Nashville College & University Expansion

[MLBrumby]

Vanderbilt Kissam College dormitories...

 

http://webcams.vanderbilt.edu/kissam/

 

 

http://webcams.vanderbilt.edu/kissam/kissam_evocam.jpg

 

[UTgrad09]

I really like the new Kissam building...but I randomly stumbled across a picture of the old(est) one:

 

This is from around 1900. Beautiful building.

Btw, that is from the Library of Congress.

 

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/det.4a08982/

[smeagolsfree]

The original came down about 1958.

[timmay143]

That is beautiful!  If this were a video game SimCity world I would build these old lost treasures all around town!

[gannman]

A picture taken today of the new Belmont building preparing for construction.

 

[gannman]

New academic and dining services complex broke ground today at Belmont.

 

[smeagolsfree]

Thanks for posting the rendering.

 

I am going to rely on all of you guys more to post  renderings and information now. I really stayed on top of things for about four years when we had few eyes on what was going on. We have so many great members now doing the post that I don't have to worry about it much any more.

 

 

Thanks to all of you.

[UTgrad09]

I have to say, Belmont is holding their new development to a high architectural standard. Modern neoclassical looks great if its not overdone.

[smeagolsfree]

When will Carmichael Towers come down?

 

Interesting article in the Ledger

 

http://www.nashvilleledger.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=65301

[fieldmarshaldj]

^How about a nice neo-art deco 60-story highrise to replace those Stalinistic towers ?

[bwithers1]

Actually, a 60-story neo-art deco building could  be argued to be more "Stalinist" in style than the Carmichael Towers.  The Wikipedia article on Stalinist architecture shows photos of some of the Stalinist buildings, some of which are pretty fantastic.  The Moscow State University building, for example.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalinist_architecture.  Apparently Stalin had a thing for spires.  But then Kruschev put the kibash on the "excesses" of this period's architecture. 

 

But tall, boxy architecture in the 1960s was by no means limited to Leftists:  witness LeCorbusier's "Tower in a Garden" prototypes the decimated cities, or the very boxy Mies Van Der Rohe office buildings of that time period.  (Actually, the Mies's buildings are interesting based on the site placement and views, whereas the knock-off Mies imitation buildings are just unimaginative). 

 

At least Carmichael Towers came before 1968, when the horrible pre-stressed concrete college campuses were in vogue.

 

I would look for whatever replaces Carmichael Towers to include ground-level retail.  I just hope that the university keeps some height and keeps that height close to West End.

^How about a nice neo-art deco 60-story highrise to replace those Stalinistic towers ?

Edited April 4, 2013 by bwithers1

[Neigeville]

The Stalinist dorms are some of my favorite buildings in Nashville. Every period produces good and bad buildings, I find them beautifully proportioned and with just the right level of detail. Unfortunately there's this gap of being out of style before they become historic. Truman era buildings are now where the Victorians were forty or fifty years ago when people couldn't wait to tear them down. I remember when I was a kid, people called them monstrosities.

Whatever happens Vanderbilt will still own the property and I'd be surprised if they built anything near as tall or creating as much of a street wall. They will most likely build facing inwards and hidden from the street like every other building they have. And they'll definitely go Ivy League style. I'd expect something like Kissam, behind a wall of magnolias.

[BnaBreaker]

The Stalinist dorms are some of my favorite buildings in Nashville. Every period produces good and bad buildings, I find them beautifully proportioned and with just the right level of detail. Unfortunately there's this gap of being out of style before they become historic. Truman era buildings are now where the Victorians were forty or fifty years ago when people couldn't wait to tear them down. I remember when I was a kid, people called them monstrosities.

Whatever happens Vanderbilt will still own the property and I'd be surprised if they built anything near as tall or creating as much of a street wall. They will most likely build facing inwards and hidden from the street like every other building they have. And they'll definitely go Ivy League style. I'd expect something like Kissam, behind a wall of magnolias.

 

I can't say that I necessarily love the way they look from a design prospective, but they do defintely provide a much needed sense of place and urbanity to West End Avenue, and from an architectual standpoint, they provide an interesting contrast to everything else around it, in my opinion.  To me, one of the things that makes living in an urban area exciting is that you get a diversity of experiences, and ideally one of those experiences is a diversity of architectual styles. 

[MLBrumby]

You can bet that whatever replaces the Carmichael towers will absolutely have lots and lots of parking... an underserved need (not just at VU, but) in the whole area. I think I read that Kissam has lots of u/g parking. I hope so... that's something that Belmont certainly recognizes. Plus, in that block of businesses, parking could actually be a big revenue generator. I was really disappointed in the lack of u/g parking at 2525 West End, but when they built that I don't think it was allowed in the codes. Anyone know for sure?

[nashvillwill]

I'm not sure about the 2525 u/g parking, but I do remember hearing that street front parking was required at the time, hence the setback.

[BnaBreaker]

I'm not sure about the 2525 u/g parking, but I do remember hearing that street front parking was required at the time, hence the setback.

 

Ohhhh Nashville.  Better late than never, I guess. 

[nashvillwill]

For the record, I was going on memory there. Not sure if its factual.

