Signature Tower's Retail

[chris holman]

Most of us has seen the tower's renderings and the video of the building already right? Of course!!

What kind of retail should go inside the tower? On the video of the building it shows it has a grocery store ,coffee shop, bookstore, flower shop which I believe is in the grocery store, and a few more other shops.

The video could be an example of what the ground level retail is going to be, or just the spaces where different retail will go. The only defiant retail that I know that Tony G. talked about was the grocery store.

This to me is a very important issue because most of us have been around long enough to se how Church St. Center fail to make a lasting mark downtown. Even tho very different projects, also in a different time. But could the diversity of the retail be a factor?

Meaning, will the retail for the tower have the ability to pull in people of all races, rich, middel class people, or will the tower only have stores with more luring appeal to rich people who live in the tower?

The tower's presence in our skyline is going to pull people to the area alone, but should the stores, shops, and restaurants be different in a way that you would want to stay 1,2,3,etc... hours out of the day in or around the building? I like to see a Virgin Music store go in facing Church St. Also The Cheese Cake Factory. Even tho Green Hills Mall has one. A very nice bookstore would be nice as well. And grocery.

I want to be able to come to Sig Tower and see something different that you can't find anywhere else in Nashville. And had the luring power to keep me coming back.

What do you think should go in the TOWER?

Does anybody know the defiant retail that's going in. If do please post.

THANKS!!!!

[it's just dave]

Good question, Chris. All of us would like to see a full-line grocery store. There's a store in NYC near the Metropolitan Hotel that has groceries and a huge line of prepared foods that always fascinates me. Something like that seems very possible. An updated pharmacy should also be in the mix.

An entertainment store, Virgin would be nice. Something that can supply music, DVDs, UMDs, other games, etc. would be a good service to tourists and locals alike.

A corner flower shop would be nice, also ala New Yorks Second Avenue.

It seems there were always a bookstore or two on church. Another one would be good, especially one that carries an expansive line of newsstand items.

A bank branch would be fitting.

If not a major chain like the Cheesecake Factory, them maybe two or three chef-owned restaurants. It would be nice to have places to eat that catered to everyday people with budgets to watch as well. Perhaps a diner of some sort where breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night eating could happen.

A small Parisian or similar store like the one in downtown Birmingham would be a good fit. This would cater to downtown workers and residents. Even an urban Target would be good. These things should provide a wide choice of goods.

I'm sure the spaces will be somewhat limited. Hopefully a good mix will be found.

[memphian]

I like the idea of fine-tuning the retail to offer as much diversity as possible. Parisian would be a great fit for the tower but it may need too much space - do they have a home department? As all of this residential development continues I think downtown is going to see the need for a high-end furniture retailer. Will both Viridian and Signature have grocery stores?

A bookstore would be good because within it you could include a coffee bar. Chef-owned restaurants are the thing too. If Signature can't land a destination dining experience, like Cheesecake Factory, then Nashville based restaurants would be the best option.

I can see a flower kiosk in a lobby - downtown's floral business was limited when I was there. I think auxillary retail/services will begin to pop up on 5th Ave as people begin to live on Church.

[brownhound]

Davis Kidd would be perfect downtown in a small storefront in the Sig.

And here's another thought: Since O'Charley's is headquartered here, why not let the company put a top-rate "revolutionary" new-concept store downtown--that way, it would be familiar enough to draw in the suburbanites and trendy enough to apeal to urban dwellers.

[FutureArchitect]

I was in New York in September for the Tennis US Open and while walking around New York I came across a very trendy, eclectic style coffee/internet shop. The furniture was straight-lined, loft style, and sheikh. I

[knoxster77]

I think a bookstore would be great downtown also. I remember Church street center as well. I think some of its failure could be contributed to the era downtown Nashville was in at that time. My father worked in the Legislature during that time period and had an apartment in DT. It was quite different then than it is today, and after 6 the CBD was pretty much dead. Although I do not believe DT is ready for a shopping ceter as big as Church Center, I think that with the demographics changing around DT more everyday shopping kind of places is a great idea.

I have friends now who live in Germantown and DT (man having a notable amount of disposible income) , and they complain about the lack of good shopping within walking distance(or close proximity) of their homes. The prefer not to get in their cars and drive to other parts of the city, yet, much of the time, they have no choice. I realize it is probably a long way off before something like this could be built and that it would not fit into the type of store the Signature tower is looking for, but I think it would be great if the core had something like a doubledecker Target. Usually, I am not the biggest fan of bigbox retailers, but I still think it would be nice.

