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

[NashRugger]

What kind of 'something rotten' are you referring to here?  Just that they couldn't get their act together for some internal reason and blamed the interest rates or that there may be a problem with the sale/property/market, etc. that we don't know about yet?

Me personally, I believe it's something behind the scenes and possibly within the company. Nashville is white hot, it's a hotly contested property, about as prime a location you can find, and not even 6 months after announcing this that they're pulling out? That simply doesn't add up and their portfolio, as I alluded to earlier, isn't exactly in the urban development business. 

 

Blaming rising interest rates is about as vague and puzzling reason I've heard yet. They probably were, pure speculation on my part, wanting to go with a cheap development to turn a quick profit and realized they can't do that and needed to invest more than they're willing to. Again, that part is speculation to me but seems to make a ton of sense.

[smeagolsfree]

Here are the two new designs for Tony's property at 505 Church

 

http://nashvillepost.com/blogs/postbusiness/2013/11/26/proposed_giarratana_skyscraper_boasts_two_new_design_iterations

[smeagolsfree]

Here are a couple more

 

 

[BnaBreaker]

Both very handsome designs...but both seem quite similar to his Sheet Music proposal. 

[mirydi]

^I was just about to say that. The mixed-use design would compliment the Sheet Music tower so well!

[MLBrumby]

Ooooh curvy!  I wish Mr. Giarratana would stop taunting us! 

[CenterHill]

I like both of these.   Wish they weren't necessarily flat tops, but such is the Nashville way.    I'd like to see the mixed use version for what it would contribute to the business district.   Now, where to find a major office tenant    Let's see.   Gosh, who could use that much space?    It would be great if there were a major local company, like say in healthcare, looking for, oh I don't know, around 475,000 sq ft in or around downtown to house a couple of growing divisions, but where would you find....oh, wait. 

[mirydi]

smeagols, where did you find those other renders?

[FrankNash]

CHS just acquired a Florida hospital corporation that has 70 plus properties. Along with the 120 that CHS already own makes them the largest number of hospitals owned by one company. The headquarter building in coolsprings is already 100% occupied and part of a separate building behind them. Wayne Smith likes the staff all in one building per a insider in said company. So this could be a way for a developer to entice a downtown building to fit everyone together and make it a easier commute for all!   

[smeagolsfree]

smeagols, where did you find those other renders?

WW emailed them to me before he went live with the story. I think I have one more but it is similar to the distance rendering.

[MidTenn1]

Ok, 5th and Church leading the nation in spectacular renderings;

 

 

Left to right;

50 story HQ for HCA

72 story, 1049' Signature Tower

38 story, 605' 505 CST

55 or 62 story, 750' Mixed use or Residential.

[volsfanwill]

thanks for that, I've never actually seen a rendering of the HCA proposal before, just heard abotu it.

[satalac]

That HCA HQ looked horrible. I'm glad it didn't go through.

[Neigeville]

All 4 look good but for my money 505CST is way the best.  I feel like if it gets built it would encourage more cutting edge design in Nashville.  The view from Church street, with the glassed in bulge of trees about 10 stories above street level, is really striking.

[timmay143]

One of each please?  Let's just go all 1980's Dallas and built spec...

[mirydi]

WW emailed them to me before he went live with the story. I think I have one more but it is similar to the distance rendering.

Oh ok. So no renderings with the mixed-use tower in the skyline, like the one with the residential tower?

[Leif]

Went to the annual GBID meeting. Some concerns voiced about branding and nighttime safety of the Gleaves area which I'd think will be mostly obviated over next year or so. I voiced some concern that retail mix is not resident oriented and it became obvious that GBID is not the tree I need to be barking up.

[UTgrad09]

Went to the annual GBID meeting. Some concerns voiced about branding and nighttime safety of the Gleaves area which I'd think will be mostly obviated over next year or so. I voiced some concern that retail mix is not resident oriented and it became obvious that GBID is not the tree I need to be barking up.

 

Which tree does need barking up?

 

I do agree that there needs to be more residential geared retail in the Gulch (and Downtown and Midtown as well). I think something along the lines of the Harris Teeter at 21st and Blair would do pretty well down there.

 

I think some things will naturally come over time...like the smaller independent type places (like dry cleaners) will come once there is a large enough residential base. The Gulch is probably about there. The problem with the Downtown area in general is that the residential areas are sort of scattered. As they grow together, I think more residential geared retail will come.

[Leif]

McKay's Mill in Franklin, at an intersection not significant enough to be on a traffic count map, has had a Publix, liquor store, Jett's, Chinese, Walgreens, etc for years. I'd like someone to tell me what demographics downtown is missing that McKays Mill had ~8 years ago. All I've been able to get is nodding agreement and we sure hope someone will resolve this soon. I'd like to know the tipping point, be it traffic, land cost, household composition, etc.

[UTgrad09]

Demographically, the only thing really missing would be kids...and lots of them.

 

 

P.S. -- a really nice thing about putting a decent sized grocery in the Gulch would be that other downtown residents could use it via the free downtown circulator. I think that would be tremendous.

[Leif]

Demographically, the only thing really missing would be kids...and lots of them.

 

 

P.S. -- a really nice thing about putting a decent sized grocery in the Gulch would be that other downtown residents could use it via the free downtown circulator. I think that would be tremendous.

 

It seems like the primary difference is developer motivation, whoever planned out McKay's Mill nailed down the staples early and in the Gulch MarketStreet seems to be focused on bringing in more destination retail. Once I can walk to get batteries and toilet paper they can build a 10 story Prada store for all I care but until then...

[TheRaglander]

I live in the Mill.  Businesses have been in and out.  We've lost a post office retail shop, movie rental place (who hasn't), a wine shop,  a sub shop, a mexican place, and a clinic.  Publix is doing ok and Jet's delivers so that will do well.  There are still a few spots open and the bank site never got off the ground.

While we love the options available there, it's tough for McKays Mill to keep stuff like that alive.  We just got El Sombraro.  Not sure how long that will last. 

[Leif]

So the obvious solution is some cross pollination so you can keep restaurants and we can have convenience stores.

[FromParkAveToTN]

It seems like the primary difference is developer motivation, whoever planned out McKay's Mill nailed down the staples early and in the Gulch MarketStreet seems to be focused on bringing in more destination retail. Once I can walk to get batteries and toilet paper they can build a 10 story Prada store for all I care but until then...

 

A 10 Story Prada store. OH MY! Eyes tearing up with excitement.

[MLBrumby]

That's a lot of shoes and handbags.  Geesh, I don't get it.