starting point.  I'm excited that this is not outside our reach!

[Nash_12South]

I know I'll be in the minority, but I'd like to see more street connections rather than just green space. Perhaps they could sell sell some rights to build on portions to fund it. 

[donNdonelson2]

The freeway topping park in Dallas is only 5 acres and cost $100 million, completed in 2012. (Some of that from privately raised funds.) This proposal is for a park of almost three times that in total acres. I think the total for this project would be well over $200 million. And I do not think Nashville has the deep pocketed philanthropists to pick up any substantial part of that cost. Color me skeptical, although I would LOVE for it to happen!

[titanhog]

I'm actually shocked that it's not more $$.  That actually seems doable.

[MLBrumby]

They could sell air rights to defray the costs, perhaps commercial development at both ends if there was ever a LRT line going down Charlotte and 12th that would make the proximity to those stations command a premium. The air rights could also be for the new park"land" but work in a different way (a'la a land preservation trust or foundation park). I'm also quite skeptical that this would ever be done, not as much for the great cost (that wouldn't help) but because there would be a taxpayer's revolt. If the backlash for LRT was as great as it was, then the idea of spending any money 'just to pretty up' a freeway is bound to run into backlash from people who don't see anything beneficial to them. I can anticipate what their argument might be: that the riverfront park cost 'a fraction of that and NOBODY USES IT!' I can hear them now. 

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by MLBrumby

[markhollin]

Nashville's largest law firm, Bass, Berry & Sims, has retained Colliers International to help them find a new home somewhere downtown in the next 5 years (that's when their lease is up at Pinnacle Tower).  They currently take up 10 floors (200,000 sq. ft.) of that structure, and will be expanding even further, thus the need for more space.  This is a large enough client that it could warrant a new tower being built specifically for them.  It is possible that they could stay in Pinnacle, but others would have to move out to give them more room.

More behind the NBJ paywall here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/04/23/exclusivenashvilles-largest-law-firm-scouts-for.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

[titanhog]

3 minutes ago, markhollin said:

Nashville's largest law firm, Bass, Berry & Sims, has retained Colliers International to help them find a new home somewhere downtown in the next 5 years (that's when their lease is up at Pinnacle Tower).  They currently take up 10 floors (200,000 sq. ft.) of that structure, and will be expanding even further, thus the need for more space.  This is a large enough client that it could warrant a new tower being built specifically for them.  It is possible that they could stay in Pinnacle, but others would have to move out to give them more room.

More behind the NBJ paywall here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/04/23/exclusivenashvilles-largest-law-firm-scouts-for.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

I'm hearing BB&S is begging the city to sell them this piece of land (circled in pink) so they can build a 41-story building. 

[MLBrumby]

A high dollar game of leapfrog? 

7 hours ago, markhollin said:

More on opening of the Downtown Sporting Club.

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/04/23/not-your-grandpas-honky-tonk-nside-the-goldbergs.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

 

 

 

It looks like quite a step up from the trailer park that was there. Is that mezzanine level new? Would that be for concierge service? It looks very nice. 

Edited April 23, 2019 by MLBrumby

[smeagolsfree]

58 minutes ago, titanhog said:

I'm hearing BB&S is begging the city to sell them this piece of land (circled in pink) so they can build a 41-story building. 

I dont think they want to be down in that section of town from what the NBJ story is saying. I really dont think Metro will sell valuable park land to them if they are not doing it for Tony. Talk about a can of worms.

[nashvylle]

18 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

I dont think they want to be down in that section of town from what the NBJ story is saying. I really dont think Metro will sell valuable park land to them if they are not doing it for Tony. Talk about a can of worms.

I think @titanhogwas kidding, but I will let her confirm. 

[smeagolsfree]

Well, I start getting frantic phone calls and I just react. She probably was now that I look back at it.

[titanhog]

41 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

I think @titanhogwas kidding, but I will let her confirm. 

Yes...inside joke from the BB&S “you’re blocking my river view” fiasco with the Four Seasons guys. 

[TheRaglander]

Sell it.  I mean, people use the dog park but the rest of it is for the homeless 20-something’s with the dreadlocks and dogs.  If they don’t do something about it, people will be afraid to go down there.  

[PaulChinetti]

Got a good shot of the downtown core today. 

