Municipalities and their residents can be fickle and unpredictable in their attitudes toward new construction. Objections about a building’s height or jobsite’s noise and traffic have been known to delay, and even halt, projects, which is why developers and AEC teams spend more time these days on community outreach.
A case in point can be found is Nashville, Tenn., one of the country’s hotter real estate markets, where developers are looking to plant their flags and make an impression. Indianapolis-based Buckingham Cos., a development and property management company, has proposed building a 38-story, 300,000-sf residential skyscraper that would be 14 stories higher than current zoning allows.
Buckingham and its architect, New York-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, are trying to convince local officials and neighbors that a taller, narrower high rise would be better than a shorter building with the same square footage. Why? Because it would block less sunlight on pools of surrounding residential buildings, such as Terrazzo, a condo-office building next door to the half-acre parking lot on which Buckingham wants to erect its tower.
The Nashville Business Journal reports that the developer presented “sunlight studies” as part of its sales pitch to city officials during a Sept. 1 meeting. That same afternoon, the developer met with residents of several high rises near the proposed project, to ensure them that the new building wouldn’t unduly impede their balcony views or swimming experiences.
(The tire maker Bridgestone, which is currently building its U.S. headquarters in Nashville, had to deal with similar issues with residents living in a shorter condo building next door to its proposed tower.)
The design review committee of Nashville’s Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency has already given its unanimous conceptual approval to Buckingham’s tower, pending an approval by the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals, which is scheduled to address the tower’s height variance request on Sept. 17. Doug Sloan, acting executive director of Nashville’s planning department, has also expressed concern about the materials this building will use and how it will look from the highway.
If all goes as planned, Buckingham and its building team expect to start construction on the 200-plus-room tower next year, and open the building by 2018.
However, developers are likely to find themselves playing defense in the future, as long as they keep trying to squeeze just one more building onto the tiniest of desirable urban spaces. In Chicago, BJB Partners, which owns an apartment building at Millennium Park Plaza, has proposed a 41-story residential/hotel tower on a plot of land that, according to Crain’s Chicago Business, is “smaller than a tennis court.” And CCTV America last month reported on the trend toward “skinny” luxury residential skyscrapers in New York, including one under construction that’s less than 60 feet wide.
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | Jun 23, 2015
The world's best new skyscrapers for 2015
One World Trade Center and Abu Dhabi's Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid Tower are among the four towers named Best Tall Buildings by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
Office Buildings | Jun 17, 2015
Daniel Libeskind unveils 'talking towers' design for Rome development
The scheme will drastically change the Eternal City’s skyline: three angular towers that look like they’re “in conversation with one another.”
High-rise Construction | Jun 15, 2015
Cornell Tech breaks ground on world's first Passive House residential high-rise
To achieve Passive House standards, Cornell Tech Residential will incorporate a number of sustainability-focused design elements. The façade, constructed of a prefabricated metal panel system, acts as a thermally insulated blanket wrapping the building structure.
High-rise Construction | Jun 15, 2015
‘Stacked box’ skyscraper proposed for Vancouver
The scheme by German architect Ole Scheeren involves 48 stories with multiple volumes of rectangles protruding out of several floors toward different directions of the city.
Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015
Bjarke Ingels unveils stepped design for final WTC tower
The towering "staircase" will rise from St. Paul’s chapel to the skyline, leaning against One World Trade Center.
Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015
Hines planning $300 million office tower for Denver skyline
Designed by Pickard Chilton, the 640,000-sf tower is geared for large-scale tenants, with features like floor-to-ceiling glass, a 5,000-sf fitness center, a tenant lounge, and a series of outdoor terraces.
High-rise Construction | Jun 5, 2015
Japanese policymakers discuss mandate for toilets in elevators
This quirky-sounding building code is a safety measure for the earthquake-prone nation.
Wood | Jun 2, 2015
Michael Green Architecture designs world's tallest wood building for Paris competition
“Just as Gustave Eiffel shattered our conception of what was possible a century and a half ago, this project can push the envelope of wood innovation with France in the forefront," said architect Michael Green of the project.
High-rise Construction | May 6, 2015
Two new designs submitted for New York City Riverside Center
Both designs reference the cantilevers and other elements featured in architect Christian de Portzamparc’s original masterplan for the complex, which has now been scrapped.
High-rise Construction | May 6, 2015
Parks in the sky? Subterranean bike paths? Meet the livable city, designed in 3D
Today’s great cities must be resilient—and open—to many things, including the influx of humanity, writes Gensler co-CEO Andy Cohen.