The Dave Luna Urban Planet Forum Meet-Up (online, too), Sat. April 6th, 10 AM to noon; Copper Branch patio at Downtown Library at 6th Ave. North and Church St.

[markhollin]

My friend, Paul Johnson, wrote this lovely memorial about Lynn Grassmeyer on Facebook that features a lot of fun photos:

https://www.facebook.com/PaulJohnsonMusic/posts/10223438018930084

[East Side Urbanite]

For those who feel they might be parked for, say, 2.5 hours — free parking on Saturdays on Capitol Hill. It's a safe and easy walk from there to the library.

[markhollin]

NASHVILLE URBAN PLANET MEET-UP AGENDA,  JUNE 5, 2021

Here's an overview of what can be covered at the Dave Luna Urban Planet Meet-Up IN-PERSON this Saturday, June 5th, from 10 AM to noon The Copper Branch inside the Downtown Library (on the SW corner of 6th Ave. North and Church St.).

• Meet any new folks in attendance.
• Get reports from anyone who traveled to other cities in the past month for quick overviews of what they experienced.
• Cranes up: Albion base in place
• Cranes down: Asurion
• Total cranes currently up in Davidson County: 26. So far this year: 36
• Topped out: 19th & Broadway Hotel (16 stories); Alta Foundry (5); Silo Park Condos (4); Alliance Bellevue (4); Ramsey Row (3); Parthenon Ave. Townhomes (3); 420 38th Ave. North (3)
  
  AGENDA:

• Gulch Central will be the name of the next development within the Highwoods Properties' North Gulch Gateway. It will have three structures: 1) 41 story, 350 unit residential tower at 1100 Broadway; 2) 28 story, 750,000 sq. ft. office tower that will have an 1100 Broadway address; 3) 6 story mixed-use structure with 170,000 sq. ft. of primarily office space at 1010 Broadway. There will also be 42,000 sq. ft. of retail between the three buildings, as well as green space and connective outdoor stairways. Hastings Architecture is in charge of design.  When combined with the Asurion HQ project which is nearing completion, the total value of all this would be over $1 billion. 
   
• Ritz Carlton is now officially announced.  Will be 46 stories instead of 42 (probably at least 600’ tall).  Adjoining residential tower will still be 36 stories. Same amount of hotel rooms (240) and residential units (335). M2 Development says groundbreaking will be first quarter of 2022, and completion by by mid-2025.
   
• Dean Stratouly, head of Congress Group (which is one of the developers behind Four Seasons)  states that they aren't done with Music City.  Besides the 2nd & Peabody project, his company is planning two more high-rise projects that haven't been announced yet. 
   
• Swerdling has decided to scrap the double hotel project (38 and 14 stories on 1.2 acres at SW corner of KVB and Hermitage Ave.).  However, current land owner Frank May has documents showing plans for a different mixed-use project of 30 stories (or higher) on the site.
   
• Flank, Inc. has paid $16 million for the vacant .8 acre lot at 125 11th Ave. North to increase their holdings in the North Gulch area.  They now have  75% of that block in their control (to go along with the parcel where Gibson Residences is getting underway), as well as the plot a block to the south where they will build the Edition Hotel. “We do not yet have a formal plan for the site, but it will be a mixed-use project that will be complimentary to our residential tower at 1111 Church and the Nashville Edition," said a Flank representative. "We are excited to expand our footprint in the Central Gulch.”
   
• There are discussions at Metro Planning about revising the Downtown Code for SoBro and Mid-Gulch areas.
   
• More improvements to the Union Station Hotel property will include a new restaurant concept located in the original Broadway entrance that has functioned as a meeting space for the past several decades. This will reopen the property directly to the street. No word on name, theme, chef, etc. yet. 
   
• The oddly-shaped 1.17 acre lot at 500 Lafayette St. (also bordered by Lea Ave. and 5th Ave. South) is being offered for sale at $15.9 million.  It currently has two non-historical structures on the site (one was most recently the Czann's Brewing Co. which recently relocated to the Nations). A group led by Ashok Patel is the current ownership, and they paid $8.1 million for it 4 years ago.  
   
• 900 2nd Ave. Townhomes is the working name for a large residential project that appears to be going on the 5.83 acres at 900-1000 2nd Ave. North site that had been home to Tennessee State Dept. of Children's Services as well as State/County Social Security Services before being heavily damaged by the March 2020 tornado.  The remaining structure (pictured below) will be razed for this new project.  Water and sewer permits have been applied for by the as yet unnamed developer.  
   
• Neuhoff Plant development’s newest renderings show the north office block at 14 stories at its apex; the south residential block will be 8 stories; the NW residential block looks to be 7 stories. 
   
• Chartwell Residential and EJF Capital have jointly purchased the 13 acre former Watkins College of Art property in MetroCenter from Belmont University for $22.5 million and are planning an 750 unit residential complex in 2 phases (two five story structures at 375 units each, and garage). First phase to break ground in early 2022 and finish in early 2024. 2nd phase begins then. Cooper Carry will be the architect. No renderings yet. 
   
• The 16 story, 227,000 sq. ft. Moore office tower at 19th Ave. South and Chet Atkins place is set to start in June after a 1 year pause due to the pandemic.
   
• The North Edge project has had its name changed to North Edgehill Gardens.  There have been some modifications: Buildings will now be 10 (at 133'), 8, 7, and 5 stories, with 160,000 sq. ft. of office space, 550 residential units, 500 hotel rooms, 25,000 sq. ft. of restaurant space, 25,000 sq. ft. of retail space, and an interior park/plaza that features a small amphitheater.  Previously there had been a 12 story and three 8 story buildings in the mock-ups---by making the bases of the buildings larger, they could reduce the height of all 4.  The plans also include enhancing the 12th Ave. overpass of the I-65/40 inner belt (that connects the area to The Gulch) with a better pedestrian experience. Kimley Horn has been added for engineering , and Hawkins Partners as landscape architect. These plans have been submitted to the Metro Planning Dept. New renderings available.
   
• A mid-rise residential project (10-12 stories?) is being considered for the 7 parcel site at 1904-1916 Hayes St. that covers 1.04 acres. The Simmons family (with a history in the dental world) owns the site and has applied for rezoning from office/retail to mixed-use.  Civil Site Design Group has been hired to help with engineering and land-planning.  No word yet on how many units, or specific height.
   
• The area just north of Marathon Village continues to percolate with another residential project (5 & 7 stories, 445 units, some ground level retail) being planned for the 2.1 acre site at 1301 Herman St. and 907 12th Ave. (currently home to Nashville Tent and Awning). Leftbank Holdings is the developer, and they are doing several others in the neighborhood as well. Smith Gee is the architect.  The team will go before Metro Planning Commission in June for site approval. No renderings yet.
   
