February 4, 2012

McEwen Whole Foods Update

McEwen Whole Foods under construction

Now under construction, the Whole Foods grocery store at McEwen Town Center in Cool Springs is making fast progress.  The new store will be located at the corner of McEwen Drive and Mallory Lane.  Southern Land broke ground a little over three months ago.

We’ve been anxiously waiting ever since the new Whole Foods was announced three years ago.

Footers have been poured and the back cinder block wall is up, seen at left.

The new Whole Foods store in Franklin will be 45,000 square feet.  Whole Foods Market’s current location in Cool Springs is 1735 Galleria Blvd, adjacent to Target, HH Gregg and Toys R US.

The Southern Land Company is developing McEwen Town Center and Whole Foods will be the first retail anchor in the 93 acre Cool Springs mixed-use project.  Despite several delays, bad timing and a horrible economy, the project is still moving forward.

Other tenants that have announced intentions on opening at McEwen Town Center include California Pizza Kitchen, Anthropologie, and Cosmetic Market.  Rumors have abounded regarding a Pinkberry or Red Mango style frozen yogurt concept.

New Whole Foods in Cool Springs

When complete, Southern Land Company’s McEwen Town Center will offer Middle Tennessee 250,000 square feet of retail space, 250,000 square feet of Class A office space, apartments, town homes and an “upscale boutique hotel”.

One finished portion of the McEwen Town Center project is already for sale, that is the “Dwell at McEwen” apartment complex.  The $40 million upscale apartments in Cool Springs are rumored to have registered well over 130 interested buyer parties.

Some area commercial real estate brokers were surprised to hear Michael McNally, vice president of mixed-use development with Southern Land Company, quoted as saying “Dwell is 71% leased” and also “leasing rates haven’t been as brisk as we hoped two years ago, a result of the economy”.

Several of Southern Land Company’s other mixed-use projects in the South include Westhaven Town Center in Franklin, TN as well as The Lofts at Watters Creek and Arthouse Keller, both in Texas.

Area Businesses Weather Plans

Franklin TN Snow Storm

Franklin TN Snow Storm

The snow and inch thick layer of ice Nashville was hit with in the last few days has definitely slowed things down here in Cool Springs.

If you have great insurance and are desperate for food, drink or other necessities, below we have generated a short summary of Cool Springs restaurants and businesses with their plans to stay open or close today due to the weather in Nashville.

CoolSprings.com recommends you be smart and don’t.  It’s very dangerous and no one in Franklin or Brentwood TN knows how to drive in this weather.  Accidents are everywhere as you’ll see on TV or live if you get out there.

The weather also makes us wish the new McEwen Town Center Whole Foods was finished, so we could live over there and walk to get groceries in this weather.  Unfortunately for as much retail we have in Cool Springs, so little of it is walkable for most of the surrounding residential communities.  Not saying its all to far to walk form now, but it just wasn’t designed to be pedestrian friendly.  As a result, few people do.  McEwen Town Center will be a excellent addition to the Cool Springs area, providing an environment that does not exist here yet.

Publix – 8105 Moores Lane: Open until 10pm
Kroger – 2020 Mallory Lane: Jason said “Not planning on but we may have to because most of our workers have called in”
Kroger - 305 Independence Sq: Luke said “We’re open 24 hours as normal”
Whole Foods – 1735 Galleria Blvd: Derrick said “We’re closing at 4pm”
Kroger – 250 Williamson Square: Hope said “We’re open 24 hours as normal”
Starbucks – 555 Cool Springs Blvd: Phone busy and then no answer after several tries
Starbucks – 438 Main Street: “Normal 10:30pm right now but its possible”
Starbucks – 9175 Carothers Prkwy: Jan said “Uhh I really don’t know what time we’re closing today”
Dunkin Donuts – 9100 Carothers Pkwy: Justin “We dont know yet, for now we’re open until 10pm”
Target – 1701 Galleria Blvd: Open normal hours
Cozymel’s – 1654 Westgate Circle: Marissa “As of right now no, we haven’t heard anything yet. We normally close at 10pm on Sat night”
Sportsman’s Grill – 1640 Westgate Circle: “We may be closing early this evening, not sure how long we’ll be here”
Cool Springs Galleria – 1800 Galleria Blvd: No answer after several trys
Tin Roof 2 – 9135 Carothers Pkwy: No answer
Carabba’s – 553 Cool Springs Blvd: Emily said “We’re open for now, it kinda depends on how the weather goes”
Amerigo – 1656 Westgate Circle: Open
J. Alexanders – 1721 Galleria Blvd: “Depends on the weather, right now regular hours, 6pm if we did.”
Dominos Pizza – 9040 Carothers Parkway: “We are not closing early, we’re open”
Famous Dave’s – 7086 Bakers Bridge Avenue: “At this point no but its up to general manager if we did.  If we close it would be 6pm at the earliest.”

