Renaissance Hotel Nashville

Renaissance Hotel Nashville

We interviewed Nick Woolen, who is the Director of Engineering at the Renaissance Hotel in Downtown Nashville. This hotel has been a part of the Nashville skyline for 31 years and will be a part of the anticipated Fifth and Broadway project. DES: What does your role entail at the Renaissance, and how long have…

Wildhorse Saloon

Wildhorse Saloon

Each year, as the Nashville landscape changes and the city becomes more diverse, its history becomes more important in understanding this city’s complexity. It’s no secret that a huge part of Nashville’s history comes from its country music roots, and venues like the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium are a big part of…

War Memorial

War Memorial Building

We spoke with David Carpenter who has been the facility manager for the State Capitol Complex for five years. The State Capitol Complex includes the Tennessee Capitol building, the War Memorial building and plaza surface and the Legislative Plaza. David is responsible for the buildings, systems and customer service. DES: This year is the War…

Tennessee Tower

Tennessee Tower

The Tennessee Tower, also known as the William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower, is the third-tallest skyscraper in downtown Nashville, at 452 feet. The 31-story building was originally built for the National Life and Accident Insurance Company in 1970, but was bought by the state of Tennessee in 1994 to serve as an office for more…

Tennessee State Library and Archives

Tennessee State Library and Archives

The Tennessee State Library and Archives houses approximately 1,139,070 items and is home to original legislative, Secretary of State, Supreme Court and governor’s records and manuscripts. We caught up with Brooks Crowell, the Tennessee State Library and Archives facility director. DES: The library was established in 1854 and moved to the current location in 1953.…

Tennessee State Capitol Building

Tennessee State Capitol Building

The Tennessee State Capitol building was designed by renowned Philadelphia architect William Strickland, who modeled it after a Greek Ionic temple. The lantern is a copy of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens. The Capitol’s cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1845, and the structure was completed 14 years later in 1859. It is…

State of Tennessee

State of Tennessee

DES supplies energy to a majority of the state of Tennessee’s downtown buildings, including the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Citizens Plaza, the state Capitol, the Supreme Court and the Tennessee Tower Building. In addition to providing heating and cooling services to the state buildings, DES makes repairs and updates to equipment to keep services running…

Schermerhorn Symphony Center

Schermerhorn Symphony Center

The neoclassical Schermerhorn Symphony Center, located in downtown Nashville, is home to the critically acclaimed Nashville Symphony. Maestro Kenneth Schermerhorn was the music director and conductor of the Grammy Award-winning orchestra for 22 years. The center was named in his honor, before his death in 2005. The world-class Laura Turner Concert Hall is housed in…

Ryman Auditorium

Ryman Auditorium

Originally built as a church in 1892, the Ryman was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943-1974, earning it world-wide renown as the Mother Church of Country Music. In 1974, the Opry moved and the Ryman was vacant for the next 20 years. In 1994, it was restored and reopened with great fanfare as…