Next-Generation Urban Development at Nashville Yards Earns Baker Multiple Eagle Awards

Nashville Yards is a 19-acre development designed to transform a former rail yard in the heart of downtown Nashville into a vibrant community space. The project integrates open areas and a stream of pedestrian pathways with plazas, high-rise residential towers, and office, retail, entertainment, and hospitality spaces.

Baker played a pivotal role in bringing major elements of the project to life, including two 35-story residential towers housing 673 residential units. The towers share a five-story, below-grade parking garage. Total square footage of the towers and parking was 1.3 million square feet. The full frame concrete package required 55,000 cubic yards of concrete, 1.3 million pounds of post tension cables, and 4,200 tons of rebar.

 

High-Stakes Challenges in High-Rise Construction

Baker’s work began in May 2022 with a goal of substantial completion by January 2024. To stay on schedule, the team maintained a steady pace of one floor per week for each tower (two floors per week total) while managing complex logistics and site constraints.

The challenges were considerable: nine tower cranes were being used within a six-acre area. With multiple contractors on site, traffic was continuous. In addition, a nearby bridge was closed for most of the construction period. As a result, every delivery and concrete pour had to be meticulously planned, down to the specific route, access point, and gate.

Gas lines on the site remained in place beyond their removal date, which delayed foundation construction. To regain momentum and minimize further delays, the Baker team developed a recovery plan. For instance, the team adapted the truss table-forming system used for the residential towers for the below-grade parking garage. Standardizing the slab slopes within the garage streamlined construction and enabled early completion of other key milestones, including the pool and amenity decks.

The team also overcame unseasonably harsh winter weather — including heavy snowfall — in 2023.

 

High-Tech Solutions to Ensure Quality

Baker leveraged multiple advanced technologies, including building information modeling, to support the Nashville Yards project.

During preconstruction and daily operations, the team used a 4D schedule to analyze construction scenarios and sequences to optimize time and resources. As the towers rose, the team used 3D scanning to capture site conditions, monitor control lines, and track construction progress.

GPS and robotic total stations were used to manage line and grade controls between the two towers. Multiple GPS units were placed on working floors to capture data every second, which was used to calculate precise layout coordinates. Continuous monitoring helped the team detect building shifts under crane loads and provided additional checks on horizontal control and elevations.

3D scanning also played a critical role in quality control by helping the team ensure consistent and accurate placement of structural elements such as columns, walls, and embedded items. To verify that alignment and tolerances were met, the team conducted scans every five floors using a custom cart they rolled into the core.

For quality control on elevated decks, the team took nine survey shots per bay at four different stages: during pre-pour, post-pour, after formwork removal, and again 28 days later. 3D scanning streamlined the process of capturing hundreds of survey shots per pour. It also ensured consistent shot placement and precise measurements.

 

Safety is a Measure of Success

To keep crews safe, Baker implemented a daily work plan, mission task analysis procedures, and a Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, People board to communicate with stakeholders. Baker also introduced Type 2 (chin strap) hard hats on this project­ — the first time they were required on a Baker project in Nashville —providing an additional layer of protection. As a result, the team maintained an Incident and Injury Free environment throughout the project’s duration.

 

An Epic Contribution to Nashville’s Skyline

The team’s strategic approach, resourcefulness, and expertise helped Baker meet all major milestones safely, on schedule, and without compromising quality.

The Nashville Yards project is an astounding construction achievement — and a testament to the power of innovation, collaboration, and hard work. Our commitment to excellence will be visible in Nashville’s skyline for years to come, and it earned Baker an Eagle Award from the ABC Greater Tennessee chapter and an Eagle Award from ABC’s national organization.