Nashville: Old Meets New

When you think of Nashville, Tennessee what comes to mind? The “Batman Building,” the stadium, or the Renaissance Hotel? All of these are part of the iconic skyline. But what about the history and the older buildings that are sprinkled around Nashville? Have you ever thought about how Nashville is not just this new and innovative city, but actually old with a lot of new mixed in?

Nashville has a rich history that spans hundreds of years, from the old factories to the sleek, modern buildings. Now, why are we bringing up Nashville’s dynamic history? Because we tend to just look at the new office buildings or lofty apartment complexes, but what about the historic restaurants or century old farms that are still running today? We want to put a spotlight onto this inspiring diversity that Nashville embodies.

The Old

Sometimes people forget that commercial real estate is more than the nice, new buildings that are only a few years old. It also includes the older, used ones. Ones that have survived generations, like an old shoe manufacturing building or an office building that’s had countless tenants and uses throughout the years. These places tell the history, but also hold great value as these places hold the hearts of the locals and hold significance to the city’s history and culture.

The Herbert farm, one of the oldest working farms in Tennessee, outside of Nashville, is over a century old. Varallo’s restaurant in Nashville claims the title of oldest restaurant in Tennessee. And the inspiring St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Church was dedicated in 1847. These places will continue to run for many more generations.

But do these places hold more value than just local love?

Yes, these older places often have more maintenance costs, but also consider the significance. Owning a historical building means people not only know where you are located, but also respect it. Locals like seeing older buildings brought back to life. If you say your business is in the old Cola Cola Bottling Plant, people will know where you are talking about. You’ll also hear people saying, “I’m glad they are using that old place.” The city and people want to preserve that history.

It’s a typical business plan to buy a structure that already exists instead of building a new one, so many companies are looking at these older buildings.

The New

Now, just because everyone wants the history to be preserved doesn’t mean that the businesses around Nashville are sticking to what was there before. Nashville’s history is unique, but they don’t dwell in the past; Nashville entrepreneurs are taking the old, unused properties and up-cycling.

For example, just outside of Nashville, an old stove factory was turned into a boutique shopping center called The Factory, in Franklin. The Factory left some of the character and throwbacks to the history, but is still modern and innovative – combining history with innovation.

Nashville embodies rustic farms and old buildings, as well as sleek designs and iconic structures. New buildings are going up, like Bridgestone Americas‘ new headquarters, the Music City Center, and Gulch Crossing, attracting attention from investors, businesses, and consumers alike. These new buildings are all the rage in Nashville, continuously gaining popularity and demand.

The Commercial Life

For insurance, sales, tax, or other purposes, appraisals are essential. Russell Roberts Appraisals follows the different requirements and needs for all property types.

We have experience in appraising the following properties. You can view our full list here.

• Apartments and Hotels
• Churches
• Distribution Centers
• Event Facilities
• Farms and Vacant Land
• Office, Industrial, and Warehouse Buildings
• Restaurants and Shopping Centers

Commercial real estate does not just mean the pretty, new buildings or the old, worn down ones. It’s all of these properties and Nashville is a tapestry of old and new- that’s what makes Nashville great.

If you have a property that needs appraising, get a quote here. Contact us or visit our website for more information about us today.