Creating Places: 2009 Review, Part I

As we look back, let's take a few blog posts (to be written spanning this week) to review some manmade environment highlights (and frustrations) from 2009.

I'll start with the one-two punch of the Belle Meade Town Center and Hill Center Belle Meade, both finished this calendar year. With their arrival, this segment of Harding Road was transformed with building density heretofore unheard of for this car-heavy mixed-use district. Note the various shapes, forms and colors of the many new buildings on either side of Harding. My favorite structure might be the new Pinnacle Bank Building that fronts the street.

Grade: A

Creating Places: Deaderick Street Kiosks

They may not be a sleek new skyscraper, a recently completed mixed-use building of striking 21st century design or a badly needed sidewalk (all of which this writer cherishes as much as enjoying spiked eggnog and How The Grinch Stole Christmas during the holiday season). But the new kiosks that are part of the now-finished — and tastefully done — Deaderick Street streetscape improvement project are outstanding additions to downtown Nashville. Large, colorful, detailed and useful, the kiosks are very big city.

Creating Places: Pinnacle Signage

Good to see the new signage on the cap of the handsome The Pinnacle at Symphony Place tower. Of note, the cap sports "Pinnacle" signs on its east and west faces, with the north and south sides left unadorned. Nice move, as signs on those two sides would have resulted in visual overkill.

On a negative note, however, the "P" in the signage is not visible at night.

On the "building signage theme," I'm not sure where I stand regarding the new Baker Donelson signage (which replaced the Caremark Rx sign) on the east side of the building cap of 211 Commerce Center. Though acceptable, the sign is a bit too plain, offering no color or distinctive shape. However, at night, it is clearly seen (unlike the Pinnacle signs).

With the addition of the Pinnacle signs, the Nashville skyline now boasts 14 buildings of 80 feet or taller with tops sporting signage that is both lit at night and visible from great distances.

Creating Places: Random East Side Notes

Driving East Nashville yesterday, I took a close look at the contemporary building that appears finished and that sits on the northeast corner of the intersection of 10th and Main streets. I'm not sure what type business the structure will accommodate, but I am certain of this: The building, with its 90-degree-angled geometric forms and understated color scheme contrasts significantly with the hideous home to Hunter's Custom Automotive and the handsome East Literature Magnet School/East Middle School buildings that sandwich it.

On the east side theme, work on the "new-look" masonic lodge on the southeast corner of 14th Street and Eastland Avenue continues. I'm afraid the architects of the building, which will replace a 1950s-era non-descript brick structure, might have designed the reincarnated facility to look like some type of semi-stately civic building. Could be a misstep.

Check this post, which explains possible design concerns nicely:

http://www.mail-archive.com/east-nashville@googlegroups.com/msg38541.html

Creating Places: T-Truck Gets Paint Job

The new exterior paint job for the east side building housing the Turnip Truck looks strong. The previous color scheme (dominated by yellow) was a tad too whimsical, thus somewhat emasculating the little brick building. In contrast, the new look (primarily green, with some touches of white) gives the building a more bold appearance. Good work.

Creating Places: A Touchdown for Germantown

One of the most interesting stories involving Nashville's transformation the past 15 years or so involves Kat and Michael Roos (she of Drinkhaus fame and he of Titans offensive line toil). The Germantown-dwelling couple are a rare breed, as few Titans live in Nashville's urban core (most opting, instead, for neo-mansions in the suburbs of Davidson and Williamson counties.

No doubt, the Rooses dig G-Town, as the two now want to undertake a development they are currently calling The Square at Fourth & Madison (www.4thandmadison.com). Kat and Michael have selected DA|AD as the architect for the mixed-use building, a website image of which suggests an interesting structure with various square forms and angular definition.

With a slumped economy, don't expect the city's core to see much built in 2010. But do look for the Rooses to start work next year on TSatF&M, as the wife-and-husband team have already proven with their quaint cafe that they possess business savvy. Furthermore -- and more importantly -- Kat and Michael are well-rounded urbanites who have a passion for city living and all its attendant elements.

Football and tea aside, The Square at Fourth & Madison will be a major score for this likable couple. The end zone awaits, Kat and Michael.

Creating Places: Music Row Project Proposed

An empty Music Row-area lot is now sporting a sign advertising a proposed project that would give the district some added architectural flavor. The rendering on the sign suggests an attractive contemporary design for the mixed-used building, which would feature retail, office and structured parking. An official with ProVenture, one of the entities involved in the development, said the project is in its early stages.

To be located at the northeast corner of the 16th and Horton avenues intersection, the approximately 50-foot-tall building would be one of the larger structures in the geographic area bordered by Edgehill and Wedgewood avenues on the north and south, and 16th and 17th avenues on the east and west. Relatedly, the building seemingly would represent a handsome and adventurous design when compared to other post-1960s-built Music Row structures, many of which offer understated, if not bland, architectural themes.

Though time will be needed for the economy to allow this project to unfold, the building should be worth the wait.