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Dickerson & Meridian : twelve 3 to 7 story residential complex; 1,150 units; internal garages; some retail; 14.4 acres; $300+ million cost


markhollin

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Many of the CM's will push for that though. Technically they are in the position to do so,and if they feel it is right for their constituency, then it is very much their place. CM Benedict specifically mentioned unions on the 1500 Porter call on 05/16 as well.

I briefly read through the draft CBA that Nathaniel Carter pointed me to on SUN's website and have reached out to a buddy (out-of-state) to gain some insights on if the "demands" as within the realm of reason. I am interested in doing a little side-by-side comparison of what I had heard from the developers mouth at community meetings and then what SUN is wanting in the CBA. 

I feel bad for residents like Derrick McKissack because the overly aggressive approach SUN is taking (and as a result influencing CM Parker to take) is sacrificing certain people to get to the desired outcome.

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16 hours ago, Bos2Nash said:

Boo yeah! Way to go development team. 

According to the article this does NOT involve SUN at all. After all the hiccups they caused with affordability asks, angling for specific union labor, and (IMO) unfair bidding practices, I am glad that CREA was able to get it done with their original partner PATHE and the ULMT group.

I wonder if SUN feels slighted. :tw_cold_sweat:

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Cypress Real Estate Advisors meets again with community members to present details on the 225 affordable housing units:

- 25 unsubsidized units at 120% AMI

- 100 units at 80% AMI (including 80 unsubsidized units)

- 50 units at 60% AMI

- 50 units at or below 60% AMI

More at TheTennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/davidson/2022/07/29/developers-introduce-affordable-housing-agreement-riverchase/10154935002/

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Received an email from Pillars Development (they are working on behalf of CREA) that stated that the 10 story building will be shrinking "in response to neighborhood requests". I asked how much of a change and I received a very quick response saying the design team is still working out the new height. The reduction does seem to have support from CM Parker would needs to support the SP at public hearings.

image.thumb.png.8ced210f842b2c73198b4baa96f74cfe.png

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Received an email from Pillars Development (they are working on behalf of CREA) that stated that the 10 story building will be shrinking "in response to neighborhood requests". I asked how much of a change and I received a very quick response saying the design team is still working out the new height. The reduction does seem to have support from CM Parker would needs to support the SP at public hearings.
http://content.invisioncic.com/x329420/monthly_2022_08/image.thumb.png.8ced210f842b2c73198b4baa96f74cfe.png
So dumb....

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

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9 hours ago, markhollin said:

In depth article at NBJ on the lessons learned from the Skyline East project being built at RiverChase Apts. site:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2022/09/02/lessons-from-riverchase.html

Not really sure what "lessons" that article actually bring to the table. Quoting the Southern Land CEO was interesting because basically he said the only way affordable housing will get built in Nashville is with public subsidy. As of right now - and zoning by-right process - he is not wrong because very few developers will dip into their profit margin to provide affordable housing. Reducing construction cost should in theory bring the rent costs down, but "the market" is still very hi, so in reality any construction cost savings are most likely sliding into the developers pockets. 

The topic of CBAs is also very interesting, because in reality they are just a document that holds developers accountable. When a group like SUN tries to start pump more things into it then they can become contentious, but I have been saying all along that if the goal of the CBA was to get an enforceable document to hold CREA accountable, they shouldn't have any issues signing one. Ultimately they were able to execute eventually once SUN was removed from the picture. Pairing the SP and CBA together creates a great little stronghold for the city to ask for community benefits as well as the more micro community as a whole. 

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Yup. But not totally unexpected. SUN has continued to put pressure on things - even though they failed at the whole CBA thing - and I was duking it out with one of their folks on FB last night. These developers will only fight so long and with rising interest rates their patience will only grow shorter and shorter. It is similar to the heavy community pushback on 801 Monroe and on a smaller scale the Riverside Village redevelopment that got shrunk all the way down to single story retail.

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More on this new downsized proposal:

CREA is seeking the option to deliver — if Metro Council approval cannot be secured for the original plan — only 245 market rate units for the roughly 14.4-acre property.

CREA and various nonprofit partners helped most of the former residents of RiverChase Apartments (which previously sat on the site) find new homes through a “housing navigator” program operated by the Salvation Army and Nashville’s People’s Alliance for Transit, Housing and Employment. As originally proposed, the redevelopment of the site included a commitment that would have enabled RiverChase’s “legacy residents” to return to the future buildings after completion.

In June, CREA and multiple nonprofit organizations — including The Equity Alliance, Stand Up Nashville and Nashville Organized for Action and Hope — reached an impasse on negotiations regarding a proposed community benefits agreement.

However, in July CREA reached a CBA with the Urban League of Middle Tennessee.

If Metro Councilmember Sean Parker, in whose District 5 the property sits, defers the vote and the public hearing next week, CREA will then seek the updated plan with 245 market rate units and no affordable units. CREA said the affordable housing in the current plan is conditioned on the approval of 1,150 units to offset lower rental rates for the qualified affordable homes.

Toward this end, CREA has submitted to the Metro Planning Department a revised provisional preliminary planned unit development for the property, should it need to go to Plan B.

“Cypress Real Estate Advisors has proposed a vision for an 1,150-unit residential community with at least 225 privately funded affordable homes at diverse AMI (area median income) levels (30 percent to 120 percent), and provides former RiverChase residents with an open door to return to the neighborhood upon construction completion,” the company emailed the Post via a spokesperson.

CREA said the CBA with the Urban League of Middle Tennessee protects the affordability commitment for 30 years and includes committed improvements to the McFerrin Park neighborhood, to public roadways and construction safety standards.

