The Westin Beast Grows
Okay, first, let me get my biases clear and out of the way: I am opposed to the proposed Westin hotel on lower Broadway. That’s why I’m disappointed to read that the behemoth is clearing hurdles, and growing all the while. The plan, if you’ve missed it, is to demolish the Trail West building, and now a neighboring property, and build a very large new hotel. Why am I opposed to the hotel’s presence? A few reasons:
- It’s too big. It’s huge, as a matter of fact. I can’t even remember what it started off as, but it ballooned at some point to 375 rooms, and now they’ve bought up another property and it sits at 342 rooms. It’s nearly 20 stories tall — and from what I understand, there are accusations that the height of these 20 stories is being underrepresented in renderings shown to the public. 20 stories will utterly dwarf the buildings around it.
- It threatens to undermine the historic character of Lower Broad. Because of the aforementioned size, this hotel could easily be the last straw in the breaking of Lower Broad. Nashville has struggled to find the magic combination to preserve the historic character of Lower Broad. We can make it work, and it’s worth fighting for. Knocking down historic warehouses to put up a 20-story hotel is a bad precedent.
- It doesn’t have to be there. Downtown Nashville is not strapped for space. Look around. It could go anywhere. And yet, here we are, encroaching on the one area of downtown Nashville that retains some unique character.
I don’t think there’s much public outcry about this because I don’t think many people know about it, or realize the scale of the change. The wheels are in motion on this, folks. The Westin hotel alone won’t kill lower Broad, but it could easily die the death of a thousand papercuts.
UPDATE: Brian in the comments points out that the Trail West building will not be demolished in its entirity, a change that I missed. Here’s the City Paper on this concession:
But the developers have made one major concession - saving the Trail West building in its entirety as well as a neighboring building on Lower Broad. Originally, the plan was to shave off the back of the building and build up.
Brad Robinette, a Sage senior vice president, said the idea was to maintain the two buildings so they are still contributing to Lower Broad as a historic district. With that change, the developers reconfigured the tower’s design so that it is set back from Broadway better. The original design was an L shape; now it looks more like a T.
This is good, but not great. I don’t think it changes my opinion for the same reasons that Ann Roberts detailed in the same article:
“They have made some changes in response to the concerns that were voiced earlier,” Roberts wrote in an e-mail. “But from the preservation perspective, three National Register-eligible buildings would be demolished, and the buildings the plan retains would lose their integrity, that is, be made non-contributing, because of the massive ‘addition’ of a 19-story building…
“From a broader view, it is still too much building too close to Broadway and to Third Avenue, and it sets a dangerous precedent for that very special area,” Roberts wrote. “The project would be very welcome elsewhere, but it’s not a compatible fit for the Broadway National Register Historic District!”
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Also, it is not going to be needed. Nashville is way overbuilding hotel and condo space downtown and this behemoth is silly and unnecessary. I really don’t get why Nashville rolled over and let Westin do what they want.
I think it will help improve our skyline, and if some tourist trap boot store has to be demolished to make way for an elegant, modern skyscraper that might add some class to ugly, rundown, hick ridden Lower Broad… then I say, let it happen.
It’s a new day in Music City. Nashville is finally becoming a city.
Nashville is already a city — it’s up to us to decide what that means. Skyscraper fetishism is merely the latest way in which Nashville is desperately molding its future by trying to be anything but itself. Simply having a skyline with “big buildings” is not the end-all measure of success — especially if we’re demolishing our history to achieve it.
Great post. That’s going to kill Lower Broad and it’s a shame; there’s tons of space within a half mile of that spot.
The plan all along has been to restore the Trail West. I think you’re confused on that point. This hotel will only improve Broadway and Nashville.
Have you walked on Broadway at night and looked around? Bell South, Hilton, Caremark, the new Sustrust building, the “tower” at the GEC, the green tower associated with the convension center……….all of these sit next to district and all “loom” over older buildings………please give me a break…….this site is a PARKING LOT. the two older building are being COMPLETELY restored…..what more do you want?
