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.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Creating Places: Westmont future

The anything-but-gracefully-aging  — indeed, some would say tired and unattractive — Westmont Apartments (below) seemingly will be razed at some point to make room for a new development. (On a side note, in the summer of 1998, this writer, while visiting a buddy who lived at the WM at the time, enjoyed some leisure time by the pool. Out of respect for those in attendance, I did not don the swimwear.) I'm not sure when the Mont (located in West End Park off Acklen Park Drive) was constructed but I would think between the mid-1960s and late-1970s. As far as modernist-era local architecture goes, this is not one of the more attractive buildings in town. As such, if the multi-structure Westmont complex is felled, I can honestly say I won't miss it.

  
Check the Nashville Post site for details of the type project that might loom for the Westmont site.







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8 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 1, 2012 at 7:59 AM

    It's ugly and not the best use for such prime midtown real estate.

    Tear it down!

    ReplyDelete
  2. William WilliamsSeptember 2, 2012 at 8:38 AM

    A-Mous7:59 AM,

    Many agree with you.

    WW

    ReplyDelete
  3. Josh O.September 3, 2012 at 3:26 PM

    This building reminds me that I don't like the look of the condos at 3831 West End Ave., which have sort of the same style at Westmont but not as bad.
    3831 is next to the Rokeby. I wonder if anyone could ever build something else on the site of 3831. I guess they would have to buy each individual condo?
    I rented a condo at 3831 in 1999-2000. A two bedroom there only comes with one parking space; that's how old the place is.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousSeptember 3, 2012 at 9:49 PM

    Get ready for condos on West End at the Free Will campus.

    ReplyDelete
  5. William WilliamsSeptember 3, 2012 at 10:27 PM

    Josh O.,

    I know the building and, yes, you are correct to make the comparison.

    AMous-9:49, I hope you're wrong but I think your prediction might prove accurate.

    WW

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousSeptember 4, 2012 at 7:28 AM

    I recall a recent news report that the Free Will Baptist Bible College has changed its name to Welch College and that they are planning a move to either Williamson or Sumner County. I think their plan is to sell all the current property. It would be good to build condos on their site along West End. I'd like to see the Bible College move asap.

    It would be expensive, and difficult, to purchase all of the 50-odd condos at 3831 West End. Like the Westmont, they are old and ugly.

    DP

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousSeptember 5, 2012 at 11:27 AM

    This already looks like a college dorm.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousSeptember 6, 2012 at 1:58 PM

    I own property located along a common property line with the "Mont". I have to say I am nervously optimistic about this redevelopment and hope it raises the rent rates and improves the character of our neighborhood.

    ReplyDelete

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