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With the renderings for the Omni Hotel to be released, we hope, any day, high-rise nerds (myself included) are pondering whether the building might reach 500 feet. The discussion of the height of the future Omni begs the question: Will Nashville, like Atlanta, one day be a "skyscraper city"?
Ideally, Nashville's urban core will offer primarily tastefully designed small to mid-sized mixed-use buildings (three to 10 stories) with the occasional high-rise (up to 500 feet) for vista punctuation and man-made environment variety. Lots of tall buildings would limit the need for the small to mid-sized mixed buildings that make things interesting on a pedestrian (i.e., ground) level -- and that provide the type building and people density that drives mass transit. Among mid-sized cities, Portland is great example of this model. It has a handful of buildings 300 feet or taller and a plethora of structures in the three- to seven-story range.
Just like we don't want a sprawling built fabric with every building one use, horizontal and sited on lots of dead acreage, we don't want, say, 20 buildings of 500 feet or taller and a sea of surface parking "connecting" those towers. A middle ground (much like the one I describe previously) is preferred.
They're not mutually exclusive!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I follow you. Are you saying cities and skyscrapers "go hand in hand"? Please clarify.
Thanks,
WW
I mean skyscrapers do not necessarily mean vacant parking lots in between them... to wit: New York City. Of course, Nashville is no NYC, but even smaller cities have 500+' tall skyscrapers with low-rise buildings in between them (sans a preponderance of car parks). True, Nashville's history is to demolish smaller scale buildings, as has happened in SoBro with nothing even planned to replace them (and if I understood your point, you're not referring solely to SoBro, but to all of downtown). If I summed up my point, I'd say that the Suntrust (formerly Third National) Financial tower could be twice as tall as it is now, and it would not be any closer or farther from its neighbors. Tall does not necessarily mean vast parking lots next to it. I do agree that lots of examples from the past 30-40 years in Nashville and Atlanta (et. al.) reflected that idea. Happily, those cities' leaders have rediscovered the virtues of infill.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the point that a strong core can help de-emphasize the tendency to sprawl outwardly (although IMHO, that's just a natural result of growth).
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteYou make good points. I generalized. I've seen so many vintage buildings in the Central Business District and SoBro be demolished and replaced with surface lots that I've become cynical.
Thanks for posting,
WW
I think its all from the angle in which one views the city. Nashville's perception of the city changes at every viewpoint around the inner-ring interstate. From some angles, Nashville appears dense and full of tall buildings. From angels such as looking west, SOBRO is clearly divided by the low rise of Broadway.
ReplyDeleteNot too mention, the hills of downtown play a major factor in how it varies the heights of the buildings. 500ft at the proposed Signature tower site is obviously different than 500ft at the Omni Hotel site.
But unfortunately when at the pedestrian level within the core, one does notice numerous empty lots and surface parking. Especially in SoBro. But as the Convention Center comes on line, those lots may be soon be converted to multi-use garages, hotels, and maybe more office space. Needless to say, I wish I owned one of those lots.
NashNative,
ReplyDeleteStrong point. The vista does affect the overall perspective. My favorite view of downtown is from the south inner-intestate loop. A sweeping view, indeed.
WW