Cheap Artist Space in Nashville area (Memphis: for sale, real estate, rentals)

[RetroPhoto]

I'm thinking of relocating to the Nashville area and looking for areas with cheap large spaces I can use for a photography studio. I do NOT want so-called development lofts that are priced out of range of most artists. Think rough industrial, or, perhaps a smaller town or suburb on the outskirts that has a historical downtown area.

My "day" job is work at home for a nurse call center, so commuting is not a factor, allowing me to live a bit further out if necessary for a good bargain. But living near downtown would be better for the photo business. I'm hoping there is a cheap neighborhood in Nashville like most cities where artists live. Bear in mind I have lived in downtown Detroit next to a homeless mission, so I'm a pretty tough old broad as far as somewhat seedier areas of a city (which is where most artists usually are for budget reasons.)

[RetroPhoto]

No one? :-(

[Alkonost]

I don't know of any specific neighborhood since I don't live in Nashville, but if you do a search for commercial/industrial property for sale in and around Nashville you may find older industrial spaces that have the cheap space you need. If you're not looking to buy property, the same real estate search may give you a "heads up" on which neighborhoods to look in for commercial/industrial rentals. The downside is that you probably won't be allowed to use the premises as a residence, but if all you need is a studio for photo purposes that shouldn't be a problem.

[ziggy2022]

Originally Posted by RetroPhoto

No one? :-(

I'm thinkin' Nashville ain't no Detroit, sweet darlin'. I know what you're lookin for, but you might have a bit of a search on your hands if you're tryin to find it in Nashville.

[RetroPhoto]

Originally Posted by ziggy2022

I'm thinkin' Nashville ain't no Detroit, sweet darlin'. I know what you're lookin for, but you might have a bit of a search on your hands if you're tryin to find it in Nashville.

Indeed, I realize that, but trying to find a compromise between edgy grungy industrial and an economy where I might actually be able to make a living as a photographer.

I maybe should mention I seem to be getting more involved in writing and photographing Americana music, so naturally I need to at least take a look at Nashville.

PS. It seems East Nashville is where the artsy folk seem to migrate? Is that information correct? The closest thing to Detroit I've seen is Marathon Motors Village, but the prices are way higher than the D.

[RetroPhoto]

My former space in Detroit. Big, cheap...just a little glitch with that whole "heat included" thing which I discovered meant one blast of heat a day 6a-7a M-F and nothing any other time.







I get cold just looking at these
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dianapricephoto/3925110377/ (broken link)

[BirdieBelle]

Your biggest hindrance will be that Nashville is not that big of a city, so available spaces and zoning might get in the way. Our "old downtown" is pretty small; there aren't THAT many old warehouses with huge windows that aren't already overpriced because of their proximity to tourist areas.
My dad was a painter and had a studio in a 19th-century building above an old music store in downtown Memphis in the 1970s. He didn't sleep there, though I guess he couldv'e had a bed in the corner and nobody would have been the wiser. But Memphis didn't draw tourists downtown the way Nashville does. Nashville's old warehouse districts are prime real estate because tourism is one of our top industries, and the city is building a HUGE convention center downtown, which drives up the price of properties in the area.
Many of our other "old" commercial spaces around Nashville aren't "romantic old," like the one in your pix. They're recently old, as in '60s and '70s. Like this:
http://www.realtracs.com/MediaDispla...HaoCBHcrQcvHSQ
That and the fact that it looks like most of our real estate agents are on holiday break from City Data.

You might have more luck finding a stand-alone building or old house in a more gritty area than one unit in a warehouse.
Like this:
http://www.realtracs.com/MediaDispla...Q/vyCX0aDxLoEA
I'm not saying this is anything like what you'd want or in your budget etc. It's just one sample I was able to pull up without putting too much work into it.
Most of our commercial areas are spread out. Anything called a "loft" here would be for posers and recent college grads, etc. East Nash is the hip area, yes, but being known as such causes it to lose more of its authenticity.
I'm thinking the Wedgewood area just south of downtown might work.

