NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nashville District Council honored six area development projects with Excellence in Development Awards last night. Those projects ranged from event spaces to workforce housing.
“The ULI Excellence in Development Awards celebrate exemplary design, creativity and vision in land use and real estate development, and commitment to the Middle Tennessee community,” said Ed Owens, chairman of ULI. “These best practices should be recognized and shared.”
The winning projects were chosen for their design excellence, innovation in land use, contribution to the community, reflection of the neighborhood or regional character, use of a public/private partnership, environmental sensitivity and financial viability.
The following projects were announced as this year’s winners, and are listed with corresponding judges’ comments and the development team:
Astoria, in Green Hills’ Bedford Avenue mixed-use development
Development team includes: Ewing Properties; Southeast Venture; T.W. Frierson; Barge Cauthen Associates; Enfinity Engineering; EMC Structural Engineers, PC
Judging comments: “This timeless luxury development demonstrates there is still a strong market for quality traditional development that is also forward thinking. This project fits seamlessly into the environmentally sensitive, ‘new urbanist,’ mixed-use district that the property owners, developers, public officials and neighbors worked so hard to establish.”
Franklin Theatre, on historic Main Street in Franklin
Development team includes: The Heritage Foundation; Franklin Theatre; Hastings Architecture Associates; Batten & Shaw Inc.; EMC Structural Engineers, PC; Westlake Reed Leskosky; Clair Brothers
Judging comments: “This project ‘made a silk purse out of a sow’s ear!’ The developers made this project into what it was always meant to be! It epitomizes a public/private partnership in its concept, financing, construction and use. The essential ‘high-technology’ is somehow still subservient to its design.”
McCabe Park Community Center, Nashville’s first LEED-certified regional community center
Development team includes: Metro Board of Parks and Recreation; Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County; Hastings Architecture Associates, LLC; R.G. Anderson Company, Inc.; Littlejohn Engineering Associates, Inc.; EMC Structural Engineers, PC; Hawkins Partners, Inc.; Power Management Corporation; greenSTUDIO
Judging comments: “With its two front doors, this project respects and reflects its use and its users. It’s a catalyst for reinvestment and stability of its neighborhood, which was fully engaged in its programming, design and use. The end-users continue to benefit from the educational aspect of its meaningful green development and its environmental lessons.”
Nance Place, a 109-unit workforce housing apartment in Rolling Mill Hill
Development team includes: MDHA, Moody Nolan, DA/AD, Bomar Construction Company, Littlejohn Engineering Associates, Inc.; EMC Structural Engineers, PC; iDesign Services, Inc.; Ashworth Environmental Design; Olert Engineering, Inc.
Judging comments: “This development demonstrates ‘best practices’ in a critical sector with clear unmet market product. It should serve as a future demonstration of what public/private partnerships can accomplish, including its exceptional green development, urban location, accessibility to employment centers and thoughtfulness of product.”
Room In The Inn, Center for Human Development
Development team includes: Campus for Human Development; Oxford Architecture; American Constructors, Inc.; Dale & Associates; EMC Structural Engineers, PC; Devita & Associate, Inc.; DesiGNllc.
Judging comments: “This project exemplifies the best of what can be accomplished by public/private partnerships in mission, funding, development and use. It should serve as an inspiration to similar projects across the country including, for example, its sophisticated architecture, design and incorporation of green practices.”
Ruby, new event center in Hillsboro Village
Development team includes: Cook-Land, LLC; Polifilo Architects; Fry Construction; EMC Structural Engineers, PC; Live Oak Co.; Penland Studio; Village Real Estate Services; Insbank
Judging comments: “A most creative use of a ‘difficult to develop’ parcel, accomplished through innovative collaborations, parking agreements and design solutions. It demonstrates that being sensitive to historically significant structures can still be fiscally successful…and that sometimes successful development takes commitment.”
Judges for the ULI Nashville 2012 Excellence in Development Awards, held at The Pinnacle at Symphony Place, were Gavin McMillan, principal with Hargreaves Associates in Boston, and Richard C. Ward, principal with Ward Development Counsel, LLC in St. Louis.
About ULI
The Urban Land Institute (ULI) www.uli.org is a nonprofit research and education organization supported by its members worldwide. The ULI Nashville District Council’s priority is to serve as a convener and collaborator, providing a forum for exchange of ideas and education about best practices in land use for Middle Tennessee’s public, private, educational and nonprofit real estate and land-use community. It has a diverse membership of more than 200 professionals including architects, land planners, engineers, developers, Realtors®, public officials, academicians and attorneys.
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