Fresh Tomato (Art Fest Issue)!
The new issue of The East Nashville is now on the street. Be sure to grab yours while they’re fresh and enjoy the delectable tastes of features, news, and more, along with the official guide to the 16th annual Tomato Art Fest! Can’t wait to grab a copy on paper? Check out the digital edition right now!
MDHA Hosts Grand Opening for Kirkpatrick Park Apartments
On Tuesday, July 16, the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency hosted a grand opening celebration for the new Kirkpatrick Park Apartments. Nashville Mayor David Briley, representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, state and local officials, Cayce Place residents, and other stakeholders joined in the event marking the opening of 94 townhome-like apartments along Sylvan Street, between South Eighth and Ninth Streets.
The one- and two-bedroom apartments are evenly divided between subsidized PBRA (project-based rental assistance) housing, low cost “workforce” housing, and market-rate units. All of the subsidized units will house current Cayce Place residents, many of whom contributed feedback during the design process, such as Geraldine Watkins.
“My new home is more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. I am just overjoyed,” Watkins said in a press release from MDHA. “Thank you to everyone involved in making Envision Cayce a reality. And to MDHA, thank you for keeping your promise to not only provide us with a new home, but also allowing us to help design a home we could be proud of.”
Kirkpatrick Park is part of the Envision Cayce plan which seeks to build over 2,000 new rental units in order to create a mixed-use, mixed-income community in the East Nashville. Workforce and market-rate homes are now available for leasing. For more information, please visit KirkpatrickPark.com or call 615.780.7071.
Art, Invention & Overhaul
The Art & Invention Gallery building will have a brief re-opening for this year’s Tomato Art Fest, but the beloved East Nashville location has a more extensive make-over in the works.
According to plans filed with the Metro Historic Zoning Commission, new owner Christian Paro is planning a facelift for the property with new windows and doors, a change in the exterior color scheme, decorative wood slats designed to wrap around the front, northwest corner of the building, and a new boardwalk along the west side of the building covered by a new, metal awning.
The redesigned building will include three or more units aimed at attracting creative businesses. The plans for the redesign were prepared by Design 615. Andrew Maxwell of Foundry Commercial will be handling the marketing and leasing of the property.
Paro bought the property, along with the adjacent Idea Hatchery business incubator, from former owners Bret and Meg MacFadyen in January for $2.5 million. Paro plans to continue the operation of the Idea Hatchery, which offers small retail spaces at below-market rates.
Brewster’s Bar & Grille Opening on Woodland
The Portland, Tennessee-based sports bar, Brewster’s Bar & Grille, announced this week that they will be opening a second location in East Nashville at 1000 Woodland St. The building was formerly home to a location of the Family Dollar variety store which closed in November 2018 following the sale of the property to the Nashville-based Magnolia Capital Investments for $2 million.
According to plans filed with Metro, renovation to the 6,750 square feet building will include interior demolition and remodeling, the addition of a bar, tables, and a gaming area, and the replacement of windows and exterior doors. A planned 528 square foot covered patio will be added to front of building.
Brian Johnson, regional manager over both the Portland and Nashville location, told the Nashville Post that the Nashville location will also feature a dance floor, live music, billiards tournaments, and karaoke. Current plans call for the restaurant to open in December 2019.
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Quick Bits
- Mayor Briley’s announced plans to entirely ban electric scooters from Nashville was cut short by the Metro Council according to story in The Tennessean. The compromise resolution passed with 29 “yays” and five abstentions and will restrict the number scooter vendors, limit the hours of scooter operation, create “slow zones” and “no ride zones” on Metro greenways and parks, and institute a number of safety requirements, along with other regulations.
- In an interview with Out & About Nashville, local event planner guru Ron Sanford discussed his plans for “The River’s Edge,” a new event center and music venue off Davidson Street on the Cumberland River. Phase one of the projects calls for the opening of a mid-sized concert venue and bar with phase two to include a double ballroom event space with a dedicated restaurant and lounge. No definite opening date was discussed in the story.
- News of property sales involving local favorites are usually met with apprehension, but the recent sale of the building occupied by Five Points fave Batter’d & Fried Boston Seafood House is very good news considering the purchaser was Batter’d & Fried owner Matt Charette. The $2.8 million purchase means that Charette now owns the properties occupied by all three of his Five Points eateries — Batter’d & Fried, Drifters Tennessee Bar•B•Que Joint, and Beyond the Edge.
- The Music Makers Stage at Delgado Guitars, 919 Gallatin Ave. #10, has been building its reputation as a top-notch music venue. The latest don’t-miss show comes courtesy of honky tonker Ben Jarrell, who will deliver both an acoustic set and full band show tonight, Friday, July 19 from 7-10 p.m.
- WeGo Public Transit announced fare increases this week that will go into effect on August 2, 2019. The primary changes include: base fare (one-ride tickets) increasing to $2, pennies will no longer be accepted, and change cards will be used until Dec. 31, 2020. For more information visit WeGo online.
- A quick reminder that early voting in the 2019 Metropolitan General Election is currently underway through Saturday, July 27, with the general election on August 1. Visit the Davidson County Election Commission for a schedule of times and locations for early voting.
