Bill Lewis

FOR USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE

Steve Hansel recalls growing up in West Nashville and driving down Charlotte Avenue through neighborhoods that had not seen much investment for years. Today he lives in a new apartment on the site of a former car wash and walks with neighbors from around the country to nearby restaurants and trendy bars.

“As far as I can tell, it’s getting better,” Hansel said of Charlotte Avenue and the quickly redeveloping neighborhoods around it.

“It’s definitely building up. It’s definitely exploding,” said Hansel, who moved into his new apartment at Station 40 last November.

His apartment is part of Hill Center Sylvan Heights, the H.G. Hill Realty Co. mixed-use development at Charlotte Avenue and 40th Avenue that includes 240 apartments and additional cottages as well as more than 20,000 square feet of fully leased retail space.

Hansel and his neighbors can stay at Hill Center and enjoy a meal at Double Dogs Chow House, Salt & Vine, Farm Burger or The Urban Juicer or they can walk four blocks west to M.L. Rose, the popular craft beer and burger destination.

Review: Salt & Vine an elegant destination to sip, snack, shop

First taste: Local flavors shine through at Farm Burger

Gallery: Farm Burger Nashville at Hill Center Sylvan Heights

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A few blocks farther west in the Nations neighborhood, Southeast Venture is developing up to 600 single-family homes, apartments and condos on a former industrial site at 5400 Centennial Ave.

Hansel recalls when the neighborhood was best known for being in the shadow of Tennessee’s historic state prison. Now property values are climbing rapidly.

“You’re going to spend $350,000 to live in the Nations. Ten years ago people would have thought you were crazy,” he said.

Related: Why The Nations neighborhood is now a symbol of Nashville's rapid growth

Charlotte Avenue, often referred to as Charlotte Pike, can be thought of as Nashville’s “last frontier,” said Jimmy Granbery, chairman and CEO of H.G. Hill Realty Co.

“The past few years have seen a rebirth of the entire area and a shift in its perception as a desirable place to live, shop and eat, which is understandable given that Charlotte Avenue is a major road feeding into downtown. The scarcity of land along other major thoroughfares and the appealing demographics are just a couple of factors as to why developers find the area appealing,” said Granbery.

“Hill Center Sylvan Heights and Station 40 are just part of the bigger picture. There is certainly synergy among developments. Residential feeds retail-restaurant and the reverse is true,” he said.

Planned or completed commercial and residential activity along the Charlotte corridor includes more than 2 million square feet of medical and office space and more than 1,800 apartments.

Just beyond downtown, the Capitol View development on Charlotte Avenue will have 1.1 million square feet of Class A office space, 130,000 square feet of retail and 600 multi-family residences. It will also have 410 hotel rooms.

A couple of miles west, the oneC1TY development will offer 1 million square feet of office space, 170 hotel rooms, 600 apartments and 100,000 square feet of healthy retail space.

OneC1TY is on a stretch of Charlotte Avenue between downtown and I-440 that is part of the Urban Land Institute’s Healthy Corridors program. ULI Nashville and other organizations are identifying health-promoting steps that can be replicated along other corridors, such as encouraging biking and walking.

A few blocks west of I-440 on 36th Avenue North, Michael Sullivan is preparing to begin construction of two new houses on the north side of Charlotte Avenue.

The area has seen little new construction over the years, but Sullivan said that is changing quickly.

“I’m late getting into the ballgame, to tell the truth,” he said, pointing out the new, modern homes that are under construction on 36th and 37th avenues behind Climb Nashville, an indoor rock climbing and fitness venue.

“They’re selling like hotcakes. It’s unbelievable,” said Sullivan.

He previously built five homes on the south side of Charlotte along Nevada Avenue. One home, at 3323 Nevada Ave., is listed at $719,900. The others were snapped up by buyers before they were finished, said Tracey Sullivan. She is Michael Sullivan’s wife and is a Realtor for Parks.

Many buyers in the area are from other cities and states, she said.

“One hundred people are moving to Nashville every day,” said Tracey Sullivan.

For many people, Charlotte Avenue is Nashville’s next destination of choice, said Josh Anderson, owner of The Anderson Group Real Estate Services.

“It’s a convenient and cool urban infill area. Downtown is a $5 Uber ride. Good walkability, food and coffee shops. That’s what people are paying for in East Nashville, Sylvan Park and Hillsboro Village,” said Anderson.