From what I know a few years back Metro tried to purchase the lot directly behind the FBC but they refused to sell, stating that Metro was trying to get it on the cheap. Now it is worth much more, a parking garage with designated space for the church would be a smart move, with retail fronting Demonbreun and 8th Ave South. Hopefully it'll come to fruition soon, they can't hold onto that surface lot forever.

Tony G coming back on the scene with this eight story monster called Park 25 in Elliston Place.

http://nashvillepost.com/news/2011/1...tment_building

http://nashvillepost.com/sites/defau...cture%2010.png
Source: Nashville Post

Tony G. lives!

It's about time Tony G. made the news on a positive note again. That'll be some nice infill.

So glad to see him back and this is the perfect kind of infill that Nashville needs, especially in Midtown. If he goes with projects like this instead of big, bold projects like Signature Tower or May Town Center, he'll get places and make a much better profit and be sustainable for his business.

I can't wait to see more and larger renders for this, looks very sleek and modern and fits the area perfectly.

It looks to be taking the place of an older brick structure, at least if that rendering is accurate. I like this development a lot, but it is a bit frustrating that he'd choose to demolish a perfectly good building (which is not spectacular by any means, but better than many West End structures) instead of just taking one of the countless empty lots. Oh well.

On another note, it is right next to the Sportsplex, which I spent SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much time in as a kid. Lots of good memories of afternoons spent there and across the street in the park.

The only real valuable thing on the site are the large willow oaks and a magnolia. This place will have excellent park views and ease of access to Vanderbilt and HCA. I wonder if they'll be able to get the overhead power lines underground fronting the street.

While at the Omni site, tower crane #4 is currently going up.

I know, I'm not saying the building is 'valuable', but it's at least semi-attractive brick structure that, unlike the majority of buildings in Nashville, actually faces the street. I just don't understand why it had to go there given all the empty holes in Nashville's urban street wall. Oh well...I'm glad it's being built, regardless of where.

And let's not forget that it's more or less right around the corner from this project, Elliston 23:

http://nashvillepost.com/sites/defau...cture%2030.png

Hopefully there will be some good activity at street level with these projects. I know its still early for it, but have there been any rumors at what might go at the street level as far as retail or dining?

Pretty cool today watching new Fifth Third Bank signage getting hoisted and placed by a helicopter atop the Fifth Third Financial Center at 5th & Church. They used the parking lot where Signature Tower was supposed to be built as the staging area.

I got pics and video of the signange flying and a new tour of downtown and updated pics of the MCC and Omni site.

Awesome! Thanks in advance for the pics and video!

Here is my video of the 2nd attempt to hoist signange, other videos will be added later.

• Video Link

new Fed. Courthouse next year?
 

If you follow the GSA's document, it appears funds have been allocated for next year for construction of the new federal courthouse on Church between 7th & 8th Avenues. I really hope this cements this as next year being the groundbreaking for this long awaited and needed building. Also, it is yet another surface lot on the choping block on Nashville's original main street.

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/files/...courthouse.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...NewPicture.png

GSA's 5 Year courthouse plan
http://www.gsa.gov/graphics/pbs/BIM_FY_2012-2016.pdf

Landscape plan for the site
http://www.samuelchampionassociates....al-courthouse/

2012 could be a banner year for Nashville, what with this and news that the Eakin tower and the rental tower are to break ground in Feb and April respectively.

2012 will have continued construction of the MCC, Omni, 8-floor apartment development across from Centennial Park, the two mentioned above, the new federal courthouse, Pine Street Lofts, and several smaller scale developments in the core. It could be a crazy year.

Its definitely gonna be a good year. I'm really looking forward to the Eakin tower and the rental tower, especially the rental tower. I would imagine that it would fill up fast. Goodbye surface lots. The new federal courthouse should also be very nice.

Any word on another hotel for the MCC? I can't imagine that the Omni would be the only one to go up.

The rental market in downtown, midtown, and the Gulch is white hot right now and I expect the condominium market to pick back up over the next few years as existing projects sell out. Terrazzo, for example, has only 5 units remaining and I believe The Adelicia has less than a dozen and they're both at the absolute top end of the market. The biggest flub of the boom was 5th & Main because the surrounding area hasn't caught on as quick as originally hoped.

No word on anything yet. Although I was thinking about the owners of the Hampton Inn & Suites at Korea Vets Blvd and 4th, they certainly cashed in building that only to have the MCC built a block away 3 years later.

Yeah, I really like 5th and Main, but like you said the area hasn't developed very fast. That along with the fact that its across the river and separated from downtown and the Gulch have hurt their sales. I'm not familiar with the zoning issues across the river, but I'm surprised the stadium area's development hasn't picked up much. The parks and recreation development beside the pedestrian bridge is a nice addition though.

About two weeks ago, Metropolitan Development & Housing Agency (MDHA) broke ground on the Ryman Lofts over by Rolling Mill Hill.

"Ryman Lofts, a 60-unit, $5.3 million apartment complex designed for and reserved for up-and-coming area artists."
http://nashvillepost.com/sites/defau...cture%2027.png

Fact sheet for the project
http://nashvillepost.com/sites/defau...ct%20sheet.pdf

MDHA's overall plan for Rolling Mill Hill
http://www.nashville-mdha.org/rollingMill.php
http://www.nashville-mdha.org/fckedi...%20labeled.jpg

LP Field getting upgrades
 

The first upgrades to the 13-year-old stadium since completion are expected to begin once the 2011-2012 season is over.

"The upgrades — funded by Metro Sports Authority-issued, city-backed bonds paid for via the proceeds from the two-year-old, $2 per seat user fee — will include new high-definition video screens and ribbon boards, a distributed speaker system, two elevator banks to service the upper deck, and the conversion of indoor and outdoor storage areas as fan entertainment zones. The Titans hope to start work at the conclusion of the current season, pending the necessary approvals."