Nashville continues to grow by leaps and bounds, including a surge in the rehabilitation of historic buildings for both commercial and residential projects. Makeovers at locations such as Marathon Village and L&L Market have set the stage for transforming old industrial facilities into popular neighborhood mixed-use hotspots for local retail, restaurants and creative office spaces. Sylvan Supply is the latest to hit the scene, occupying the former Madison Mill on Charlotte Pike and 42nd Avenue and bringing a fresh, new experience to Sylvan Park.
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Sylvan Park’s newest adaptive reuse project, Sylvan Supply, is a mixed-use facility that honors the past while offering the neighborhood a broad selection of retail options and office space. Image: BRND House
Initially reserved for the development of an apartment complex, the 60-year-old former wood dowel and high-quality wood products factory was slated to be torn down. In September 2018, however, the folks at Third and Urban joined forces with Centric Architecture and stepped in to salvage the framework and change the narrative. “We really started with under the dirt and went up,” says Chris Faussemagne, partner at Third and Urban. “We redeveloped the project through Tennessee’s Brownfield Voluntary Cleanup Oversight and Assistance Program, basically making sure it’s environmentally safe for the occupants.”
BEFORE: Originally Madison Mill, the factory on Charlotte and 42nd Avenue was in a state of disrepair. Image: Third and Urban
AFTER: Madison Mill underwent major renovations, transforming into Sylvan Supply, the commercial facility it is today. Image: Third and Urban
During construction, the structure was opened up to accommodate retail and office tenants, while still maintaining the structural integrity of the original space. “On this project, other than the parking structure we built, it was all existing structure that was re-purposed. We removed a lot — it was rough,” Chris admits, recalling the state the building was in prior to being purchased. “You forget how far these projects come, but it was in pretty tough shape.”
Now, the facility boasts more than 162,000 square feet of office space and 32,000 square feet of retail, with a variety of tenants that range from Woodland Wine Merchant to fitness studio Pure Barre, to consulting firm Accenture. Bearded Iris Taproom is even joining the lineup in October, and Otaku Ramen is slated to open a pop-up.
Perhaps most exciting is the recent opening of Radish Kitchen, the inaugural fast-casual restaurant from chef, cookbook author and resident Nashvillian, Amanda Frederickson. “It’s food that I like to feed my family and food that I like to eat, and something that I saw was missing from the landscape when I moved from California to Nashville about two and a half years ago,” she says of her concept. “I was kind of waiting for that fresh, easy, quick meal spot to come along, and it never did.” Her place in Sylvan Supply changes that, offering simple ingredients in the form of healthy salads, wraps and grain bowls.
Along with her friend, designer Lauren Bradshaw, Chef Amanda Frederickson worked to create a restaurant interior that’s clean and bright. They also enlisted local muralist Tess Davies to paint a mural inspired by radishes, boasting vivid purple, red and green colors. The exterior of Radish Kitchen falls in line with Sylvan Supply’s modern, minimalist aesthetic. Image: Joseph Bradshaw
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Undoubtedly, a large part of Sylvan Supply’s charm is the eye-catching, tree-dotted courtyard in the center of the facility, complete with open-air corridors and terraces. Landscape architect Hodgson Douglas certainly hit the mark, constructing a common area filled with tables for working or gathering — the ideal spot to camp out with a computer, enjoy a lunch, sip a glass of wine or simply take a brain break. The courtyard offers direct outdoor access for all of the retail establishments without relying on central lobbies or elevators, a valuable commodity as we continue to observe social distancing and seek to enjoy as much fresh air as possible.
“These are unprecedented times,” says Chris, “and with our adaptive reuse projects across the Southeast, we have a better model for the modern office — one that purposefully emphasizes health and wellness with open spaces and lifestyle brands that appeal to the current and future workforce.” Image: BRND House
Though construction is complete, Sylvan Supply will spend the next six to nine months establishing the perfect group of retail and tenants to add to the already existing roster. “For us, it is important to have that right mix,” says Chris. “I feel like we have a great group of local operators that fit well in the Sylvan Park neighborhood.” Now, it’s simply a matter of bringing in the patrons, and something tells us that it won’t be tough considering the beautiful, collaborative environment they’ve created. Whether you’re in for a day of dining, shopping, or making the courtyard your “home office,” Sylvan Supply is worth the visit.
Sylvan Supply is located in the Charlotte Avenue Corridor, at 4101 Charlotte Avenue. For more information and retail updates, visit the website HERE.
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