[smeagolsfree]

something like a doubledecker Target

I agree this would be a great fit in downtown somewhere. We discussed this over Saturday morning coffee back in the fall and thought the Gulch would be a great place for that type of retail as well. I wish there were a large department store downtown. Maybe in a few years when the population gets a little higher.

[brownhound]

Yes, I, too, live in the Germantown area and must drive all over Nashville in order to get what I need. I doubt, however, that I would use a consolidated grocery downtown; I prefer either the Green Hills Kroger or Harris Teeter on 21st--there's just too much good stuff.

Unless we get awesome stores stores downtown, great restaurants, and a full-scale grocery store, I'll contnue to trek a few miles out of town to get what I need.

Frankly, I just can't clothe my body at Walgreens nor satisfy an empty stomach with what little we have or, I'm afraid, with what we will have.

[cheeriokid61]

Here's what I think would be perfect:

A Cheesecake Factory or very upscale chef's restaurant, like Dave said.

A cozy bookstore (possibly like a Borders, which has some of your electronics) with a nice modern cafe, like FutureArchitect mentioned facing the street. And with the new wide sidewalks, possibly an outdoor cafe?

A cheaper diner open from early morning to late at night. When I was in NY, we went to a diner at like 11:00, and it was still quite full. I'm thinking something like that, which you could go to very late at night if you need that quick sandwich before hitting the sack.

Flower kiosk in the lobby, like memphian said.

And an urban Target or department store, like Parisians, possible double-decker.

Something else I was thinking about. If Sig Tower is going to have this much retail, could there be any public parking underground, separate from the parking of residents?

[chris holman]

Here's what I think would be perfect:

A Cheesecake Factory or very upscale chef's restaurant, like Dave said.

A cozy bookstore (possibly like a Borders, which has some of your electronics) with a nice modern cafe, like FutureArchitect mentioned facing the street. And with the new wide sidewalks, possibly an outdoor cafe?

A cheaper diner open from early morning to late at night. When I was in NY, we went to a diner at like 11:00, and it was still quite full. I'm thinking something like that, which you could go to very late at night if you need that quick sandwich before hitting the sack.

Flower kiosk in the lobby, like memphian said.

And an urban Target or department store, like Parisians, possible double-decker.

Something else I was thinking about. If Sig Tower is going to have this much retail, could there be any public parking underground, separate from the parking of residents?

I'm sure there will be a large underground parking garage big enough for the residents and retail shoppers.

[Lexy]

How about a nice Gucci and a lovely Virgin like in Vancouver? Add in a great chef restaurant and the place would be a hit with residents and passerbys alike.

[chris holman]

Yes a Gucci store would be great as well. Also I hope some of the retail's billboards and advertisements are flashy and cool like Times Square.

[Lexy]

Yes a Gucci store would be great as well. Also I hope some of the retail's billboards and advertisements are flashy and cool like Times Square.

No doubt! I totally agree.

[cheeriokid61]

You never know, maybe 5th and Church will become the intersection to go to in Nashville. What else is located at 5th and Church?

[Lexy]

The Downtown Methodist Church, (old Suntrust) Financial Center, a couple of restaurants and sidewalks with lots of people.

[chris holman]

I knew when they finished the development at " 2525 West End " that was the kind of mix retail needed in downtown. That was before Sig Tower was even thought of.

Sig Tower is going to be 50,000 sf of retail. How much retail space: meaning sf, is in the building at 2525 West End , so I can have an idea of how much larger Sig Tower's would be.

[Lexy]

I would say around 50-70,000 total for both of the floors. Floors 1 and 2 are retail in that development.

[chris holman]

I would say around 50-70,000 total for both of the floors. Floors 1 and 2 are retail in that development.

So Lexy, Sig Tower could have about the same amount of retail space? If not less space?

[smeagolsfree]

We also discussed the possibility of turning the old CC into a a mall. That is if the City builds a new CC. I know the Plan of Nashville has differing views on rehab for that site, but personally I don't care for that vision.

Doorman said yesterday at the meet that he thinks that within 5 years there could be a shopping mall downtown. I think Church Street Center was a little to early for the city at the time it was built.

[Lexy]

So Lexy, Sig Tower could have about the same amount of retail space? If not less space?

Its a guess, but yeah I think it is close to the same amount.

Ron, I agree that the old CC is perfect for a mall. You already have a great amount of space confined within a block and a half of downtown and, it is only one block for the residences going up on Church Street too!