[Justiceham]

MTSU Student Union Video

 

 

 

MTSU Science Building Video

 

[smeagolsfree]

Very Cool. Thanks for posting. I like the Science Building the best.

[Justiceham]

MTSU construction update:

 

Middle Tennessee Blvd. will undergo construction this summer from Greenland Drive to East Main St. Plans include widening the street with curb, gutter, sidewalks park benches, bike lanes, and heavily landscaped medians similar to the section of roadway between East Main St. and Mercury Blvd. A pedestrian overpass is going up to connect with Murphy Center in conjunction with two planned parking garages. As part of the university's long range growth plan, the first garage will be constructed at the corner of Greenland and Middle Tennessee Blvd. in what is now a surface lot. The second garage will be placed at the corner of Middle Tennessee Blvd. and Bell St. Construction of the road is expected to last two years.

 

http://www.dnj.com/article/20130502/NEWS/305020034/Middle-Tennessee-Boulevard-work-may-start-June

[UTgrad09]

MTSU construction update:

 

Middle Tennessee Blvd. will undergo construction this summer from Greenland Drive to East Main St. Plans include widening the street with curb, gutter, sidewalks park benches, bike lanes, and heavily landscaped medians similar to the section of roadway between East Main St. and Mercury Blvd. A pedestrian overpass is going up to connect with Murphy Center in conjunction with two planned parking garages. As part of the university's long range growth plan, the first garage will be constructed at the corner of Greenland and Middle Tennessee Blvd. in what is now a surface lot. The second garage will be placed at the corner of Middle Tennessee Blvd. and Bell St. Construction of the road is expected to last two years.

 

http://www.dnj.com/article/20130502/NEWS/305020034/Middle-Tennessee-Boulevard-work-may-start-June

 

It's about time! MT Blvd needs a facelift...it's one of those things that will make the school much more attractive to prospective students.

 

The parking garages are a MUST on that campus. Parking is already a big issue, and they don't have the kind of space to still be messing with surface lots. Even though Murfreesboro isn't in a major urban center like UT, Memphis, or Chattanooga, it's about time MTSU starts the transition to a more urban style campus. It's simply too large to keep spreading out.

 

Now they need to start thinking about their dorms...

[Justiceham]

There are long range plans for more dorms right next to Scarlett Commons. Now if they could do something with Greenland Drive. It is an eyesore and is heavily underutilized. The bars, bank, subway, and dilapidated housing need to go. I would like to see more retail and mixed uses such as a book store,fedex kinkos, coffee shop, 5 Guys Burgers and Fries, Chipotle, urban apartments, and a few hangouts with stage space for musicians (the community needs to support the student musicians, they are talented!). A small grocery store could work in the area as well (i.e. the Turnip Truck), as there are no grocery stores  within reasonable walking distance.

[UTgrad09]

There are long range plans for more dorms right next to Scarlett Commons. Now if they could do something with Greenland Drive. It is an eyesore and is heavily underutilized. The bars, bank, subway, and dilapidated housing need to go. I would like to see more retail and mixed uses such as a book store,fedex kinkos, coffee shop, 5 Guys Burgers and Fries, Chipotle, urban apartments, and a few hangouts with stage space for musicians (the community needs to support the student musicians, they are talented!). A small grocery store could work in the area as well (i.e. the Turnip Truck), as there are no grocery stores  within reasonable walking distance.

I would love to see sort of a college-oriented urban village...though I honestly don't know where they would have the space.

It would be nice to see Greenland @ MT Blvd actually utilize all 4 corners. Get a little mixed use thing going and actually have a commercial/retail strip, like many large colleges have.

Agreed with the grocery store. At UT, it was a pain to get groceries at times. The closest place was Food City, which was basically in the hood (safe in the daytime, though). It wasn't a place to walk or bike to, either. The other choices were Krogers out west and south, which usually involved dealing with some sort of annoying traffic.

Finally, they are building a Publix/Walmart combo right between the Ag and Main Campuses. I really, really wish that had happened when I was in school there...

[MidTenn1]

MTSU construction update:

 

Middle Tennessee Blvd. will undergo construction this summer from Greenland Drive to East Main St. Plans include widening the street with curb, gutter, sidewalks park benches, bike lanes, and heavily landscaped medians similar to the section of roadway between East Main St. and Mercury Blvd. A pedestrian overpass is going up to connect with Murphy Center in conjunction with two planned parking garages. As part of the university's long range growth plan, the first garage will be constructed at the corner of Greenland and Middle Tennessee Blvd. in what is now a surface lot. The second garage will be placed at the corner of Middle Tennessee Blvd. and Bell St. Construction of the road is expected to last two years.

 

http://www.dnj.com/article/20130502/NEWS/305020034/Middle-Tennessee-Boulevard-work-may-start-June

 

 

 

I know this project well. I was the project manager over it at one time, but it got put back on the shelf. Good to see it is back on the schedule.

[smeagolsfree]

one item of note today was that the stadium expansion/renovation is back in the news. They are doing a study now to determine what may or may not happen, however it would be paid for by ticket sales. Cost of having a better football team.