• SMI made their presentation to public on May 11th for the 30,000 capacity expansion of Fairground Racetrack with renderings and diagrams. 4 large events per year, and 10 race weekends overall annually. Other events will be hosted there as well. Working on additional parking garages on site, plus shuttle bus parking to area lots.
   
• MarketStreet Enterprises will build a 337 unit residential project that will be 7 stories at its highest point on 2.36 acres at 300 Rains Ave. as part of the Fairgrounds development between the new soccer stadium and the race track. 20% of the units will be affordable housing.  There will also be a plaza and garage as part of this project. Smith Gee is the architect, and Barge Cauthen is handling engineering. 
  Metro Planning will review these new plans at its July 22nd meeting. Rendering and diagram available.
   
• The Belmont Univ. Thomas F. Frist School of Medicine will be 6 stories tall, covering 160,000 sq. ft., and include a 350 space below ground parking garage. It will be located on Wedgewood Ave. within a block of Gorden E. Inman Center and McWhorter Hall. A rendering is available.
   
• The project that originally was to be called 8th & Bass on 3.14 acres just south of the I-65/40 inner loop will now feature a single 7 story structure that will include 252 residential units, a 15,000 sq. ft. restaurant space, and an internal parking garage with 437 spaces. The working title seems to be the address: 910 Eighth Ave. South.  CA South is the developer; Barnett Design Studio and Pettas Architecture are overseeing design; Ragan-Smith is in charge of engineering/landscape.  They will go before Metro Planning Commission on June 24th for site approval. Renderings available.
   
• A mixed-use project featuring 220 units and 60,000 sq. ft. of restaurant/space is being planned for the Tech Hill area at 510 Interstate Blvd. by an unknown developer.  No word on how many stories, but guess it will be 3 or 4. The site is currently industrial. 
   
• Haven at Charlotte will be a 10 story (although rendering looks to be 9) residential tower featuring 318 units on the thin 4.4 acre parcel at 3025 Charlotte Ave., just west of OneC1TY. Guefen Development Partners out of Houston will be the developer.  EDI international is architect; Gresham Smith is civil engineer; Kimley-Horn is handling land-planning. The Alsco Uniform building on site will be razed (no historical significance). A July construction start is planned. 
   
• 3900 Charlotte Ave. will be 6 & 7 stories with 300 apartments, and 46,000 sq. ft. of retail (most likely a Publix Grocery), and 12,000 sq. ft. of open space by CHM Development (the same folks who developed the new Publix on 8th Ave. South).
   
• The large warehouse on 3.5 acres at 5300 Centennial Blvd. is going to have adaptive reuse for office and retail by Nathan Lyons. Centric Architecture is handling design. A $75,000 permit has been issued for City Construction to handle interior demo.  An initial rendering is available.
   
• The planned Marriott dual-brand hotel is still planned next to TopGolf. Instead of the original plan of 14 stories/190 rooms, it will now be 11 stories according to a new rendering, with no word on how many rooms. This will be Phase I, with a second phase of a mixed-use residential building still in the works (originally planned for 7 stories and 250 apartments--no word on configuration now).  A garage is still planned with a capacity of about 600 cars. Skyline Hospitality President Jarrat Bell says the Oracle deal  has encouraged them to move forward. They are awaiting  the finish of infrastructure improvements of River North that will impact their final designs.  No planned start date as of yet.
   
• The former church building at 122 South 11th St. that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places will be repaired and reimagined as Ten21 at Five Points, a mixed-use project featuring restaurant and office space.  Mark and Pattie Sanders are spending over $1 million on the construction, after spending an additional $1.575 million to buy the property last September. The one time church and YMCA was heavily damaged in the March, 2020 tornado.  EOA Architects is handling the design, and MCR Group will be the contractor.  The plan is to be finished by fall of 2022.
   
• The Link (5, 4, and 3 stories, 221 units) by Bristol Development will break ground in July at 51 Lucille St. (at NW corner of Dickerson and Lucille). Smith Gee is the architect; Catalyst Design is the civil engineer; and Highland Building Group will serve as contractor.  A mid-2023 completion is planned.  Rendering available.
   
• Dominium Group is now the developer for the 900 Dickerson Rd. site and plan a 7 story, 255 unit affordable housing project. Previous owners had been planning a 3 story mixed-us project of 50 condos and ground level retail. Smith Gee is the architect. Renderings available.
   
• Studio 79 will be the name of the 4 story, 79 unit residential project at 3810 Gallatin Pike being developed by Urban Growth Capital. A  church structure that is currently on the site will be torn down to make way for the $10 million project being designed by Manuel Zeitlin Architects. Bacar Constructors will be the contractor. Wilson Bank & Trust is providing the loan. Renderings available.
   
• A brewery is being planned for a refurbished McGavock House (circa 1840) on an L-shaped .85 acre site at 908 Meridian St. and 206 Vaughn St. in Cleveland Park. It will include outdoor seating, and preservation of the lawn in front of the old mansion.  Towery Development is in charge of the project, and Fulmer-Lucas is the architect/land planner. Renderings available.
   
• Hearth and Haven at North Pointe development is being planned by E3 for 2423 Buena Vista Pike:  It will feature be 18 three & four story buildings with a total of 69 units.  RootArch is the architect;  Catalyst Design is handling engineering. Rendering available.
   
• Curtis/Bordeaux Nashville LLC Development is planning a 300 unit residential project featuring multiple 3 & 4 story structures on 31 acres to the east of Clarksville Pike in Bordeaux. It will be built in 3 phases, with a possible 4th. A diagram is available.
   
• The Nashville Predators have announced another ice hockey center, this time in conjunction with the City of Hendersonville and Sumner County.  The 100,000 sq. ft., two sheet complex will be at the 54 acre Goat Farm at the intersection of Shute Lane and Nashville Pike. It will have seating for up to 1,800 fans, private and public locker rooms, with training room, a hockey pro shop, and some food concessions. Should be open by summer of 2023. Renderings available.
   
• Mercedes-Benz of Music City is planning the Ferrari Nashville dealership on the 14.3 acre site of the former Knights of Columbus site at 2300 Knight of Columbus Blvd,  just adjacent to the airport.  They paid $3.75 million for the vacant property. 
   
• Newman’s Crossing will be a 98 townhome project to be built by Mortgage Homes in Gallatin off Long Hollow Pike and Big Station Camp Boulevard.
  
  
  NASHVILLE REMAINS HOT:
   
• Area home sales shot up 43% in April over the same timeframe in 2020. Average sale price of a home was $385,000, up 16%. Average condo price was $264,525, also up 16%.
   
