Remembering the Built Environment

[it's just dave]

I get a bit tired of looking a new stuff nowadays and am finding historical perspectives and visual retrospectives quite fascinating. This is true especially when I see current use vs. former use of a piece of Nashville land. As I've stated before, when referencing the Country International Records property as an example, I'm all for property rights, but having an argument defending the cinder block burn pit with a roof and barbed wire as part of the urban fabric just makes no sense to me.

If we're to lament the loss of things, let's keep the perspective in check. Personally, I love the Cordell Hull Building as representative of its era of solid building. But, I have to ask myself what could have been had the government left the houses below the Capitol intact and built the government buildings a touch to the east or west.

Chew on this:

[japan]

Wow. How depressing to see what could have been...

[BnaBreaker]

Oh my god...I had no idea! That's enough to make a grown man cry.

[ariesjow]

Wow! Talk about a great loss. When were those building torn down, Dave?

[donNdonelson]

I knew that the townhouse on 8th Ave (Rosa Parks) just north of Commerce was the last remaining three story townhouse remaining in Nashville, but I had no idea that there was once such a beautiful collection of them right at the foot of capitol hill. Very sad to have lost all of that history. We can all be proud of the new things, but those old ones can never be replaced.

[it's just dave]

The Cordell Hull building opened in 1954. When the blocks were cleared, I just don't know.

[jice]

Wow.. you mean this used to be to the east of the Capitol? Were they torn down or burned or what?

I am not sure which building Cordell Hull is.. is it depicted in the picture? I'll have to look harder next time i'm in the north part of downtown I guess.

[nashvillwill]

think about what one of those places would cost in this day and age.

[MidTenn1]

I knew that the townhouse on 8th Ave (Rosa Parks) just north of Commerce was the last remaining three story townhouse remaining in Nashville, but I had no idea that there was once such a beautiful collection of them right at the foot of capitol hill. Very sad to have lost all of that history. We can all be proud of the new things, but those old ones can never be replaced.

[smeagolsfree]

I think the two cities that have made the biggest mistakes int he south as far as preservation is Atlanta and Nashville. If we only had half the buildings that have been torn down, DT would be a great example of preservation.

Great thread Dave.

[East Side Urbanite]

IJDave,

Oh, man. Why'd you'd have to post that photo. I just finished a meal of hummus, beans, potatoes and rice. And to think we used to have cool old stuff like that and raze most of it. This hummus on my stomach is about to be expelled.

WW

[it's just dave]

If there's any hummus left after seeing that, just think of 1916 when 700 buildings, many like those in the picture, burned to the ground.

Holy Mrs. O'Leary, that was a tragedy.

[jice]

If there's any hummus left after seeing that, just think of 1916 when 700 buildings, many like those in the picture, burned to the ground.

Holy Mrs. O'Leary, that was a tragedy.

[it's just dave]

That was just East Nashville, jice. Look up the East Nashville Fire. Incredible. You'll find photos, as well.

Now here's something else to chew on. I found this paper in my stash about the Nashville of Tomorrow, published Dec. 6, 1964. The artist's rendering here shows the "future" Nashville and brings up some interesting points. I've had to look at this at length to maintain my bearings, but the more I do, the more I recognize. The Capitol, of course, the old National Life Building, the "new" public library at Union, Cain-Sloan (the Signature lot), McKendree Methodist Church, Broadway, WHERE THE HECK IS THE RYMAN!.... it's gone in this photo. Public buildings. Have your own fun with this, but nearly 45 years ago, this is what was expected to be our downtown of the future. Looks like SoBro did okay, very dense, mid-rises. Looks like somebody actually built a high rise at Church and 2nd. Looks okay to me.

Ballpark north of town, Cordell Hull, Capitol Towers, even Metro Manor and Municipal Audiotorium. Ft. Nashborough seems to be sitting in a green field with high-rise condos for neighbors. My my.

The headline on the story" Forecast for Future: 3 Million Nashvillians

[Hwil3]

Thanks for sharing, Dave. I think its funny how the future still had the L&C as the tallest building. Not very visionary in regards to the riverfront either. Different times, I suppose.