Buckingham Companies broke ground on its transformative two-acre, mixed-use project at the intersection of 21st Avenue South, Broadway and Division Street, adjacent to the Vanderbilt University campus. The company also officially named the project Aertson Midtown after Jan Arson, the great-great-grandfather of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
A groundbreaking and naming event held onsite recently marked the beginning of vertical construction for the 17-story, 600,000-square-foot, mixed-use development that will include 350 apartments, a 180-room full-service Kempton hotel and 35,000 square feet of ground level retail space. It will bring 630 parking spaces and, through the hotel, approximately 6,500 square feet of meeting space to the area.
“Today’s ground breaking is the culmination of the dedication, insights and responsiveness of many talented individuals,” said Scott Travis, senior vice president of development at Indianapolis-based Buck-ingham Companies. “We have been humbled by the excitement and enthusiasm for this project, not to mention the involvement and contributions of those who know Nashville best.”
Jan Aertson immigrated to the Americas from the Dutch Village of De Belt in 1650. Shortly after, the Arson name was changed to Van Deer Belt (meaning “of De Belt”), marking the beginning of the Vanderbilt family and its long history of prosperity, creativity and philanthropy.
Travis noted the name is intended to honor to the dynamic family behind it, their impact on shaping the city, as well as the globally recognized university that the project neighbors.
“Aertson Midtown pays homage to a legendary family that set in motion its own lineage of thinkers, creators, givers and artists—much like those who can be found in the midtown neighborhood today,” said Travis. “Aertson Midtown will be a transformative hub of living and entertainment in Nashville and we believe it will create its own lasting legacy as a cultural and creative gathering place for the city.”
The project will bring an eclectic mix of residences and retail that will further advance Midtown as an energetic, walk able district. Aertson Midtown is being developed and constructed by Buckingham Companies in collaboration with Nashville-based Crain Construction Co.
The architect for Aertson Midtown is Torte Galas and Partners, based in Washington, D.C. and the engineering contractor is Littlejohn Engineering Associates of Nashville.
Aertson Midtown’s various components will open in phases with the completion estimated to be late 2016.
Founded in 1984, Buckingham is a full service, fully integrated real estate company that includes the development, acquisition, management and construction of a wide range of property types including multifamily, student housing and mixed-use communities.
For more information, visit .
