West End Summit is back in the news again.

Terwilliger Pappas looks to join West End Summit project
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville...nd-summit.html
http://www.leainc.com/assets/compone...66a1774104.jpg

I hope this is not yet another tease on the WES. If not I suspect that if an apartment developer is looking at the site it will not be the type of complex originally proposed.

I'm still wondering why Intercontinental has been holding out for this site if in fact they really are. It seems to me if they are committed to Nashville they would have announced plans for developing a property elsewhere in either midtown or SoBro.

[QUOTE=MIRYDI;6892954]West End Summit is back in the news again.

Terwilliger Pappas looks to join West End Summit project
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville...nd-summit.html

A 300 + unit apartment building could have some height. That is a lot of apartments for a typical 6 story, stick and stucco buildings as you see going up all over town. I would assume parking would be included in the huge parking structure that would go in the big hole already dug. So I am thinking anywhere from 12 to 20 floors of apartments might go up.

Developer plans 250 apartment community for Metro Center
 

The Tennessean reported that a developer from Georgia has plans to build 250 unit apartment community in Metro Center.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/mone...nter/22496633/

I suspect this will be more of a garden style complex, but it would be nice to see another midrise or highrise building in Metro Center. I don't know how many of you know the original plan for Metro Center when first introduced by the family that owned Aladdin Industries who owned the land, but it was designed to be a city within the city type of complex. It was a very ambitious plan that never evolved at least not at the scale that was planned.

[QUOTE=MidTenn1;6893429]This company has only developed "stick and stucco" buildings. I don't think they would go so far outside of their norm.

New Gulch Activity
 

Back in mid-July, there was a project called Bluebird on Division Street adjacent to the interstate. Last night, I noticed all of the one story office buildings on that site had been demolished during this week. Does this mean that the apartment/ condo development is about to start construction? The design was several stories, so I presume this is yet another 6 story wood framed development over a concrete framed parking structure similar to the Dallas or Demonbreum Lofts nearby. Not great architecture, but it would increase the Gulch urban density somewhat, which is good news for the small retail and restaurant node already there.

The Amp is Dead
 

With all the excitement of the Virgin renderings and all, did anyone notice that the mayor withdrew his backing from the West End transit proposel.
Yea!!! :tup:

That's good news to you?

Yes. The proposal was a disaster waiting to be built. West End Avenue IMO is the last corridor I would have recommended. Belle Meade is not a good choice for public mass transit. Madison, Goodletsville, Antioch, Bellevue or North Nashville have a much greater need of efficient access to downtown. Extensive studies showed that the increase in use of bus transit from present levels would be minimal on the West End route, though it would be the most slick looking and glittering showcase. Designed to grab a big Federal funding bonanza, the Amp proposal was mostly eye candy! Better to increase residential density in the core as is happening all over the city than ship more commuters in. The disruption to business on West End would have been awful with the vehicular lane reductions. The other side of the proposal in East Nashville was not so bad. It might have worked if the proposal had been envisioned from Madison to Five Points (East Nashville), terminating perhaps in the Gulch.

To respond to your points...

The proposal was a disaster waiting to be built.

Pretty strong hyperbole for a project somewhat similar to what many other Cities have built and found to be successful.

West End Avenue IMO is the last corridor I would have recommended. Belle Meade is not a good choice for public mass transit.

It makes more sense than anything else. You want to go where the demand is, and Broadway/West End with its density of hotels, mid-rise residential, office, retail, restaurants, Universities, Hospitals and parks is a perfect route. The selection of Belle Meade as a terminus was made to allow connection with future commuter rail to the west and because of the large St Thomas Hospital complex (in which ST Thomas was going to provide land for building the station).

Madison, Goodletsville, Antioch, Bellevue or North Nashville have a much greater need of efficient access to downtown.

If you are recommending Center lane BRT on these routes, that's very expensive for limited demand. The cost per customer would be far greater than the West End route.

Extensive studies showed that the increase in use of bus transit from present levels would be minimal on the West End route, though it would be the most slick looking and glittering showcase.

Not sure what extensive studies you refer to, but it takes time for the community to respond with transit oriented development which would create a new demand for the convenience of reliable rapid transit.

Designed to grab a big Federal funding bonanza, the Amp proposal was mostly eye candy!

The plan has been progressing since the 80's. It was originally proposed to be light rail (I had a copy of the study), but was eventually proposed as a BRT route. If they wanted eye candy (what ever that is), I suppose they would have pushed for the rail option.

Better to increase residential density in the core as is happening all over the city than ship more commuters in.

Residential density is increasing in the core (including Midtown), hence the need for people to have more dependable options for travel throughout the core.

The disruption to business on West End would have been awful with the vehicular lane reductions.

Not so. While there are a few sections of West End with a seven lane cross section, those additional lanes are seldom accessible due to legally and illegally parked vehicles, bus stops, vehicles stopped in the lanes to wait in the Starbucks line, etc. With the BRT, there would still be a five lane section with turn lanes at intersections. The capacity of the roadway would be reduce minimally with the installation of center lane BRT lanes. The impact to traffic on West End is greatly over-stated by opponents from what I have seen. I doubt most regular motorists in this corridor would notice any appreciable increase in delay.

The other side of the proposal in East Nashville was not so bad. It might have worked if the proposal had been envisioned from Madison to Five Points (East Nashville), terminating perhaps in the Gulch.

^^Agreed completely.

