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Sunday, June 26, 2011
Creating Places: Bad West End Design Part 6
From the windowless stucco box that accommodates Electronic Express, we move next to the Stoney River Legendary Steaks structure. First, any business that uses "legendary" in its name and does not do so with tongue in cheek... This building suggests some sort of Rocky Mountain lodge — and that's problem. This is Nashville and not Denver. Buildings designed to represent something they clearly are not, very simply, are "fake" buildings. Indeed, the materials and craftsmanship for the Stoney River structure may be of top quality. But the building simply assumes an almost theme park-like presence given its odd geographical theme. The fact that I am an elitist vegetarian motivates me even more so than otherwise to avoid patronizing a business whose top brass think that such architecture is appropriate.
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Only a vegetarian elitist would deride one of the nation's great steakhouses. Stoney River's design is breathtaking, not theme-park-like.
ReplyDeleteStoney River looks ok from a distance, but up close, you can clearly see that it is mostly just a cheap facade. I think the comparison to a theme park building is spot on. I also have to agree that any restaurant, or business, that uses a word like "legendary" in its name is very sketchy.
ReplyDeleteAt it's very best, Stoney River is just an average steak house. There are better choices in Nashville, and elsewhere. I prefer Morton's, The Palm, Ruth's Chris, or Flemings before Stoney River. The building's architecture kind of reminds me of an upscale O'Charleys.
ReplyDeleteIts a "branded" restaurant for crying out loud! The name is Stoney River...its totally appropriate to have a lodge aesthetic. I don't have any problem with a few themed buildings for a restaurant/shopping corridor like West End. And...it's not hideous. At least it is upscale with some nice landscaping. The design is similar to the one in Cool Springs. I guess in the next post you will criticize Maggiono's for it's Italian facade.
ReplyDeleteIf you think the design is "breathtaking" then you really should get out more. It is what another poster said, an upscale O'Charleys. It adds no uniqueness or local color to the corrider and quite the opposite it contributes to a bland, generic, suburban stripmall feel (with those fugly car dealerships) that Willy has pointed out with the other posts. A little bit of Cool Springs in an urban corrider, ughh...
ReplyDeleteJon
Jon, its far from breathtaking, but I dont think it should be placed on this list. As for the block west of Electronic Express...what about Discount Liquors and the Kwik Sak? And you can't even begin to tell me the Walgreens across from Stoney is more appealing. Then the turd-brown painted Regions Bank. And lets not forget that ridiculous Frankenstein of a Starbucks. But, I guess those buildings are acceptable for your "urban corridor".
ReplyDeleteA few points:
ReplyDeleteA lodge aesthetic for the exterior of the building simply seems odd to me. That vibe inside is, of course, fine. And I do agree the landscaping is fine.
As noted earlier, I am not listing gas stations/markets (thus the lack of Kwik Sak) or buildings home to fast food eateries.
WW
I live a block from Stoney River, and that building has always bothered me...I think you explained why. I've eaten there once, (not my decision) and that was enough. I can overpay for choice grade beef elsewhere without the tacky veneer.
ReplyDeleteThose of you who think it is breathtaking, or neat, or even tolerable might be legally retarded.