Joe Bucher serves as a principal with Nashville-based Gresham Smith + Partners, the architecture, urban planning and engineering firm working on downtown’s massive mixed-use project Nashville Yards.
Working closely with Nashville Yards master developer Southwest Value Partners, Bucher is overseeing GS&P’s efforts on what could be a 10-building undertaking with a collective price tag of at least $1 billion. It’s a major challenge, one that could require up to 10 years of work and that the urban planning expert embraces.
Post Managing Editor William Williams spoke with Bucher about the development.
One of the key questions many folks have involves the Nashville Yards property located north of the Church Street viaduct and adjacent to the YMCA building. It fronts 10th Avenue and faces west. I understand that, after some discussion, you now envision one office tower for that specific site. How will that tower effectively connect to the main segment of Nashville Yards given the challenge of the fact that the viaduct spans 10th Avenue?
In its current condition, the viaduct is problematic for pedestrian and vehicular access. With Nashville Yards, we strive to create a walkable urban community. That’s why we are introducing a new concept to Nashville: a “double decker,” or stacked, street. The future Upper 10th Plaza will connect the viaduct to all the Nashville Yards buildings planned for the Church Street corridor. The elevated state of Church Street will be Level 1 of the proposed structures, and this new plaza street will create a seamless and walkable experience at that upper level.
We are also planning a series of creative office buildings for the south side of Church Street. The tower shown in the renderings of the north side of Church Street is still flexible based on the potential user. Zoning is nearly unlimited.