Encore Development in SoBro

[Guest]

Tony is at it again. This fills in some details on the story this past summer regarding Tony's plans for the property next to the new Symphony Hall.

Wish they included a rendering but I like Tony's taste on teh Viridian and the proposed Signature.

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cf...s&news_id=44963

[memphian]

I am sure the design will be on par with his current projects. Pretty cool how Nashville is moving right along with development. If I could only win the lottery I would put my own little stamp on the skyline - ha ha ha. Any thoughts as to when more major retail will trickle into downtown again? I was thinking along the lines of what Indy has with the Circle Center Mall anchored by Parisian and Nordstrom. I think Nashville would eventually be able to support that.

[rosen108]

This is great, I was beginning to wonder if this project had died before anything really happened. I can't wait to see the designs, but i have no doubt that they will be great as both viridian and signature have been.

It now looks that by 2007 we will have:

The Viridian

Icon in the gulch

As-yet unammed tower in gulch

adelicia? (wasn't the original plan for this to open up in 2007?)

Encore?

Signature construction...

Please add on if i've left anything out

Looks like the nashville skyline is going under a rapid tranisition in the next few years

[jdavidf]

I am sure the design will be on par with his current projects. Pretty cool how Nashville is moving right along with development. If I could only win the lottery I would put my own little stamp on the skyline - ha ha ha. Any thoughts as to when more major retail will trickle into downtown again? I was thinking along the lines of what Indy has with the Circle Center Mall anchored by Parisian and Nordstrom. I think Nashville would eventually be able to support that.

funny you would mention downtown retail -- just as I was opening this post, I was wondering if anybody knew of any plans (tentative, confirmed, rumor, conjecture, wish-list?) for new more or less large-scale retail downtown. Wonder if Macys or some other department store has any interest or is looking this way.. and also about small- to mid-scale retail, as well.. Aside from groceries (which should be coming along soon) it seems like more shopping would be a magnet to downtown residents and visitors.

David

[Rural King]

^ I don't see that anytime in the near-term, but I guess anything could happen . Now when the downtown residential population increases down the road after all these projects get completed and have their residents move in, the attractiveness of putting more retail will surely increase. Thats just my take, others may disagree.

[southsideJ]

I am sure the design will be on par with his current projects. Pretty cool how Nashville is moving right along with development. If I could only win the lottery I would put my own little stamp on the skyline - ha ha ha. Any thoughts as to when more major retail will trickle into downtown again? I was thinking along the lines of what Indy has with the Circle Center Mall anchored by Parisian and Nordstrom. I think Nashville would eventually be able to support that.

Circle Center Mall is definitely a plus and a strength for Indy, but when you are inside it kinda seems like you could be in any suburuban mall anywhere--at least in parts of it. It would be great if whenever we get dt retail that it would be designed with an "outside the (big) box" mentailty.

We are definitely at an when and not if situation. In the next five years, there will be some large developments in DT retail w/o a doubt.

[memphian]

Circle Center Mall is definitely a plus and a strength for Indy, but when you are inside it kinda seems like you could be in any suburuban mall anywhere--at least in parts of it. It would be great if whenever we get dt retail that it would be designed with an "outside the (big) box" mentailty.

We are definitely at an when and not if situation. In the next five years, there will be some large developments in DT retail w/o a doubt.

I totally agree. I would much rather see storefronts on the street than some big enclosed mall. I don't necissarily think that downtown needs excessive retail - just some basic places to meet the needs of the residents, workers and visitors. I don't foresee a Williams-Sonoma or Pottery Barn anytime soon but something like a Dillard's or Hecht's would be okay. Okay so when I win the lottery I will just brink back Castner Knott or Cain-Sloan and make a killing because it will be unique to the market and I'll get the customers that miss Castner's or C-S anyway - LOL. Maybe I'll bring back Gimbels while I'm at it too! ha ha ha

[Hankster]

With all the new residential construction slated for downtown, I am projecting a population approaching 10,000 in the area by 2010. That level of population may indeed support the addition of a department store downtown by then.

I was wondering if there would be any zoning variances required for the Encore. I was under the impression there was a height limitation considerably below 20 stories south of Broadway. Of course, I'm sure Tony wouldn't be proposing it if he didn't think he could build it.

[it's just dave]

Yep, a height variance will be needed and since this is the first project of that scale in SoBro the impact is very important in that it may influence future decisions and developers capabilities. The Planning Commission meeting could be interesting. But, they have been very open to the opportunities in the development of urban Nashville of late, most recently granting the skyplane variance for ICON in the Gulch. The members voted unanimously because the positive impact of the project was well presented. I see this one following the same plane.

[memphian]

This is a good project which I am sure they will embrace. I think it would look a little odd if that area didn't have some height to it. The density could be lower 4-5 floors but it needs the height to give it presence.

[it's just dave]

Height also gives it increased units, which, with downtown property at an all time high, is necessary for financial feasibility. The desired low-rise nature of SoBro may be compromised by the stratospheric land prices down there. I would like to see some low rise density, but I would imagine we'll see some beefier buildings in the long run. especially on property not ulitizing entire block boundaries.

[doormanpoet]

I bet we will see a rendering soon since they want to break ground in Dec/Jan.

[rosen108]

Don't know if anyone has seen this yet or not, but there are a couple new pictures of the encore up at giarratana.com

...In the aerial view their is only one tower now with a nasty looking parking lot next to it. Does anyone think this means that two towers are out?

[Lexy]

^ Supposedly, it is going to be built in phases. That would represent just the first of the two phases I am assuming.

[smeagolsfree]

On the Giarratana web site, there is a new thumb nail that now shows only one condo tower on this block instead of two. In comparing the new design and the old one there is not a lot of difference in the two designs except for the lower portion of the building and a couple of changes on the roof. It looks as if Phase I is going to go on 3rd and Demonbreun but the web site says 4th and Demonbreun. Maybe the one tower will be it and there will be no Phase II . There is a large parking area on the 4th and Demonbreun side according to the rendering, but there is still room for a second tower. Only they know.

There seem to be changes to this site on a daily basis, so I will keep a close eye on it.

[it's just dave]

Yeah, a little tinkering here and there. I don't what what he's got planned for the other side of the block, but you can be sure it's something. An additional tower isn't really necessary, but it would be cool to have. It seems they've put the building setback wide enough to make a great stroll down the street past the Encore to the Symphony Center. On a human scale, this will be great looking. Now, the other parking lots....we got to do something about those. Any rumblings anybody?