• Metro area home values up $32,000 from last spring according to Zillow.
   
• FedEx is hiring 700 more package handlers at its stations around Nashville.
   
• Landmark Recovery, and addiction treatment company, is relocating is HQ from Arizona to Franklin (720 Cool Springs Blvd.), and will create 350 new jobs within the next 5 years.
   
• JC Ford Company will relocate its corn tortilla plant from California to Columbia and build a $30 million plant that will create 210 jobs.
   
• LaserShip, a last mile regional shipping company, will be opening a warehouse  in Antioch that will employ 200 people.
   
• Troy Industries, a gun manufacturer, is going to relocate their HQ from West Springfield, MA to Clarksville.  This will create about 75 jobs. 
   
• Ascent Buildings will invest $10 million to set up its HQ in Portland, TN and bring 120 new jobs over the next 2 years. 
   
• Yoshi, the Nashville-based mobile and contactless auto services provider, has announced it plans to hire 100 more employees by the end of 2022.
   
• Nashville ranked #2 in net inflow of tech workers per 10,000 LinkedIn users according to Bloomberg Technology.
   
• Nashville ranked #5 in "Top Ten Emerging Markets for Life Sciences" according to JLL Real Estate Services.
   
• Nashville ranks #9 out of 106 in SmartAsset's "Best Cities for New College Grads" list.
   
• In late April, Wall Street Journal had a feature on exodus of populations in large metros like NYC, Chicago, LA, and San Francisco to places like Nashville, Dallas, Indianapolis, and Charlotte.
   
• Trip Advisor has ranked Fairlane Hotel as #12 Top Hotel in Country, and Germantown Inn as #5 Most Romantic Hotel in Country.
   
• Nashville chosen as one of "Seven Sports Event Destinations to Watch in Years Ahead" by SportsProMedia. The others were Budapest, Santiago, Senegal, Glasgow, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia.
   
• Nashville once again deemed #1 city in nation for bachelorette  parties in U.S. by The Bach website. The article also states it should be a recored-breaking year since so many weddings were postponed last year due to the pandemic. 
   
• AAA listed Nashville as the #5 "Road Trip" destination for Memorial Day Weekend as far as bookings were concerned.
   
• Esquire Magazine has chosen White Limozeen at The Graduate Hotel as one of "The Best Bars in America."

[smeagolsfree]

Hey guys, I just texted the manager at the Copper Branch and he sort of would like a head count, so if you can give me an idea if you are coming via a PM with a simple YES, or if you do not do the PM just leave a message here saying coming.

[Bos2Nash]

On 6/2/2021 at 4:57 PM, East Side Urbanite said:

For those who feel they might be parked for, say, 2.5 hours — free parking on Saturdays on Capitol Hill. It's a safe and easy walk from there to the library.

Is this the surface lot by the Supreme Court, the actual capital or the employee parking? Or is it all three? Thanks in advance.

[smeagolsfree]

That was my old go to when I  went to TPAC  years ago when I could get there early enough. I do not think anything has changed with Covid or the remodel of Cordell Hull.

Again give me a heads up if you are coming via the PM function on UP.

 

[LA_TN]

One snuck away before the pic

[smeagolsfree]

Todd "BigBat" Nashville bound snuck out before the pic. 

Glad to get back to the live meets again. Hope it stays that way.

[donNdonelson2]

Great shot of the motley crew…except for the mural of everyone’s least favorite angle of the city’s skyline. (It’s REALLY difficult to escape that image.) How was the food and beverage at the new (old) venue?

[smeagolsfree]

It is a vegetarian place and was actually not bad. The not so real meat was pretty good. But even we made that angle of the city look worse than is is.

[FrankNash]

The band is back together!!!

[Skyscrapergeek]

2 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

It is a vegetarian place and was actually not bad. The not so real meat was pretty good. But even we made that angle of the city look worse than is is.

It’s more/worse than vegetarian , Ron. It’s vegan. There’s a difference. I know because I’m married to a member of the space alien cult. 
In all seriousness, the food is pretty good. Staff was very accommodating and gracious today. 

[donNdonelson2]

Checked the menu online, and it does look good. I’m NOT vegan, but I do have an egg allergy. It’s nice to know that I can safely eat anything on their menu! Great to have this as an option downtown!

[smeagolsfree]

Yea, for those of us that are not vegan/vegetarian I forget there is a difference.

[LA_TN]

Next time it's BYOB (Bring Your Own Bacon) 

[markhollin]

A nice photo collage video of our U.P. Forum/Meet-Up friend, Lynn Marie Grassmeyer, who passed away May 28th after a valiant battle with cancer. She will be missed by so many.  
 

 

[markhollin]

It's been a very busy month with numerous huge new projects announced, so there will be much to discuss at our next in-person Meet-Up this Saturday,  July 3rd from 10 AM to noon Central Time.  Once again we will be at The Copper Branch in the NE corner of the Downtown Library Building (at SW corner of 6th Ave. North and Church St.).  Parking is available in the Library Garage at $6.00 per hour--but if you bring your ticket in and have it stamped at the front desk at the Library you get 1.5 hours free. If the weather is good, we will meet on the patio outside; if not, then inside.  In either case, Ron (Smeagolsfree) will be arriving early to get tables and chairs set up. 

We will also have things set up for folks to participate online via Zoom as well. If you would like to join in that way, please send me your e-mail address via private message by Friday evening, July 2nd, and we will get you the particulars for logging on.   We will presume that if you took part in last few months' virtual meet-ups, that you will be interested again this month...so no need to send your info again (we've  kept it from May of 2020 onward and will include you automatically for this upcoming meeting).

A full agenda of discussion items will be posted on this thread in a few days.

[markhollin]

NASHVILLE URBAN PLANET MEET-UP AGENDA,  JULY 3, 2021

Here's an overview of what can be covered at the Dave Luna Urban Planet Meet-Up IN-PERSON this Saturday, July 3rd, from 10 AM to noon The Copper Branch inside the Downtown Library (on the SW corner of 6th Ave. North and Church St.). If you would like to join online and you have never received an e-mail invitation with the log-in specs, please let me know your e-mail address via PM by Friday night, and we will get the info to you to join us remotely.

• Get reports from anyone who traveled to other cities in the past month for quick overviews of what they experienced.
   
