Nashville's Great Neighborhood Centers

[bzorch]

I was in 12 South this evening. It had been a long time since I have stopped and walked the area. It was packed. I had to park a few blocks away from the restaurants in the new parallel parking on 12th Avenue, so I got a chance to stroll. The streetscape is simple, but it makes such a difference. The 2222 building is coming along. Still wonder why the porch is so far above the street, but once it is done and has a great crowd out front it will not matter. I was reminded it is hard if not impossible to design and plan for such a great collection of eclectic uses. These places just evolve and take on the personality of the neighborhoods. It still has room to mature, but it is coming along nicely. I do wish some of the buildings had one or two more floors with residential, but beggars can not be choosers. It will not be long.

12 South is one of many of our great neighborhood centers. Hillsboro Village, 5 Points, Sylvan Park, and Jefferson Street are the others that come to mind. They are not mentioned often, but they are important to our vibrant city.

It reminded me that great neighborhoods happen at the street.

[Nashvillain]

I've forgotten all about this area. It gets no mention on our little forum but like the other areas you mentioned is like a totally organic forunner to all the great stuff that's going on around the city. I need to get out more and stop living my life vicariously through this site.

[jice]

I need to get out more and stop living my life vicariously through this site.

lol... same here

[Lexy]

Maffioza's (sp?) is the shat! Great Italian restaurant with a fantastic atmosphere. That whole district is wonderful, and is poised to even get better.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I need to get out more and stop living my life vicariously through this site.

I resemble those remarks, too...

[barakat]

Just wondering -- do most of the forumers here live in Nashville's urban neighborhoods?

[BnaBreaker]

Just wondering -- do most of the forumers here live in Nashville's urban neighborhoods?

I live in Chicago LOL...but, I was born in and lived the first 16 or so years of my life in Nashville and still have some family there, so I love the city dearly, consider it my home, and have a desire to keep up with what is going on down there.

I'd love to see some photos of 12South! Isn't that where the restaurant Mirror is? I went there once, and it rivals any place i've been in Chicago. It was outstanding! The neighborhood needs a little work, but it is sooooo eclectic and interesting! I think on the same corner as Mirror was a Jewish Syangogue, a wig shop, a day spa, a law firm, an african art shop, and a flower market. I could be wrong at what I identified them as...it was night when I was last there...but regardless, it is a great little neighborhood!

[Guest]

I live downtown but I am not as militant as some on the forum, I moved from a 'burb in East Tennessee last year and can see the pros and cons of both environments.

So far I am loving the change as only expect that to be more so as the downtown population grows.

I LOVE Chicago, talk about urban fabric. I try to get up there every year around the Taste of Chicago. I normally stay atthe Palmer House and just walk my a-- off exploring the city and energy.

[eusebius]

12South is a very cool neighborhood -- one of my favorites. I live about 2 miles away in GreenHills, but 12S is frequently on my morning running route. I've also walked up there for java @ Frothy Monkey or dinner @ Mafiaoza's several times (i like to walk, or er...'stumble' as the case may be). i remember some construction at the intersection of 12th and Kirkwood (right by the park). Used to be a gas/service station. Anyone know what's up with that?

[downtown cliff]

My wife and I just moved downtown after living in the 12South area for eight years. It is an awesome, eclectic neighborhood. All the places mentioned already, plus Rumors, Portland Brew, Las Paletas, Sunnyside Mansion, etc., etc. BTW, one of the posts mentioned a synogogue...it is actually a mosque.

The 12South Neighborhood Association has an annual tour of homes in April. Check it out if you get a chance.

[Guest]

downtown cliff

Welcome aboard and welcome downtown, glad to have another neighbor.

[downtown cliff]

downtown cliff

Welcome aboard and welcome downtown, glad to have another neighbor.

Thanks, nashville bound. What part of the core do you call home?

[Guest]

Moved into the Westview last July between Church and Commerce and 8th and 9th Ave...How about you?

[BnaBreaker]

I live downtown but I am not as militant as some on the forum, I moved from a 'burb in East Tennessee last year and can see the pros and cons of both environments.

So far I am loving the change as only expect that to be more so as the downtown population grows.

I LOVE Chicago, talk about urban fabric. I try to get up there every year around the Taste of Chicago. I normally stay atthe Palmer House and just walk my a-- off exploring the city and energy.

Yeah I love it too!!! Taste of Chicago is wonderful. The best city for food in the world as far as i'm concerned.

Mosque not a synagogue huh? Well even more eclectic! I couldn't tell in the dark. lol

[downtown cliff]

Moved into the Westview last July between Church and Commerce and 8th and 9th Ave...How about you?

