After being recognized as the next big “IT city” by the New York Times nearly a decade ago, Nashville has experienced monumental growth commercially and residentially. Large companies such as Oracle and Amazon have built a major presence in the city, and both small and mid-size businesses have launched hundreds of commercial construction projects. Last year, the city issued the highest amount of commercial construction permits in its history, and the growth doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
While this growth has provided significant opportunities for our city, it’s also created new challenges for building owners and contractors to navigate. Take a quick look at the Nashville skyline, and you’ll quickly realize the city’s urban core has experienced tremendous development. Most new commercial construction projects in Nashville require contractors to navigate tight job sites while people are living, working, or playing less than 20 feet away.
At Crain, we pride ourselves on being Nashville experts. With nearly a century of experience working in Nashville, we care about helping our clients overcome the challenges facing our city. We combine that experience with new and emerging technology to optimize the construction management process.
How We Help Clients Navigate Nashville Construction Trends
1. We help clients plan for and avoid code and permit issues.
Knowing the current code requirements for commercial construction is essential to avoid costly violations. As construction has grown in Nashville, it’s not uncommon for contractors to experience significant delays in receiving approval for permits. Our local knowledge and relationships can often help expedite the pre-construction process.
For example, during our renovation of the Fairlane Hotel, our team worked closely with Metro Public Works to develop a plan to keep pedestrian traffic flowing while the sidewalk was closed on the busy corner. This proactive collaboration saved significant time waiting for approvals from the city to begin demolition.
2. We leverage new technology to document and optimize construction progress.
Drone technology has become a popular tool for many urban development projects. As Nashville’s urban development continues to accelerate, we’ve found it to be incredibly beneficial during the construction stage of a project. We regularly use drones for documenting a project or creating virtual as-builts. That way, we can track the changes from the original building plans that take place during the construction of a building.
Our work on Home2Suites and Hilton Garden Inn in Midtown required building in extremely tight site conditions — only 16 inches of clearance from the hotel tower to an adjacent condominium building. We were able to use drones throughout the project to complete construction in a nineteen-month window, including all site work and demolition.
3. We use Building Information Modeling (BIM) to predict and prevent potential hazards.
BIM is a critical tool for successful commercial construction. Our pre-construction team has been using it for more than a decade to help draw and develop 3-D models. These models help us identify potential issues and lead our subcontractors safely through every step in the workflow.
During the construction of Aertson Midtown, building access was challenging due to multiple insets and different levels. Using BIM, we empowered our concrete subcontractor to proactively address potential issues by strategically installing two tower cranes to perform the concrete structure work.
Discover Why Crain is the Preferred Nashville Commercial Contractor
We’re proud of the legacy we’ve helped build in Nashville. But our legacy comprises more than the structures themselves. We’re also proud of the relationships we’ve developed throughout our city. While technology has helped us navigate construction trends, we believe our reputation and the way we do business are the reasons we’re considered one of the best commercial contractors in Nashville.
Tell us more about your project. Together, we can determine the next steps to help move your building from idea to reality.
