SoBro not ideal for towering skyscrapers?

[urbanbna]

Here is the link to the City Paper article :

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?se...s&news_id=48320

I guess there is some animosity towards the development of SoBro. What do you think about the BZA's guidlines?

[barakat]

Not sure what you mean by 'animosity towards the development of SoBro.' The idea behind the guidelines is to -promote- development with an urban, pedestrian-oriented character. Using NYC as a comparison, I think planners want more of an 'east village' (low/midrise) vibe than a 'midtown' (more towers) vibe. Exactly what Nashville needs, I think. I believe this is what the City Paper editorial piece is saying, too.

[HABANERO7]

I think it's a wonderful idea to keep the height down in the SoBro area. The area will begin to develop a much denser feel over time with an overall common height throughout. The area could begin to develop an urban feel like established low and mid rise neighborhoods in Chicago and DC. 220 ft is still a nice height as a cap with the CBD being designated for the taller towers. I like the Idea and I hope they stick to their guns with the zoning regs. I also think the Encore is close enough to the CBD to give the building a nice fit and feel with the existing highrise structures in the downtown area.

[Lexy]

SoBro doesn't need 300 footers all over the place. It needs that intimate feel that a 3-10 story structure with an engaging streetlevel will bring. It is a neighborhood that will be predominatly residential. It has got to have that feeling with it, or else it will not work.

[NewTowner]

A human-scaled SoBro would be to the benefit of all. Here, here! A toast to the young and feckless who dare to build gorgeous, five-story buildings with durable materials, a commitment to classical proportioning and detail, and a mixture of uses!

Remember--a mid-rise Sobro is more likely to produce good pubs.

[BnaBreaker]

I agree with you all. A tower here and there on prominant corners couldn't hurt I suppose, but intimate low-rise urbanity would be wonderful there.

[Hankster]

Remember--a mid-rise Sobro is more likely to produce good pubs.

I'll drink to that!

[Lexy]

I'll drink to that!

Here-here!!

[ATLBrain]

Overall, I think the SoBro guidelines (now restrictions) are a positive thing to have in place (as long as they don't keep positive interesting buildings from rising in that area). To wit: The new CC and at least two new hotels would be major block-swallowers, but they WOULD fall under the zoning regs. However (IMO), they wouldn't be as well-suited as a nice 12 story residential tower (a'la Rokeby or Adelicia). As it is, I don't think either of those buildings would be permitted in SoBro. Would somebody please check me on that?

On the same note, I've always thought that future hi-rises would go westward along Broad and Church. In fact, I think Alex Palmer has the right idea with his height out on West End. Now if you guys could get that gulch filled in with some hotel towers, it'd smooth out that skyline shot coming from the north of town.

So just imagine for a moment if you had the tourist traffic moving in a roughly East-West direction along Church (Yes, it will have heavy residential too with Viridian, Cumberland, B-D, and Signature). However, you'd have opportunities for several hi-rise hotels (I believe they can go quite high in that area of DT). But if you had the tourist nexi on Market and a (new) Convention Center in the Gulch along Church, then there'd be lots of restaurants and pubs to pop up on the blocks between them.

Now put the residential component along Gateway, and the intowners would tend to move in an East-West direction along a whole new axis (b/n SoBro and Music Row Roundabout including the Gulch residential like Icon, Terrazzo, et.al.). There'd be a whole other group of restaurants/pubs to cater to those groups (more like neighborhood establishments).

Of course, everything would come together at Broadway between both Church and Gateway. It doesn't need any help drawing crowds. With the nightlife already there and the Schermerhorn and GEC (even without the Convention Center across the street). You'd have (yet) another center of activity. This could become your center for bigger retail like a department store or large specialty ... so Broadway would cater to both the Church St. and Gateway Axes.

I hope this made sense.