The Westview looks like a very nice building. We moved into the Phoenix on 3rd Ave, just north of Church, earlier this month. I've worked downtown for 10 years, but I am amazed at how living down here for just a few weeks, I have already started to notice architectural gems and other things I had never noticed before.

[Guest]

The Phoenix is GREAT. We looked at the 3rd floor space around three years ago with Todd Squire. I think the timing was off as they were going through some development changes and we still had a house to sell in Farragut. but the possibilities were with the space were easy to visualize. Most recently we toured the space on the Downtown Home Tour this past May and they looked ready to go with the sales.

Are the other spaces developed and occupied? I have walked past the new Parc cafe in on the 1st floor but have yet to eat there, how is the food? Anyway glad you are enjoying d'town I know we are.

[downtown cliff]

The Phoenix is GREAT. We looked at the 3rd floor space around three years ago with Todd Squire. I think the timing was off as they were going through some development changes and we still had a house to sell in Farragut. but the possibilities were with the space were easy to visualize. Most recently we toured the space on the Downtown Home Tour this past May and they looked ready to go with the sales.

Are the other spaces developed and occupied? I have walked past the new Parc cafe in on the 1st floor but have yet to eat there, how is the food? Anyway glad you are enjoying d'town I know we are.

It is a great space. We took the front half (3rd Ave side) of the third floor, a little under 1800 sq ft. We are the first tenants to move in; construction is ongoing on the fourth floor and the Printers Alley side of our floor. I believe the sixth floor is the only remaining space available. We liked being able to design our own build-out, pick all of our own finishes, etc.

Parco's is very good. They have had a few excellent reviews. Their main problem lately has been that service is sluggish because they haven't been able to hire people fast enough to meet the demand. I'm hoping they work through it soon. Mr. and Mrs. Fu, the owners, are wonderful people.

[jice]

12 South is one of many of our great neighborhood centers. Hillsboro Village, 5 Points, Sylvan Park, and Jefferson Street are the others that come to mind.

Can someone name all the great neighborhoods in this city? Present and future... (for those of us fairly new here, lol). It would be helpful to see where they are actually located too... maybe even websites.

Others I know of are Germantown, I think there's a Salemtown?, I guess ya call West End/Vandy a "neighborhood"?, SoBro, Rolling Mill Hill.... although I don't know where all of them actually are lol.

Some of these I know where they are... others i've just heard names mentioned. One of these days I gotta go do some explorin' lol

[downtown cliff]

Can someone name all the great neighborhoods in this city? Present and future... (for those of us fairly new here, lol). It would be helpful to see where they are actually located too... maybe even websites.

Others I know of are Germantown, I think there's a Salemtown?, I guess ya call West End/Vandy a "neighborhood"?, SoBro, Rolling Mill Hill.... although I don't know where all of them actually are lol.

Some of these I know where they are... others i've just heard names mentioned. One of these days I gotta go do some explorin' lol

You have stumbled onto one of my quirky obsessions. I have posted a series of maps on my website that show my own interpretation of Nashville's urban hoods. These are based upon info from Metro planning, neighborhood associations, etc. Just something I did for kicks. I'm always open to improving these, but give them a look:

http://home.comcast.net/~clippard/wsb/html...home.html-.html

[jice]

You have stumbled onto one of my quirky obsessions. I have posted a series of maps on my website that show my own interpretation of Nashville's urban hoods. These are based upon info from Metro planning, neighborhood associations, etc. Just something I did for kicks. I'm always open to improving these, but give them a look:

http://home.comcast.net/~clippard/wsb/html...home.html-.html

VERY nice cliff! Thanks! Pretty much exactly what I was looking for Although, do any of the more popular neighborhoods have links to websites? I know the Gulch does, although now that I look at it... it appears to be under construction.

A few questions came to mind as I looked at your maps...

When people mention 12South, I always thought they were speaking of the Gulch? I guess 12S is a distinct neighborhood in itself?

Isn't there a neighborhood on the east side called Inglewood? Or is that further east than the map shows.

There is a neighborhood called A.D.? What does A.D. stand for?

Someone mentioned a 'hood called 5 Points... but I didn't see it on the maps... maybe I missed it.

Are the cities like Berry Hill still considered their own cities, separate from Nashville?

Thanks again!

[downtown cliff]

VERY nice cliff! Thanks! Pretty much exactly what I was looking for Although, do any of the more popular neighborhoods have links to websites? I know the Gulch does, although now that I look at it... it appears to be under construction.

A few questions came to mind as I looked at your maps...

