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Nashville Bits and Pieces


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1 hour ago, bigeasy said:

When did the Omni start displaying messages at the top? Last night was the first time I have seen that before instead of them just being a specific color. Music City was panning across the top of the building. 

It said "MUSIC CITY (name of a local beer I don't remember) NOW ON TAP" 

It also displays a message for Vanderbilt Men's Basketball, when the Predators win, etc.

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18 hours ago, bhibbs said:

Capture.PNG

I understand so much of that land was slums and blight at the time and that it really needed to be cleaned up, but to see how underutilized this land is still today makes me a bit sick to my stomach. I mean really, how could a six-lane parkway to nowhere be anything but a good idea? :rolleyes:

12 hours ago, CenterHill said:

Urban renewal exemplified

This Nashville Scene article from 2001 does a great job of explaining in detail what happened over the past century and shows the great deal of (flawed) thinking that went into this, and all of the other "Renewal" projects throughout the city. Really a fascinating (and sobering) read.

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9 minutes ago, Vrtigo said:

I mean really, how could a six-lane parkway to nowhere be anything but a good idea? :rolleyes:

Recall at this time the Interstate Highway system was in its infancy; neither I-65 or I-40 were complete to the north and east of Nashville, respectively, and the Inner Loop didn't exist at all (would be curious to know whether it had even been planned in its current form).

The Jefferson Street, Union Street, and Shelby Avenue bridges all dumped traffic from East Nashville and beyond onto downtown streets and of them only Jefferson Street lined up with an avenue to the west of downtown. It probably made a lot of sense at the time to construct an arterial that could connect east Nashville to the avenues on the west side, preventing crosstown traffic from getting tangled up in the downtown streets while trying to get to a river crossing.

Honestly JRP still is a viable route across the river, even more so before KVB came online in 2013. If you're between Seventh Avenue and Kayne Yard and north of about Demonbreun the easiest way to get to, say, Five Points is still to go up Rosa Parks and around JRP to Main Street.

Not saying it was worth the displacement, but I can see the train of thought.

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1 hour ago, Vrtigo said:

I understand so much of that land was slums and blight at the time and that it really needed to be cleaned up, but to see how underutilized this land is still today makes me a bit sick to my stomach. I mean really, how could a six-lane parkway to nowhere be anything but a good idea? :rolleyes:

 

I don't see the land as underutilized except for the western quadrant between Rosa Park Blvd. and Charlotte.  Within a few years of this photo being taken there were two motor lodge motels located in the slot between Rosa Parks and Gay Street.  One came down in the early 80s, if I recall correctly, and the other a decade later.  There was also a much larger version for the church structure that is between Gay and Nelson Merry Streets that has since been downsized.  

But nearly every other section has been filled (Municipal Auditorium, MTA Bus Terminal, two state office towers, Capitol Towers Apts. ,500 Fifth apartments, 5 smaller office buildings, Parkway Towers, Channel 5's HQ, the entrance area to Bicentennial Mall. I think it is a very pleasant, walkable area that serves the Capitol Hill nicely.

But, indeed, the aforementioned western quadrant could have tremendous possibilities besides just parking for State employees.  I would think there will be increasing discussions as to better usage as time goes along.  It would've been a tight fit, but it might've been a good spot for the minor league ballpark (what great views upward to the Capitol building). Same might be said for a 20,000 seat soccer stadium (might have to close off 10th Circle North for that to happen). With the entire Capitol View development filling-in to the west over the next several years, along with continued growth in the northern Gulch (to the SW), Nashville Yards (to the south), Hope Gardens (to the north), and Bicentennial Mall (to the NE), it's just a matter of time before those lots evolve into something much more intriguing.  

Downtown aerial urban renewal James Robertson Pkwy,1957.png

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1 hour ago, donNdonelson2 said:

I wish we could buy back the property and demolish Capital Towers apartments. It has become a dump of a building and diminishes the view of our grand state house!

That place is nasty. Funny how they cleared the land and removed blight but 60 years later we're right back where we started.

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4 hours ago, Gracie said:

This might be of little interest to people, but it's how I amuse myself ;-)

Having recently moved here from DC I often ponder the differences between Nashville and DC. It is hard for me to get my head around the differences in scale so I thought I'd draw it out. DC is only 60 sq miles, but has the same population as Davidson Co. I created the very basic map just to visualize what 60 sq miles looks like in Nashville. The darker area (9 sq miles) is the same size as Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, Penn Quarter, Chinatown, Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle, Columbia Heights, Navy Yard, NOMA. Kinda blows my mind.