California Pizza Kitchen Delayed

A lot of people were very excited to hear California Pizza Kitchen being added to the already vast array of Cool Springs restaurants.  Not to mention we are also lacking choices for good pizza here in Cool Springs.  Many people will be dissapointed the well known pizza restaurant is most likely being delayed due to the slow economy.

I love California Pizza Kitchen, especially the roasted garlic chicken pizza, but am growing tired of driving to Green Hills to enjoy it.  The frozen version is good but not the same.  We will be very happy when they finally break ground.  Kevin Walters with the Tennessean reported the story today entitled ” California Pizza Kitchen Project in Cool Springs May Be Delayed”.

Come on CPK, bring it!

$19M Cool Springs Luxury Condo Project Starts

A condo project in the new McEwen Town Center near the Cool Springs Galleria has started.  Here is the story as reported by The Nashville Business Journal:

“A $19 million luxury condominium development in Cool Springs has broken ground.

The contractor for the $19 million Residences at Grant Park is The Conseco Group. The project’s being financed by Renasant Bank.

Khris Pascarella, principal for Pearl Street Partners, says 50 percent of the projects first phase, which includes 21 units, are sold and work has begun on the first three residential buildings designed in a French country and classical style.

Phase I also includes a private, resort-style pool and clubhouse with a cyber-café and state-of-the-art workout facility, Pascarella says.

The units range from the mid-$200,000s to $400,000s.

The clubhouse will offer a community gathering space, a fitness center and whirlpool spa.

The Residences of Grant Park are surrounded by green spaces in a park-like setting while and within walking distance of McEwen Town Center.

Units include granite kitchen countertops, custom cabinets, and a built-in computer niche.

The first homeowners are expected to take move in in spring 2009. The community will have 51 condos and all and is slated for completion in 2010.”

Model of McEwen Town Center Revealed

A lighted model of the McEwen Town Center development located in Cool Springs has been opened for the public.  It looks like a great project and so far has been well received by the city and community.   The Southern Land Co. seems to always deliver a high quality product.  I think everyone is more excited about a new Whole Foods in Cool Springs than anything.  Here is the story as reported by the Nashville Business Journal:

Public can see model of McEwen urban village project

A lighted model of the coming McEwen urban village is in the Franklin movie theater for the public to view.

Developer Nashville-based Southern Land Co. unveiled the size and scope of the project to community leaders and real estate officials last week and has left its model in the movie theater to drum up excitement.

McEwen, a $380 million walkable village with national upscale retailers on the first floor and condominiums and apartments on the top floors will redefine living in a 93-acre core of Cool Springs, developers say.

The project adds 250,000 square feet of Class A office space, a 150-room boutique hotel, 220,000 square feet of shopping, a Whole Foods and 950 living units.

Townhomes start in the $400,000s and condos in the $300,000s.”

McEwen Lands Whole Foods in Cool Springs

Whole Foods has announced they will be anchoring the new McEwen development in Franklin, adjacent to the Cool Springs Galleria.  The Whole Foods currently located in Cool Springs near Toys R Us and Target will close when the new store opens.  Here is the story reported by The Nashville Business Journal:

McEwen lands Whole Foods

Natural foods giant Whole Foods has been named the anchor tenant of McEwen, a 90-acre mixed-use community in Cool Springs.

The 45,000-square-foot store will be located at the southwest corner of McEwen Drive and Mallory Lane.

“This is a huge day for McEwen and for Cool Springs,” says David Wilson, executive vice president of mixed-used for Southern Land Co. “We have officially arrived from a retail perspective and this marks the beginning of an exciting new era of smart and sustainable economic growth in Williamson County.”

The total project value of McEwen is $333 million. The neighborhood will contain commercial, retail, multi-family and single-family space as well as large open spaces that are designed centrally within the neighborhood for better pedestrian access by residents and tenants alike.

The city of Franklin recently opened the McEwen Drive/Interstate 65 exit which will directly service the Whole Foods Market location.

Construction is slated to begin in fall of 2008 with a tentative opening scheduled for fall of 2009.”