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Tonight's trip home


it's just dave

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I've been working on a special project at work for the past couple of weeks which has found me in the office at 5:30 a.m. some days, and staying late on others. Tonight, the traffic was stopped on I-24, so I exited Harding and took Nolensville Rd into town and decided to take a trip through downtown. I was there Sunday so it's not like I've been away forever, but in these times, only a few days seems to have caught me off guard a bit.

Some observations:

The second tower crane base is now planted at ICON, so the crane should rise within the week.

The new Demonbreun bridge is now sporting new ornamentation in the form of some really cool, really funky metallic, almost sculpture-like enhancements. I had to take a few looks at this. They're covering the external bridge lights and make quite a nice statement.

Cool new street lamps in front of the Frist with major lighting attached to focus on the building (I don't recall seeing these before).

The same cool lights are now lining 8th Avenue and will soon sport banners. The road has been graded and new pavement and markings are imminent. All the new traffic signals look good as well.

Besides the new art gallery on 5th, two new galleries, one on third, and a beautiful space on 8th (in the white building we've talked about and in the City Paper this morning).

Lights on in the Viridian.

An Encore Open House at the Smith House with a good sized crowd.

New signs at Terrazo, large ones on the corner.

Lots of work going on in the Doctor's Building, so I guess the hotel is now in the works.

Pile driving and metal frames for supports are at 5th and Main. Interestingly, the previously shoddy apartment house behind the trees next to that sight appears to be undergoing a massive renovation.

The funky gourmet grocery/cafe at Five Points seems to be moving along nicely.

A new restaurant where the Oriental Thai was located next to Sbarro on Commerce.

A funky looking new store on Second...looks very mystical...

The doors were open at American Apparel on Broad and I think the city is in for a real downtown retail treat.

The Encore has a first floor, almost.

The Hampton is actually a building now, they're working on the 3rd floor now. It's odd to see a building there at all. I can imagine how weird it will be to see people and lights on that spot. Amazing.

There were a million people on the streets...a convention no doubt, but crowded sidewalks on a Thursday are always a good thing.

Four days and it seems like I've been gone 6 months. What's going on around here!?

Side note and a recommendation for early birds like me. I was at the Public Square at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning with my coffee. So relaxing just sitting on the steps watching the fountains dance as the city awoke. I heartily make that a suggestion.

I'm really amazed at how Nashville is looking with its new suit of clothes, so crisp, so clean, so "done"... and done well. There are indeed exciting times ahead as the truly major projects progress (speaking of that, SunTrust is rising convincingly).

Random thoughts from a random time in the life of Dave. G'day to you all. Get out and enjoy.

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just a quick note from the other side of thursday's sun. I went to the Ryman tonight to see The Fray and as we left I got quite a treat. Approximately 11pm there were about 9 concrete trucks waiting to unload into a massive pumping machine, that was pouring into the Suntrust building. Commerce St. was closed between 3rd and 4th and the noise was outrageous. It was so impressive to see such hard, behind-the-scenes work in person. Many of the teens that were leaving the same show complained about the racket, but I feel a certain appreciation for it.

I love the smell of progress in the morning! :)

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Thanks for the info, Dave. I have not had time to take a look at hardly anything lately myself due to working 2 jobs and preparing to go to a school to start a third business with a friend.

Good to hear the second crane base is up at the Icon.

I think the Meridian project in West End park is a corps now.

The West End is on or about floor 5 or 6.

Bristol on West End is topped off and I look for that crane to come down soon.

Thats about all I can add at this time.

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T

Bristol on West End is topped off and I look for that crane to come down soon.

yeah, the bristol on west end has been done for a while. i work at the honeybaked ham on west end now and it's right behind us. sometimes when i take a break i find myself watching the construction going on. same with the West End. i sense a new life coming to west end and downtown. it's definatly an exciting time.

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The same cool lights are now lining 8th Avenue and will soon sport banners. The road has been graded and new pavement and markings are imminent. All the new traffic signals look good as well.

The streetscape project on Eigth is looking good. Not as extensive as the Church Street project which included furniture and landscaping, but includes new street lights and signal poles.

I wish they would target West End now. Remove overhead utilities, install decorative street lights and signal poles, improve the sidewalks, etc.

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The streetscape project on Eigth is looking good. Not as extensive as the Church Street project which included furniture and landscaping, but includes new street lights and signal poles.

I wish they would target West End now. Remove overhead utilities, install decorative street lights and signal poles, improve the sidewalks, etc.

I hope they target West End as well. I'm sure that will change hopefully soon.

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