The Metro Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning in February 2021.

“But since then, we have been frustrated that the zoning request has been deferred five times by the Metro Council,” CREA said.

CREA said that though it is “hopeful” regarding Tuesday’s council vote, “it has become necessary that we consider this alternate development option even though it will not begin to solve Nashville’s housing and affordable housing crisis.”

Parker emailed the Post the following statement:

“While not legally required, it is generally advisable to consult with the district councilmember before filing a zoning change request — especially one as significant as this. That did not happen in this case, so I look forward to learning more about what they (CREA) have requested.”

Sounds like CREA is calling everyone's bluff.  If they get denied again at next Tuesday's Metro Council Meeting, they will simply go with this much smaller design (245 three story townhomes at market rate) that will cut out ANY affordable housing.  


More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/developer-offers-alternative-for-east-nashville-site/article_9fc26680-402d-11ed-946e-07803affbcc5.html

Here's a larger version of the diagram for the new proposal:
 

Screen Shot 2022-09-29 at 3.29.08 PM.png

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1 hour ago, markhollin said:

More on this new downsized proposal:

CREA is seeking the option to deliver — if Metro Council approval cannot be secured for the original plan — only 245 market rate units for the roughly 14.4-acre property.

CREA and various nonprofit partners helped most of the former residents of RiverChase Apartments (which previously sat on the site) find new homes through a “housing navigator” program operated by the Salvation Army and Nashville’s People’s Alliance for Transit, Housing and Employment. As originally proposed, the redevelopment of the site included a commitment that would have enabled RiverChase’s “legacy residents” to return to the future buildings after completion.

In June, CREA and multiple nonprofit organizations — including The Equity Alliance, Stand Up Nashville and Nashville Organized for Action and Hope — reached an impasse on negotiations regarding a proposed community benefits agreement.

However, in July CREA reached a CBA with the Urban League of Middle Tennessee.

If Metro Councilmember Sean Parker, in whose District 5 the property sits, defers the vote and the public hearing next week, CREA will then seek the updated plan with 245 market rate units and no affordable units. CREA said the affordable housing in the current plan is conditioned on the approval of 1,150 units to offset lower rental rates for the qualified affordable homes.

Toward this end, CREA has submitted to the Metro Planning Department a revised provisional preliminary planned unit development for the property, should it need to go to Plan B.

“Cypress Real Estate Advisors has proposed a vision for an 1,150-unit residential community with at least 225 privately funded affordable homes at diverse AMI (area median income) levels (30 percent to 120 percent), and provides former RiverChase residents with an open door to return to the neighborhood upon construction completion,” the company emailed the Post via a spokesperson.

CREA said the CBA with the Urban League of Middle Tennessee protects the affordability commitment for 30 years and includes committed improvements to the McFerrin Park neighborhood, to public roadways and construction safety standards.

The Metro Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning in February 2021.

“But since then, we have been frustrated that the zoning request has been deferred five times by the Metro Council,” CREA said.

CREA said that though it is “hopeful” regarding Tuesday’s council vote, “it has become necessary that we consider this alternate development option even though it will not begin to solve Nashville’s housing and affordable housing crisis.”

Parker emailed the Post the following statement:

“While not legally required, it is generally advisable to consult with the district councilmember before filing a zoning change request — especially one as significant as this. That did not happen in this case, so I look forward to learning more about what they (CREA) have requested.”

Sounds like CREA is calling everyone's bluff.  If they get denied again at next Tuesday's Metro Council Meeting, they will simply go with this much smaller design (245 three story townhomes at market rate) that will cut out ANY affordable housing.  


More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/developer-offers-alternative-for-east-nashville-site/article_9fc26680-402d-11ed-946e-07803affbcc5.html

Here's a larger version of the diagram for the new proposal:
 

Screen Shot 2022-09-29 at 3.29.08 PM.png

I think I understand now what's going on with the past several posts... this site plan is awful. If that replaces the Skyline mixed use complex it will be a travesty.  The streets are squeezed in like rectangular puzzle pieces wedged into their incorrect spaces. The 'green' space is not contiguous and "all but useless".  Dead-end streets? This layout does not seem to encourage walking (heck it looks like a maze walled-in by houses. I expect the architecture is mostly all about sameness of housefronts and a comparatively inefficient use of the land. So where is the parking?  I assume in front of each unit.  And look at all the right angles!  Couldn't they have squeezed in the same number of houses by going with the contours of the bordering streets?  

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1 hour ago, MLBrumby said:

I think I understand now what's going on with the past several posts... this site plan is awful. If that replaces the Skyline mixed use complex it will be a travesty.  The streets are squeezed in like rectangular puzzle pieces wedged into their incorrect spaces. The 'green' space is not contiguous and "all but useless".  Dead-end streets? This layout does not seem to encourage walking (heck it looks like a maze walled-in by houses. I expect the architecture is mostly all about sameness of housefronts and a comparatively inefficient use of the land. So where is the parking?  I assume in front of each unit.  And look at all the right angles!  Couldn't they have squeezed in the same number of houses by going with the contours of the bordering streets?  

They are proposing this because the community group won’t come to an agreement with them. This plan is a screw you to them, which is proper for them to do imo. Community groups asked too much, and they may get nothing.

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21 minutes ago, samsonh said:

They are proposing this because the community group won’t come to an agreement with them. This plan is a screw you to them, which is proper for them to do imo. Community groups asked too much, and they may get nothing.

Ahhh! I hadn't yet caught up to that point. Now I understand... Thanks! It's definitely a "screw you".  

Edited by MLBrumby
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