• Cranes up: Albion (2); 1501 Herman; Modera Gulch
   
• Cranes down: Vandy Tower (1 of 2)
   
• Total cranes currently up in Davidson County: 28. So far this year: 39

• Topped out: The Hamilton/Hume House (5 & 4); 810 Jefferson (4); Trevecca Univ. Health Sciences Bldg. (4); Skyliner (4); Dube Orthopedic (4); Meridian Park (4, 3 & 2); Edison of Riverwood (4 & 3); Lyric @ Cleveland Park, Phase II (3 stories); 1212 9th Ave. North (3); 2407 Hyde Townhomes (3)
  
  
  AGENDA:
   
• Pinnacle Financial Partners will be moving their HQ from the 2nd Ave. South tower to a new 34 story (approx. 575 ft.), 650,000 sq. ft., office/28,000 sq. ft. retail space in Nashville Yards. The new structure will have a trapezoidal shape. Groundbreaking should be the 4th quarter of this year.  Also, the new renderings show the primary residential tower between 10th Ave. North and the CSX tracks will now be 38 stories (approx. 420’), and Amazon Three Tower (1001 Church Street Viaduct) will be 30 stories and around 490’.  No word on when the latter two will get started.
   
• GBT Realtors is planning a 27 story, 374 ft. mixed-use tower that will be primarily residential at 2416 West End Ave., at the split with Elliston Place.  There will also be significant restaurant and retail space on the first to floors, and 5 levels of underground parking. Will entail 556,000 sq. ft. total. GBT paid $8.1 million for the for the former Smoothie King/Rite Aid buildings closest to the intersection, and has the additional .87 acre made up of Emma's Flowers, Gyros Kitchen Greek Cafe, and Rotier's Grille under contract for undisclosed prices. Diagrams and renderings available.
   
• Circle South’s Residential Tower will be 19 stories (220’) with 261units, and a 336 capacity garage (5 levels above grade, and 3 levels below). Dwell Design Studio is the architect; Ragan-Smith is handling engineering/land planning; Hawkins Partners is overseeing landscape architecture.  Mirasol Capital is an equity partner along with developer Lincoln Properties. . Renderings and diagrams available.
   
• Edition Hotel at 1100 Porter is finally getting underway (17 stories, 282 rooms) within the month.
   
• Eric Birnbaum of Dreamscape, who last week bought the Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown Hotel for $169.7 million, claims to have hundreds of millions more dollars he wants to invest in the Nashville market--most likely in hotels. Now word on if these would be existing properties, or new ventures.
   
• Monroe Investment Partners is going to sell two more remaining key plots totaling 3.71 acres that will be sandwiched between the Oracle Campus and River North Landings. There is not a formal asking price for the properties, which Howard Schiller of Monroe Investments said could be sold together or in separate transactions.The land offers skyscraper potential: Don Allen of Monroe previously worked to rezone the industrial property, which now allows for mixed-use development as tall as 25 stories. That maximum height can jump as high as 38 stories, according to an urban design overlay that Metro approved for River North in 2017.  Diagram of site available.
   
• Eden House (former fire station lot at 2025 Richard Jones Rd. In Green Hills) will be 16 stories (just under 200'), with 111 condos, 1,300 sq. ft. of retail space, 7,500 sq. ft. of restaurant space, and a 260 capacity garage.  Gresham Smith is the architect; Ragan-Smith is in charge of engineering/land planning; and Hodgson Douglas is overseeing landscape architecture. Groundbreaking will be early in 2022, and a late 2023 opening is planned. Rendering and diagrams available.
   
• A 9.6 acre Driftwood St. site, just east of downtown beyond the I-24/40 split is being sold. The land is already zoned for office use.  Equitable Property Co., which is handling the sale, claims to have had over 100 inquiries so far (many of them residential developers), and states that the price may end up being in the $85 range per sq. ft., which means it could fetch at least $35 million.  Real Estate investor Roger Brown bought the site for $8.5 million in 2017. Some conceptual renderings for how the site might be developed have been released.  The most ambitious concept shows 30, 24, 16 and 8 story structures including office, residential, hotel, retail, and parking garages.
   
• 700 Hamilton (7 stories above Hamilton Ave., 9 stories above grade on lowest portion of lot, 300 units?) in WeHo is finally moving forward. EOA and Manuel Zeitlen are the architects. There are several levels of below grade parking.  . Renderings and diagrams available.
   
• A 13 acre site of a truck terminal is being considered for a new development by Urban Grout Commercial Real Estate. Located at 1116 Polk Ave., the property includes a 30,000 sq. ft. bow-truss garage that Urban Grout would like to repurpose (perhaps as a retail and food amenity for the community), and the remaining 11 acres would be redeveloped by potential new partners. 
   
• Amazon commits $75 million over the next 5 years to help developers build 800 affordable homes near Nashville corridors served by WeGo public transit. 
   
• A group associated with Rethink Capital Partners out of New York has finished buying plots from several entities for a 27 acre development with the primary address of 1410 Dickerson Pike.  All told, they paid over $9.27 million for all the parcels.  Rumors are that it will be 670 residential units (townhomes and apartments), 40,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, and some public green space are expected for the undeveloped hilly land that stretches all the way west to I-65/24 North. Hastings Architecture will be in charge of design.  No renderings or project name yet.
   
• Sunnymeade Commons will be a four 3 story buildings with 28 townhomes at 3930 Gallatin Pike being co-developed by Public Square and Open Works. They paid $1.25 million for the site in February.  The hope is to break ground by late fall. Renderings available.
   
• CityView South will be a 3 story, 24 townhome development by Red Seal Homes at on the vacant lot 2176 Carson St. in South Nashville.  A late summer groundbreaking is planned with a late 2022 completion set. Rendering available.
   
• The O'Reilly Auto Parts lot at 801 Monroe St. (on SW corner of Rosa L. Parks Blvd.) has sold for $7.5 million to Stoltz Real Estate Partners.  The store was heavily damaged in the March, 2020 tornado. O'Reilly had bought the lot for $2.4 million just 6 years ago.  No word on Stoltz's plans for the prime site.
   
• L'endroit will be a 7 story residential project featuring 160 condos and 9,000 sq. ft. of commercial space  to be built by Guerrier Development at 5915 Charlotte Pike.  Rendering available.
   
• Madison Century Farms will be a nine building, 3 & 4 story, 266 unit apartment complex by Madison Capital Group, who has purchased 14 acres of the 310 acre development. The plan is to break ground sometime this fall. Rendering available.
   
• McEwen Northside in Cool Springs has released details on the next phase of the 45 acre mixed-use development: a 4 story, 126,000 sq. ft. office building with and additional 26,000 sq. ft. of retail at street level. Also included will be a small outdoor amphitheater and a pond.
   
• 555 residential units are being proposed within four buildings (10, 5, and 4 stories) at the Franklin Park complex in Cool Springs. Each of the structures would include about 5,000 sq. ft. of ground level commercial space. Rendering available.
   
• Elevation Studios will be a $100 million, 26 acre tour production campus featuring sound stages, rehearsal studios, and other creative spaces off Hwy. 96 in Williamson County. Will be open by the end of 2022. Renderings available. 
   