 

Screen Shot 2017-02-24 at 10.30.51 AM.png

I did the same thing once but with Central Park. I wanted to see what it would look like if it was in Nashville. I will see if I can still find the comparison. 

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We got a long way to go, maybe a couple of hundred year to be able to compete with DC. As a matter of fact I am going to visit The first weekend in May to blister the pavement in areas other than the normal highlights as I have done that 4 or 5 times in the past. I am looking at going on one of the architectural tours of either Georgetown or the DuPont Circle area. Would love to hear recommendations for that. I am going to spend a half day driving in Baltimore as well. At least that is the plan right now. I will stay in Arlington and take the rail most of the time while there.

Most of the folks that know me on the board here, know I take one or two trips a year and check out the competition so to speak. Other travels include Dallas, Austin, Charlotte, Indy, Chicago, Louisville, Denver, and many others all in the last 4 to 5 years.

Welcome to Nashville .

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1 hour ago, SEsideguy said:

Great location for a couple of 500ft hotels and casinos. Come on Nashville get with the times. Full on Vegas style Casino resorts are great to have. The concept takes some thought and time to get used to, but they are a big plus. Perfect fit to an amazing city.

Current laws do not allow for any casino gaming in Tennessee. The only big money you can possibly win is either the lotto or a country music recording career...both offer pretty slim chances! (Slim chance casinos will be legalized in our lifetimes in TN.)

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6 hours ago, Gracie said:

This might be of little interest to people, but it's how I amuse myself ;-)

Having recently moved here from DC I often ponder the differences between Nashville and DC. It is hard for me to get my head around the differences in scale so I thought I'd draw it out. DC is only 60 sq miles, but has the same population as Davidson Co. I created the very basic map just to visualize what 60 sq miles looks like in Nashville. The darker area (9 sq miles) is the same size as Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, Penn Quarter, Chinatown, Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle, Columbia Heights, Navy Yard, NOMA. Kinda blows my mind.

 

Screen Shot 2017-02-24 at 10.30.51 AM.png

Other than a few exceptions, if you drive from the west coast to the east coast, you'll notice that everything becomes much more dense the further you head east.  I'm guessing a lot of that has to do with the original colonies' growth and then expansion westward. 

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5 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

I believe there were hotels ("motels") in those parking lots at some point.  Seen pics of some 1950s style Holiday Inn type places through there. 

Image result for James Robertson Pkwy. 1960Image result for James Robertson Pkwy. 1960

Image result for James Robertson Pkwy. 1960

Yes, those two were right across the street (8th) from each other up until the '90s, wedged into the small space between James Robertson Parkway and the RR tracks. I always remember the "sleepy bear" mascot with his nightcap above the Travelodge. :D

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So...with 505 and Bridgestone nearing the "topping out" stage...what or where do you believe will be our next to go 400'+?  I'm hopeful it's the 5th & Broadway office tower and residential tower...just because I want that to hurry up and get out of the ground and help diversify lower Broadway.  Also hopeful the 2nd Ave Partners and Gulch roundabout structures happen.  Also...fingers crossed for some height at Nashville Yards.

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On 2/24/2017 at 10:45 AM, Gracie said:

This might be of little interest to people, but it's how I amuse myself ;-)

Having recently moved here from DC I often ponder the differences between Nashville and DC. It is hard for me to get my head around the differences in scale so I thought I'd draw it out. DC is only 60 sq miles, but has the same population as Davidson Co. I created the very basic map just to visualize what 60 sq miles looks like in Nashville. The darker area (9 sq miles) is the same size as Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, Penn Quarter, Chinatown, Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle, Columbia Heights, Navy Yard, NOMA. Kinda blows my mind.

 

Screen Shot 2017-02-24 at 10.30.51 AM.png

Welcome to Nashville and thanks for posting this, Gracie!.Very interesting. Maybe you could do some overlays from other major cities and post them.

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19 hours ago, titanhog said:

So...with 505 and Bridgestone nearing the "topping out" stage...what or where do you believe will be our next to go 400'+?  I'm hopeful it's the 5th & Broadway office tower and residential tower...just because I want that to hurry up and get out of the ground and help diversify lower Broadway.  Also hopeful the 2nd Ave Partners and Gulch roundabout structures happen.  Also...fingers crossed for some height at Nashville Yards.

My guess is the 2nd and Demonbreun project, if it happens, or the Mainland Office building on the roundabout.

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