Most of what you said has been completely disproved by the results of other center-lane BRT systems in the world. You also contradict yourself several times. We shouldn't be 'shipping in more commuters,' but you'd rather see transit lines going to Goodlettsville and Antioch rather than through our most densely populated neighborhoods? You lost me there.

Those items notwithstanding however, If expense is a concern for you, what is the alternative you propose? Nashville needs rapid transit. That I think we can all agree on.

Preach.

I'm not the biggest fan of BRT, at least as a primary form of rapid transit (I think that in Nashville's case it would be much more efficient in the long run to introduce street cars or light rail now rather than later), however AMP would have implemented the idea of rapid transit along West End which is what will be needed eventually.

Yes, it is under construction (demolition/site prep phase) and it is now called the Crescent Music Row. I think it will look good from the street and give a strong positive urban vibe as it helps link The Gulch with Music Row.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pse3f7b730.jpg

[QUOTE=BnaBreaker;6895163]



Most of what you said has been completely disproved by the results of other center-lane BRT systems in the world. You also contradict yourself several times. We shouldn't be 'shipping in more commuters,' but you'd rather see transit lines going to Goodlettsville and Antioch rather than through our most densely populated neighborhoods? You lost me there.
QUOTE]


My objection to the ORIGINAL (centerlane) Amp is based on the specific nature of West End Avenue rather than a refutation of other center-lane BRT systems elsewhere. Firstly, not being able to make left hand turns into very well established and popular businesses and having to do a U turn at the nearest intersection is vastly disruptive as most of the buildings have parking behind. Also many businesses rely on the parking zone for supply and service as well as valet of which West End has more than other arteries. Yes, I would rather see transit lines to Goodletsville and Antioch irrespective of neighborhood density issues. The principal problem as I see it is not an influx of commuters, but rather an attractive and convenient way by which the VERY dense and growing central urban areas like Gulch and Germantown can be connected to major commercial nodes (like Walmarts, Targets and grocery stores). The Amp proposal does nothing per se to addresss connecting the two terminals with convenient shopping. It is more important IMO to service the outflow than the inflow to the core. Case in point is the huge amount of interstate traffic from downtown every workday morning to the suburban workplaces and shopping venues at Brentwood and Cool Springs, which is almost as thick as inbound commuter traffic. This is particularly important as the young millenials living in the dense housing blocks being built in the core would eschew owning vehicles and need alternates to easily reach the suburb retail centers. There are no major grocers or retail megastore in the CBD and very few gas stations either. A reverse flow of users in this concept is not so easy. Places like Brentwood have limited or prohibit (wisely or foolishly) dense housing in their cores. Therefore any suburban terminus must have a vast amount of parking available to collect users from a diffused single family region. This is not going to be easy to provide given high land prices and limited interfaces with other transit where terminals could be located. In summery, I do not object to Nashville developing a BRT system, just that the initial choice of West End Avenue seemed to me less than ideal. It created many new problems and solved fewer than I would have hoped.

A little bit of development news from today.

March groundbreaking eyed for Germantown apartment building
https://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2...tment_building

http://i.imgur.com/KXTtuab.png

https://www.nashvillepost.com/sites/...23.31%20PM.png





Ohio developer seeks specific plan zoning for Germantown project
https://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2...antown_project

https://www.nashvillepost.com/sites/...7/LC%20art.png

Sup Nashvillians. Denver kid here. Visited your city last week and was impressed with what I saw.

One step closer to finally getting a new Federal Courthouse.

Obama budget funds $182M federal courthouse for Nashville
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville...house-for.html

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...NewPicture.png





More on Publix coming to the Midtown area.

Publix keen on an urban store just outside downtown Nashville
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville...t-outside.html






Apartments, hotel and grocery store planned for Music Row.

Exclusive: Overhaul at Music Row roundabout targets grocery, hotel and apartments
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville...t-targets.html

Apartments, hotel and grocery store planned for Music Row.

Exclusive: Overhaul at Music Row roundabout targets grocery, hotel and apartments
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville...t-targets.html

This seems like great idea for the area. If this is developed I hope the developer really considers underground or rooftop parking for the grocery store. To attempt to do any surface parking would be really ugly and take up land that could be better utilized. In the DC area there are several Whole Foods with underground or rooftop parking. One actually has both. None of them charge for parking but they do monitor the lots to ensure that patrons are using them and not people visiting nearby businesses or residents. Some that are in town center type areas charge for parking but validate if have a receipt. Same with Trader Joe's.

Further comment on Nashville Amp/BRT need
 

The need for Nashville public transportation system modernization may be viewed differently from the probability of new technology in driverless vehicles such as proposed by Uber recently. Such vehicles will be common in 10 years or sooner and will largely replace urban mass transit on fixed routes with multiple stops. It will be quick to arrive and be cost effective. It is estimated that 9,000 such vehicles could replace all of NYC taxi cabs and cost about $.50 per mile with an arrival time of less than one minute. Additionally, it would require no dedicated lanes on city streets and could go to any regular address, not just along a specific route. In light of this, one can foresee that major investments in systems like the Amp proposal could easily be obsolete soon after construction due to this new driverless technology. This seems to indicate that mass transit for Nashville (in my opinion) should be to a central urban terminal from central suburban terminals, possibly on the dedicated HOV interstate lanes redesignated for mass transit use only. Or more expensively, on new light rail lines like the Nashville Star.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...NewPicture.png


Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what the plans are for the site for the existing courthouse building if the new building is approved? Is the plan to demolish the existing courthouse? I can see this becoming a major piece of real-estate given its proximity to the MCC and being on Broadway.