Raceway Center Condominiums - Bristol, TN

[Tennesseestorm]

More details to follow, but a milti-million (maybe multi billion) dollar luxury condo complex currently under construction across from Bristol Motor Speedway.

If anyone has any information about these luxury condos, please post here.

Thank you.

[smeagolsfree]

Your wish is my command. Only a 2 minute search and here you go.

http://www.bristolracerentals.com/

Bruton Smith is the one that is developing these.

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks for doing that search! That is exactly correct. I searched and searched, but no avail. You are a better searcher than I.

Anyway, I had totally forgot that I had posted here on this forum about that. I actually drove by there last Sunday and saw the name. The name on the roadside marquee is "Raceway Center & condominiums". One looks to be nearly complete. I saw some folks on the balconies and I saw that the building has power to it.

Not sure how many more will be built- looks like at least 5 will be built. Appear to be 7 stories high. Why not just make ONE 35-40 story skyscraper?

Your wish is my command. Only a 2 minute search and here you go.

http://www.bristolracerentals.com/

Bruton Smith is the one that is developing these.

[smeagolsfree]

I think with the availability of land and the lower price of land up there, it may be a while before any very tall buildings will be built. The population has a long way to go first I think. Eventually the Tri-Cities will be discovered by the retirement community and then prices will go out of site. Right now Asheville NC is the mecca for the retirees.

[Tennesseestorm]

Your right - There is still a lot of land north of the track on Highway 394, but most is farmlands. I am surprised this area has not flourished. Immedietly to the north on HWY 394 is a ball park and camp sites. I have heard more condos on that area though.

The land downtown is scarce now. Any more building downtown will require either demolishing buildings, or building up.

I think with the availability of land and the lower price of land up there, it may be a while before any very tall buildings will be built. The population has a long way to go first I think. Eventually the Tri-Cities will be discovered by the retirement community and then prices will go out of site. Right now Asheville NC is the mecca for the retirees.

[smeagolsfree]

What happened to Bristol in the cheapest places to live list? Kingsport and JC made the list but not Bristol. I know Kingsport has been a little depressed for the last several years. Johnson City being on the list surprised me with as much growth that is going on there.

http://www.newschannel5.com/content/news/18070.asp

[Tennesseestorm]

It does not surprise me now that it is not on that list. Thanks for posting it. I love to visit the other TV stations websites.

I suppose where Bristol is rapidly growing is why it is no longer on the list. Bristol has the most development going on right now. Johnson City and Kingsport are currently at a standstill, although JC is growing well as you mentioned, but not nearly as much as Bristol, especially on the northeast end (at the exit 7 I-81 area - which has virtually turned into a mini-city in itself) and on the southwest end (near the speedway).

Often they mention these developments on our local NBC and CBS websites. You may have already been to these site, but just incase, here they are. A lot of informative info about the city here.

Our local NBC is in Bristol:

http://www.wcyb.com/

H

Our local CBS station is in Johnson City. They have incorporated it as "Tri-Cities.com". Oddly, the same company that owns our local CBS station in Johnson City also owns the Bristol newspaper. All of the cities have a seperate newspaper/TV station. Kingsports TV station is an ABC station I think, but not many viewers.

Here is the site to our CBS station. Its different than your average TV station website:

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/home.html

Speaking of the speedway, the fans are pouring in this week, but I am sure some of the visitors from the south are shivering, as temperatures here are running well below normal this week. Folks from up north are probably taking it in stride however.

What happened to Bristol in the cheapest places to live list? Kingsport and JC made the list but not Bristol. I know Kingsport has been a little depressed for the last several years. Johnson City being on the list surprised me with as much growth that is going on there.

http://www.newschannel5.com/content/news/18070.asp

[Rural King]

Jackson is on the list, and its one the main "boom" cities of the state and is still a very cheap place to live due to the overall lower cost of living in West Tennessee, so I wonder how much a factor growth is. I guess a good question is what makes the cost of living in Bristol more expensive than Jackson, JC, or Kingsport? Is it higher wages? Lack of residential construction driving up property costs/values? etc.

[Tennesseestorm]

Probably those downtown loft apartments - they are going to be renting for $1500-$2500 per month!

Speaking of the race condos - I bet those would go for an even higher premium now. The race is this weekend and the temperatures are WELL BELOW normal!

Jackson is on the list, and its one the main "boom" cities of the state and is still a very cheap place to live due to the overall lower cost of living in West Tennessee, so I wonder how much a factor growth is. I guess a good question is what makes the cost of living in Bristol more expensive than Jackson, JC, or Kingsport? Is it higher wages? Lack of residential construction driving up property costs/values? etc.

[Tennesseestorm]

Finally a photo of the first completed building. Sorry it was taken so far away. Actually, it is a lot larger than it looks in this photo....

Supposedly many more of these to follow, but perhaps larger?

[Hankster]

Will the others be located right beside this one? How many do they plan to have in all?

[Tennesseestorm]

I have heard they will be spread all about that area to the left and behind. The area to the right is only one of many parking areas for motorhomes. I have heard that there are supposed to be 7-10 of those buildings, but I am not certain. I will see what I can find out.

Will the others be located right beside this one? How many do they plan to have in all?

[HABANERO7]

When I was up at the drag strip last August for the Fun Ford Weekend I seen the 1st condo you showed in the picture above. You are right about the deception. The building is much larger than the photo shows. I also saw the other growth in the south Bristol area you have mentioned elsewhere. The city is coming along nicely.

[Tennesseestorm]

Yeah- I should have got a better photo of that condo. I will go back later when the others are built and take more photographs.

Since you were here in August, there has been a shopping center built just north of the Super Wal-Mart on the Volunteer Parkway. It includes a supermarket with a gas station, restaurants, barber shops, as well as a Dollar Tree store. Also a brand new Wendy's across the street from there and the new Lowe's Home improvement store is now open as well.

When I was up at the drag strip last August for the Fun Ford Weekend I seen the 1st condo you showed in the picture above. You are right about the deception. The building is much larger than the photo shows. I also saw the other growth in the south Bristol area you have mentioned elsewhere. The city is coming along nicely.

[HABANERO7]

I like the sound of the new Wendys since I usually drive to Wendys to eat when I am there for racing... Currently I have been going to the one on up in Bristol where the road splits and the speed limit drops to 30

[Tennesseestorm]

As mentioned, that new Food City is located in that same parking lot area as the old Wendy's. We eat there from time to time. Yeah, that speed limit drops from 45 mph, down to 35 mph (heading back north on Volunteer Parkway). I am on that part of the parkway nearly everyday. I see a several police cars through there, as they watch for people not reducing speed through there. Most will let you go 45-50 mph in that 35 mph zone. My cousin is a police officer for Bristol TN and he said that he, as well as most other officers will allow 50 mph on the parkway (in the 35 mph zone), but when you hit 51 mph, you got yourself a speeding ticket.

Wendy's mist be one some sort of a new building gig, especially here in Bristol.

One was recently built on the northwest side, near the mall and now this one. The other one is off of exit 7 1-81 on the northeast side of Bristol, VA. We officially have three now.

I like the sound of the new Wendys since I usually drive to Wendys to eat when I am there for racing... Currently I have been going to the one on up in Bristol where the road splits and the speed limit drops to 30