Broadwest seeks to expand boundary of Downtown Nashville
Fox17 - September 10, 2020
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – “I knew this site was fantastic the minute I saw it.”
Chris Brown, President of Propst Development, has a knack for spotting diamonds in the ruff.
That’s not how most people described the four-acre lot off of West End Avenue back in 2018, dubbed Lake Palmer for the water that filled the partially excavated site, which sat untouched for years.
“When I first bought it…a lot of people probably thought, gosh that’s not downtown. That’s on the other side of the interstate,” admitted Brown. “But I actually said no, this is right in the middle. We’re actually going to stretch Downtown.”
Now, two years into construction, the bones of Broadwest are in place and Brown’s prediction has proven true as neighborhoods like the Gulch expand downtown living and grow in popularity.
Brown’s 1.2M-square foot mixed-use complex will offer a luxury hotel & event venue, office & retail space, and condos with high-end amenities including an underground parking garage and one acre of green space.
“You don’t really correlate what an acre means, but that plaza is the size of a football field.”
Broadwest’s elevation offers a special vantage point of Nashville’s landmarks. From the 21st floor, it’s easy to spot the State Capital Building and Broadway to the East. To the South, “You’ve got Music Row here,” Brown said, “the new Virgin Hotel and Belmont in the background.”
And to the West, Vanderbilt along with breathtaking unobstructed views of the sunset.
On any given day up to 500 workers are on-site, moving full steam ahead with plans, despite the challenges of COVID-19.
“We’re all living in a crazy world right now,” Brown said, “but the growth, it’s not fake growth. It’s real growth.”
Brown believes there’s proof the pandemic won’t affect Nashville long-term. “A lot of the job growth we’ve had with the AllianceBernstein’s and Amazon’s of the world, those people are coming from markets where condos are very prevalent. Urban living is very normal.”
Anticipating the needs of the people helps the city grow in a sustainable way, said Brown. And he thinks Nashville’s charm appeals to those searching for a downhome welcome with a big-city feel.
“Nashville is such a good community…I knew that was going to be the engine to continue to drive the growth.”