When people mention 12South, I always thought they were speaking of the Gulch? I guess 12S is a distinct neighborhood in itself?

Isn't there a neighborhood on the east side called Inglewood? Or is that further east than the map shows.

There is a neighborhood called A.D.? What does A.D. stand for?

Someone mentioned a 'hood called 5 Points... but I didn't see it on the maps... maybe I missed it.

Are the cities like Berry Hill still considered their own cities, separate from Nashville?

Thanks again!

jice,

Thanks. Good questions. Some of the neighborhoods and umbrella organizations do have links, for example:

http://www.rediscovereast.org/

Also, check out: http://www.nashville.gov/neighborhoods/index.htm

Inglewood is a little further NE than the area I was focusing on. Nice area, but more of a mid-century suburban feel IMHO.

12th Ave S. does run through the Gulch, but the 12South neighborhood is further south. The neighborhood, long called Sunnyside or Waverly-Belmont, has taken on the name of its commercial strip. Five Points is another commercial hub (surrounded by great neighborhoods).

I coined A.D. (as well as South Gate) for an area that did not seem to fit cleanly with its surrounding neighborhoods. A.D. stands for Alabama-Deleware, the main streets in that small area. Poetic license.

Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Belle Meade, etc. are separate cities that did not opt into Metro back in the '60s during consolidation.

[Nashvillain]

jice,

Thanks. Good questions. Some of the neighborhoods and umbrella organizations do have links, for example:

http://www.rediscovereast.org/

Also, check out: http://www.nashville.gov/neighborhoods/index.htm

Inglewood is a little further NE than the area I was focusing on. Nice area, but more of a mid-century suburban feel IMHO.

12th Ave S. does run through the Gulch, but the 12South neighborhood is further south. The neighborhood, long called Sunnyside or Waverly-Belmont, has taken on the name of its commercial strip. Five Points is another commercial hub (surrounded by great neighborhoods).

I coined A.D. (as well as South Gate) for an area that did not seem to fit cleanly with its surrounding neighborhoods. A.D. stands for Alabama-Deleware, the main streets in that small area. Poetic license.

Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Belle Meade, etc. are separate cities that did not opt into Metro back in the '60s during consolidation.

I'm pretty sure all the satellite cities are a part of Metro Nashville. Belle Meade is the only one with its own police department and city hall. Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Green Hills, Bellevue, Antioch, Lakewood, Donelson, Hermitage, Bordeaux, Whites Creek, Rayon City, Old Hickory, Madison, Oak Hill, Hopewell... did I get them all? A few, Forest Hills and Lakewood among them have been grumbling about withdrawing from metro because they pay metro taxes but don't get all the city services. Anyway, great website downtown cliff, I hope you keep expanding it, some photo tours would be awesome. If you ever need anyone to ride shutgun, send me a pm, I'm down for photography missions whenever.

[Guest]

Berry Hill has its own police force and mayor/city council. My great uncle was Mayor years ago and just last fall I had the Berry Hill Cops called on my while I was car shopping of all things...luckily they just laughed at the owner of Throughbred Motorcars

[downtown cliff]

I'm pretty sure all the satellite cities are a part of Metro Nashville. Belle Meade is the only one with its own police department and city hall. Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Green Hills, Bellevue, Antioch, Lakewood, Donelson, Hermitage, Bordeaux, Whites Creek, Rayon City, Old Hickory, Madison, Oak Hill, Hopewell... did I get them all? A few, Forest Hills and Lakewood among them have been grumbling about withdrawing from metro because they pay metro taxes but don't get all the city services. Anyway, great website downtown cliff, I hope you keep expanding it, some photo tours would be awesome. If you ever need anyone to ride shutgun, send me a pm, I'm down for photography missions whenever.

Thanks.

Most of the old satellite cities you mentioned (Madison, Donelson, etc.) did opt into Metro way back when. However, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Belle Meade, and I think Lakewood, are still separate cities. They all have interlocal agreements with metro for some services. I've studied these cities and their tax and service levels off and on as part of my job. I'm not sure Green Hills was ever a separate city.

I may take you up on some photo missions.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Most of the old satellite cities you mentioned (Madison, Donelson, etc.) did opt into Metro way back when.

One correction here, Madison and Donelson, etc., were never separate incorporated cities. At the time of the creation of Metro, no formerly incorporated town "opted in" to Metro. The entire point of Metro's creation was to halt any attempts (which were growing in momentum) at incorporations of other communities within Davidson County. To my knowledge, in the history of the county, only Edgefield ever incorporated and allowed itself to be annexed into the old city, long before Metro.