• The Motor Enclave will be a 19 acre, 160 unit condo complex that will cater to high-end car owners to be located at intersection of Nolensville Pike and Kidd Road. It will include a 14,000-square-foot building with a social club and event space. The development also will include maintenance garages. 
   
• Nexus is the name of a planned 689 acre multiphase, mixed-use project from Kolter Group in Gallatin at the intersection of Hwy. 109 and Red River Rd. The hope is to break ground on the first 124 acre phase this fall.  If completed, Nexus would join Greater Nashville’s most colossal projects. Its surface area, for instance, would be more than double that of Century Farms, the 310-acre master development in Antioch. One of its closest peers would be the 600-acre Berry Farms in Franklin. The master development plan for Nexus should take around 10 years to finish. Project specs currently include: 1.1 million square feet of mixed-use development, featuring office space, retail and 900 apartment units, across 124 acres; 109 acres of business park use; 1,350 single-family home lots;  and townhomes and villas. Diagrams available.
   
• Storyville Gardens is a 100 acre amusement park concept that would feature 220,000 sq. ft. of retail, dining, and entertainment space, as well as some traditional rides (roller coasters, ferris wheel, etc.). The park will revolve around the four corners of the globe: Africa, America, Asia and Europe.  DeLisa and Elde Guerrier are the developers and claim to have hundreds of millions lined-up in investors.  The site has not been announced yet. Some renderings available.
  
  
  NASHVILLE REMAINS HOT:
   
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., a Fortune 100 medical device company,  will invest $182 million to build a manufacturing, assembly, and distribution plant creating 1,400 jobs in the Speedway Industrial Park in Lebanon.
   
• Amazon will have yet another distribution center totaling 257,000 sq. ft. to go along with the 600,000 sq. ft. they leased last year in new buildings at the Speedway Industrial Park in Lebanon.  It will employ another 500 full-time positions. 
   
• Advanex Americas will relocate its HQ from Southern California to White House in Robertson county, bringing 102 new jobs. They will invest $17 million into a building at 514 Hester Drive.
   
• Martinrea International, a Canadian auto parts manufacturer, is making a $40 million, 30,000 sq. ft. expansion its operations in Springfield, TN and adding 100 new jobs.
   
• Simple Logistics Solutions (SiLo), a fairly new truck freight brokerage logistic company, is going to establish  their HQ in the Phillips Plaza Building, creating 92 new jobs. 
   
• Phosphorus Cybersecurity will be moving its HQ to Gulch Crossing from Georgia and California, bringing 50 new jobs over the next several years. 
   
• According to the latest Tennessee Quarterly Business and Economic Indicators report, the state saw new business filings grow by 19,652 in Q1 2021, a 55.1% increase year-over-year, and the largest tally of new business filings on record (dating back to 1993).
   
• Nashville is on pace to set a new record for construction permits in the fiscal year 2021 (ending June 30th) with $5.3 billion, up over 13% from last year. 
   
• Nashville area home sales increased last month 24% over May of 2020. Average house sale price was $400,000 , up from $329,000 (21% jump); average condo price is up to $277,900 from 225,000 (up 23%).
   
• Four Seasons announced that another $120 million in sales have been secured for condos in their new tour.  Up to $200 million total now, and not finished.
   
• Re/Max reports that Nashville is tied for 1st in the nation when it comes to fastest selling homes.  There is currently only 12 days of inventory.  Homes sales are up 19.1% in the past year, and home prices have risen 20.4% in the last year.  The median home price in the area is now at $380,000.
   
• Clarksville's metro area is fifth in the United States in new home permits, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors. It1 has a 122.3% growth in single-family home permits. 
   
• Airport had 1,388,451 passengers in May, up 588% over 2020, but down 16.5% vs 2019. Given that passenger volumes are sitting at around 27% down(based on TSA screening), BNA continues to recover faster than the national average. 
   
• US News & World Report chooses Nashville as one of “The Best Weekend Getaways in the South.”
   
• Nashville’s first NASCAR Race in over 35 years, the Ally 400, on June 20th was, by all accounts, a huge success.  Sold out. All 40,000 seats, and media was buzzing about how great the Superspeedway and city was in hosting.
  
  Hope you can join us Saturday morning for fun, lively discussion on all the great development activity in Music City! 

[smeagolsfree]

Right now I am 50/50 being there. I am still dealing with bronchitis and I feel like,  stepped on  warmed over horse crap, so I may just join on Zoom.

I think Skyscrapergeek will be joining on Zoom from Montana as well.

[markhollin]

We had 14 in attendance (2 had to leave before pic was taken, and 3 were online participants) at today's Monthly Meet-Up. So great to be able to congregate in person!  Thanks again to Ron (Smeagolsfree) for setting everything up in advance, and Bob (LA-TN) fro all the tech work for the online feed. 

Our next meeting will be 10 AM to noon on Sat. Aug. 7th at The Copper Branch on the 6th and Church St. corner of the Downtown Library.  

[smeagolsfree]

Hey guys.

Quick announcement. John doormanpoets birthday is tomorrow and we are getting together at Hunters Station at noon for a beer or two and lunch if anyone is available. Sorry for the short notice.

[smeagolsfree]

Hey folks, 

Please be aware that next Saturday is the forum meet. Weather permitting we will still be outside on the patio and the 7 day forecast looks good. With the huge increase in Covid numbers, I for one will mask up even outside as a precaution.

The other issue is this is Grand Prix Weekend, so there will be many road closures into and out of downtown with parking at a premium, so plan accordingly. Remember the State lots are free and are a short walk. Predsboy & Myself have been parking next to the capital with no issues. I try to park in the Speaker of the House’s slot, LOL.

 

[markhollin]

NASHVILLE URBAN PLANET MEET-UP AGENDA,  AUG. 7, 2021

Here's an overview of what can be covered at the Dave Luna Urban Planet Meet-Up IN-PERSON this Saturday, Aug. 7th, from 10 AM to noon The Copper Branch inside the Downtown Library (on the SW corner of 6th Ave. North and Church St.). 

• Meet any new folks in attendance.
• Get reports from anyone who traveled to other cities in the past month for quick overviews of what they experienced.
• Cranes up: Vandy Grad Village (1); Belmont Caldwell Hall garage (3rd on site); Alcove (1); Modera Gulch (1); Alcove (1); OneC1TY Broadstone (1)
• Cranes down: The Manning (1); Embassy Suites (1)
• Total cranes currently up in Davidson County: 27;  So far this year: 43
• Topped out: Haven (11 stories); Aspire (10); Saint Thomas Midtown Critical Care/Rehab Facilities (5); 2125 8th Ave. South (4); Madison Street Flats, Phase III (3); Row at 6th & Garfield (3); Music City Roots Barn (3 stories); 420 38th Ave North (3); Montgomery Townhomes (3)
  
  AGENDA:
• The Taylor Report!
   

