Nashville Construction/Proposal Rundown 10/2004

[BrandonTO416]

Viridian Condominiums

Height: 31 stories, approximately 400ft

Status: Under Construction

Location: Church St between 5th and 6th Ave

West End Summit

Height: Building 1 25 stories, 400-425ft; Bldg 2 15 stories, 240-260ft

Status: Serious Proposal, ready for MDHA approval as developer secures enough tenants

Location: West End Avenue between 17th and 16th Avenue

Suntrust Office Midrise

Height: 13-16 stories, yet to be determined

Status: Early Proposal

Location: 5th Avenue and Commerce St

Harrison Lofts

Height: 9 stories, two additional condo towers to be built are undecided

Status: Proposal, Construction?

Location: Harrison & 3rd Ave North upon the BiCentennial Mall

Here are two pictures of the West End & 17th area where the Summit towers should go, I took these photos in May 2002.

LOL, just realized there'll be a Texaco station right near the new towers. Oh how funny. I guess for a non-downtown skyscraper it isn't bad. :haha:

By the way, what idiot doesn't think West End Avenue shouldn't become a light rail corridor.

For out of towners, this pic is looking away from downtown on 17th and West End, 17 blocks (1.17 miles) from the downtown core at the waterfront at 1st avenue.

Here is a map of reference, with the arrow pointing toward the way the photos above are looking:

Now, here are two photos on Church Street between 5th and 6th Avenue where Viridian is going up:

[BrandonTO416]

Here's a bonus picture looking the other way back toward downtown.

[wolfdawg54]

The downtown living will hopefully really help to rejuvenate some of the doiwntown nightlife where some of the bars and saloons have been closing. I think that it will be a bonus for the city.

[onebigheadedman]

They've stated that only around 2000 people currently live in downtown proper, and that Viridian will increase that number by 600 or so. Considering the clientele for the condos, it's reasonable to think that the impact will be quite large on downtown businesses. At least the potential is there.

[it's just dave]

The downtown living will hopefully really help to rejuvenate some of the doiwntown nightlife where some of the bars and saloons have been closing. I think that it will be a bonus for the city.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Never fear Wolf, nightlife is fine. Several new restaurants have opened lately.

The big Coyote Ugly is replacing something I don't recall on Second, and today it was announced that the NASCAR Cafe building, which closed in 2001 has a new tenant and will open soon as a large nightclub called The Red Iguana.

The fomer Cafe Milano on 3rd which hosted nationally known jazz acts just reopened as The Rhythm Kitchen.

This is really good news in light of the fact that the Roundabout area a couple of miles away just filled up with the opening of two large multi-thousand sq foot clubs. One is a large dance club, the other is to be a 1,000 seat listening venue/restaurant (operated ironically by Pino Italian Guy (don't recall the last name) who opened Cafe Milano. This is supposed to be one slick puppy with headliners constantly. This is particularly good news since the area has seen over 21 businesses (bars, clubs, restaurants, coffee shops, gourmet this and gourmet that, boutiques) open within the past year or so. It boggles me since at one point all that was there was junky tourist crap selling Conway Twitty ashtrays and George Jones t-shirts. A total turnaround toward the trendy...non-chain. Great stuff.

Sambuca (restaurant/listening) from Dallas is opening in the Gulch soon next to Ru Sans. Looking at their website, this is something to truly look forward to.

Marginano's (might be right) is opening on West End and will feature food and music.

I can't being to cover everything, but the main point is that two huge spaces in the heart of the District downtown are reopening with some pretty hot stuff.

Come on down.

[BrandonTO416]

The downtown housing is higher then 2,000, it was 3,000 last year and its supposed to go over 5,000 next year after Viridian, several rennovations of older buildings, and other projects like the Harrison Lofts get completed.

[onebigheadedman]

Darn journalists, messing up their facts and making me look bad.

[BrandonTO416]

Well you aren't that far off, only Viridian has just over 400 units, not 600. The underlying point is true: Nashville's downtown housing market has not historically been sizable. That's undergoing positive change nowadays though.

[it's just dave]

I think a lot of it has to do with the very small land area considered when talking about downtown. You pull it out just a bit and the numbers would grow almost exponentially.

[BrandonTO416]

I really like talking about Nashville's core as the "central city" or something like that, because West End essentially is an extension of the downtown area only divided by the railroad gulch and I-40. West End isn't as dense as downtown, but its really a part of the center city core and not exactly suburban.

[TopTenn]

Heckles, Whats going on with the west end summit and the gulch. I know alex s. palmer brought the old mason lodge. I havent heard anything since.

[BrandonTO416]

Really I don't know. Palmer doesn't have any legal troubles standing in his way because its already zoned for that type of development. I think he's waiting on getting enough lease agreements signed by businesses before going forward. That was the last word I got.

On the Gulch, its slowly but surely coming underway. They completely redid 11th Industrial Boulevard with underground utilities and sidewalked the area in 2004, so 2005 should see condos and businesses pop up. Infrastructure took as long as anything to get that started.

[it's just dave]

heckles, you'll be glad to know the zoning board approved the Adelicia Lofts variances. The $55 million, 18-story condo at 20th and Broadway should break ground this summer.

Harrison Lofts has just renovated an old building on the properties into a funky sales office for their three buildings. All the land is cleared, but I don't know the start dates.

[BrandonTO416]

Well that's a godsend. I never thought that would be approved in a million years. Great to hear.

[TopTenn]

Well that's a godsend. I never thought that would be approved in a million years. Great to hear.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Whats going on with the new ballpark and also has anybody heard about the harrison loft and the werthan loft on 8th ave..???

[it's just dave]

Harrison just opened a sales office on-site. The design has changed to enhance street level activity, but I haven't seen renderings. They still plan 3 phases with the first getting underway in the spring. There was a delay because of a distracting lawsuit against East Nashville real estate bulldog, Karen Hoff. Many contracts were cancelled, but now, it's back on track and doing well. The dust will fly soon.

Werthan is doing well. Phase One is sold out and work continues on subsequent buidlings.

Germantown multi-block Morgan Park Place is on track for upcoming construction near Werthan and will fill two or three blocks with a very urban style addition, and another parcel, now empty will fill with new single family townhomes.

Springtime should get very interesting around town.

[TopTenn]

Whats going on with the new ballpark and also has anybody heard about the harrison loft and the werthan loft on 8th ave..???

Great New dave,,, I cant wait to see how this city will turn out over the next 3-5 years. I just hope they go ahead with a lot of this projects...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[bobliocatt]

Can somebody do an update, so the pics will show again?

[it's just dave]

LL, I have hundreds on new photos, but will have to deal with them at my office where I have a real computer. I'll burn them all and try to work up some type of comprehensive, but non-exhausting list of what's going on.

I was downtown last night and tried to get into some new restuarants, but everything was so crowded I ended up at the old standby San Antonio Taco Co. -- always good though...thanks to some carefully timed Pepcid AC.

The weather was great. My buds and I jumped into the crowds and just watched the people. Seemed like there were thousands of people doing the town last night. Things were as interesting as usual and as diverse. On one street the Hummers, Vipers and Prowlers were lined up outside the Palm and on the other the bikers were headed to the Coyote. I never did figure out the dwarf in the wedding dress going into Tootisies, but she surely seemed to be on a mission. Quite a night in the old town last night. Great time for all.

On the construction front, the cranes are popping up like birds in a swamp around here. Seems like old times (the 80s). I'm all for it!

I'll see what I can do to get some updated pics posted.

[doormanpoet]

Suntrust Plaza will break ground in May. 16 stories.