 

Edited April 24, 2019 by PaulChinetti
correction

[PillowTalk4]

11 hours ago, TheRaglander said:

Sell it.  I mean, people use the dog park but the rest of it is for the homeless 20-something’s with the dreadlocks and dogs.  If they don’t do something about it, people will be afraid to go down there.  

Are 20 somethings with dreadlocks a scary element to people in Nashville and those who visit?

[Bos2Nash]

Any idea what’s going on in the parking lot across from the Hooters? Is this just closed down for the draft or are we seeing something that hasn’t been updated/reported on much??

\

Clip from the development tracker...

 

Edited April 24, 2019 by Bos2Nash
development map

[TheRaglander]

21 minutes ago, PillowTalk4 said:

Are 20 somethings with dreadlocks a scary element to people in Nashville and those who visit?

Given my experiences with them harassing local girls walking their dogs and chasing the pedal taverns, yeah.  These are the homeless variation that seem to take up camp around this park.  Not the kinds just trying to piss off their rich WillCo parents.  

[MLBrumby]

After how long does unwashed, uncut hair become dread locks.

[downtownresident]

29 minutes ago, TheRaglander said:

Given my experiences with them harassing local girls walking their dogs and chasing the pedal taverns, yeah.  These are the homeless variation that seem to take up camp around this park.  Not the kinds just trying to piss off their rich WillCo parents.  

There was also a dog that was being walked that was killed by one of the dogs belonging to one of the homeless groups in the park. 

Edited April 24, 2019 by downtownresident

[markhollin]

1 hour ago, Bos2Nash said:

Any idea what’s going on in the parking lot across from the Hooters? Is this just closed down for the draft or are we seeing something that hasn’t been updated/reported on much??

 

 

Ron (smeagolsfree) was just walking by the site and called me from his cell--just a temporary set-up for the gatherings related to this weekend's Marathon or NFL Draft. 

We all agree this is such a prime block for something, someday.  But nothing is in the works at this moment. 

[AronG]

Given that land around there is selling for close to $10MM/acre, seems like you could finance a significant part of this by selling development rights on some of it. Maybe the whole thing if you sell bonds and repay with the new property tax stream.

It really is astonishing how much land we dedicate to urban interstates without questioning it. At a rough pass the inner loop and associated cloverleafs occupy somewhere around 400 acres. That amount of improved land would easily generate hundreds of millions of dollars per year in property tax if it was developed even to medium density. As I recall the inner loop averages just over 100,000 cars/day, meaning we're foregoing thousands of dollars each year in revenue to distribute each one of those outer county residents around downtown.

[smeagolsfree]

I think when you took your shot there was nothing on it. When I called Mark there were more porta-johns, a large white tent, and some signage for the marathon I think right on the corner pictured, and a few cars.

[Bos2Nash]

I LOVE the idea of capping the interstate! Whether a park or bringing future development into it would do wonders to connect our city but also create some really cool, new spaces. I agree that the amount of land we allocate to the massive amounts of cars moving around our city is down right insane! I am really impressed with the curriculum that VU has been doing with their engineering students. I attended the one at LP Building Products a week or two ago and they presented an affordable housing project above Music City Bus Terminal and was blown away!

That being said (and I say this without watching or attending the full event), $150 million would probably get us through maybe section 1 of this effort. If we were to factor the desire of air rights buildings on this, we are talking billions! The Big Dig in Boston (we all know what that project cost) was supposed to have structures built on top of the tunnel and they did integrate building foundations into the construction, but nothing has been built or is going to be in the near future. The ventilation of the tunnel would also have to be extensive and the parks on the surface would most certainly have ventilation buildings on them or they would have to be integrated into the new buildings.

METRO or potentially the state could incentivize prospective developers or companies into building over the highway by potentially subsidizing the cost of the deck (insane costs) but then most other subsidies would have to disappear to justify the costs. I would really hope that we can find creative ways to fund projects like this as it will benefit the city as a whole in the long run! And as @Mr_Bond affirmed, its all about starting these conversations now for the future of our city.

[NashRugger]

That lot would be prime for a full-block development and no higher than 7-8 floors, atop an underground garage. 

[markhollin]

M Cubed Developments has paid $1.75 million for the .5 acre site at 810 Jefferson St. (just NW of the intersection of Jefferson and Rosa L. Parks Blvd) that was formerly home to a Church's Chicken.  No details ready for what the concept they have in mind, but they tend to do mixed-use developments.

More at the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21065871/jefferson-street-site-sells-for-175m