• News on the AEG section of Nashville Yards: 1) The 4,000 seat theater will be modeled after The Mission Ballroom in Denver (flexible standing or seating); 2) The Theater looks to be incorporated into 12-13 story structure that will feature 275,000 sq. ft. of office space; 3) Three additional towers in 30 story range each (based on the rendering) with high-end apartments, featuring approx. 1,000 units collectively. Two of them appear to border the west side of 9th Ave. North; 4) The multiplex cinema will remain with 8 screens; 5) A collection of food, beverage, and shopping offerings; 6) Several plaza/green spaces for relaxation. MGM Hotel is no longer part of the plan, but perhaps another hotel of unknown size/brand could be in play. 
   
• 2nd & Peabody development has the following changes after input from Metro Planning: 1) One building will now be 36 story residential at 433' with a kite-shaped base.  No word on how many units; 2) The second building will now by 32 story residential at 375', also with a kite-shaped base.  No word on how many units; 3) A third structure will be added: an 18 story hotel at 234' of unknown brand; 4) The ground levels of each structure will still offer retail/restaurant space; 5) The public space will be expanded to 59,000 sq. ft. woven around the structures.  It will include a pocket park, playground, water features, a cafe,  and a bike shed; 6) There will still be extensive underground parking (no word on how many spaces); 7) Cube3 out of Boston and Miami is now the primary architect. New renderings available.
   
• Centrum Development (out of Chicago) has partnered with Nashville Capital Group to pay $34 million for the full block (3.37 acres---one of the largest blocks in downtown) at 500 2nd Ave. South from Cumulus Radio Group. The latter paid $2 million for the sire 21 years ago. Centrum's experience is with 5-10 story residential projects in 6 states, but they do have one 31 story tower in Chicago. It would seem with the significant outlay to buy this land in such a key SoBro spot that they will build something more substantial. No word on their immediate plans, but the speculation should be intriguing. 
   
• A tower of approximately 20 stories will be built on 1.44 acres at 915 Division St. where a Premier Parking lot currently resides. A water and sewer permit shows that it will include 472 residential units, 5,800 sq. ft. office space, 8,000 sq. ft. of restaurant space, and an internal garage.  It is unclear if MarketStreet (who currently owns the land) is the developer or possibly another entity. Rumors are that it might be LG Development out of Chicago, who will be building the 909 Division property (16 stories, 342 units, 254,800 sq. ft. office space) immediately to the east. No renderings or diagrams at this time.
   
• Plans for Hotel Broadway have been ditched in favor of Modera McGavock, a 28 story/310’ structure featuring 400 residential units, 16,000 sq. ft. of restaurant/retail space, and 400 space internal/underground garage.  A height variance will need to be secured as the site is zoned for 15 stories. Renderings and diagrams available.
   
• A new rendering of the office tower at the Neuhoff Plant site shows it at 15 stories.  Info with a new permit shows that it will cover 312,000 sq. ft., with 8,000 sq. ft. of ground level retail. It's official address will be 1320 Adams St.  S9 is the architect; Kimley Horn is supplying land-planning and civil engineering; and JE Dunn will be the contractor. Originally, the older renderings showed the structure spanning over Adams St., but that is no longer the case, at least initially.  It looks like infrastructure will be in place to make that part of Phase II down the road.
   
• The $7.1 million sale of two non-historical buildings entailing about 1/2 acre at 611 and 615 9th Ave. South has been made to an unknown buyer.  The sellers were Mitchell and Michal Binder, who paid a cumulative $1.05 million for the properties a decade ago. The two own King Baby Jewelry, which has been in the 615 9th South building.  They are relocating that to the Paris Building on 12th Ave. South.  This is a large enough site that something of a mid-rise size might be considered here.
   
• The Wharf Park concept seems to be back on the radar after several years of dormancy. Will now entail 25 acres along the Cumberland River between Rolling Mill Hill on the west, Hermitage Ave. on the south, and underneath I-40/24 overpasses to the east. It will include the old State Vocational Rehab building along Hermitage Ave. Public meetings being held for input.
   
• A 15 story, 345 unit residential tower is being planned for 1805 Church St. (SE corner of Church and 19th Ave. North) by Ascend Real Estate Group out of Chicago.  Smith Gee will be the architect.  Kimley-Horn is involved with engineering. The team will go before the Board of Zoning Appeals on Sept. 2 to request a special exception related to height and setback considerations.  Ascend will need to acquire the properties with addresses of 1815 Church St. (Advance Financial) and 120 19th Ave. N. (Royal Thai) from an LLC affiliated with Nashville-based Jarman Development Group. That entity paid $3.2 million for the properties in May. No renderings yet, but a basic footprint diagram is available.
   
• A 14 story residential tower featuring 296 apts., 10,000 sq. ft. leasing office, and 310 capacity garage will be built on 1.04 acres at 1904-1916 Hayes St. by Subtext Developers out of St. Louis. Dynamik Design will be the architects.  No renderings or timeline released yet.
   
• The 405 Broadway project (that will also face 4th Ave. South) on the L-shaped vacant lot surrounding Merchants Restaurant will be 4 stories tall (about 70 ft.), made of red brick, and will cover about 30,000 sq. ft. The entrances on each street will feature a large 2 story white stone arch trim.  It will feature rooftop deck overlooking the both corridors. No word yet on who/what the tenants will be. Big Plan Holdings is the developer; Centric Architecture is in charge of design. Renderings available.
   
• Chartwell Residential is eyeing a residential project rumored to be at least 10 stories at 1601-1623 State St. on 1.52 acres. One small 2 story non-historic building will have to be razed on the 7 parcel lot. The land cost will be about $2.66 million. No renderings yet.
   
• The Residence Inn by Marriott (6 stories, 124 rooms, 4,000 sq. ft. restaurant) that has been long-planned for vacant 3 acres at 261 French Landing Drive in MetroCenter appears to finally be moving forward. MetroCenter Partnership LLC has been granted a tree removal permit for the site.  No word on architect or contractor. No rendering yet, either.
   
• North Edgehill update: the height of buildings in the project have been slightly reduced yet again.  Now there will be three 8 story (107') and two 6 story ( 81') structures.  Distributed across the campus will be 550 residential units, 390,000 sq. ft. off office space, a 200 room hotel, 15,000 sq. ft. of retail, and green space/plaza. Updated renderings, specs,  and diagram available.
   
