Creating Places: A Citizen Observer's Look at Nashville's Built Environment


Writer's Note: William Williams' interest in the manmade environment dates to 1970, at which point the then-young Williams started a collection of postcards of city skylines. The collection now numbers 1,000-plus cards. Among the writer's specific interests are exterior building design, city district planning, demographics, signage, mixed-use development, mass transit and green/sustainable construction and living. Williams began his Creating Places column with The City Paper in February 2005. The column in its original form was discontinued in September 2008 and reinvented via this blog in November 2008. Creating Places can be found on the home page of the website of The City Paper, at which Williams has worked in various capacities since October 2000.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Creating Places: Exploring Wedgewood-Houston

A friend and I yesterday enjoyed a pleasant drive though the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood near Greer Stadium in South Nashville. We checked the relatively new street signs (I counted about five) that have given the area a nice touch. The commercial/industrial section of the neighborhood sits on its northern fringe and offers some cool, gritty architecture and two strong businesses in LetterLogic and United Record Pressing, both operating from handsome old buildings. Also nearby is the southern fringe of the Cameron-Trimble neighborhood, which is getting urban infill — one building will feature charcoal brick that is quite eye-catching — on Third Avenue South. 


Included below is a photo of Houston Station, a tastefully rehabbed structure that serves as one of the anchors of the district — and that somewhat reminds one of Marathon Village in its form (if not function). Of note, I can visualize the commerciall/industrial segment of Wedgewood-Houston emerging within the next 10 years as a somewhat popular destination place featuring some bars, eateries (Gabby's continues doing a fine business) and art galleries (Ovvio Arte, for example, already operates from Wedgewood-Houston). No doubt, this is an urban district on which to keep an eye. 



8 comments:

  1. This is actually a pretty cool part of town with lots of potential. Great older buildings, walkable and close to downtown. It seems to have a nice scale. I think more development is hinging on what happens to the Sounds Stadium and the fairgrounds. Definitely keep an eye on this neighborhood.

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  2. NNative,

    I agree fully. A key element lacking in the area (and I've noted this to others) is a critical mass of quality housing stock. But that could change with an infusion of visually interesting contemporary residential buildings (both single-family homes and multi-unit residential structures).

    WW

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  3. Is the area called "Chestnut Hill" the same area or is this considered another neighborhood?

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  4. Chestnut Hill is a little farther north near Lafayette. I agree that the area near Greer Stadium is ripe for development in the next few years. A little historical note: the empty area across from Dudley park at 4th and Chestnut used to be the site of the Purina Mills feed plant. My Grandfather worked for them and he would take me there as a kid..Eventually it needed more space and moved to it`s current location on Trousdale at Radnor yards.

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  5. William,

    Thanks for the kind words and the trip through the neighborhood! To answer a previous question, the signs were part of a Community Development Block Grant that SNAP was instrumental in procuring (before I moved into the neighborhood) that also included funds to renovate our community center, construct our neighborhood entrance sign and place crosswalks in the area. Wedgewood-Houston has been a great neighborhood for my wife and me in the time we have lived here, and I'm excited to see what the future holds for our area. Thanks again for posting!

    Colby Sledge
    Co-Chair, South Nashville Action People (SNAP)

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  6. Not many good homes in that part of the city. It varies tremendously block by block as to how good the neighborhood is. I call it mostly still sketchy. Give it a few years and things will likely improve.

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  7. Thanks for highlighting our neighborhood! I hope the Sounds stay at Greer long term, and would love to see some additional things near the stadium to walk to. I'd wish for Gabby's to be open on game nights, but that might be taking things too far. :)

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  8. Friends,

    Thanks for all the comments. And particularly thanks to Colby for his work with SNAP. I've got another post looming regarding Wedgewood-Houston.

    WW

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