“Ugly, rundown, hick ridden Lower Broad” is one of the main attractions for tourists that come to this city. They don’t come to wander among the monolithic office buildings of Music Row. They don’t come to take in the scenic view of our disgusting river lined with warehouses and factories.
While I’ve mostly outgrown the bars and shops on Broadway, they still hold a nostalgic place in my heart. Demolishing the “tourist traps” on Broadway would negate any need for more hotel rooms, no one is coming to Nashville for fine dining and high culture. Gentrification is the swiftest road to long term economic and cultural ruin for any major city.
I think that some of you guys have missed several changes through the evolution of this project since it was originally proposed…here are all the major points that I’ve collected:
-it is 19 stories total with 375 rooms
-the mass of the building is set back the most (over 60′) AWAY from Broadway
-the historic district on Lower Broadway only includes the Trail West Building
-none of the buildings on that block are individually listed on the Historic Register
-the mass of the building will not be built above or below the Trail West Building or the neighboring building and will not affect the historic integrity of those two buildings
-the developers are using materials that will blend in with the fabric of the surroundings at the street levels
-the building will be very environmentally friendly as it is proposed to have green roof on all of the available areas and it will be LEED certified
-this is a huge economic boost for Nashville’s Downtown and that particular site given today’s activity there…$105MM project, estimated $25MM in annual revenues, property tax revenues in excess of $1MM, the creation of 200 new jobs downtown, not to mention the estimated $12MM that the hotel guests will spend with our area businesses around
Guys, this is a fantastic opportunity for Nashville and we would be silly to turn this away. This project has went through a lot of scrutiny and will continue to be looked at closely. I think the leadership of the City officials are helping to make this project better and better…i.e. setbacks from Broadway, greenroofs, LEED certification, more hotel rooms, more restaurant space, more retail space, etc., etc.
If you want to discuss what you think is bad about it, let’s be sure to point out what is great about it too
Amen, John. Nice to have a voice of someone who is actually educated on the project. Westin is a winner, all the way. The only unfortunate aspect of it in my opinion is the demolition of the Richards&Richards building on 3rd Ave. The site is the perfect location for a hotel, in the heart of Nashville’s entertainment district. Some people just don’t like change.
Amen, Chris.
Thanks, John — good info to have.
I think that Westin is definitely committed to making concessions necessary to get the project underway, and the LEED certification and changes to the demolition plans are well-received, but still do little to alleviate my primary concern that a hotel of that magnitude will erode the consistency (and thus the viability) of the lower-broad area. The material conformance and 60′ setback are minor changes. The hotel will still be there, and it will still be 19 stories and 375 rooms. It’s huge.
Brian, the adhominem barb is not really called for — because I don’t share your opinion on the wisdom and effects of the hotel doesn’t mean I “don’t like change”. Change can be good or bad.
Nashville has a history of grossly ignoring its past and demolishing its history in the process. It’s not unreasonable to see that in action here, as well.
I’m not sure I’d be so quick to use the convention center as an example — the thing is an ugly monstrosity, and it too had its negative effects on the area. Was it worth it? Maybe. We needed a convention center.
Do we need a 375-room hotel on lower Broad? Not in my opinion.
I am so sick of hearing whining from people who don’t know how good they have it in a city that is increasing its economic prowess in the midst of an economic slowdown. I love the character of lower broad, but lets face it, that corner is an eyesore. There is no asthetic value of that corner and if anything it adds doesn’t add to the character, but it detracts from the character. The Sage Groups is not demolishing the Trail West building, so get some facts straight; I would hope that you have attended the many public meetings at the Civic Design Center with regards to this project but based on your misrepresentation of the facts I have to believe that you haven’t.
Take some time to see what the Westin project brings to the neighborhood and quit acting on the sheer ignorance so many American’s have adopted in this day and age. I would say your “biases” are just that and carry no weight whatsoever.
You seem very angry.
If you’ll read above, you’ll see that I already corrected and discussed the Trail West building issue. Reading is fundamental.
Cheers!