[CountryGirl2b=]

BEAUTIFUL photos and what a cool space. I have only been in Nashville for 18 months but I don't get that 'industrial' feel. You're more likely to get old barns, wood, porches, wagon wheels, brick, beams. The architecture is just way different which speaks to the mood as well.

You might be interested in a recent article by a local photographer. When you said you wanted to photograph "Americana music" did you mean the big names or the struggling acts? The struggling acts are found everywhere and you would photograph them where they play, I suspect?

The Unwanted: A Photographer

Really great space you have there . . . are you sure you want to move???

[ziggy2022]

Originally Posted by RetroPhoto

My former space in Detroit.

Sweet space. Was that at Russel Street industrial center? I'm not from Nashville - yet. I'm in Motown and have been since '94. I've researched the snot out of Nashville for the better part of 4 years and will finally be moving to the area sometime before spring (Detroit's spring). The impression I've got through researching and visiting is exactly what Wmsn4Life is saying. All the industrial cool loft-ish spaces there are more of a premium residential grade. We have so many here because we really were the motor city - tons of factories, but I'm preaching to the choir. I'm an aspiring photographer myself (not my day job) and have already come to the conclusion that I will either need to build a little studio above a garage type deal or get lucky with a potential space like that that's already in place when I eventually purchase a residence. I'm mainly moving for the better weather and people and to get the heck outta Detroit. Nashville and the surrounding area (like, all of TN) is so freaking gorgeous, I can ride my Harley all day and/or go capture images all day. On the other hand, if I wanted to work in a cheap studio space all day on whatever I felt like on that particular day . . . I just don't quite feel like that's the scene there. That's part of the beauty that attracts me. You can get out and "stretch your legs" without the depressing blight and stifling polution everywhere; not to mention the fear of getting popped with a stray bullet - for real. It's not really much of a compromise in my mind - just my 8 cents.

[RetroPhoto]

Wow, great article about what is going on with concert photographers today, and sadly, entirely accurate. Rock and roll has gotten WAY out of hand with the rights grab releases and bad attitude toward photographers, with some crappy rap group recently assaulting a female photographer in the pit for no reason.

It's a big part of why I am moving away from that kind of music coverage, but I actually had been finding myself turning back toward listening to the music I grew up with (old country) and more folk, blues etc before I realized there was a genre dubbed "Americana."

I'm always more interested on a personal level with struggling artists, but looking for access to bigger names for more commercial purposes -- not that I'll ever make a living at it, especially due to all the trends cited in that article. But I also think it's a good style match for some portraiture work. And hoping things are a bit friendlier in alt country/Americana than metal.

Having said that, I do believe that I have a better chance of access to bigger names on tour OUTSIDE Nashville due to less competition for photo passes, interviews etc. But I really want to move more toward the promo photos and portraiture rather than live shots, which would probably be easier in Nashville.

Detroit is pretty weak for local acts in country or amerciana and not sure how many bigger touring artists come through as it ain't exactly a hotspot for them either. But it's insanely cheap, and living anywhere in the midwest would probably put me in driving distance of just about any act I want to try to cover.

A lot to think about, and most likely I will end up back in Detroit at one of these lofts - same slumlord as Russell Industrial Center (photos above) but as those are actually for living, not commercial, they have to provide more than 5 hours of heat a week. Month to month rentals also so you can bail if needed.

And Detroit has such a great artist/music community and there really is a sense of community - for example, groups of artists are doing monthly dinners where everyone pays a little money, then a few artists pitch their creative projects and they select one to get all the money collected as a sort of instant arts grant (usually around $600-$900.) The underground /garage music scene there is off the freakin' hook and the best I have ever seen, and I have lived in a LOT of cities. It gets a lot bad press, but Detroit is a very cool city to live in.

Just trying to explore all options...