Developer yet to announce groundbreaking date for One KVB

The local office of Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz will be the lead tenant in the One KVB Circle skyscraper planned for SoBro.

Nashville-based developer The Mainland Companies announced Friday that the high-profile regional law firm will take about 91,900 square feet, roughly 22 percent, of the planned 30-story tower (pictured). The building will sit within a triangular parcel fronting the roundabout and sandwiched by Korean Veterans Boulevard and Lafayette Street. Catty-corner from the site is the Westin Nashville Hotel.

Mainland did not announce in the release when it hopes to break ground. The company previously had eyed a full start by 2017’s end.

Terms of the lease were not disclosed in the release. Baker Donelson was represented by Steve Preston of CBRE Nashville and Larry Jensen and Matt Weathersby with the Memphis office of Cushman Wakefield. Mainland was represented by Avison Young.

“One KVB provides an exciting opportunity to improve the daily work lives of our team members and to enhance our clients’ experience with our firm,” Baker Donelson Managing Shareholder Brigid Carpenter said in the release. “This building matches our firm’s commitment to client service, efficiency, sustainability and innovation.

“Ensuring our employees have an outstanding work environment was a key factor in our decision,” Carpenter added. “Everything from the location to the numerous amenities that are planned as part of this building will offer our professionals and clients a vibrant, dynamic work and visit experience.”

Memphis-based Baker Donelson is a tenant in the 211 Commerce building, for which the firm has naming rights. In all, it runs 22 offices in 10 states and Washington, D.C., that are home to about 750 attorneys.

Ken Larish, Mainland's CEO, said the development company is "very fortunate" to have landed Baker Donelson.

“We look forward to working with their team to design a space that speaks to the firm’s historical significance as well as its goal to create a modern and innovative work environment for it many professionals,” he said.



Mainland has enlisted Chicago-based architecture and engineering firm Skidmore Owings & Merrill for design, with Avison Young’s Nashville office overseeing the marketing and leasing of both One KVB’s office and retail space.

Prior to today's announcement, Mainland had not announced any tenants for the tower.

Read more here.

