VOL. 38 | NO. 2 | Friday, January 10, 2014
Top projects during Dean tenure
A sampling of projects completed, begun, proposed or greenlighted during Mayor Dean's administration:
Music City Center and Omni Hotel
Cost: $577 million final construction cost for the convention center plus land acquisition overruns of $15 million, funded by five revenue streams including a Davidson County hotel tax.
The Omni, an 800-room hotel, cost about $250 million and was structured as a public-private partnership with Metro in which the city will pay approximately half its costs.
Status: Opened in May 2013, this winter MCC is hosting numerous conventions and trade shows, many that would not fit in the old Nashville Convention Center, including the Archery Trade Association (8,000 people), the American Bus Association (3,500 people), the Nashville Pink Bridal Show (4,000 people), the Easyriders Bike Show (5,000 people), the Antiques & Garden Show (7,000 people) and The Southern Women’s Show (41,000 people).
The Amp
Cost: $175 million, funded through $60 million from Metro, $35 million from the state and the rest from federal funds. Financing has not been secured.
Status: Metro Transit Authority is holding rounds of public meetings this month beginning January 16 in neighborhoods along the proposed 7.1 mile route. The Amp is in the design and engineering phase and the meetings are to solicit public input.
Nashville Sounds ballpark at Sulphur Dell
Cost: $65 million ($37 million construction, $23 million land acquisition, $5 million interest) funded by 30-year revenue bonds
Status: Approved by Metro Council Dec. 10, the city hopes to finalize contracts this quarter and start construction in time to open the new 10,000 capacity ballpark in April 2015.
West Bank of the Cumberland improvements
Cost: $30 million to $40 million
Status: The West Riverfront Master Plan includes a 12-acre park on the old Thermal Transfer Plant site on the west bank that includes a 6,500-capacity amphitheater, walking trails and a dog park. The city will spend $7 million in federal flood aid money to construct a flood wall on the west bank. The East Bank will add another 4.5 acre park with river access for small watercraft such as kayaks. (The 6.5 acre family-oriented Cumberland Park opened on the East Bank in April 2012 and has walking trails, a wading pool, sandboxes, picnic areas and an amphitheater with seating for about 1,200 people. It cost $9.5 million.
Lentz Public Health Center
Cost: $28 million
Status: The new facility, a public-private partnership between HCA and Metro, will open at the corner of 26th Avenue North and Charlotte Avenue this summer. HCA is building the public health facility to Metro specifications and will be reimbursed for the cost.
28th/31st Avenue Connector project
Cost: $18.5 million
Status: Completed in October 2012, connects neighborhoods north of Charlotte Avenue with West End and Centennial Park. The bridge spans railroad tracks and offers a better flow of traffic from Metro General Hospital, Meharry Medical College and TSU to Centennial Medical Center, HCA and Vanderbilt.
SoBro – Gulch bike and pedestrian bridge
Cost: $16 million
Status: The 700-foot cable bridge, originally contained in the SoBro Master Plan, will connect the two neighborhoods between Pine Street Flats and Cummins Station and will be completed by fall of 2015. Features include a glass elevator on The Gulch side and landscaping and park space on the bridge.
Midtown Hills Police Precinct
Cost: $9.7 million
Status: Broke ground on 12th Avenue South near Wedgewood September 2013 and is scheduled to open in mid-2014. The 23,000 square feet facility will contain space for community use and will be built to LEED Silver certification standards.
Bellevue Library
Cost: $9.5 million
Status: Broke ground in October 2013 and is expected to be completed in late 2014. The 25,000 square feet library will be five times larger than the library it replaces and will be built to LEED Silver certification standards.
Improvements to Bridgestone’s south side facing Music City Center
Cost: $7 million
Status: Currently under construction, the redevelopment will include a new entrance and plaza area and the replacement of some concrete sections with glass to open up the area to be more inviting. Future improvements will include street-level restaurants and retail along Demonbreun and Fifth Avenues.
Metro Police Central Precinct
Cost: $4 million
Status: The new downtown precinct will be across from the Music City Center and give police more visibility than their old precinct inside Bridgestone Arena. It is slated for completion in the fall.