Elliston Place Holiday Inn Express, 8 stories, 168 rooms, internal garage

[markhollin]

Janek "Jay" Patel and his new company, Triumph Hospitality (a division of JV Hospitality) has the land the properties at 2221 Elliston Place, and 114-118 Louis Ave. under contract, most likely for a hotel.  His other hotel properties specialize in budget brands like Comfort Inn, Days Inn, Holiday Inn, Home2Suites, and Red Roof Inn.  He goes before metro Planning Commission to seek rezoning of the property on Dec. 13th. The site is directly behind the Caterpillar HQ on West End Ave.

No word on the size of the hotel, nor renderings yet.

The sad news is that the three 3 story buildings on the site, known as the Louise Douglas Apartments, will face demolition.  They are considered eligible for National Register of Historic Places, but are not listed as such currently.  They were constructed in 1925.

More at the Nashville Post here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21030646/hotel-could-replace-oldschool-apartments

 

This screen shot from Smeagolsfree's excellent development map shows the property in teal, listed as Polygon 290, in the center of the frame:

[e-dub]

Man. I use to fantasize about living in those apartments when I was doing my monthly events at The End

[MLBrumby]

I knew someone who lived in the one at the Elliston corner. They are plain-jane inside... but of course provided a low-cost apartment option. 

Always envisioned some adaptive reuse with using the facades and joining them with a short tower of apartments in the back. Unfortunately, they're likely to fall and be replaced by a glass box for a budget hotel. Gotta admit, with all the upper end hotels in the vicinity, a budget hotel would do great there. Too bad because they add character to the whole stretch of elliston. I look over at the Hampton with its crappy architecture and sea of parking and think that's what will go there too. However, at least the trends now are to put garages under the buildings. 

Edited November 5, 2018 by MLBrumby

[fishsticks176]

This one makes me sad. I have friends that live in those apartments and I always used to wish I could nab one for myself. Elliston was my hangout back in college and I sort of wish it were preserved as a more organic, local college neighborhood. I know this isn’t the first hotel in that area but this one will be smack in the middle of it—The End, Samurai, Exit/In, Cafe Coco, the hookah lounge... I worry for that area a little bit.

[CenterHill]

2 hours ago, markhollin said:

Janek "Jay" Patel and his new company, Triumph Hospitality (a division of JV Hospitality) has the land the properties at 2221 Elliston Place, and 114-118 Louis Ave. under contract, most likely for a hotel. 

[AronG]

So many properties around there that I wish were redeveloped before this one...

[Tennessine]

Here's a legitimate instance of a loss from the "Old Nashville." 

I wish we still had rows of old houses like you can still see in a lot of Midwestern and Northeastern cities.

[UTgrad09]

13 hours ago, AronG said:

So many properties around there that I wish were redeveloped before this one...

I mean, I know that you have to grab what is available....but there are literally hundreds of lots in Midtown that are better candidates for redevelopment. 

I like old buildings, but I'm not always one for historic nostalgia. But unlike, say, 1920s era bungalows/craftsman houses, there really aren't a whole lot of multi-story residential buildings like this in the city. And Elliston isn't West End Ave. These are very much appropriate to the scale of that area....it's not like West End where you can justify dropping a 15-20 story building.

[markhollin]

Metro Planning is recommending disapproval of rezoning that would allow for demolition of the three pre-WW II-constructed 3 story masonry residential structures, known as Louise Douglas Apts.  The formal request for rezoning will happen tomorrow (Dec. 13th).

More at The Nashville Post here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/commercial-real-estate/article/21036492/metro-planning-opposes-project-eyed-for-midtown

[CenterHill]

I'm with Planning on this one.    

[markhollin]

Metro Planning has deferred voting on the rezoning proposal for the site until Jan. 10th.

[markhollin]

Jay Patel, under the auspices of Elliston Hospitality LLC, has gone ahead and purchased the Louise Douglas Apartments at 2221 Ellison Place, and 114/118 Louise Ave. for $6.5 million. Hilsea Holdings bought the charming 3 story brick 1920s-era structure in 1992 for $675,000. 

Metro Planning Commission in January deferred voting on JV Hospitality’s request to rezone the properties to allow for a future building(s). If a rezoning eventually is approved, demolition could take place for what are three of Nashville’s few remaining pre-World War II-constructed masonry apartment buildings.

The Metro Planning Department staff had recommended the commission deny JV Hospitality’s request. The Metro Council will need a two-thirds vote to override the denial and approve the rezoning. The council will vote on final reading on Tuesday, July 16, on the rezoning. It has passed on the first two readings.

Will be interesting to see how all of this unfolds.

