Creating Places: Commune-ist Manifesto

Nashville resident Daniel "Dane" Forlines has penned what looks to be a very interesting book about places. Titled "Commune-ist Manifesto: A Declaration of Community," the book was released in 2010 and I'm just obtaining a copy. I plan to read and provide a review at this site. Of note, Forlines has visited 48 U.S. states and 30 other countries. Should be a fine read.

Creating Places: Omni Hotel

The recently released renderings of the Omni hotel give me modest reason for optimism. I do like, however, the Fifth Avenue face of the building, including the expansion piece for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. That side offers an interesting variety of shapes, colors and materials.

As to the tower, it looks to be very horizontal (in part, due to its L-shape). I don't foresee the building providing a sense of verticality, but it's massing could be impressive. I'm still not sure about the KVB face, but it's likely to deliver a certain unwanted level of vehicular intensity.

Creating Places: Velocity veers toward sale

Nashville Post reporter — and Renaissance man of note — J.R. Lind writes today that Velocity is about to be sold to Atlanta-based Pollack Partners. According to its website, the company owns generic suburban residential buildings only, so adding the Gulch-located, and somewhat design-edgy, Velocity would be an interesting move.

It will be interesting to see if Pollack converts Velocity, developed as a condo building, to a rental property and buys out those folks who bought.

Creating Places: Rolling Mill Hill

My good friend Shelby Smith has seen the interior of the units in the Deco, Victorian and Metro. He says they are very nice.

Here are two photos.