03/07/2024
What do these iconic Nashville buildings have in common?
1 - L&C Tower - Nashville’s first skyscraper, completed in 1957
2 - Memorial Gym, Vanderbilt University, completed in 1952
3 - Hillsboro High School, completed in 1954
4 - Immanuel Baptist Church, completed in 1969
5 - Woodmont Terrace Apartments, completed in 1939
6 - Woodmont Christian Church, completed in 1949
7 - U.S. Naval Reserve Training Center, completed in 1948
They were all designed by Nashville architect, Edwin Keeble.
Keeble grew up across the street from Vanderbilt University, where he later attended, and graduated in 1924 (slide 8). After completing an architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Keeble returned to Nashville, going into private practice before joining up with another notable architect, Francis B. Warfield. Keeble was commissioned as a lieutenant in the United States Navy in 1944. In 1946 he reopened a private practice in Nashville, completing numerous projects in Tennessee and across the nation until his retirement in 1970. Many of the churches he designed are known as “Keeble’s Needles” known for their prominent spires.
The U.S. Naval Reserve Training Center, completed in 1948, was used as a training facility for the U.S. Navy until 2009 when the building and the surrounding site were decommissioned and transferred to the Metro Parks Department. The structure’s unique “Nautical Moderne” style led to its listing on the National Register of Historic Places, which is one of the many reasons we believe it will be the perfect location to serve as a new parks, arts, and cultural campus for all of Nashville to enjoy.
We cannot wait to honor the legacy of the building’s history and noted architecture by restoring and transforming it into Shelby Commons.
If you would like to donate to the project go to: https://friendsofshelby.kindful.com/?campaign=1237449.
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