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/article/21078191/vuarea-apartment-houses-sell-for-65m

And the NBJ paywall here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/07/15/hotelier-buys-midtown-site-where-apartments-stand.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

[CenterHill]

7 hours ago, markhollin said:

Jay Patel, under the auspices of Elliston Hospitality LLC, has gone ahead and purchased the Louise Douglas Apartments at 2221 Ellison Place, and 114/118 Louise Ave. for $6.5 million. Hilsea Holdings bought the charming 3 story brick 1920s-era structure in 1992 for $675,000. 

Metro Planning Commission in January deferred voting on JV Hospitality’s request to rezone the properties to allow for a future building(s). If a rezoning eventually is approved, demolition could take place for what are three of Nashville’s few remaining pre-World War II-constructed masonry apartment buildings.

The Metro Planning Department staff had recommended the commission deny JV Hospitality’s request. The Metro Council will need a two-thirds vote to override the denial and approve the rezoning. The council will vote on final reading on Tuesday, July 16, on the rezoning. It has passed on the first two readings.
 

 

Council meeting is tomorrow (Tues).   If it irks you that Patel would tear these down, send Council an email asking them to deny the zoning change.    

[smeagolsfree]

Its really interesting that allot of the council members are screaming against more development and needing to save the older buildings in Nashville and here we have 2/3rds of the council voting in favor of what will essentially  be bringing more of our older buildings down, voting against the Planning recommendation and allowing a wedding cake structure to replace buildings that are 100 years old.

The other problem I have with this particular developer is that he has had a loan to rehab and reinvent the Octagon building on Music Row for a long time. I wonder when the bank will be looking for results of their loan. His website says it is under construction but my eyes say otherwise when I walk by and see nothing happening. He is also the same guy that has partnered with the guy that has bought the property on the round about where the AME offices are. Nothing there yet nor any concrete plans.

He is a small time hotel developer out of Dickson with no large hotel experience. 

Folks something is just not right here.

[NashWellington11]

1 hour ago, smeagolsfree said:

Its really interesting that allot of the council members are screaming against more development and needing to save the older buildings in Nashville and here we have 2/3rds of the council voting in favor of what will essentially  be bringing more of our older buildings down, voting against the Planning recommendation and allowing a wedding cake structure to replace buildings that are 100 years old.

The other problem I have with this particular developer is that he has had a loan to rehab and reinvent the Octagon building on Music Row for a long time. I wonder when the bank will be looking for results of their loan. His website says it is under construction but my eyes say otherwise when I walk by and see nothing happening. He is also the same guy that has partnered with the guy that has bought the property on the round about where the AME offices are. Nothing there yet nor any concrete plans.

He is a small time hotel developer out of Dickson with no large hotel experience. 

Folks something is just not right here.

But look at all of the downtown Nashville hotels they have built and feature on their website. Oh wait... IT IS ALL THE SAME HOTEL!  I get that it is a tri-branded property but something about putting the building on your portfolio site three times from three different angles screams shady/trying too hard.

[CenterHill]

CM Kindall, the sponsor of the bill to rezone the Elliston Place apartments, chose to defer the bill for two meetings.    He attributed his decision to defer to his having received recent emails in opposition and he wants more input from the developer and the community.    Please continue to make your voices heard.  

[Craiger]

For those that oppose this development, is it strictly about demolishing these buildings? Does it matter at all what replaces them? If we cannot demolish them, what should be done with them if anything? 

Honest questions. I really don’t have much of an opinion on them other than to say they aren’t exactly nice to look at in their current state.

[Nash_12South]

I get that the buildings are not treasures but as a native Nashvillian, I've spent my life driving past these buildings. They have been a part of my "experience". For some, they are a symbol of all that is going away in Nashville. They will likely be replaced with a nondescript box, cheaply built and ignored by most. They could be renovated and used again as apartments or a boutique hotel.

I'm very pro new growth and new construction. It's my job. But sometimes you want to draw a little line in the sand and say - not this time, not this place.  

Edited July 17, 2019 by Nash_12South

[Ingram]

So when the elderly, handicapped, and people of limited income were force out of their residences which they could probably barely afford (for the Four Seasons development), everyone was screeching and howling "they should leave" if they don't like change.

But when someone wants to remove old timey buildings that no one notices, everyone mobilizes to action to save those sorry drab buildings because they are old.

Man, that some serious depravity.

Edited July 17, 2019 by Ingram

[Nash_12South]

I

33 minutes ago, Ingram said:

So when the elderly, handicapped, and people of limited income were force out of their residences which they could probably barely afford (for the Four Seasons development), everyone was screeching and howling "they should leave" if they don't like change.

