trolley barns

One of my favorite spots around downtown is up by the old General Hospital.. I’ve been up there a few times taking pictures. Via the Nashville Post, this morning I have learned a few things:

1. The rough city-block of buildings northwest of the old hospital are called “trolley barns” – I guess because they were used to repair trolleys and buses. I had always wondered what they were – “warehouses” wasn’t exactly accurate.
2. They’re not, as I thought, slated to be demolished. When you go up there, they are all fenced off, and in vast disrepair – I had assumed they were going to be razed for more new condoes. But, fortunately it appears that isn’t the case. The MDHA has chosen three firms (Allard Ward Architects, Everton Oglesby Architects, and Gresham Smith & Partners) to assess the site and buildings for rehab:
   > MDHA expects the firms’ designs to preserve the structures; be economically feasible; operate in a high-performance manner regarding energy, air and water; and complement the developing Rolling Mill Hill community. Their work will be shown to the public in the spring.

This is great news. It will be interesting to see what they come up with.. Some of the buildings (as you can see above) are in pretty serious disrepair.