Utopia Place Lofts

This project is on hold as of December 1, 2006.

Old Utopia Hotel conversion. Six-story limestone building, housing 14 lofts from one to three bedrooms. High ceilings

Conversion of old hotel caters to demand for lofts downtown

By LINDA BRYANT
Staff Writer

Utopia Place price mix designed to appeal to different income brackets

DOWNTOWN — In the mid-19th century, artists in Paris, France, began to live in studio spaces that were big enough and cheap enough to store large oversized paintings, the messy tools of an artist and a cot or mattress.

The studios were the beginning of the ''loft movement,'' a phenomenon that has evolved over the decades from an innovative, sometimes illegal, way for people to live creatively and cheaply to a sophisticated, often pricey way to re-use old buildings, warehouses and factories.

It took until the turn of the 21st century for the loft phenomenon to hit this town. Now, there are several loft developments in Nashville's downtown core and more in the construction phase. The newest, Utopia Place, is the conversion of the old Utopia Hotel on Fourth Avenue North. The hotel was built in 1892 in anticipation of the Centennial Exposition, the state's 100th birthday celebration.

Hugh Cathcart Thompson, the architect who designed the Ryman Auditorium, designed the six-story limestone building, which will house 14 lofts from one to three bedrooms by sometime next year. The hotel hasn't been used for much since 1935, except for a dry cleaners on the bottom floor.

The main things the lofts at Utopia Place will have in common with the Bohemian artist's lofts of Paris or New York are high ceilings, a very spacious feel and access to cafes and restaurants. But like many recent loft developments, Utopia Place will have a mix of prices designed to appeal to people of different income brackets. The lofts are priced from $135,000 to $499,000.

Ben Weprin, one of the developers of Utopia Place, said he has a fixation with older buildings and innovative urban developments. He said he heard about an intriguing empty older building in Nashville while he was still living in Chicago, but has since moved to town to be closer to the project. ''In Chicago this building would have been converted 30 years ago,'' Weprin, said. ''I love older properties, and I felt strongly that Nashville really needs this building.''

Alexis Yee-Garcia, 25, has placed her name on the reservation list for a one-bedroom loft, the least expensive unit. New to Nashville, Yee-Garcia had only been in town for a few days before deciding on a loft. She called the two-bedroom display model at Utopia Place ''completely gorgeous.''

''I am attracted to a pedestrian lifestyle,'' Yee-Garcia said. ''I like the idea of walking out of my front door and being able to walk to a restaurant.'' Yee-Garcia may not be a starving artist from Paris, but she said she does think of herself as a person with a creative lifestyle. ''I like a young and open community,'' she said, ''I need tolerance and diversity. To be honest, at this point in my life, I don't want to have to go out and buy a lawn mower, and I really don't need a lot of space.''