But when someone wants to remove old timey buildings that no one notices, everyone mobilizes to action to save those sorry drab buildings because they are old.

Man, that some serious depravity.

I haven't seen stories of anyone driven from these apartments. There were plenty of folks initially against the Four Seasons development. They spent a year or more getting public opinion to shift.

These apartments have been visible to a lot more folks than the Four Seasons site. Only my opinion, they are nicer and have lots more character than the other site. 

This is a new announcement. I think, eventually, this site will get demolished and rebuilt. It's a process, but I think calling it "depraved" to want the buildings saved is a tad harsh.

Edited July 17, 2019 by Nash_12South

[dxfret]

These 1920s era apartments are clearly not the highest and best use for this prime midtown property.  

[Nash_12South]

10 minutes ago, dxfret said:

These 1920s era apartments are clearly not the highest and best use for this prime midtown property.  

You may be right. I can think of better uses for the Krispy Kreme site, the West End United Methodist Church site, the Elliston Place Soda shop. Heck, Centennial Park would make a site for affordable housing.

We all have a vision for what's appropriate, what's fair and unfair. It's always a balance and achieving it's rarely easy in boom times.

Edited July 17, 2019 by Nash_12South

[Andy20]

1 hour ago, Ingram said:

So when the elderly, handicapped, and people of limited income were force out of their residences which they could probably barely afford (for the Four Seasons development), everyone was screeching and howling "they should leave" if they don't like change.

But when someone wants to remove old timey buildings that no one notices, everyone mobilizes to action to save those sorry drab buildings because they are old.

Man, that some serious depravity.

25 minutes ago, dxfret said:

These 1920s era apartments are clearly not the highest and best use for this prime midtown property.  

Yes, because a cheap, stucco Red Roof Inn would be so much better than these historical apartments and hundred-year-old trees...   There is absolutely no reason to tear these down. The Four Seasons site is completely different as it is one of the most prime locations in Nashville.  The people in those apartments had 2-3 years to find a new place.  There are plenty of parking lots to develop first. We need to keep as much history as we can in Nashville otherwise down the road, when this big development time ends, we will look around at all of these cheaply built buildings from outside developers who tore down our history for a quick buck, and we will regret it.

 

 

[smeagolsfree]

From the Tennessean today. Save Elliston Place

https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2019/08/12/nashvilles-elliston-place-danger-its-time-save/1890624001/

I have had this discussion with a number of you on the board about saving the older buildings in town and many of you say just tear them down, they can replicated them. The problem is they are not replicating them. They are just putting eye trash in their place.

The thing that makes a city interesting is the mix of the old and the new. That is one of the things that make cities lie NYC, Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburg, and many other cities very interesting and quirky to visit. New is fine to a certain extent but at some point it just becomes sterile and mundane. I will quote many of you on the board that say "oh know another glass box". That is what we are getting in many areas of town with very few historical replicas being built. We dont have that much history or historical structures to begin with.

Now, there is a lot of junk that was built in the 60's & 70's that absolutely need to come down, however the collective soul of the city outweigh the rights of the property owners when it comes to historical structures or structures that can be conceived as historical as many of the buildings are on Music Row. This has played out in city after city around the country and the cities come out on top because they can put in place zoning restrictions as a governing body.

When Cooper becomes Mayor, I would encourage those on the board to contact him and make protection of Nashville's history a priority. One thing that can be done is to keep owners from demoing their property without a permit subject to a much higher fee. Instead of 3 times the amount, Metro changes that to 100 times the amount. That makes any property owner think a dozen times before they even think about taking a building down. The Music Row overlay does not go far enough but as is many property owner are wanting to demolish their property before the historic zoning overlay goes into play.

Cities around the country do this and too bad it comes as a surprise to those here that Metro wants to put some more teeth into those laws. Imagine if there were no overlay in Back Bay Boston and all of those structures came down. IMO, that would have been a criminal act to bring those homes down, but I am sure some developer was salivating over those properties wanting to bring them down at some point.

Sorry if some of you disagree and want to see everything come down and replaced with all shiny new buildings, but that in itself is just WRONG! I stand by this. There are plenty of places for those new buildings without having to tear down everything else.

[titanhog]

^^We've already lost a lot of the "soul" of Music Row...and the soul of Elliston Place is in as much jeopardy.  Hillsboro Village has to be careful not to give too many concessions, too.  12South has thankfully gotten it mostly right...but some of the residential in the area has pushed the boundaries a bit too much.

Overall...there's a reason why people like these areas...and coming in and building larger-than-life structures that are more than 2-3 stories high actually takes away from the vibe of the area.