Madison Mill, Nashville Tennessee
Early Saturday morning on August 4th of 2018 upon hearing that a large run down building would soon be rejuvenated in my neighborhood I decided to sneak in with a friend to take photos. The Charlotte Ave. location in West Nashville was the old location of Madison Mill, a company that has provided quality wood products in Tennessee since 1959. Upon digging a little into the history of the massive 7.12-acre site I discovered that it housed an array of buildings that were built somewhere between 1923 and 1950.
Shortly after I visited the area the Sylvan Supply company began redeveloping the property. It has since been newly renovated by connecting six buildings on the land with terraces, corridors and outdoor workspaces for tenants that will soon occupy the property. It will have 27,000 square feet of public dining and shopping areas as well as 133,00 square feet of open floor plans for creative office space use. Although the project seems to be running a little behind it is anticipated to open to the public in the near future.
As the city of Nashville grows, the old is being replaced with the new. All cities go through this transition and although it is sad to see so much change happening to the history of what was, it is a common part of historical growth.
My friend and I spent several hours shooting photographs in the dirty, erie and sometimes dark spaces that at times felt really creepy. Though the abandoned space showed signs of homeless living quarters and likely teenage destruction, the graffiti painted walls added a beautiful overtone. The images I am sharing here are some of my favorite that showcase the rundown and dilapidated remains from my 2018 visit.