• The 2 story, 9,300 sq. ft. structure on .04 acre at 2 Music Circle East that used to house The  Tracking Room studios, has been purchased for $3 million by a group headed up by Lance Bloom,Charlie Jigarjian, and Jonathan Krasner. The zoning on this spot allows for hotel, office, and multi-family residential options.  No word on their plans at this point.  Interestingly, the 1 acre lot immediately to the south that fronts Division St. (1300 Division) is still on the market.  The price may  still be a bit steep at $12 million.  But both of them being combined could make way for a significant development that could feature several 5-8 story structures (that is the current zoning limit on height there). 
   
• The project at 1001 16th Ave. South (SE corner of 16th & Grand Ave.) is now changing over from a hotel to a 6 & 7 story apartment building (no word on how many units) to be called Music Row. It will also feature ground level retail, and will now be undertaken by Speedwagon Capital Partners, who apparently bought-out their one-time partner on this project, M Cubed, in mid-2019 for $5.1 million.   Humphreys & Partners out of Dallas will be the architects.  Barge Design will be in charge of land planning and engineering. Rendering available.
   
• A 5 story, 44 condo unit development will be built on .51 acre by Harold and Owen LLC at 1010-1014 16th Ave. South. Three 1920-era homes will be razed in the fall to make way.  Originally the plan had been for a 4 story mixed-use with office/residential.  Renderings available.
   
• 467 Chestnut (6 & 7 stories, 151 residential units, 5,500 sq. ft. ground level retail, 4,000 sq. ft. rooftop Braxton Brewery, 180 capacity internal garage) is proposed on .95 acre in WeHo by Capital Investment Group.  Rendering available.
   
• Mrs. Grissom's Salads’ 3.25 acre property at 2500 Bransford Ave., just south of the Fairgrounds, is being offered for sale at an undisclosed price.  It is estimated that it could fetch in the $15 million range. The factory/warehouse structures on the site total 36,630 sq. ft. in space.  The plant began in 1955.  This could be the beginning of the industrial corridor along Bransford Ave. south of Craighead St. making the transition to mixed use.
   
• The Fairgrounds Racetrack has a new rendering supplied by Speedway Motor Sports.  The current grandstands would be completely remade, looking to be steeper, taller, and deeper by at least another 20 rows .  Appears to be luxury boxes about 12 rows up from the track, then another 35 or so above that, with additional couple of stories of luxury suites/press row at the the very top. The curved seating in Turn One also appears to be taller, steeper, and deeper than previous iterations, but a bit shorter than the main grandstands, and no top 2 tiers. A massive new scoreboard will be on the backstretch, directly facing the main grandstand on the other side of the track. The primary inner-track entrance for race car semi-trucks will now be under Turn Three.
   
• More details emerging about the Porter Hill complex (multiple 3 & 4 story buildings, 750 units, retail/restaurant space on 19.9 acres) at 1500 Porter Rd.  Developer Cumberland Properties, which now owns the land, is planning on razing the existing 195 Section-B  affordable housing units in the complex known as Berkshire Place (which is over 50 years old). The new complex will be market rate rents, so many of the existing residents will be priced-out. Cumberland has plans to build a new 220 unit Section-8 complex on North Dupont Ave. in Madison to be called Birchstone Village, and may be able to relocate many of the residents there, if they are interested. Councilperson Emily Benedict, who oversees District 7 where this is located, says, "My focus right now is making sure that every Berkshire resident has a chance to give feedback before opening up discussion to the broader community,” Benedict said. “Later this summer or early fall, there will then be many community meetings as the plan moves forward to a Metro Planning Commission hearing and a Council vote.” Renderings and diagrams available.
   
• A 225 unit apartment complex is being planned on 7 acres at 2820 Dickerson Pike by Middle Street Partners.  Catalyst Design will be in charge of land planning.  Rezoning is being requested for the undeveloped, wooded piece of land.  No renderings at this time.
   
• Laurel & Pine will be the overall name of the Vintage South Development at 905 Cherokee in East Nashville. It will be 5 stories with 166 units (The Flats at Laurel & Pine), along with 25,000 sq. ft. of commercial adaptive reuse within several 1 story industrial spaces (15,000 sq. ft. office space, 5 retail suites, and a restaurant space).  Work on the site is underway. Renderings available.
   
• 2309 Dickerson will be a 3 story, 46 unit apartment complex.
   
• New renderings and diagrams for the Fairgrounds mixed-use structures around the soccer stadium and race track available.
   
• The land that was set aside for a 4 story, 220 unit residential complex w/ some ground level retail to be called Hagan & Hamilton at 625 Hamilton Ave. has changed hands. Proffitt Dixon Partners out of Charlotte are now the owners, having paid $6.5 million.  The plans for the development seem to still be in place.  Civil Design will handle engineering/land planning; EOA and Hawkins Partners will be the architects. 
   
• A 4 story,  perhaps 50-60 unit townhome project at 1034-1036 Jefferson St.will be undertaken by Gremada Industries to eventually be joined into their similar project 1/4 of a block east at 1020 Jefferson St. M Cubed sold the site to Gremada for $3.2 million.  They had paid $450,000 for it 9 years ago. Rendering available.
   
• 2100 Buchanan St. will be a 2 story mixed-use development (retail, office, and residential) in North Nashville by Bonaides Urban Development.  It will incorporate some existing structures on the 1.12 acre site. Renderings available.
   
• 901 Buchanan will be a mixed-use, 2 story structure of 7,800 sq. ft. with retail on first level and residential or office space on second floor.  Additionally, the property to the SE of the building will be a 32,900 sq. ft. dog park. The site is immediately to the east of the original Slim & Huskey's pizzeria. No rendering yet.
   
• A 2 story medical office building is being planned by Towery Development for the roughly 1 acre lot at 627 19th Ave. North in North Nashville. It will specialize in post-surgery care and rehab work. AHC and Blalock Partners are sharing architectural duties, and Solomon Builders will be the contractor. A rendering is available.
   
• Hyatt Place (3 stories, 129 rooms) will be the hotel on the .87 acre plot at 3818 Bedford Ave. in Green Hills' Bedford Commons.  There will be a 2 level underground garage. RevPar Development is putting the project together.  Southeast Venture is the architect. Genesis Engineering and Barge Cauthen are handling engineering and land planning.  Dav Construction will be the contractor.  Two permits have been issued, and it appears that work is about to get underway after several years of delays.  Rendering available.
   
• Summitt View will be a cluster of 4 story townhomes featuring 98 units at 2111-2115 W. Summitt Ave. in Bordeaux. Pulte Homes is the developer. Rendering available.
   
