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.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Creating Places: Random Tidbits

A few quick hits:

1. Demo Plus is handling the razing of the old Rock City Machine Co. building in SoBro. The structure is about half demolished, with the site to soon see the construction of a Hyatt Place hotel.

2. The outdated McDonald's building at 12th and Broadway (recall the structure suffered fire damage last holiday season) will be replaced by one of the corporation's sleek 21st century structures (visualize the Golden Arches locale at West End Avenue near Centennial Park).

3. I've been in touch recently with Chattanooga-based Vision Hospitality officials, and some drawings of the company's hotel planned for Division Street, and across from Yazoo Brewing Co., could be forthcoming.

4. I'm starting to wonder about the viability of the Bristol Development Group project proposed for the Music Row Roundabout and to be anchored, reportedly, by a Publix.

5. The new Cumberland Park on the river's east bank is quite impressive. Some views of downtown (particularly when standing under the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge) are very eye-catching.


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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 20, 2012 at 8:27 AM

    Comment number 4 is vague. Can you elaborate?

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  2. William WilliamsApril 20, 2012 at 11:21 PM

    A-Mous,

    Talking to various folks "in the know" some feel there seems to be a delay of some sorts. I hope it's nothing major as this would be a strong project on various levels.

    WW

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 23, 2012 at 12:10 PM

    William, I just checked out the Vision Hospitality web site and came away very unimpressed with the company's hotels. They're the typical suburban c.r.a.p. that frankly I don't want in my downtown. I would rather that site remain a parking lot that to become a parking lot with a low-slung, faux stucco, cracker box of a suburban motel sitting somewhere in the middle.

    ReplyDelete
  4. William WilliamsApril 24, 2012 at 8:55 PM

    A-Mous 2,

    You're dead on but I think Vision might understand they need to be somewhat adventurous with this hotel. I've talked to two of their officials (nice people) and they seemingly understand this is a very different urban district compared to what they typically work in.

    If Vision builds in the Gulch an interstate-straddling piece of bland boxiness, I'll be both highly disappointed and surprised.

    WW

    We'll see,

    WW

    ReplyDelete

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