August 10, 2015

If You Build It, They Will Come

2012 has been an exciting and busy year at Meridian Cool Springs, Boyle’s 60-acre mixed-use development located off of Carothers Parkway in Franklin, TN. Boyle delivered one new retail building and two new office buildings to the campus this year. The additional $40 million investment underscores the success of Meridian, which is the first mixed-use project in Cool Springs, and the first true suburban mixed-use project in Middle Tennessee.
For Boyle, the timing of construction was based on several factors, including “the fundamental improvement of the economy, both nationally and locally, and the lack of space available for large office users in the Cool Springs area,” according to Thomas McDaniel, director of office leasing for Boyle Nashville. Both Boyle and Northwestern Mutual, Boyle’s joint venture partner at Meridian, are very bullish on Nashville and Williamson County.
The two office buildings were built concurrently on the site, and are referred to as 5000 and 5005 Meridian. 5000 Meridian is a seven-story, 178,000-square foot Class-A office building, with state-of the-art features and luxury finishes, as well as a one-level executive parking garage below. In keeping with Boyle’s philosophy of sustainable developments that are both economically sound and environmentally friendly, 5000 Meridian was built to achieve LEED Silver designation as well.
5005 Meridian is a unique, three-story mixed-use building with 15,000-square feet of ground floor, loft-style office space, and two levels of parking above. The loft-style office space, which features exposed ceilings, open floorplans, and stained, concrete floors, is a very rare product type in Cool Springs.
When construction started in Spring 2011, it was perceived by some as a bold move. However, both buildings were completed in September 2012, and are meeting significant demand in the market. 5000 Meridian is now home to such companies as Brentwood Capital Advisors, Computer Technology Solutions, Inc. (CTS), M*Modal, Skanska Construction, and RANDA Solutions, who will move in Spring 2013. Both 5000 and 5005 Meridian are 43% leased only two months after completion. Meanwhile, the entire remaining campus at Meridian Cool Springs is 98% leased overall.
Meridian’s latest retail addition is 995 Meridian, a 7,000-square foot retail building that is strategically located at the entrance of the development. 995 Meridian is now home to restaurant Noodles & Company and financial planning company Charles Schwab, and continues to attract quality, national tenants. This building is the fourth retail building on the Meridian Cool Springs campus, and contains the only remaining retail space available for lease at 1,600-square feet.
“995 Meridian is representative of our commitment to provide quality services to the on-site tenants and surrounding community. It furthers the list of retail amenities and restaurants within walking distance for optimal convenience. Meridian is a special and unique environment, and we choose our retailers carefully so that each tenant adds to the community as a whole. They all work together,” says Grant Kinnett, retail leasing for Boyle Nashville.
Boyle was also excited to host its first 5k run at Meridian Cool Springs in September to benefit our troops. The race was called “The Boot Run” and benefitted military personnel via non-profits Not Alone and The Boot Campaign, which helps to spread awareness of the needs of military personnel, and support their transition home.
The Boot Run participants were encouraged to purchase and wear a pair of The Boot Campaign’s signature “give back” boots during the 5k for the full experience. There were roughly 450 runners in attendance, of which 50 were troops from Ft. Campbell. The run was followed by music and entertainment, as well as food from the Meridian restaurants.
For more information on Meridian events, retailers, and restaurants, please see www.meridiancoolsprings.com for more information.