• Stateline at 5300 Centennial (repurposing of 93,000 sq. ft. lumber warehouse into mixed-use) will finally get underway this month by Vintage South Development. They secured a $23.82 million construction loan from Wilson Bank & Trust for the 3.5 acre site.  The first floor will entail restaurants and retail, and the second floor will have office space.  Centric Architecture is in charge of the design and City Construction will handle the work.
   
• The Bend at Bellevue will be 417 units in seven 3 & 4 story buildings on 43 acres at 1084 Morton Mill Rd. near the Harpeth River in Bellevue next to a planned greenway extension and a  wooded park. Cypressbrook out of Houston will be the developer, and  W Partnership will be the architect. Rendering available.
   
• An 81 unit, 3 story townhome project is being planned on several acres at 830 West Trinity Lane by Rhythm Developers. Catalyst Design Group will handle land planning and engineering duties.  No architect announced yet, nor rendering available.  The team will meet with Metro Planning Commission on Aug. 26 for rezoning. 
   
• Maxwell Apts. (13 structures, garage, and clubhouse, 362 units) update: 2nd Wave Development has landed a nearly $52 million construction loan from Synovus Bank to get underway on the 34 acre lot at 1500 Bell Rd. in Antioch.  No rendering yet. 
   
• Vintage Edge Nashville will be a 5 story, 191 unit apartment complex on 5 acres at 5833 Nolensville Pike to be developed by an LLC associated with TDK Companies.  The latter bought the land from a family trust fro$3.4 million this week. No word on who the architect or contractor will be, nor when it will get underway.  No renderings yet. 
   
• GBT Realty is planning a 3 structure apartment complex of unknown units on 1.65 acres at 7236 Old Burkitt Rd., just north of the Williamson County Line.  They have secured a $8.83 million loan from Commerce Bank for the construction.  GBT bought the site (which currently includes a single ranch home) in March of this year. No rendering available yet. 
   
• Metro is in early stages of transforming 800 acres of farmland near historic Stone Hall off theCumberland River in NE Nashville into Ravenwood Regional Park.  The first phase will have groundbreaking on Aug. 20th and will feature a greenway, trails, sidewalks, an open lawn, and more. Renderings available.
   
• A 2 building mixed-use project of retail, restaurant, and residential is planned on .65 acre at 0 Donleson Ave., one block west of Hadley Ave. in Old Hickory. No renderings yet.
   
• A 73 unit residential project at 4321 Old Hickory Blvd. in Hermitage. No renderings yet.
   
• The Enclave at Providence Apartments (3 stories, 296 units) is underway at I-40/Central Pike interchange in Mt. Juliet (Wilson County). It is being developed by Cumberland Advisors and should be complete by early 2023. As part of its apartment project, Cumberland Advisors is paying to extend Providence Parkway to Central Pike, which runs perpendicular less than a mile away. Road work is expected to finish out by the end of the year.
  
  
  NASHVILLE REMAINS HOT:
   
• Chewy, Inc. (a pet supply company) will establish a new regional e-commerce fulfillment center at Couchville Pike and Maddox Rd. in Mt. Juliet that will create 1,200 new jobs.
   
• FedEx has announced plans to hire 1,100 new employees at stations all across the Nashville area.
   
• Smart Pension Ltd., a London-based retirement tech company is opening their American HQ with the name Smart USA Co. inside of Cummins Station.  No word on how many square feet they will lease, but the $2 million investment will employ 128 folks.  
   
• Revance Therapeutics (a biotech company), which has relocated their HQ from California to Gulch Union office tower, has added another 30,600 sq. ft. to their footprint of 40,661, and now take up the entire 19th and 20th floors, as well as part of the 9th. They have 65 employees currently, and now have room to add another 235---which is double where they thought they would be. Most of the new hires will be from Nashville.
   
• Biometrics, a startup medical marketing company, has plans to hire 140 people in the next few years at their new offices in the Franklin Park development near Cool Springs. Founder Charles Carroll believes they could be at 1,000 employees within 3 years. 
   
• Smile Direct Club is adding another 100 employees to their Antioch facility.
• Kaiser Aluminum is moving its headquarters from Southern California to McEwen Office Park in Franklin and bring 80 jobs with it.
   
• Vi-Jon, a health care products company, will be making a $45 million  expansion to their plant in Smyrna that will include 64 new employees to the 600 already on their payroll.
   
• Area home sales in June were up 11% over June of 2020. Median price is at $415,000, up 25% from a year ago.  Median condo price is now 292,570, up  20%.
   
• Nashville is rated best city in U.S. for first-time home buyers by SmartAsset.  163 markets were analyzed for the study. Nashville ranked in the top 10% of cities for three of the four categories: home market favorability, affordability and employment.  Murfreesboro came in #5 in the study. 
   
• Greater Nashville is ranked 2nd in the United States for fastest selling homes by a new Re/Max National Housing Report. The only market with quicker turnaround time is Cincinnati.
   
• The airport has set new daily departure records, averaging over 25,000 per day in recent months, to move up to #24 busiest airport in the nation (up for #31 in 2019). 
   
• Nashville is the highest economic growth metro in U.S. among large cities in the U.S. so far in 2021 according to STESSA. Raleigh was #2, Austin #3.
   
• Tennessee has landed in the top 5 best states for business for the first time ever according to results from a CNBC study. Tennessee ranked highest in economy at number 2 in the nation. It also scored in the top 10 in cost of doing business, cost of living and infrastructure.
   
• Nashville market ranked #6 in Best Places to Invest in 2021 by CrowdStreet.
   
• Nashville ranked #3 in Top Ten Best Metros for Generation Z (borne between 1997 and 2012) in the country according to a report from CommercialCafe.
   
• Tennessee is ranked #3 in nation for Best States to Retire in 2021 by Bankrate.  The state ranked #1 in overall in affordability.
   
• Music City Grand Prix officials expect more than 100,000 fans over the three-day festival this weekend, including 60,000 on race Sunday, with the estimated economic impact ranging from $25 million to $35 million. The contract is for three years guaranteed, with a two-year extension option built in. The TV broadcast will be in at least 160 countries around the globe. 
  
  Hope you can join us this Sat. morning for fun, lively discussion on all the latest news on development in and around Music City!

[smeagolsfree]

Hey guys a quick heads up this week.

Bob is out as well as Mark this month, so I will be moderating and there will be no Zoom as Bob takes care of that.

So if you were planning on following on Zoom this month you are out of luck. Sorry about that.

Remember some roads will be closed into downtown because of the Grand Prix so make plans now.

[markhollin]

Here is a list of the road closings in relation to the Grand Prix this weekend.  If you are coming in to downtown from the I-24 inner belt on the east side, you should be able to exit off of Main St. or Spring St., but Shelby Ave. will be closed.